July 2023

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Big News
Continued debate around aspartame as a carcinogen. Aspartame, an artificial sweetener used as a sugar substitute, was the subject of controversy this month when the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) declared aspartame a “possible carcinogen.” This decision was made primarily because of studies which suggested a potential link to liver cancer in both humans and rodents. Despite this news, the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) maintained their current stance on Aspartame - that daily limits for aspartame consumption should not be altered. Their reason for this was inconsistency in the data, they pointed out design limitations and possible confounding factors. As it stands there is no clear-cut answer regarding the safety of aspartame and its potential link to cancer. Instead, the focus remains on conducting more comprehensive studies which will explore aspartame's influence on metabolic processes and its potential impact on health. So there is no need to pour all of your diet coke down the drain…yet.

Revelations about Unidentified Aerial Phenomena. This month saw a  congressional hearing, held on June 26, 2023, which featured military officers testifying regarding alleged government knowledge of UFOs, now officially termed "unidentified anomalous phenomena". Back in 2021, when we were still reeling from a global pandemic, the U.S. Navy made the surprising decision to  declassify several videos which had captured  encounters with UAP. These sightings led the U.S government to establish the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force within the U.S. Department of Defense, a team dedicated to investigating and analysing UAP incidents (think of it like a more legitimate version of the X-files). The purpose of this month's hearing was to determine whether these UAP posed a threat to public safety or national security. During the hearing, David Grusch, a retired Air Force intelligence officer, revealed some surprising insights. His high-level security clearance granted him access to reports unknown to the public. Seeking whistleblower protection, he claimed that the U.S. government had knowledge of crashed UAPs and had access to biological material of nonhuman origin. Although this testimony did not provide conclusive evidence of a broad government conspiracy, it shed light on the veil of secrecy surrounding UAP data, mostly held by intelligence agencies and the Pentagon. The hearing sparked a lot of debate, and there were growing calls for increased government transparency on the topic of UAPs. As we await further developments, the possibility of obtaining concrete evidence, one way or the other, regarding the existence of visitors from other planets remains intriguing.

Littles News
Big month for Alzheimers treatment. In the face of a disease that strips individuals of their personality and autonomy some hope emerged this month thanks to significant breakthroughs in treatment. Earlier this month, the FDA approved lecanemab, a monoclonal antibody that represents a milestone in Alzheimer's research. While it may not be a cure, it has the potential to slow down the decline experienced by patients, particularly those in the early stages of the disease. The drug has shown promising results in slowing the loss of cognitive function, with a clinical trial of 1,800 patients revealing an average 27 percent decline reduction over 18 months. The longer-term effects are still being studied, and the exact duration of improvement may vary from patient to patient, but it represents a step in the right direction for those who suffer from Alzheimer's. Another ray of hope comes in the form of donanemab, a second compound that received attention this month. Recent trial results demonstrated that it was able to slow cognitive decline by 35%. Participants in the treatment group showed the same levels of decline at 18 months as the placebo group did at 10.5 to 13.6 months. This is another substantial step forward in the search for early treatment options. While a complete cure for Alzheimer's will likely remain elusive for the next few decades, these groundbreaking developments offer significant progress in managing the disease's progression.

What I’ve been enjoying
Zatu Games. As a big fan of board games I’m always on the lookout for my next purchase, and when it comes to buying games my go-to source is Zatu Games, the UK's largest independent board game retailer. I might be biassed because I contribute to their amazing blogging community, but I rely on their articles to introduce me to new games. My wishlist is always growing so if you have any game suggestions you'd like to share, and see mentioned in future newsletters, leave them in the comments below.

P.S: If you want to read more content from me then check out my recent fiction work available now for free on Medium.