A retired police officer in Maryland converted a bus into a mobile laundry to support people experiencing homelessness. Wade Milyard now drives his “Fresh Step Laundry” bus around the community, offering free washing services that restore dignity and comfort — and he’s already cleaned more than two thousand pounds of clothing for those in need. Humanity still exists
The most dangerous lie of the 21st century was that all cultures are interchangeable. Sweden is the irrefutable proof that they are not. As an Iranian who watched my own country fall to extremism, the tragedy unfolding in Scandinavia feels like a recurring nightmare. I have seen a civilization commit suicide before, and the symptoms are always the same: a fatal tolerance for those who explicitly wish to dismantle your way of life. We are witnessing the total collapse of a utopian fantasy. Sweden now rivals nations like Mexico in bombing frequency for a country not officially at war. This is not merely a crime wave. It is the sound of a society fracturing under the weight of imported conflict. It echoes the silence that eventually fell over my own homeland when the vibrancy of culture was traded for the rigidity of dogma. Sweden is the canary in the coal mine. It demonstrates that tolerance cannot extend to the intolerant. As the undeniable cost of these policies mounts, those who understand the gravity of the situation are increasingly intimidated into silence. – Armin Nawabi
President Vladimir Putin warned about the risks of young people becoming overly dependent on artificial intelligence and losing their ability to analyze things on their own. He pointed out that it’s essential to avoid creating a generation that “just presses buttons” without critical thinking, and urged to strengthen intellectual training in the face of technological advancement.
Did you know? In some Japan’s schools, education isn’t just about knowledge — it’s about character. For the first three years of school, children in these specific institutes don’t take academic exams at all. Instead, the focus is on respect, empathy, and moral values. Students learn to clean their classrooms, serve lunch to their peers, and care for their environment. Teachers emphasize teamwork, discipline, and gratitude — qualities considered as vital as academic success.
| BIOTECH INNOVATIONS |
 A rice-sized implant to restore vision |
 Image source: Ideogram / The Rundown |
| The Rundown: Max Hodak, the engineer who helped Elon Musk turn Neuralink from sci-fi pitch into an FDA-approved brain implant, now has his own startup — building a rice-sized retinal implant that can restore vision. |
| The details: |
| Hodak’s neurotech company, Science Corp, built after his split from Neuralink, aims to turn cutting-edge brain-computer interfaces into real medical products.Its first product is a retinal chip that pairs with camera glasses and a battery pack to restore “form vision” in people with advanced macular degeneration. Science Corp finished clinical trials, submitted data in Europe, and is targeting a launch next summer at around $200K per procedure, TechCrunch reports.The company is developing optogenetic gene therapies and “waffle grid” brain implants seeded with lab-grown neurons that can grow into the cortex. |
| Why it matters: Backed by $260M in funding, Hodak’s startup is now competing directly with Neuralink, Microsoft’s BCI research program, Apple’s partnership with Synchron, and Sam Altman’s reported Neuralink rival — raising the stakes over who will control the platforms that literally interface with the human nervous system. |
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Science News
from research organizations
Date:December 2, 2025
Source:Universität Leipzig
Summary:Scientists have discovered that a single gene, GRIN2A, can directly cause mental illness—something previously thought to stem only from many genes acting together. People with certain variants of this gene often develop psychiatric symptoms much earlier than expected, sometimes in childhood instead of adulthood. Even more surprising, some individuals show only mental health symptoms, without the seizures or learning problems usually linked to GRIN2A.
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According to the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly one in seven people across the globe lived with a mental illness in 2021, with anxiety disorders and depression occurring most frequently. These conditions often stem from a mix of influences, and genetics play a major part in shaping a person’s risk. Having a close family member with a mental illness remains one of the strongest known predictors. Until recently, research suggested that psychiatric disorders typically develop from the combined effects of many different genes.
“Our current findings indicate that GRIN2A is the first known gene that, on its own, can cause a mental illness. This distinguishes it from the polygenic causes of such disorders that have been assumed to date,” says Professor Johannes Lemke, lead author of the study and Director of the Institute of Human Genetics at the University of Leipzig Medical Center.
Study Links GRIN2A Variants to Early-Onset Psychiatric Symptoms
In this investigation, researchers conducted a statistical analysis of data from 121 individuals who carried a genetic change in the GRIN2A gene. “We were able to show that certain variants of this gene are associated not only with schizophrenia but also with other mental illnesses. What is striking is that, in the context of a GRIN2A alteration, these disorders already appear in childhood or adolescence — in contrast to the more typical manifestation in adulthood,” says Professor Lemke. The research team also highlighted an unexpected finding: some participants showed only psychiatric symptoms, even though GRIN2A changes are usually linked to epilepsy or intellectual disability.
How GRIN2A Affects Brain Signaling and a Possible Treatment Approach
The GRIN2A gene helps regulate how active nerve cells are by influencing their electrical signaling. In this study, certain gene variants reduced the function of the NMDA receptor, a key component involved in communication between brain cells. Working with Dr. Steffen Syrbe, Professor at the Heidelberg Medical Faculty and pediatric neurologist at Heidelberg University Hospital, the team demonstrated that this reduced activity may be medically important. In an early treatment effort, patients experienced noticeable improvements in psychiatric symptoms after receiving L-serine — a dietary supplement that activates the NMDA receptor.
Professors Johannes Lemke and Steffen Syrbe have collaborated for nearly 15 years in both clinical and research settings to better understand disorders involving the brain’s glutamate receptor in children with neurological conditions. Over this period, Professor Lemke established an international registry containing the largest known group of GRIN2A patients worldwide, providing the foundation for the findings published in this study.
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Materials provided by Universität Leipzig. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
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Universität Leipzig. “Scientists discover first gene proven to directly cause mental illness.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 2 December 2025. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/12/251202052230.htm>
