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Researchers at Mass General Brigham have uncovered evidence that the thymus, a small immune system organ long thought to lose its importance after childhood, may play a major role in adult health. Two new studies found that adults with healthier thymuses were more likely to live longer and less likely to develop serious diseases. The research also suggests that thymic health may influence how well cancer patients respond to immunotherapy. The findings were published in two papers in the same issue of Nature and challenge decades of assumptions about the thymus. The results indicate that the organ remains important throughout adulthood and could eventually help guide disease prevention strategies and cancer treatment decisions. "The thymus has been overlooked for decades and may be a missing piece in explaining why people age differently, and why cancer treatments fail in some patients," said Hugo Aerts, PhD, corresponding author on the papers and director of the Artificial Intelligence in Medicine (AIM) Program at Mass General Brigham. "Our findings suggest thymic health deserves much more attention and may open new avenues for understanding how to protect the immune system as we age." What the Thymus Does Located in the chest, the thymus helps train T cells, a type of immune cell that helps defend the body against infections and disease. Because the organ gradually shrinks after puberty and produces fewer new T cells over time, many scientists assumed it played only a limited role in adult health. As a result, the thymus has received relatively little attention in large population studies. Earlier research connected T cell diversity to aging and declining immune function, but those studies were typically small and focused on blood samples. The new research took a much broader approach. Investigators analyzed data from more than 25,000 adults participating in a national lung cancer screening trial, along with more than 2,500 people enrolled in the Framingham Heart Study, a long-running study that tracks the health of generally healthy adults. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260601025352.htm

A new three-year study from researchers at The University of Texas at Dallas' Center for BrainHealth (CBH) suggests that getting older does not automatically mean losing mental sharpness. Instead, the findings indicate that brain health and cognitive abilities can continue to improve throughout life. The research, published in Scientific Reports, a Nature journal, draws on data from The BrainHealth Project (BHP), an initiative launched by CBH in 2020 to better understand how people can strengthen and optimize brain health across the lifespan. Researchers tracked 3,966 adults ranging in age from 19 to 94. This group represented roughly one-fifth of all BrainHealth Project participants. Over the course of three years, participants completed brief training activities that required only five to 15 minutes per day. BrainHealth Index Tracks Changes Over Time To evaluate changes in brain health and performance, the team used the BrainHealth Index (BHI), a patent-pending assessment developed by CBH researchers and first introduced in a 2021 pilot study. The BHI is designed to detect both improvements and declines in brain health. It measures three primary areas: clarity, emotional balance, and connectedness to people and purpose. "The BrainHealth Index brings together about 20 metrics, including validated gold-standard measures like the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire, as well as tasks designed at the Center for BrainHealth to focus on more complex thinking skills," said Lori Cook MS'02, PhD'09, CBH director of clinical research and corresponding author of the Scientific Reports study. "This battery of assessments produces insights into individual brain health and change over time. Progress is measured by comparing results with participants' own earlier scores." Cook, who also serves as an adjunct assistant professor in the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, said the findings challenge common assumptions about aging and cognition. "Every brain is as unique as a fingerprint and has potential for growth," Cook said. "This study challenges the prevailing narrative of inevitable cognitive decline, suggesting instead that brain health can be proactively cultivated at any age." Brain Improvement Seen Across All Ages According to the researchers, positive changes were observed even among participants in their 80s, showing that efforts to improve brain health can be beneficial long before symptoms or disease appear and can remain effective later in life. "For too long, we've operated under the outdated notion that we need to wait until something bad happens to our brains before we do anything for them," said Sandra Bond Chapman PhD'86, senior author of the study, CBH chief director and Dee Wyly Distinguished University Chair for BrainHealth. "This study reminds us that our brain is not defined by age -- it is defined by possibility." One of the study's most notable findings involved participants who started with the lowest BrainHealth Index scores. This group experienced the largest improvements over time. "Those who are starting at the lowest level appear to have the most opportunity for growth and may be coming in with more preexisting concerns," Cook said. "As such, they may be more motivated to invest the time needed to see more growth potential. But it is noteworthy that we saw measurable growth even in those entering as high performers." https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260613034222.htm

