💡 The death of a Russian plague researcher: Should we be worried?

And how much exercise is required to protect our bones  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

Join Nautilus TOGETHER WITH GROUNDFLOOR Happy Thursday, Nautilus readers! Today’s newsletter is a beautiful hodgepodge of scientific finds, from proof of ancient culture shared across the Bering strait to a newly discovered, long-clawed predator. The Daily Picks ⇲ ► The death of a Russian plague researcher: Should we be worried? ► A galactic smiley face ► How much exercise is required to protect our bones  P.S.  Premium members get to read all Nautilus stories without ads and without a paywall. Upgrade today.     The return of a discredited pseudoscience The pseudoscience of eugenics, founded on the mistaken notion that nature envisions some “right” combination of genes, and that selective breeding can improve the human race, is making a comeback. While the heyday of eugenics was a century ago, the idea was never really forgotten. In the 19th century, the modern science of biology was in its infancy, but took a leap forward with the work of pioneering researchers like Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace. But other thinkers, like Darwin’s cousin, Francis Galton, took things further by supposing that, just as farmers breed animals to improve or weed out various traits, humans could be guided to make “better” offspring. When the Nazis came to power in the 1930s, they took eugenicist ideas and ran with them, justifying their hatred of certain groups—Jews, Roma, gay people, the disabled—as supposedly backed by science. READ MORE → More on the disturbing history of science: ► When stupid was a diagnosis. ► When Plato flirted with tyranny. ► The unnatural history of bird flu.       🔥 Ancient Worlds > A new feathered dinosaur is the first megaraptor discovered in Europe. > Stone tools in Alaska point to a shared culture on both sides of the Bering Strait. > Human language may have been born around the campfire.       🦠 Health > The death of a Russian plague researcher, explained by a microbiologist. Particularly: Should we be worried? > Some people use cannabis to help with sleep. But … does it? > How much exercise is required to protect our bones?       🪐 Cosmos > This galaxy cluster is happy to see you. > Christina Koch, an astronaut on the Artemis II mission, is now NASA’s acting deputy chief engineer. > A distant planet emitted a burst of radio waves. Why?       SPONSOR Up to 9% fixed with a 2% bonus through October - real estate backed notes for every investor Accredited investors can access Groundfloor's 24-mo Preferred Note at a fixed 9%, plus a 2% bonus for investing before October 31. Non-accredited investors can access the 12-mo Signature Note at a fixed 8%, plus a 1% annualized bonus — same window, same real estate-backed structure. Zero fees — from a company that's paid 100% of Notes investors since 2018. See your rate         Only on Nautilus ↓ ⦿ Fascinating tales from humanity’s messy cyborg past and future. ⦿ What Lamarck’s giraffe got right. ⦿ The lessons of a ghost planet. Unlock unlimited articles       A recent study found that just a few minutes using AI did what? A) slashed motivation and persistence when solving a problem B) made users less likely to collaborate with humans C) increased confidence when starting an IQ test D) decreased IQ test performance Click here for the answer →       SPONSOR Fixed returns up to 9% Groundfloor has paid 100% of Notes investors and over $39M in interest since 2018. Accredited investors can earn up to 9% fixed with a 2% bonus. Start earning         What Else We're Reading > Women are more likely to be told their autoimmune issues are psychological. > An Earth-side water crisis you can only see from space. > One in six teens report anxiety symptoms. > Guinea-Bissau says it never approved the ethically dubious vaccine study. > Sauna’s health benefits: scientific or woo-woo?       Fresh Perspectives     ❝     A Canadian psychiatrist had EEG readings on a patient who had a temporal lobe seizure, and she came back with this very quiet conviction, “I just saw God. He was right here. I was just with him.” [He] had the EEG reading that corresponded to this religious experience, so he developed a helmet with electromagnetic coils in the headpieces. And it sent a very, very weak current pattern with this signal across the temporal lobes. And he started administering this to people in a darkened room, and people started having religious experiences when it was turned on. —Cultural historian and author Mike Jay on the fascinating history of melding technology and brains. READ MORE →     Inspire a friend to sign up for the Nautilus newsletter. Thanks for reading! What did you think of today's note? 🙂 Great  |  😐 Okay  |  😕 Could Be Better     © 2026 Nautilus 3112 Windsor Rd, Ste A-391 Austin, TX 78703, United States Manage preferences | Unsubscribe