Scientists finally know why astronauts struggle to poop in space - and reveal a hidden risk of long-haul spaceflight ->Live Science | More on "Astronaut health in space missions" at BigEarthData.ai | #Astronaut #Science

Scientists finally know why astronauts struggle to poop in space - and reveal a hidden risk of long-haul spaceflight

Scientists have finally gotten to the bottom of why astronauts struggle to poop in space, thanks to a new blood test. The findings also reveal an unexpected side effect of this cosmic constipation that may need to be addressed before humans take long-haul trips to Mars and beyond, the study authors say. As soon as people started living in space, it became apparent that it was harder to go "number two" among the stars than down on Earth — and not just because of how complicated it is to use a space toilet. For most astronauts, this gastrointestinal change is just an inconvenience, but some have to take laxatives to overcome the problem. The drugs are routinely stocked on most space missions, including the recent Artemis II mission. Constipation is one of several digestive issues astronauts contend with, including bloating, indigestion and acid reflux, according to NASA. And like most other health problems that can affect astronauts, researchers have long suspected that microgravity is the leading cause. However, it has been very hard to prove that hypothesis or understand the other effects that chronic constipation may have on astronauts' general health. In a new NASA-backed study, published June 29 in...

livescience.com

You have Trump because of a primary system in the GOP that was meant to magnify early victories and produce a front-runner fast (so that the party would have time to start running against less-organized Dems). Smoke-filled rooms would have stopped Trump from even declaring.

Jurph: you're soaking in it@jurph.bsky.social · 15h ago

We have Trump because the Democrats relied for too long on the belief that their smoke filled rooms knew better than the electorate. We also have Trump because the Republican smoke filled rooms couldn’t agree that he needed to be vaporized from orbit.

Dear libertarians, I hate to tell you this (I don’t), but you are children. And the barrage of perfectly preventable diseases becoming newly prevalent again and having to check the daily food recalls should be all the proof you need.

I didn’t say never. But if you look at the last three elections and you think it’s time to nominate a woman again…well

Jane Roe Has Hope - Pro-choice Adoptee@janeroehopeful.bsky.social · 12h ago

Why’s it always the men saying we won’t elect a woman?

This seems bad imo

Of COURSE the BBC is doing this now To save you the trouble of reading this both-sides-ist bollocks that's going to end up killing some of us: In the red corner: a superannuated crank who's mad she's less relevant professionally now In the blue: literally every other autism researcher

Oh goody, more airtime for peddlers of harmful wares. Autistic people shouldn't do autism research because we can't be neutral? I guess only white people can be 'neutral' about black lives too, yes? And only men can be 'neutral' about women's health? Get. To. Fuck. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

A split in the spectrum? The ongoing battle to define autism

There is a continuing row over whether it matters if such a broad spectrum of people are defined as having autism

bbc.co.uk

This is the funniest shit. Florida allows religious exemptions for vaccines. Catholic schools in Florida: we require vaccines. Florida's attorney general, who is Catholic, is threatening to pull vouchers if they don't allow for religious exemptions The Bishops: separation of church & state

Catholic bishops remind attorney general about separation of church and state

“The government may not decide that Church teaching is insufficiently religious,” wrote the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops.

miamiherald.com

I'm baffled as to why it never occurs to the people who want to cut government regulation to never ask themselves how much rat feces they are willing to eat in their next meal.

This photo features rock musician Alice Cooper alongside actress Jean Stapleton famous for playing Edith Bunker on All in the Family backstage at a charity benefit called "A Shakespeare Cabaret" at the Hollywood Bowl on August 19, 1973.

Oh, snap, what an amazing idea!! The subsidies would be like, I dunno, food coupons or, say, stamps—people could exchange them for groceries, except that with today's technology you could give them magnetic stripes that could hold their benefits—electronic benefit transfer cards or something!!!

Catherine Rampell@crampell.bsky.social · yesterday

Hear me out. What if instead of selling food below cost to all comers at taxpayer expense, then using more taxpayer dollars to subsidize private companies that can't compete, we had a program targeting nutritional assistance just to the people who needed it, as a sort of supplement?

A great example of the strain of leftist thinking that is illiberal and intolerable. Puritanical, closed minded. Not interested in debate, discussion, or free exchange of ideas. They want to impose their views. “Shame” others into silence. I will always oppose those who want to control others.

“Every [autistic person’s] challenges are different. But you can't make the assumption that the person with high support needs is always having a harder time. They will in some regards, but not in all." Autistic academic Rachel Moseley in an article where passé academic Uta Frith talks way too much.

Autistic Realms (Helen Edgar)@autisticrealms.bsky.social · 8h ago

A split in the spectrum? The ongoing battle to define autism 'What if some people with a diagnosis aren't actually autistic?' *SIGH* Thank you @drmbothapsych.bsky.social & Dr Rachel Moseley for sharing the harm of all this www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Whoa! I got a Wordle in one. The Wordle Bot suggests that today would be a good day for me to buy a lottery ticket, but I prefer just to pat myself on the back for being lucky. Now I need to find a new start word.