For centuries, losing human teeth meant living with a permanent gap in your smile or relying on artificial replacements. But a groundbreaking discovery by Japanese researchers could change this reality forever, offering the possibility of naturally regrowing teeth where they’ve been lost. Led by Dr. Katsu Takahashi at Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, scientists have developed a drug that could stimulate the body to grow new teeth—a breakthrough that might one day make dental implants and dentures a thing of the past. https://japandaily.jp/regrowing-human-teeth-ending-dental-implants/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tooth regeneration therapy enters first human clinical trials in Japan Synopsis A groundbreaking human trial in Japan is exploring a revolutionary treatment to regrow teeth. Researchers have identified a way to activate dormant tooth buds, potentially offering a natural solution for tooth loss. Early results are promising, with a drug aiming for a 2030 release, heralding a new era in dental care. In Japan researchers have taken the first step of their kind by starting the first-ever human trial in a treatment that aims to help grow teeth. In May 2026, the trial is progressing with a cautious optimism, and are aiming to release the drug in 2030. Many people across the globe are who suffer from teeth loss as a result of the effects of aging, injury or genetics, this breakthrough can revolutionize dental treatment. Read more at: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/us/japanese-scientists-begin-human-trials-for-tooth-regrowth-drug/articleshow/130710567.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst

For generations, scientists have viewed the inability to regrow lost body parts as one of the fundamental limitations of humans and other mammals. While creatures such as salamanders can regenerate entire limbs, humans typically heal injuries by forming scar tissue. New research from the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (VMBS), however, suggests that regenerative abilities may not be entirely absent in mammals. Instead, they could be hidden within the body's normal healing machinery, waiting to be activated under the right conditions. "Why some animals can regenerate and others, particularly humans, can't is a big question that has been asked since Aristotle," said Dr. Ken Muneoka, a professor in the VMBS' Department of Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology (VTPP). "I've spent my career trying to understand that." In a study published in Nature Communications, Muneoka and colleagues describe a new two-step treatment that enabled the regeneration of bone, joint structures, and ligaments. Although the regrown tissues were not perfect replicas of the originals, the researchers believe the approach could eventually help reduce scarring and improve tissue repair after amputations. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260618041508.htm

Researchers in Brazil have created a new biomaterial made from jackfruit latex, pomegranate peel extract, and simvastatin (a statin-based medication) that could offer a more effective way to treat periodontitis, a serious form of gum disease. The team, from the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences (FCMS) at the Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo (PUC-SP) in Sorocaba, developed the material as part of an effort to improve treatment options for a condition that affects the tissues supporting the teeth. Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease caused by infection. Over time, it can destroy the structures that hold teeth in place, leading to bone loss and reduced attachment between teeth and surrounding tissues. Current treatments are designed to control infection and inflammation, but they generally do little to regenerate damaged periodontal tissue. Other approaches, including guided tissue regeneration and bone grafting, have been explored, but their results can vary and are often difficult to predict. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260618041508.htm ------------------------------------------------------------ I have a Jackfruit tree in my yard. The fruit is the size of two smaller bowling balls. It is very popular here. When one fruit is ready, we cut it down and cut it up into pieces, then share with the neighbors. Nothing is waisted. Even the seed (about the size of dates) are boiled and eaten. Gum disease is not a problem here.

See: https://www.stripes.com/theaters/us/2026-06-03/lawsuit-virginia-state-tuition-religious-studies-21865305.html

📷 1 pic to go Photo via Secretary Doug Burgum/X Ten days from America's 250th birthday, President Trump visited the National Mall last night to open the Great American State Fair, which'll run through July 10 and is anchored by a 110-foot Ferris wheel. Keep reading. 📣 Trump announced the Patriot Games, an August competition for high school students (ages 14-17), featuring "high-intensity challenges designed to test strength, speed, agility, teamwork, resilience and leadership." A male and a female champion will each receive a $125,000 scholarship. How to apply.

