News

We’re secretly winning the war on cancer (6-minute read)

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While cancer is still a terrible health threat, the tide in the war against cancer is turning. Thanks to breakthrough treatments, cancer is no longer the death sentence it once was. While there are certain areas where the story isn’t getting better, the future of cancer treatment is improving.

This article tells the story of three revolutions that caused the dramatic bend in the curve of cancer deaths.

Read the article on Vox.

Sources:
•  TLDR. (2025, June 12). TLDR Newsletter. https://a.tldrnewsletter.com/web-version?ep=1&lc=f5cb7e17-003d-11ed-9258-0241b9615763&p=e2e4065c-475b-11f0-b4a2-fdbb6d26bcbc&pt=campaign&t=1749725820&s=05bf35b20ecd03df05de150e2f20a362a0d57368108713905b1e6f854c2c1036
•  Walsh, B. (2025, June 7). We’re secretly winning the war on cancer. Vox. https://www.vox.com/health/415812/cancer-death-rates-myeloma-immunotherapy-smoking

XRobotics’ countertop robots are cooking up 25,000 pizzas a month (4-minute read)

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XRobotics’ countertop robot, xPizza Cube, can make up to 100 pizzas an hour. Roughly the size of a stackable washing machine, the xPizza Cube can be retrofitted to work with pies of different sizes and styles.

A unit can be leased for $1,300 a month for three years. XRobotics recently raised a $2.5 million seed round – it will use the capital to produce more units and install more robots for customers.

Sources:
•  TLDR. (2025, June 10). TLDR Newsletter. https://a.tldrnewsletter.com/web-version?ep=1&lc=f5cb7e17-003d-11ed-9258-0241b9615763&p=4b975464-45cd-11f0-8a77-ed3cea449fbb&pt=campaign&t=1749552945&s=a65960a3afe76fcebddb32316255501e77afb6582056bb32953fdde467becf3c
•  Szkutak, R. (2025, June 9). XRobotics’ countertop robots are cooking up 25,000 pizzas a month. TechCrunch. https://techcrunch.com/2025/06/09/xrobotics-countertop-robots-are-cooking-up-25000-pizzas-a-month/

Breakthrough in search for HIV cure leaves researchers ‘overwhelmed’ (2-minute read)

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Researchers have found a way to force HIV out of hiding inside human cells. HIV’s ability to conceal itself within certain white blood cells has been one of the main challenges for scientists looking for a cure.

Further research is required to determine whether revealing the virus is enough to allow the body’s immune system to deal with it or whether other technologies or therapies will need to be used to eliminate it from the body. The method will require successful tests in animals followed by safety trials in humans before efficacy trials can even begin.

Sources:
•  TLDR. (2025, June 9). TLDR Newsletter. https://a.tldrnewsletter.com/web-version?ep=1&lc=f5cb7e17-003d-11ed-9258-0241b9615763&p=a437f6a0-450a-11f0-8f5d-91cc2f75f098&pt=campaign&t=1749466605&s=71f53978b6bb6288e3942fd1aa07d1e80682151cb4780d09967031e505dad7d1
•  Lay, K. (2025, June 6). Breakthrough in search for HIV cure leaves researchers ‘overwhelmed.’ The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2025/jun/05/breakthrough-in-search-for-hiv-cure-leaves-researchers-overwhelmed

Scientists in Japan develop plastic that dissolves in seawater within hours (2-minute read)

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Researchers in Japan have developed a plastic material that breaks down in seawater without leaving any residual trace. The material is as strong as petroleum-based plastics and can be used like regular plastic when coated.

It breaks down when exposed to salt, and the components can be further processed by naturally occurring bacteria. It is non-toxic, non-flammable, and does not emit carbon dioxide. While the team has not yet detailed any plans for commercialization, their research has attracted significant interest.

Read the reuters.com article.

Sources:
•  TLDR. (2025, June 5). TLDR Newsletter. https://a.tldrnewsletter.com/web-version?ep=1&lc=f5cb7e17-003d-11ed-9258-0241b9615763&p=b8450da0-41e4-11f0-bbf9-5b665e8caa98&pt=campaign&t=1749120915&s=0cfdedb047f4ff25d34fb1a8051ef02fac1a1d21a2b4d8847fc18b95470e1e36
•  Wang, I. (2025, June 4). Scientists in Japan develop plastic that dissolves in seawater within hours. reuters.com. https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/scientists-japan-develop-plastic-that-dissolves-seawater-within-hours-2025-06-04/

Of Course Workers Want a Four-Day Week. Companies Should Too. (5-minute read)

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Studies across hundreds of businesses and nonprofits switching to four-day-week pilot programs show that working one day less every week with no reduction in pay results in reduced burnout, better mental health, and improvements in physical health.

Organizations saw excellent results in performance metrics such as revenue, absenteeism, and resignations — less than 10% decided to discontinue the four-day week. Companies appear to be able to maintain 100% of their performance despite 20% less time at the workplace. The most common productivity hack used by companies was to cut down on meetings.