Next, Trump is going to rename our capital after himself. www.nbcnews.com/politics/tru...

Navy discusses renaming aircraft carrier after Trump instead of heroic Black sailor

The USS Doris Miller would be the first aircraft carrier named after a Black person and an enlisted sailor — a decision made during Trump’s first term.

nbcnews.com

Actress Angela Bassett and singer Roseanne Cash are distant biological cousins. And a lot of us, across color lines, are rather close relatives whose bloodlines intersect not that long ago. Which is another reason why racism is so stupid. www.pbs.org/video/dna-co...

TheValuesVoter@thevaluesvoter.bsky.social · last yr.

The fascinating thing about genealogy is that it shows how we're all related. All of us are blood relatives, as all of us descended from one bloodline (Acts 17:26). But a lot of us, across ethnicity/hue, are blood relatives intersecting in relatively recent generations. People would be surprised.

Meta is about to face a reckoning, of the kind that could dramatically change Instagram and Facebook, and could even threaten their existence. The reckoning comes in the form of a new court case, beginning today in California, during which Zuckerberg will testify.

Meta is facing the biggest test in its history. But we might already know the result

That this case is happening at all is an indication of just how much has already changed, writes Andrew Griffin

the-independent.com

When your government says it’s planning to open multiple prisons that will house up to 3,000 children, it’s time to demand a new government. There is no context in which this is legitimate or acceptable.

Whitney Curry Wimbish@whitneycwimbish.bsky.social · yesterday

The Trump regime is looking for immigrant detention camps big enough to hold up to 3,000 children. At an industry roundtable discussion, officials wouldn't say exactly where or when they need them, only that they’re expecting a “surge.” New from me in @prospect.org.

Chauvin was, in fact, the cause of Floyd’s death. He used a technique that MPD and most other agencies have banned, specifically because it causes death. And the crime for which he was convicted is unintentional second-degree murder, which by definition does not require intent to kill.

Justin Baragona@justinbaragona.bsky.social · 2d ago

Is there ever a time now when he's not trying to ignite a race war?

Great job from the president yesterday, basically telling Iran "yes, you should get a nuke ASAP, so you can get the same treatment I give my friends in North Korea." www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...

Donald Trump Just Explained Why Iran Should Have a Nuclear Weapon

He may also have blurted out classified information about North Korea.

theatlantic.com

$150,000?!?

Tech Billionaires Threaten To Flee California Over Proposed Vest Tax https://theonion.com/tech-billionaires-threaten-to-flee-california-over-proposed-vest-tax/

Wait a damn minute. The things Arday did, like the marathons, had been previously covered, with first hand primary sources, by English news orgs, contemporaneously?!?! And yet the Telegraph and others just kept repeating that he'd lied about them, despite tons of documentation they happened?! 🤬🤬🤬

Jason Arday's marathon challenge and football claims found to be true after his death

Claims the late academic made which were widely derided as false in media and online discourse this month appear to be true, an MEE analysis has found

middleeasteye.net

Hear me out. What if instead of selling food below cost to all comers at taxpayer expense, then using more taxpayer dollars to subsidize private companies that can't compete, we had a program targeting nutritional assistance just to the people who needed it, as a sort of supplement?

David Rohde says that the major logistics problems for the Navy largely come from the fact that the Navy's chief resupply station in the Gulf of Oman was completely destroyed in an Iranian attack, and Hegseth decided to keep it secret, from the public, Congress and the White House.

USS Lincoln wasn't resupplied because Hegseth 'hid' that Iran destroyed main U.S. base: Rohde

President Trump continues to say that Iran wants to make a deal to end the war and that the U.S. has control over the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, the president downplayed concerns about the condition...

ms.now

The Smithsonian I visited in 6th grade had an incredible exhibit called "A Nation of Nations" about how America's greatness was built out of mass immigration and racial and cultural diversity. This was over 40 years ago during the Reagan administration, not exactly woke www.ft.com/content/659a...

She “declined?” “Declined”? You can’t just decline to get a security clearance. You either get one or you don’t have a job. So much dysfunction in this White House. When will the GOP have had enough? Why risk the country for this? www.ms.now/news/trump-a...

Trump aide Natalie Harp worked at the White House without security clearance for a year

The close aide to the president, known to filter much of the information reaching the commander-in-chief, ultimately relented in recent months after pressure from White House staff.

ms.now

White House Confirms It Customary For President To Start Press Conference With ‘Moo’ https://theonion.com/white-house-confirms-it-customary-for-president-to-start-press-conference-with-moo/

My hottest take is that some many of these “insurgent” candidates are just much better candidates and they focus on grass roots organizing which still works in today’s very weird media environment. Many of these candidates are also offering something instead of the status quo.