This is an email from the website and YT Advent Messenger: German Adventists Approve Full Ecumenical Membership to Protect Adventist Teachers’ Accreditation On June 2, 2026, the Adventist Press Service reported that delegates representing several congregations in Germany voted to apply for full membership in the Council of Christian Churches in Germany (ACK). The ACK is Germany’s principal ecumenical organization and is connected to the broader ecumenical movement through its relationship with the World Council of Churches. [1] The ACK brings together Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Evangelical, and other Christian churches for the purpose of promoting a “common witness and service” in society. [2] For decades, church leaders assured members that Adventist participation in the ecumenical movement was limited to observer status. That is no longer the case. In Germany, Adventists have now voted to seek full membership in an ecumenical organization. Why? Because of concerns that Adventist teachers could lose their accreditation and professional licensing. This is the very definition of a spiritual compromise. Our distinctive witness is being sacrificed on the altar of ecumenism in order to maintain participation within the educational systems of the world. The Adventist Press Service published the following report regarding the decision of the Adventist Church in Germany to pursue full membership in the ecumenical movement: If our church has to fully integrate into Rome’s ecumenical movement so that our teachers don’t lose their teaching licenses, then that is pure discrimination, something that should never exist in a free society. The church’s religious liberty department should immediately sue for discrimination. That is precisely why we have this department to protect our members from being unfairly targeted. The church in Germany should have prayed fervently about this and asked the world church to pray against this unfortunate action against our teachers. But instead, our brothers and sisters in Germany surrendered and joined the Babylonian churches as full members in search of a “common witness,” thus sacrificing the Three Angels’ Messages that call us to come out of Babylon, to keep God’s commandments, and to remain a distinct people. Our churches in Germany are responding to Rome’s call for greater Christian unity, based on Catholic social doctrine, by joining a movement that will contribute to healing the deadly wound described in Revelation 13. The crisis before us should not be over educational accreditation or professional licensing—it is a question of faithfulness to our divine mission. Throughout history, God’s people have been tested on whether they would compromise principle for convenience, acceptance, or worldly advantage. Today, the same test confronts us. Will we remain a distinct movement commissioned to proclaim the everlasting gospel, the Three Angels’ Messages, and the commandments of God, or will we merge into the growing ecumenical consensus seeking a common witness apart from present truth? As the religious world moves steadily toward greater unity, Seventh-day Adventists must resist every pressure to dilute their prophetic identity. Now is the time to stand firmly upon God’s Word, uphold the faith once delivered to the saints, and proclaim with even greater power the message that calls men and women out of Babylon and into obedience to Jesus Christ and all of His commandments. Sources [1] https://www.kirchen-in-hannover.de/kooperationen/acks/ [2] https://www.oikoumene.org/organization/council-of-christian-churches-in-germany [3] https://www.apd.info/news/2026/06/02/adventisten-in-den-k%C3%BCstennahen-bundesl%C3%A4ndern-w%C3%A4hlten-leitungsteam

The legal architecture of the ancient Near East often serves as a proxy battlefield for modern moral debates. The post Proximate Cause and Proximate Justice: A Legal Assessment of Exodus 21:22-23 appeared first on ReligiousLiberty.TV. View the full article

Correction: Protecting Young people who are not actually same sex attracted but long for companionship can easily be identified by older, more experienced predator types. Pathfinders should be warned of the dangers these individuals pose.

