Scientists found that people who use both cannabis and tobacco show a distinct brain pattern tied to mood and stress regulation. Their scans revealed higher levels of an enzyme that reduces a natural feel-good molecule in the brain. This imbalance may help explain why co-users experience more anxiety and struggle more when quitting.

Chimps may revise their beliefs in surprisingly human-like ways. Experiments showed they switched choices when presented with stronger clues, demonstrating flexible reasoning. Computational modeling confirmed these decisions weren’t just instinct. The findings could influence how we think about learning in both children and AI.

Dark matter may be invisible, but scientists are getting closer to understanding whether it follows the same rules as everything we can see. By comparing how galaxies move through cosmic gravity wells to the depth of those wells, researchers found that dark matter appears to behave much like ordinary matter, obeying familiar physical laws. Still, the possibility of a hidden fifth force lingers, one that must be very weak to have evaded detection so far.

Aalto University researchers have developed a method to execute AI tensor operations using just one pass of light. By encoding data directly into light waves, they enable calculations to occur naturally and simultaneously. The approach works passively, without electronics, and could soon be integrated into photonic chips. If adopted, it promises dramatically faster and more energy-efficient AI systems.

Researchers have sequenced the oldest RNA ever recovered, taken from a woolly mammoth frozen for nearly 40,000 years. The RNA reveals which genes were active in its tissues, offering a rare glimpse into its biology and final moments. Surprisingly, the team also identified ancient microRNAs and rare mutations that confirm their mammoth origin. The finding shows that RNA can endure millennia—reshaping how scientists study extinct species.

Scientists discovered that a week of full submergence is enough to kill most rice plants, making flooding a far greater threat than previously understood. Intensifying extreme rainfall events may amplify these losses unless vulnerable regions adopt more resilient rice varieties.

Researchers found that tau proteins don’t jump straight into forming Alzheimer’s-associated fibrils—first they assemble into soft, reversible clusters. When the clusters were dissolved, fibril growth was almost entirely suppressed. This reveals a promising new strategy: stop the precursors, stop the disease.

A new floating droplet electricity generator is redefining how rain can be harvested as a clean power source by using water itself as both structural support and an electrode. This nature-integrated design dramatically reduces weight and cost compared to traditional solid-based generators while still producing high-voltage outputs from each falling drop. It remains stable in harsh natural conditions, scales to large functional devices, and has the potential to power sensors, off-grid electronics, and distributed energy systems on lakes and coastal waters.

Scientists identified a small molecule that interrupts a harmful protein pair linked to diabetic inflammation and tissue damage. The compound helped wounds heal faster and reduced organ stress in both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes models. Unlike typical treatments, it works by blocking damaging signals rather than lowering sugar levels. The results point to a new direction for treating diabetes complications.

Researchers digitally mapped ancient Chinese tombs and discovered that their distribution mirrors shifts in political stability, population movements, and natural geography. Peaceful, prosperous eras produced more elaborate and numerous burial sites, while wartime periods saw far fewer. Tomb clusters also tended to form in fertile, humid regions that supported thriving settlements. The findings lay groundwork for better preservation and protection.

Scientists uncovered Australia’s oldest known crocodile eggshells, revealing the secret lives of ancient mekosuchine crocodiles that once dominated inland ecosystems. These crocs filled surprising niches, including terrestrial stalking and possibly tree-dropping ambushes.

Maryland Democratic Gov. Wes Moore spent a few minutes sorting donated food before signing an executive order in late October declaring a state of emergency to allow for distribution of food aid. As the federal government reopens, questions remain about how states will be reimbursed for the costs they incurred. (Photo by Bryan P. Sears/Maryland Matters)

Though Congress ended the record-setting federal government shutdown, many questions remain for states that were already wading through seismic federal changes.

One major uncertainty: whether and how states will be reimbursed for the costs they incurred, as they have been in previous shutdowns. And for the longer term, the shutdown offered a glimpse into the funding challenges facing states. They’ll have to rely more on their own money and staff to keep federal programs going even at a time when many face their own budget problems.