Read the WSJ article.

Sources:
•  TLDR. (2025, June 3). TLDR Newsletter. https://a.tldrnewsletter.com/web-version?ep=1&lc=f5cb7e17-003d-11ed-9258-0241b9615763&p=a5797562-4054-11f0-a706-bff77af8d31b&pt=campaign&t=1748948034&s=957af4a5260ff075379359c88f38734368315b29992830cc54a30b1288172e2f
•  B. Schor, J. (2025, May 29). Of course workers want a four-day week. Companies should too. Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/workplace/of-course-workers-want-a-four-day-week-companies-should-too-0837a0a1?st=nmPfYi&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

“The Who Cares Era” by Dan Sinker

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Earlier this week, it was discovered that the Chicago Sun-Times and the Philadelphia Inquirer had both published an externally-produced “special supplement” that contained facts, experts, and book titles entirely made up by an AI chatbot. There’s been a lot written about this (former Chicago Reader editor Martha Bayne’s is the best), and I don’t need to rehash it all. But the thing that is most disheartening to me is how at every step along the way, nobody cared.

The writer didn’t care. The supplement’s editors didn’t care. The biz people on both sides of the sale of the supplement didn’t care. The production people didn’t care. And, the fact that it took two days for anyone to discover this epic fuckup in print means that, ultimately, the reader didn’t care either.

It’s so emblematic of the moment we’re in, The Who Cares Era, where completely disposable things are shoddily produced for people to mostly ignore. Read the rest of the article…

Source: The Who Cares Era | Dansinker.com. (2025, May 23). https://dansinker.com/posts/2025-05-23-who-cares/

Anti-obesity drugs for everyone?

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Should Everyone Be Taking Ozempic? Doctors Say More People Could Benefit1
Anti-obesity drugs are showing promise for ever-expanding list of diseases

1Loftus, P. (2025, May 25). Should Everyone Be Taking Ozempic? Doctors Say More People Could Benefit: Anti-obesity drugs are showing promise for ever-expanding list of diseases. The Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/health/pharma/glp-1-drugs-health-benefits-4014d7d5

AI article summary:2

The article discusses the increasing potential of GLP-1 drugs, such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound, beyond treating diabetes and weight loss. These drugs show promise for various diseases, including heart, kidney, and liver diseases, sleep apnea, arthritis, Alzheimer’s, and alcohol addiction, and may even have anti-aging benefits.

Doctors suggest that millions more people could benefit from these drugs, potentially up to one-third to a majority of adults. However, caution is advised, as excessive weight loss and malnourishment are concerns for individuals who don’t medically fit the criteria. The drugs mimic natural gut hormones, promoting insulin production and suppressing appetite, leading to significant weight loss and improvement in related conditions.

While many benefits stem from weight loss, some may be independent, possibly due to anti-inflammatory effects. The article mentions specific examples of individuals benefiting from these drugs, like Susan Abernethy, who used Mounjaro to treat her psoriatic arthritis. There is also discussion of GLP-1s helping with liver diseases and potentially slowing cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s patients.

Despite the potential, only a small fraction of eligible people currently use these drugs, due to factors like cost, insurance coverage, tolerability, and manufacturing capacity. The article mentions ongoing research and development of newer GLP-1s with greater efficacy and different administration methods. However, certain groups, such as those with a history of thyroid cancer or pancreatitis, should avoid these drugs. Analysts predict increased usage in the future but acknowledge that it will still represent a fraction of the eligible population.

2Generated by Gemini AI

FDA OKs first blood test that can help diagnose Alzheimer’s disease (2-minute read)

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R. Scott Turner, Professor of Neurology and Director of the Memory Disorder Center at Georgetown University Hospital, points to PET scan results that are part of a study on Alzheimer’s disease at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, May 19, 2015. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. health officials on Friday endorsed the first blood test that can help diagnose Alzheimer’s and identify patients who may benefit from drugs that can modestly slow the memory-destroying disease.

The new test, from Fujirebio Diagnostics, Inc., identifies a sticky brain plaque, known as beta-amyloid, that is a key marker for Alzheimer’s. Previously, the only FDA-approved methods for detecting amyloid were invasive tests of spinal fluid or expensive PET scans. Read more…

Source: Perrone, M. (2025, May 16). FDA OKs first blood test that can help diagnose Alzheimer’s disease | AP News. AP News.

Airbnb adding new services and experiences

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Airbnb expands into services and experiences, plans more social and AI features (8 minute read)

Mehta, I. (2025, May 13). Airbnb expands into services and experiences, plans more social and AI features. TechCrunch.

“Airbnb has introduced a new feature that allows travelers to book services and experiences. The new offerings can be added to trips or booked independently.

There are currently 10 categories of services available, including:

  • catering
  • photography
  • massages
  • personal training
  • makeup

The services are available in 100 cities worldwide across eight countries. Airbnb is also launching exclusive experiences that involve celebrity partnerships. It has planned social features for release later this year.”

TLDR Newsletter. (2025, May 14). TLDR.