Yeah research isn’t what it used be

Joe, Several years ago, the idea of a sexual accountability and transparency committee [SATCOM] was conceived. Their purview would include investigating suspected homosexuals in the denomination. Of course, they would approach the individuals with pastoral concern. In view of Kinship's president openly advocating the introduction of homosexuality, transgenderism, etc. to SDA youth at Pathfinder meetings, these individuals certainly pose a danger to SDA young people. Not all young people involved in homosexual activity are actually same sex attracted. Some are conned into the relationship[?] by older men who are attracted to younger men or even children. These "victims" would include youth who lack responsible parenting. SSA men groom and seduce them over time. For that reason, the church should be vocal in its protestations contra homosexuality. Protecting young people who are not actually same sex attracted but long for companionship can easily be identified by older, more experienced predator types. Pathfinders should be warned of the dangers these individuals pose. These predatory types could be exactly the kind of people you mentioned--long time members, respected in the community and church, people broken by life in a sinful world. Research has been done on the dynamics of molestation. It sometimes occurs "accidentally" due to a specific situation, e.g, camping trips with no agenda. More often, predator types scheme to exploit vulnerable youth. The president of Kinship advocating the introduction of homosexuality to Pathfinders is no accident. It is a scheme.

✈️ Parting shot! Photo: Michael Meath Reader Michael Meath of Lewes, Del., sends us this view from the skies: "Flying my Cessna 172 over Cape Henlopen State Park and the Delaware Bay at sunset."

In 1890 the Supreme Court knew exactly what religion was, which should have been the first warning. Certainty on a question like this is usually the sound of a man… The post What is "Religion" anyway? appeared first on ReligiousLiberty.TV. View the full article

The big picture: The intersection of faith and public policy is tightening. Courts and legislatures remain the primary battlegrounds, with a distinct shift toward administrative action and conscience protections as… The post RELIGIOUS LIBERTY: A WEEKLY BRIEFING appeared first on ReligiousLiberty.TV. View the full article

The vice president of the United States found a free Tuesday and spent part of it posting about a baseball hat. A sitting governor’s press shop fired back. A state… The post Do Giants Pitchers Have a Legal Right to Refuse the Pride Cap? appeared first on ReligiousLiberty.TV. View the full article

As an American, my baseline for "hate speech" is comfortably anchored in the First Amendment. The post The Great Northern Shift: How Canada’s Bill C-9 Reconfigures the Landscape of Hate Speech appeared first on ReligiousLiberty.TV. View the full article

The big picture: The intersection of faith and public policy is tightening. Courts and legislatures remain the primary battlegrounds, with a distinct shift toward administrative action and conscience protections as… The post RELIGIOUS LIBERTY: A WEEKLY BRIEFING appeared first on ReligiousLiberty.TV. View the full article

When a university president blesses what the church forbids, private dissent becomes public policy, and parents are entitled to notice. The post The Shield They Are Dismantling appeared first on ReligiousLiberty.TV. View the full article

This week, the SBC goes hard right while PCUSA and Adventists drift to the left. Catholic Church is consistent. The post Everybody’s Wrong, and Rome Is Filling Up appeared first on ReligiousLiberty.TV. View the full article

⛰️ Parting shot! Photo: Donna Leavitt This late spring masterpiece comes from reader Donna Leavitt of Sugar Hill, N.H. "We're known for our lupines. These alpine flowers pop up everywhere in June," Donna tells us.

Governor Ned Lamont’s enactment of Public Act 26-3 on April 27, precludes Connecticut's Religious Freedom Restoration Act from serving as a basis for exemptions from school immunization mandates. The post Conscience Is Not a Coupon appeared first on ReligiousLiberty.TV. View the full article

Men love darkness rather than light.

ReligiousLiberty.TV turns 18 today The post Eighteen Years, and the Doors Are Still Open appeared first on ReligiousLiberty.TV. View the full article

The actress, Lara Silva, gets into character and puts on an incredible performance. She nails all the gestures. Her facial expressions are just the beginning of the body language. She also displays a powerful woman which is a model of a what it means to be a woman of faith. When Peter confesses to her that he is in trouble, she demands to know where is his faith. His solution is to violate the Sabbath and she isn't having any of it. She scolds him for trying to fix everything himself instead of depending on God. She tells him the reason he is stuck and feels desperate is because he has not been looking to God for answers. The she says, "No more talking. Maybe God can get your attention now." BOOM! So many times it has taken some tragic event in my life for God to get my attention. I have been in Peter's place. And, in my case, I didn't need an "Eden" to tell me. I knew God wanted my attention.