That’s a top concern for the federal food stamp program, known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. Amid conflicting federal guidance during the shutdown, states reacted in different ways: Some issued partial benefit payments, others sent aid to food banks to keep people from going hungry.

But even after the government reopening restores SNAP aid, other challenges loom. The major tax and spending law enacted this summer tied SNAP funding to state error rates, which measure the accuracy of benefit payments. Advocates fear the shutdown will increase error rates because of conflicting federal guidance.

Air travel, SNAP benefits, back pay at issue as federal government slowly reopens

“States are really worried,” said Crystal FitzSimons, president of the Food Research & Action Center, a nonprofit working to address poverty-related hunger.

And states have been rushing to inform rural residents, veterans and older adults that they will soon be forced to meet work requirements or lose SNAP benefits. It’s just the first in a wave of cutbacks to the nation’s largest food assistance program required under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that President Donald Trump signed in July.

FitzSimons said the shutdown highlighted the importance of SNAP and how “untenable” many of the upcoming changes will prove for states. For now, states are working to get benefits to people immediately, and then will focus more on questions of reimbursement and ongoing changes to SNAP.

“The hope is that states will be able to move quickly and then turn their attention to all the changes,” she said.

While public attention has centered on the shutdown chaos in recent weeks, more fundamental changes are occurring outside the spotlight, said Eric Schnurer, founder and president of Public Works, a consulting firm specializing in government performance and efficiency.

“The ground is shifting under their [states’] feet even as this goes on,” he said. “Even if the Trump administration and his policies were to pass on in another three years, there are serious structural changes in the relationship between state and federal government.”

Since taking office, the Trump administration has stripped states and cities of billions of dollars that Congress approved for education, infrastructure and energy projects. And the president’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act mandates deep cuts to social service programs, including Medicaid and food stamps.

Under the law, states will be required to pay a greater share of administering SNAP in the coming years. That requirement, along with eligibility changes, could result in millions of Americans losing benefits.

“I think the public in general got a taste of what that might look like over the past month,” Schnurer said, referencing the shutdown’s first-ever disruption to SNAP benefits.

State-federal strain

The legislation to reopen the government approved by Congress and signed by the president this week says that states shall be reimbursed for expenses “that would have been paid” by the federal government during the shutdown.

“So that sounds promising for states,” said Marcia Howard, executive director of Federal Funds Information for States, which analyzes how federal policymaking impacts states.

But it’s unclear how that language will be interpreted. For example, states that sent money to food banks for emergency food assistance are less likely to be made whole compared with states that sent funds through existing federal programs like SNAP, she said.

California dedicated $80 million in state funds and deployed the National Guard to food banks across the state. But Virginia launched a temporary state-level version of the federal food stamp program.

Previous administrations have been more flexible with federal funds, making it easier for states to receive funding or reimbursement, Howard said.

“This administration is really more holding states’ feet to the fire perhaps than other administrations have. So I think they’ll be less permissive in who and how they reimburse,” she said.

It could take weeks or months before states know the full fallout from the shutdown, especially with food assistance.

“[States] did such different things, and I think there’s going to be a fair bit of back-and-forth: should this be covered? Should this not be covered?” Howard said.

The shutdown and its aftermath underscore the ongoing strain between state and federal governments, said Lisa Parshall, a professor of political science at Daemen University in New York.

Federal uncertainty can cause state leaders to be more cautious about their own budgets — similar to how an economic downturn can decrease consumer spending, she said.

“There’s a delay of services, there’s a diminishment of capacity and partnership, and those things might be harder to quantify when you’re talking about what is the cost of the shutdown,” she said. “But I think those are real costs.”

And the end of the shutdown does not extinguish those tensions.

“In some ways, even though the shutdown is over, things are not going to go back to ‘normal,’” she said.

More changes coming

Aside from spending cuts and new administrative costs, Trump’s July law made major tax code changes poised to cost many states, said William Glasgall, public finance adviser at the Volcker Alliance, a nonprofit that supports public sector workers.

Most states use the federal tax code as a basis for their own income tax structures, so changes at the federal level can trickle down to state tax systems or states can choose a different structure to avoid those changes.

