Good Afternoon! 🌞

Ever stopped to think what Earth looks like from space—not during the day, but at night? Imagine the planet lit up like a circuit board, glowing with the quiet pulse of human life. Today, we’re zooming out for a fresh perspective—one that might just change how you see our world when the lights go out.

@nasa.curiosity

Earth as seen from Space at night.

Health Sciences

A Life Saving Mistake

A 19-year-old woman named Karla Flores is now cancer-free after undergoing a groundbreaking surgery, followed by radiation therapy, to treat two rare bone tumors. Her ordeal began with double vision, which led to a diagnosis of chordoma—a rare spinal tumor seen only around 300 times a year in the U.S. During pre-surgical imaging, doctors discovered a second tumor unexpectedly, when a technician happened to scan lower than originally intended. The second chordoma was wrapped around her vertebrae, posing an even greater challenge.

Flores was referred to Dr. Mohammed Labib at the University of Maryland Medical Center’s neurosurgery department. The first tumor, which was pressing on a cranial nerve and causing her vision issues, had a surgical plan that avoided nerve damage. But the second tumor required a completely new approach. “I spoke to colleagues, and one of them said ‘You’re not gonna cure her from this,’ basically, maybe she should be more of a palliative care patient,” Dr. Labib told CBS News. “I wasn’t very enthusiastic about that.” Refusing to accept defeat, Labib and his team spent weeks studying skull models and developing a novel “third nostril” technique, which involved accessing the tumor through Flores’ right nostril and near her left eye—necessitating removal of part of her cheekbone and eye socket membrane.

The 20-hour surgery, led by Labib, facial reconstructive surgeon Dr. Kalpesh Vakharia, and spinal surgeon Dr. Andrea Hebert, successfully removed both tumors with no visible scarring. Bone from Flores’ hip was used to reconstruct her face, and her spine was stabilized before she underwent follow-up radiation. A year later, she was declared cancer-free. “I keep reminding myself to take one day at a time and know that each step is an accomplishment. I’m also glad I stood my ground and kept looking for help until I found it,” Flores said in an emailed statement. Dr. Labib now believes the “third nostril” method could become a new standard for treating similarly placed tumors.

Good News

Smoking Hits Record-Low

Smoking rates in the United States and the United Kingdom have dropped to some of the lowest levels ever recorded, according to two major national surveys concluded in October. In the U.S., data from 1.77 million individuals across 54,000 households reveal a broad decline in smoking, especially among young adults. Regions with higher historical smoking rates showed the most dramatic decreases, while areas with already low rates saw more modest improvements. However, older adults—particularly those over 50—continue to quit at a slower pace.

The findings, published in JAMA, analyzed trends from 1992 to 2022 and projected them through 2035 to guide state-level health policy. Based on these models, national smoking prevalence in the U.S. is expected to drop below 5% by 2035. States such as California, Utah, Hawaii, and Colorado are on track to fall well below that threshold. Lead author Dr. Matthew Stone of UC San Diego pointed to the sharp decline among young adults as a sign that the smoking epidemic could end within this generation.

The UK shows similar progress, with national smoking rates at 11.5% and just 9.8% among 18- to 24-year-olds—translating to roughly 6 million adult smokers out of a population of 68 million. Smoking history remains a standard variable in medical assessments due to its strong links to nearly every major cause of death, including cancer, heart disease, and metabolic disorders. While some may argue the term “epidemic” is overused, the long-term impact of tobacco use on public health systems and individual lives is significant and still unfolding.

Environment

Turning Waste into Furniture

In Rhode Island, designer-turned-entrepreneur Felicia Neuhof is finding a second life for shellfish waste by transforming it into high-end tile and furniture. Each year, the Mid-Atlantic produces millions of pounds of discarded mussels, clams, scallops, and oysters—most of which end up in landfills. Rather than continue working for design firms in Boston and New York that contribute heavily to plastic waste, Neuhof launched Shellf Life, a startup dedicated to sustainable material innovation using shell byproducts.

The concept began in Neuhof’s kitchen in Vermont, where she experimented with processing shells into tile prototypes. Her efforts paid off when she won the Terra Carta Design Lab Contest—an international competition backed by King Charles III—providing funding to build a micro-lab in Providence. The numbers are compelling: one Rhode Island processor alone generates enough shell waste annually to produce 30,000 square feet of tile. “New England’s annual shell waste — currently headed to landfills — could tile nearly 300 homes every year,” she said. The aesthetic results vary by region: Providence mussel shells resemble granite, clams look like sea salt, Kyoto abalone yields iridescent flakes, and Azorean limpets offer a mother-of-pearl finish.

Shellf Life is expanding its reach through restaurant and aquaculture partnerships. At City Island Oyster Reef, for instance, Neuhof is experimenting with shell-based concrete for seawalls and marine farming. To streamline participation, Shellf Life supplies branded bins for shell collection and handles pickup herself. Eventually, she plans to install collection points for the general public. “My goal has been to develop a system so refined that making a tile is as easy as flipping burgers, opening up manufacturing opportunities to anyone regardless of educational background,” she said. While Shellf Life is among a growing wave of companies repurposing food waste—like Milan’s Krill and Taiwan’s sea wool manufacturers—Neuhof’s work highlights how local waste can power global design.

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Mind Stretchers

⁉️

I can sign your freedom or seal your fate,
I'm mightier than what warriors create.
I leave no scars but can start a war—
What am I, that many adore?

Answers to yesterday’s Mind Stretchers:

— rising temperature, Debbie Ettinger got this early! 🌞 

The first to send us the correct answer for today’s mind stretcher for a shout-out with the answer tomorrow. Just send us the answer and your name to [email protected] or reply to the email.

If you have any uplifting stories and experience you might want to share, send those over to [email protected] for the chance to be featured