I will propose to Stan: * If people inform us of their multiple names, we will allow them to choose the one they want to remain and we will remove the rest. * If they do not inform us of their multiple names, we wil remove all such and ban them from future posting. * Yes, we already have some knowledge.

My life was changed by a part of one sentence "Our Father, who art in heaven...."

From the article: I broke a bone in January. After 2 weeks it was not healing very well. I started taking Collagen supplement every day. 5 weeks later it was healed perfect. If someone has a problem with bones, I would recommend: Calcium and K2. K2 drives the calcium into the bones. Magnesium Collagen or Collegen Peptides. Greens vegetables of a supplement like DIM. Multivitamin.

I also found this interesting: https://library.biblicalarchaeology.org/article/under-siege-how-rome-conquered-jerusalem/final-bar-spring-2026-indd-2/ https://library.biblicalarchaeology.org/article/under-siege-how-rome-conquered-jerusalem/ And https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Masada

Eugenia Nitowski was a 7th day Adventist who joined the Discalced Carmelite order as Sister Damian of the Cross. She distinguished herself in the field on Near Eastern archaeology for her work on the location of Christ's tomb and the Shroud of Turin. Ministry Magazine | Reconstructing the Tomb of Christ

Barna research -- What about in your church? Major Gender Shift: Men are significantly outpacing women in church attendance since the pandemic, reversing a long-standing trend in Barna’s decades of tracking. The 2025 gender gap is the largest recorded so far (43% for men vs. 36% among women). Married Dads Show Up; Moms Step Back: Among parents of kids under 18, married dads have the highest show-up rate at church compared to all other parents. Only 1 in 4 single moms (24%) attend church weekly—significantly trailing other married moms and dads. Why It Matters: These shifts reveal new patterns of participation and disengagement among key groups that may reshape the fabric of church life in the years to come. Leadership Consideration: How will churches adapt to support the growing faith engagement of young men—and the growing disengagement of women, particularly single mothers? How can leaders assess what people are experiencing inside the church that shapes whether they return? For decades, women have outnumbered men in church attendance and have often led the way in spiritual participation. But a significant shift is occurring in American Christianity that demands attention: Women—particularly younger women—are attending church less frequently than men. This reversal isn’t just a numerical milestone; it signals a broader cultural and spiritual turning point. While men traditionally have been less likely to participate in church life, the current data, released as part of Barna’s ongoing State of the Church initiative with Gloo, tells a different story—one that points both to signs of renewal in the Church and to specific, concerning areas of decline. This article explores the generational and gender dynamics now reshaping American church attendance. As women’s engagement patterns change, the effects on church communities, leadership, and culture are likely to be profound. These are trends the Church can’t afford to overlook. https://www.barna.com/trends/church-attendance-women-men/ I don't see that in the Philippines. What about your church?

Adventist Today and Spectrum are two independent publications that do not officially speak for the SDA Church. Each informs as to news that is not easily available, and each evaluates the SDA Church. Both publish a journal that is sent to a few people. Both publish on the Internet that is available to a much larger group of people. Those two publications are different. On May 17, 2026, Spectrum is expected to post a unique article that differs from its past publications in two aspects. You may read that article at: https://spectrummagazine.org/views/opinion/a-catholic-and-an-adventist-disagree-over-trinity-interpretations-yet-find-friendship-online/ * One of the unusual aspects is that the article was written by two different people. I am only one of those people. * The second unique aspect of that article is that the second author is a devout Roman Catholic ho posts on Club Adventist under the name Gustave. Here he freely posts his overall thinking of Adventism. My position is that it is helpful to understand how other people think about us. NOTE: I have decided to unlock this thread even though the article has not yet been posted. I expect that it will be posted later today--Sunday, the 17th.