Last month, a Massachusetts budget official said federal tax changes would cost the state $650 million in revenue this budget year.

So even with the government back open, states have to plan for some level of unpredictability, Glasgall said. And the future of entire agencies like the Department of Education remain up in the air, he noted.

“So there’s still a lot of uncertainty, even with this bill,” he said.

On Wednesday, state budget analysts briefed Maryland lawmakers on the $1.4 billion budget gap they could face as they head into the 2026 legislative session.

That figure does not include the fallout from the federal government shutdown, which may not be known for months, according to Maryland Matters.

In late October, Democratic Gov. Wes Moore declared an emergency and directed $10 million in state funds toward food banks and pantries. Earlier this month, he announced $62 million in state funds would be deployed directly to SNAP recipients.

Rhyan Lake, a Moore spokesperson, told Stateline that Maryland expects the federal government to reimburse the state for its SNAP expenditures during the shutdown.

But lawmakers are still gearing up for a hit from major federal changes.

In addition to cuts from Trump’s domestic tax and spending law, Maryland has lost about 15,000 federal jobs, budget officials said. But many federal workers who took buyouts were paid through September. And the shutdown caused a pause in federal employment data, potentially concealing the true impact.

State Sen. James Rosapepe, Democratic chair of the joint Spending Affordability Committee, said he’s worried the state has only seen the beginning of its federally induced fiscal challenges. He also noted that this week’s shutdown-ending legislation only assures the government remains open through January, meaning another shutdown could be just a couple months away.

“We’re less than a year into the administration, and the effects of things they’ve already done don’t seem to have flowed through yet to the data that we have, which leads me to believe that the worst is yet to come,” he said.

Stateline reporter Kevin Hardy can be reached at khardy@stateline.org.

Mazda has been busy polishing its lineup of straight-six-powered crossovers, pouring attention into its larger and more profitable models. Yet, as the Hiroshima brand shifts focus to electrification and SUVs, the rest of its range has been quietly gathering dust.

Future Cars: Nissan’s 2027 Versa Could Prove Cheap Doesn’t Have To Mean Boring

Apart from the refreshed CX-5 and a few Chinese-sourced EVs, not much has been happening in Mazda’s compact corner. And the silence surrounding a successor to the 3 has been deafening, with no sign of it anywhere in the brand’s future product roadmap.

Reports suggests the compact offering won’t see light beyond 2026, which, if true, is an utter shame for a company that once prided itself on fun-driving sedans and hatchbacks. Has Zoom-Zoom transitioned into the land of doom?

Could China Keep the 3 Alive?

When Mazda axed the long-serving 6 sedan and wagon, many thought it would be replaced by a rear-drive, inline six proposition to compete with BMW M340i and Audi’s S4.

That dream never materialized. Instead, select markets such as Europe and Australia received the Deepal-based Mazda 6e/EZ-6, while North America was left out of the equation.

This begs the question: could the 3 see the same fate and become another Deepal-derived product? After all, it would make sense as Mazda is a small player compared to many of its rivals, leaning into Changan’s portfolio helps keep development costs in check. 

Also: New Mazda 6e Costs Twice As Much In Europe As It Does In China

Adding weight to the theory are recent trademark filings for the Mazda3e in Australia, the UK, and Europe, while the Chongqing-based automaker has also unveiled its smaller L06 sedan under the newly formed China Changan Automobile Group.

While purely speculative at this point, Deepal’s L06 could very well underpin the first-ever Mazda3e. Curious as to what form it could take? Let’s look at what we can expect.

An Electrified Twist

If Mazda takes the same route as the 6e, the 3e would borrow Deepal’s existing hardware. The L06 itself is set to launch in two forms: a range-extended hybrid (EREV) and a fully electric variant.

The EREV pairs a 97 hp 1.5-litre naturally aspirated engine with a 28.39 kWh LFP battery and a 190 kW (255 hp) electric motor on the rear axle. It offers an EV-only range of 180 km (about 112 miles) on the WLTP cycle, while the internal combustion engine’s fuel consumption is rated at 4.38 litres per 100 km, or roughly 54 mpg.

