Good Morning! Today’s edition is 1,165 words, a 4-minute read.

What’s on tap: 

• Gender-neutral combat fitness tests

• Ancient Roman soldier grave

• How often should you wash your hair

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Big Story

“Sex-Neutral” Combat Fitness Tests

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has directed military departments to implement "sex-neutral" physical fitness standards for all combat positions within six months.

• The directive requires military branches to submit implementation plans within 60 days and clearly define which roles qualify as combat arms positions.

• Critics, including women veterans and military experts, believe the change could harm recruitment and retention without improving combat readiness. Over 6,700 enlisted women and nearly 3,000 female officers serve in Army combat branches including artillery, armor, and infantry.

• The military’s most elite combat roles already have gender-neutral requirements—the first woman joined the Green Berets in 2020 and one has yet to become a Navy SEAL. Many occupational assessments like the High Physical Demand Tasks for infantry are already sex-neutral.

• A previous Army gender-neutral fitness test in 2021 saw 40% of women fail. The Army returned to age/gender-adjusted standards after a RAND study questioned whether the requirements accurately measured combat readiness.

Big Story

Shingles Vaccine Protects Against Brain Aging

Stanford researchers have uncovered an unexpected bonus from shingles vaccination - it appears to protect aging brains from dementia.

• The study, published in Nature, found that the original live virus shingle vaccine cut older adults' risk of developing dementia by 20%. Women, who face higher dementia risk overall, seemed to benefit even more from the protection.

• Shingles is a painful, blistering rash caused by the reactivation of the chickenpox virus that has laid dormant in nerve tissue since childhood. About 1 in 3 Americans will develop shingles in their lifetime, typically after age 50 when immunity weakens.

• The virus doesn't just cause painful rashes, it has effects on the brain too. Scientists have discovered that shingles can cause inflammation, impair brain blood flow, and even trigger the formation of amyloid, a sticky protein associated with Alzheimer's disease.

• Researchers discovered the neuroprotective bonus using Wales' vaccination age limit. Anyone 79 on September 1, 2013, was eligible while those 80+ were not. By analyzing 280,000+ medical records of people on either side of this cutoff, the team mimicked a randomized trial and confirmed that the Zostavax vaccine reduced dementia risk.

• Researchers are now investigating whether the newer, more effective Shingrix vaccine offers similar or even better brain protection.

Big Story

2025 Hurricane Forecast

Colorado State University researchers forecast 17 tropical storms for the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, with 9 expected to strengthen into hurricanes.

• Four are expected to reach major hurricane status (Category 3-5). The projection exceeds the 1991-2020 average of 14 storms and 7 hurricanes, though it's slightly below 2024's destructive season that produced 18 storms including devastating hurricanes Helene and Milton.

• Unusually warm Atlantic waters and the predicted absence of El Niño are driving the above-average forecast. CSU meteorologist Phil Klotzbach notes the subtropical and tropical Atlantic are "thankfully not as warm as last year," but still warmer than normal. This pattern is typical before active hurricane seasons. (See El Niño and La Niña explainer here)

• Researchers predict a 51% chance of a major hurricane (Category 3+) making landfall along the US coastline, higher than the historical average of 43%. Gulf Coast states face a 33% chance of a major hurricane landfall, while the East Coast has a 26% probability.

• Last year's Atlantic hurricane season was the most lethal since 2005, with over 400 fatalities. Hurricane Helene alone caused at least 249 US deaths, making it the deadliest continental US storm since Hurricane Katrina.

Quick Stories

US News

• State Department officials warn travelers about crime and swimming risks in The Bahamas. They've updated their Level 2 advisory with new details but aren't discouraging visits—just recommending extra caution for tourists heading there. (More)

• The Senate confirmed Dr. Mehmet Oz, former heart surgeon and TV personality, to lead Medicare and Medicaid Services in a 53-45 vote. He'll oversee health insurance for half the country amid Medicaid cut debates. (More)

• Four teens who didn’t fully put out cigarettes started two wildfires in the South Carolina mountains. The blazes burned an area half the size of Hilton Head Island but are now nearly contained. (More)

World

• Indian police arrested American tourist Mykhailo Polyakov after he illegally sailed to North Sentinel Island and left a Coke can for the isolated Sentinelese tribe, who violently reject all outside contact. (More)

• Myanmar's military government reported the death toll rose to 3,085 from last Friday's 7.7 magnitude earthquake near Mandalay. The disaster injured 4,715 people and destroyed thousands of buildings nationwide. (More)

• Hungary announced plans to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC) as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in Budapest for a four-day visit. (More)

Business & Economy

• US stock markets closed lower on Thursday (S&P -4.84%, Nasdaq -5.97%, Dow -3.98%). All three major indexes had their worst trading day since 2020 during the pandemic. (More)

• Stellantis is stopping production at plants in Canada and Mexico due to Trump's new 25% tariffs on all imported vehicles. (More)

• Mortgage rates dropped sharply Thursday after Trump's tariff announcement, with the 30-year fixed rate falling to 6.63% - the lowest since October. (More)

Sports & Entertainment

• USA Fencing says disqualifying a female fencer who refused to compete against a transgender opponent followed standard rules. Stephanie Turner was expelled after protesting by kneeling and removing her mask before the bout. (More)

• Bruce Springsteen is releasing 83 unreleased songs on June 27 called "Tracks II: The Lost Albums." The collection will be made into seven full albums. (More)

• Shohei Ohtani hit a walk-off homer to help the Dodgers beat the Braves 6-5. His clutch hit keeps LA perfect at 8-0 and tops the 1933 Yankees for the longest win streak to start the season for a reigning champion. (More)

Science, Health, & Tech

• Amazon added a new "Recaps" feature for Kindle, helping readers remember plots and characters between books in a series. The company uses AI to generate the short summaries and human moderators to ensure accuracy. (More)

• Scientists found that heavy drinking damages brain circuits in rats for decision-making, causing lasting problems. The rats exposed to alcohol performed worse on complex tasks months after being sober. (More)

• Archaeologists in Austria found a mass grave with about 150 Roman soldiers from the 1st century. The team determined that sword, spear, dagger, and projectile bolts caused the deaths. (More)

Extra Credit

👹 Explore the Park of Monsters in Bomarzo, Italy.

🍽️ Expert picks for the top 15 US restaurants.

🫧 How often should you wash your hair?

🐢 Clickbait: 100-year-old couple (of tortoises) give birth in Philadelphia.