Monkey doctor, Boeing whistleblower, and teacher pay.

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Big Stories

Wild orangutan doctor

Researchers reported a unique observation of an orangutan named Rakus using medicinal leaves to treat a wound on its cheek.

• Rakus chewed up leaves from a tropical plant commonly used by people in Southeast Asia for pain and inflammation relief and applied the plant juices directly onto the injury. The orangutan then used the chewed leaves as a makeshift bandage to cover the wound.

• The wound on Rakus's cheek healed within a month after using the medicinal plant. This is the first time scientists have witnessed a wild animal directly applying a known medicinal plant to a wound.

• Scientists have documented self-medication in other primates, like Bornean orangutans using plants to potentially reduce pain and chimpanzees consuming bitter leaves to soothe their stomachs.

Second Boeing whistleblower dies

Joshua Dean, a former quality auditor at a major Boeing supplier, Spirit AeroSystems, who voiced concerns about improperly drilled holes in 737 Max jets, passed away at age 45.

• Dean was among the first to raise the alarm about potential defects in 737 Max jets while working at Spirit AeroSystems. His actions led to federal investigations into Spirit and Boeing after an incident involving a door panel on an Alaska Airlines 737 Max 9. Dean is the second Boeing-related whistleblower to pass away recently.

• Dean's health deteriorated rapidly, surprising his family, who described him as health-conscious and rarely ill. Within days of falling sick, he faced multiple serious conditions, including pneumonia and MRSA infection, ultimately relying on life support.

• Despite facing challenges in his job due to quality-control issues, Dean remained optimistic about the aviation industry's future. He believed in the potential for positive change in Spirit's culture and advocated for the protection of those who raised safety concerns.

Exxon megadeal

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has greenlit Exxon's acquisition of Pioneer Natural Resources.

• The deal was contingent on former Pioneer CEO Scott Sheffield being barred from joining Exxon's board. The approval is the biggest consolidation in the US oil industry in recent history. It also finalizes Exxon's largest acquisition in 25 years.

• Regulators expressed worries that the deal could lead to "collusive activity" between Exxon and OPEC+, an alliance of major oil producers, potentially causing a rise in oil prices. Exxon maintained that they don't engage in such collusion and that the FTC found no issues with their business practices during the review.

• The deal is a major win for Exxon, potentially boosting its oil production significantly. However, it remains to be seen how the market will react to the consolidation and whether concerns about pricing will materialize.

Little Stories

• The IRS received $80 billion in new funding to hire more staff and increase audits, especially of wealthy taxpayers. The goal is to collect more tax revenue and improve customer service, which suffered in recent years due to staffing shortages. (More)

• Halle Berry is backing a new menopause bill with senators. The bill aims to fund research, raise awareness, and train healthcare providers to better address menopause. Bipartisan support reflects the growing recognition of women's mid-life health needs. (More)

• Google laid off at least 200 employees from core teams responsible for building core products and online safety. The restructuring happened right before strong earnings and involved shifting some roles to cheaper labor markets like India and Mexico. (More)

• A new study suggests even brief anger can harm blood vessel function, potentially increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke. Researchers observed this effect in healthy young adults who recalled anger-inducing experiences. While no participants suffered actual heart attacks or strokes, their blood vessel function became temporarily impaired, mirroring a condition linked to these events. (More)

• In recent weeks, over 2,000 people have been arrested during pro-Palestinian protests at various US college campuses. The arrests spiked on Wednesday night into Thursday morning, with more than 300 demonstrators arrested. Notable incidents include the arrests of over 200 students at the University of California, Los Angeles, and over 90 students at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire. (More)

Extra Credit

Ranking teacher pay by state.

Scientists discover the deepest under-ocean sinkhole in Mexico.

This Japanese airport hasn’t lost a single piece of luggage in 30 years.

Why does this ice cost $32?