The electric version of the Deepal L06 is equipped with a single rear axle motor that produces 268 hp (200 kW). This variant will offer two battery packs, a 56 kWh battery and a larger 69 kWh pack with a range of 416 miles (670 km).

Interior Smarts

Inside, expect a more premium aesthetic compared to its Deepal donor car, and (annoyingly) the all-screens trend as seen in the new CX-5 and EZ-60 SUVs.

A 3-nanometre automotive-grade cockpit chip will help power the 50-inch AR-HUD (Augmented Reality Head-Up Display, infotainment, and Level 2+ driver assist systems, with the latter benefiting from standard LiDAR fitment.

Read: Mazda’s Global $16,800 Chinese SUV Makes America’s Cheapest Cars Look Overpriced

It has more space, too. Measuring 190 inches (4830 mm) in length, the sedan is notably longer than the current Mazda3 and just a whisker shorter (and wider) than the discontinued 6. This increase repositions it into a larger segment, which will help remedy one of the 3’s most significant shortfalls: tight rear seating.

Kodo Design

Our artistic interpretation of the Mazda 3e retains the automaker’s Kodo design language but keeps the donor car’s glasshouse and doors. The front end is an evolution of the Mazda 6e, with an illuminated front panel flanked by split-tier headlamps and active grille shutters in the lower portion of the bumper.

More: BMW’s New iX4 Could Finally Give The Model Y Something To Worry About

The side profile sports curvaceous sheet metal, semi-flush door handles and a coupe‑like roofline. Love or hate it, the LiDAR unit sits at the top of the windscreen, while out back, the sports a rear diffuser and full‑width taillight strip with circular elements.

Final Thoughts

It’s worth noting that Mazda has yet to confirm whether the current 3 will receive another generation or if a reskinned Changan product will replace it.

If the latter comes to fruition (likely in the next 24 months), the Tesla Model 3 rival will be off the cards for North American consumption. Still, it will rival a variety of electrified options like Hyundai’s Ioniq 6 and BYD Seal in European and Asia Pacific markets.

Should Mazda tap into its Changan joint venture for the next 3? Share your views in the comments below.

We’ve all heard the stereotype: electric truck owners are latte-sipping tech bros cruising around in Rivian R1Ts or Tesla Cybertrucks to look adventurous rather than be adventurous. It’s an easy image to picture – clean trucks, unscuffed tires, not a hint of mud in sight. No doubt, the entire truck market is far too full of folks who own them but don’t use them.

That’s an entirely different topic we’ve already covered. Today, we focus in on another truth that data has unveiled. It’s not just “real” truck folks that are hauling and off-roading. EV truck owners behave almost exactly like their gas-powered counterparts.

Also: Everyone’s Buying Pickup Trucks, But Almost No One’s Using Them That Way

Carscoops obtained data from Strategic Vision, a company that surveys some 250,000 people annually about the way they use their vehicles. That data paints a very clear picture of where truck drivers take their rides, what they do with them, and how size and powertrain affect those figures.

Who’s Actually Getting Dirty?

For example, off-roading is a hobby that around one in every three truck owners enjoys. 31 percent of alternative powertrain (ATP) truck owners report doing light off-roading. Think gravel or dirt roads, at least once a month.

That’s nearly identical to the 29 percent of standard truck (think Toyota Tacoma) owners who report the same. What about full-size truck owners? 32 percent of them take to the dirt or gravel at least once a month.

Off-Roading Activity by Truck Type

When the trail gets harder to cope with, the data doesn’t change much either. Serious off-road terrain, like rocks, mud, and streams, is the playground for 11 percent of ATP truck owners once a month or more. 13 percent of standard truck owners and 15 percent of full-size truck owners say the same.

Put another way, electric truck owners aren’t babying their rigs. If anything, they’re using them just as often for weekend adventures as those of ICE-powered ones. Perhaps the most interesting data in the entire lump that we collected is how heavy-duty truck owners differ from everybody else.

Those drivers are significantly more likely to do both types of off-roading that we’ve discussed. That tracks since these folks are often hauling equipment into fields, farms, and job sites.

