Age-Reversing Therapy, Inflation, & Kittenfishing

News without the noise

Adam Rogers
June 11, 2026

Good Morning! Today’s edition is 958 words, a 4-minute read.

What’s on tap:

First-time reader? Sign up here!

Life Biosciences has begun the first human trial of an experimental gene therapy designed to restore vision by making damaged eye cells behave like younger ones. The treatment targets glaucoma and "eye stroke," two conditions that can cause permanent blindness and currently have limited treatment options.
The therapy uses three of the four "Yamanaka factors," proteins capable of partially reprogramming mature cells to a younger state. In monkey studies, the treatment improved visual function, preserved damaged optic nerve cells, and worked even after injury had occurred, results that helped it become the first FDA-cleared epigenetic rejuvenation therapy to enter human trials.
Researchers built in safeguards by omitting the factor most closely linked to cancer and designing the therapy to shut off if patients stop taking a daily pill. While the trial's immediate goal is to restore sight, scientists hope the same approach could eventually regenerate aging tissues throughout the body.

US inflation accelerated from 3.8% to 4.2% in May, its highest level in three years, as higher energy costs linked to the Iran war pushed prices upward. Consumer prices have now outpaced wage growth for several months, straining household finances and making affordability a growing political issue ahead of the midterm elections.
Gasoline accounted for more than 60% of last month's price increases, though higher costs spread across the economy. Airline fares are up nearly 27% from a year ago, electricity prices rose 5.9%, and groceries continued to climb, even as core inflation excluding food and energy remained relatively contained.
The report complicates the Federal Reserve's plans for interest rates. Inflation remains well above the central bank's 2% target, and markets increasingly expect policymakers to raise rates rather than cut them this year. Higher rates can make mortgages, car loans, and business borrowing more expensive, potentially slowing economic growth.

Chinese scientists have discovered the world's largest known whale graveyard at the bottom of the Indian Ocean, uncovering nearly 500 skeletons along a 750-mile corridor up to 7,000 meters deep. Some fossils date back 5.3 million years, and researchers believe millions more carcasses could lie buried across the region.
The team found thriving communities of deep-sea life feeding on the remains, including bone-boring worms, jellyfish, brittle stars, and mollusks. Scientists believe the area's geography funneled whale carcasses into an underwater trench, creating an immense food source that has sustained life for millions of years.
The discovery suggests whale falls may play a far bigger role in ocean ecosystems than previously thought. Researchers estimate the graveyard stores roughly 6.7 million tons of carbon and may act as an evolutionary bridge connecting isolated deep-sea habitats, helping new species emerge and spread across the ocean floor.

Nancy Mace said she will return to the private sector after her South Carolina gubernatorial defeat and endorsed Alan Wilson in the Republican runoff despite previously criticizing him. (More)

ICE is extending new officer training from 42 to 71 days and requiring additional instruction after criticism that its accelerated program left agents unprepared. (More)

Bill Gates told congressional investigators he did not know about Jeffrey Epstein's crimes, denying social ties and saying their 2011–2014 philanthropic discussions led nowhere. (More)

A teachers' strike in Mexico has kept more than 1.4 million students out of school, with 88,500 educators demanding higher pay and pension reforms. (More)

An American diplomat was found dead in Myanmar, and police are investigating the case as a possible homicide. Diplomatic sources say a Thai woman has been detained. (More)

A Russian colonel overseeing weapons supply to front-line troops was killed Tuesday when a bomb planted under his BMW exploded near Moscow. (More)

US stock markets closed lower on Wednesday (S&P +1.67%, Nasdaq +1.98%, Dow -1.87%) after Trump said President Trump said that Iran negotiations were taking “too long” and threatened more action. (More)

Chick-fil-A is expanding its delivery-only "ghost kitchen" strategy, opening its first Florida location in Miami and growing a small nationwide network aimed at reaching dense urban markets. (More)

Oracle beat quarterly earnings and raised its profit outlook, but shares fell after the company announced plans to raise $40 billion to help fund its expanding AI infrastructure. (More)

The Knicks erased a 29-point second-half deficit to beat the Spurs 107-106, completing the largest comeback in NBA Finals history. New York leads the series 3-1. (More)

Patrick Mahomes agreed to a reworked contract with the Kansas City Chiefs through 2033 worth $504.75 million, the first NFL deal valued at more than half a billion dollars. (More)

Glenn Close will receive an honorary Academy Award alongside Ridley Scott and Floyd Norman, ending her long wait for Oscar recognition after eight competitive nominations. (More)

A study of more than 8,000 people found that even brief bursts of everyday movement, like walking or climbing stairs, can quickly improve mood, while feeling happier also makes people more likely to be active. (More)

A new study found stress along Southern California's San Andreas Fault and San Jacinto Fault is at its highest level in 1,000 years, raising the risk of a major earthquake but not predicting when one will occur. (More)

Rutgers professor Eva Andrei won the 2026 Kavli Prize for helping discover that twisting ultrathin carbon sheets can create new electronic properties, a breakthrough that could advance quantum computing and next-generation electronics. (More)

The latest toxic dating trend: Kittenfishing.

You can now use a religious exemption to avoid using AI at work.

Toronto offers World Cup-themed scavenger hunt.

Can smell stimulation improve your memory or sleep?

Your feedback helps us provide the best newsletter possible.