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Jun 07 2026TECHNOLOGY

A New Way to Recycle Old Batteries Without Wasting Energy

Every year, millions of lithium iron phosphate batteries end up in landfills, releasing harmful chemicals and wasting valuable metals. Traditional recycling methods are slow, expensive, and often harmful to the environment. They usually involve high temperatures or harsh chemicals that don’t fully r

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Jun 07 2026LIFESTYLE

Summer adventures and odd surprises across America

Summer weekends often bring relaxation, sports, and strange local incidents. Some people celebrate by traveling—like heading to Italy for yacht parties with endless food and drinks. Others prefer simpler joys, like decorating garden rocks or lounging by the pool without work distractions. Meanwhile

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Jun 07 2026ENVIRONMENT

Turning Plastic Waste into Fuel: A New Way to Handle Trash

Every year, countries produce more plastic than they can recycle. Much of this extra plastic ends up buried underground or floating in oceans, creating long-term pollution problems. Researchers are now testing a method that could turn this waste into useful energy. Instead of burning plastic or toss

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Jun 07 2026SCIENCE

How plants secretly control their blooming schedule

Scientists love studying Arabidopsis because it grows fast and reveals hidden plant secrets. Inside its cells sits a protein named SLAH3, which acts like a tiny stopwatch. When SLAH3 gets a small genetic error, the plant starts flowering weeks early—no matter how much food or light it gets. Usually

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Jun 07 2026POLITICS

California’s population slowdown: what it means for the future

California grew fast in the mid-1900s, adding nearly 13 million people between 1940 and 1970. Most were Americans moving for jobs, along with a baby boom. Cities expanded quickly, building new schools, roads, and water systems to keep up. But growth slowed in the 1970s as the economy shifted from fa

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Jun 07 2026POLITICS

California’s political mailer game: when fake endorsements get real funding

California voters often open their mailboxes to find colorful voter guides that look official but aren’t always honest about who’s behind them. These “slate mailers” pretend to be from respected groups like cops, firefighters, or teachers—organizations that voters trust. In reality, candidates pay t

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Jun 06 2026SPORTS

Father’s Day Gifts That Score Big in the Sports World

The USA TODAY Store has a new way to honor dads who live for the game. Instead of a generic gift, they’re offering prints that capture some of the most memorable moments in sports history. These are not just pictures; they’re framed front‑page stories that turn a championship win or a legendary play

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Jun 06 2026SPORTS

High School Stars Shine in June Awards

Readers on the city’s online portal chose this month’s standout athletes from local high schools, covering performances up to the end of May. Winners can now download and print their own certificates from a shared link, and they’re encouraged to send a photo of the award in use for the newspaper’s g

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Jun 06 2026HEALTH

A New Push to Understand Women’s Midlife Health

Over half a billion dollars are now being directed toward research on something many people still don’t talk about seriously: women’s midlife health. A major donation of $215 million from a well-known philanthropist is focusing attention on perimenopause and menopause—life stages often overlooked de

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Jun 06 2026TECHNOLOGY

How Games Are Teaching AI to Think Like Humans

Researchers found a surprising way to train AI: by making it play Battleship. While today’s AI excels at answering questions, it struggles with asking the right ones—a critical skill for solving complex problems. Scientists at MIT and Harvard tested this by creating a version of Battleship where AI

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