Truck Bed Utility and Driving Behavior

Hauling Habits

Speaking of hauling, it’s another place where we see clear evidence that EV truck owners don’t just drive as though they’re in a crossover or car. Data shows that 64 percent of them use their bed to haul something at least once a month.

In fact, they do it more often than standard truck owners at 58 percent and full-size pickup owners at 61 percent, though obviously less than heavy-duty truck owners, who lead the pack at 74 percent.

More: America’s Truck Tariffs Just Opened A New Trade Front

On top of that, driving purely for enjoyment is common across all three core segments, with 89 to 90 percent of owners saying they do it regularly, while heavy-duty truck owners come in slightly lower, but still high at 82 percent.

No doubt, APT truck owners tow less frequently than combustion engine classes. That makes sense given the big issues with towing range, charging infrastructure, and charging speed. But when it comes to everyday utility, APT pickup drivers are putting their trucks to work.

Electric, But Every Bit a Truck

This data undercuts one of the most persistent cultural divides in the pickup world. For years, EV truck buyers have been portrayed as outsiders. Newcomers who love the look and lifestyle of a truck but not the dirt under the fingernails. The numbers suggest otherwise.

Also: Your Green Plug-in Hybrid Is An Eco Sham, Study Finds

Whether it’s a Ford Lightning hauling mulch, a Rivian R1T chasing forest service roads, or even a Cybertruck owner heading for a campsite, electric truck drivers are proving that capability isn’t defined by what’s under the hood, but how the truck gets used.

So while the stereotype might linger in comment sections, the evidence is clear: EV truck owners aren’t replacing trucks with toys. They’re just redefining what it means to be a truck owner.

Truck Owner Usage Summary

 Mystery still surrounds the seizure by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of the Marshall Island-flagged 73,000 dwt oil tanker MV Talara...

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In a classroom turned barbershop on the third floor at Milwaukee’s Rufus King International High School, students sit for a haircut and talk about academics, sports and the latest trends with English teachers Cameron LeFlore and Emmanuel Johnson.  

They’re the latest clients of The Shop in 310, a free on-campus barbershop club for Rufus King students. LeFlore said the cuts help young men feel more confident. 

“Then they don’t need a hat or hoodie,” he said. “They can just walk with their head held high.”

The idea for the shop started when LeFlore brought his clippers to the school, hoping students would want a haircut.

Johnson, who was recently hired at the school, decided to collaborate with LeFlore once he learned they both had an interest in barbering.

Checking out the new club

The Shop in 310 opens daily at 3:30 p.m. except Thursdays. Among the regulars at The Shop in 310 are Rufus King juniors Elijah Ramirez and Demontrey Cochran. 

Ramirez, 17, moved from Chicago to Milwaukee three months ago and was nervous about trying out a new barber for the first time in 10 years. 

“I was scared at first, but then I gained confidence and trust in Mr. LeFlore,” Ramirez said.  

He was pleased with the results of his first mid-taper cut. 

“It came out better than I expected,” he said. 

Since then, he’s gained opportunities with photographers and notices how his cut stands out.

Cochran, 16, is a student in LeFlore’s class and was excited to support the club.

“I really wanted to see how this would turn out,” Cochran said. 

Ramirez and Cochran each encourage their peers to give it a try. 

“Every man can vouch that after they get a haircut, they are going to feel good and that they can conquer the world because of their haircut and confidence from it,” Cochran said.

Financial relief for families

The Shop in 310 initially charged $10 per cut, but after being approved by the Office of Administration at Rufus King as an official club, the trims became free.

“If your child starts off as a freshman coming here, you’d be saving thousands by the time they’re a senior,” LeFlore said. 

Before joining Rufus King, Johnson offered free cuts to students at Marshall High School, where he taught previously, and felt glad to do it. 

“Back then, cuts were $25 to $30. Now barbers are charging $40 and up,” he said. 

Cochran typically spends $35 for a mid-taper cut at his barber. Since coming to The Shop in 310, he’s been able to save money and also values how accessible it has been for his peers.

“There’s a lot of people I know who don’t even have barbershops near them, so it takes them a long time to finally get a cut,” he said.

LeFlore and Johnson use the club’s Instagram to post haircut tutorials for students interested in learning how to cut their own hair at home. 

“I try to take a holistic approach and think back to what I would’ve wanted when I was in high school,” LeFlore said. 

Visiting The Shop in 310 is more than just receiving a haircut for Ramirez and Cochran. It’s a place to feel welcomed. 

“At first I saw them as just English teachers,” Ramirez said. “I like their communication and ability to understand what I’m specifically asking for.” 

Beyond the sounds of clippers, Cochran sees the barbershop as peaceful, chill and liberating. 

“As long as everything is appropriate this is a non-judgment zone,” he said.

Practice leads to improvement  

LeFlore and Johnson are self-taught barbers who learned the skills on their own before bringing clippers into the classroom. 

Johnson started off cutting his youngest brother’s hair as a favor while receiving feedback from his mentor Thomas Mclern, a barber with more than 30 years’ experience. 

“While cutting my brother’s hair I realized that cutting hair was one of the best ways for me to serve the community,” he said. “Cutting hair is now an art for me.”

LeFlore’s path to barbering began after watching a friend cut his own hair, inspiring him to do the same. 

“I told my friend to send me all the products I needed, then I went and brought everything,” he said.  

LeFlore said it used to take an hour and a half to complete a haircut, now it’s only 20 minutes.

Tapping into diverse hair types

As their skills improved by cutting five to 10 heads a week, Johnson and LeFlore became more versatile. 

Having already worked with diverse hair types at Marshall High School, Johnson was able to adjust to the needs of Rufus King students. 

“At Marshall, I was exposed to different hair types and hair thinness, so at Rufus King, I learned quickly and had no problem,” Johnson said. “Every now and then when I get a hair type that’s not my own, it’s still a learning experience.”

Though LeFlore was nervous about cutting different hair textures, he practiced on his dad, whose hair is straighter, and watched YouTube videos to become better. 

“I took my time and it turned out OK, but it wasn’t as good as I wanted it to be,” he said. “I learned that straighter hair is easier, you just have to be more precise.”

Cochran said he has interest in cutting his own hair after graduating high school. 

“I want to purchase my own barber kit eventually, and that should save me at least $100 a month,” he said. 

Johnson and LeFlore want people to know that whether it’s cutting hair or something different, practice is key. 

“Whatever they’re looking to pursue, they need to find like-minded people who do the same things and practice together,” Johnson said.

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Jonathan Aguilar is a visual journalist at Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service who is supported through a partnership between CatchLight Local and Report for America.

‘Walk with their head held high’: Barbershop at Milwaukee high school gives free cuts and confidence to students is a post from Wisconsin Watch, a non-profit investigative news site covering Wisconsin since 2009. Please consider making a contribution to support our journalism.

Working natural gas in storage in the Lower 48 states ended the natural gas refill season (April 1-October 31) with more than 3,900 billion cubic feet (Bcf), according to estimates based on data from our Weekly Natural Gas Storage Report released on November 6. U.S. inventories are starting winter 2025-26 at about the same level as last year, the most since 2016. As of October 31, inventories are 4% above the five-year (2020-24) average after above-average injections into storage throughout much of the injection season.

Researchers uncovered how fatty molecules called ceramides trigger acute kidney injury by damaging the mitochondria that power kidney cells. By altering ceramide metabolism or using a new drug candidate, the team was able to protect mitochondrial function and completely prevent kidney injury in mice.

Hypersonic flight could one day make long-haul travel as quick as a short movie. Researchers are testing how turbulence behaves at extreme speeds, a critical hurdle for designing these aircraft. Their laser-based krypton experiments suggest turbulence at Mach 6 behaves more like slower airflow than expected. The results could simplify hypersonic vehicle design and accelerate progress toward ultra-fast travel.

Genetic, isotopic, and forensic evidence has conclusively identified the remains of Duke Béla of Macsó and uncovered remarkable details about his life, ancestry, and violent death. The study reveals a young nobleman with Scandinavian-Rurik roots who was killed in a coordinated, emotionally charged attack in 1272.