Brilliant Labs have been making near-eye display platforms for some time now, and they are one of the few manufacturers making a point of focusing on an open and hacker-friendly approach to their devices. Halo is their newest smart glasses platform, currently in pre-order (299 USD) and boasting some nifty features, including a completely new approach to the display.
Development hardware for the Halo display. The actual production display is color, and integrated into the eyeglasses frame.
Halo is an evolution of the concept of a developer-friendly smart glasses platform intended to make experimentation (or modification) as accessible as possible. Compared to previous hardware, it has some additional sensors and an entirely new approach to the display element.
Whereas previous devices used a microdisplay and beam splitter embedded into a thick lens, Halo has a tiny display module that one looks up and into in the eyeglasses frame. The idea appears to be to provide the user with audio (bone-conduction speakers in the arms of the glasses) as well as a color “glanceable” display for visual data.
Some of you may remember Brilliant Labs’ Monocle, a transparent, self-contained, and wireless clip-on display designed with experimentation in mind. The next device was Frame, which put things into a “smart glasses” form factor, with added features and abilities.
Halo, being in pre-release, doesn’t have full SDK or hardware details shared yet. But given Brilliant Labs’ history of fantastic documentation for their hardware and software, we’re pretty confident Halo will get the same treatment. Want to know more but don’t wish to wait? Checking out the tutorials and documentation for the earlier devices should give you a pretty good idea of what to expect.
Temporomandibular disorder (TMD) limits jaw function and is so painful that it lessens the quality of life. Botulinum toxin-also known as botox-is emerging as an effective treatment option, but there are concerns about side effects, like muscle dysfunction. Eungyung Kim and Yu Shin Kim, from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, led a study using a mouse model of TMD to explore the possibility of using botox as a treatment.
In their JNeurosci paper, the researchers discovered that injecting botox directly into the male mouse temporomandibular joint (TMJ) instead of surrounding muscle tissue reduced TMD-related pain without causing side effects. More specifically, hypersensitivity and pain from TMD were mitigated without impairing general movement abilities and feeding behavior. The researchers also found that the botox injections they delivered reduced TMD-related neural activity. On a molecular level, mice that received botox injections into the TMJ had less expression of proteins that promote pain.
While sex differences remain unexplored, according to the authors, this work suggests it may be possible to overcome botox side effects by avoiding muscle tissue and injecting the toxin directly into the TMJ.
Source:
Journal reference:
Kim, E., Son, H., Zhang, Y., Shannonhouse, J., Gomez, R., Han, D., Park, J. T., Kim, S. T., Amarista, F., Perez, D., Ellis, E., & Kim, Y. S. (2025). BoNT injection into temporomandibular joint alleviates TMJ pain in forced mouth opening mouse model. The Journal of Neuroscience, e2035242025. https://doi.org/10.1523/jneurosci.2035-24.2025
(Bloomberg) — Asian stocks advanced on renewed risk appetite, as a wave of dip buying combined with growing bets on potential interest-rate cuts lifted investor sentiment.
The MSCI Asia Pacific Index rose 0.7%, as South Korean shares jumped 1.4%. Oil steadied after a three-day drop as investors weighed risks to Russian supplies, with US President Donald Trump stepping up his threat to penalize India for buying Moscow’s crude. Treasuries and a gauge of the dollar were little changed while gold advanced 0.2%.
On Monday, the S&P 500 posted its biggest rally since May as traders started to price in rate cuts by the Federal Reserve, following the weaker-than-expected jobs data. Equities have rebounded sharply from their April lows, driven by growing investor optimism that corporate America can absorb the impact of the recent wave of tariffs and the US economy will be able to avoid a recession.
“It looks like today everyone is following the upward trend in US stocks,” said Hiroshi Namioka, chief strategist at T&D Asset Management. “It’s a bumpy road, and investors are still mindful of the possibility of a recession. But signs of growth, particularly in US tech stocks, are helping sentiment.”
After the jobs data on Friday, the markets were implying a roughly 80% chance of a rate cut at the next Fed meeting. Following last night’s trade, those odds have increased to nearly 95%, wrote Kyle Rodda, a senior market analyst at Capital.com in Melbourne.
Tech megacaps led gains Monday, rebounding from recent selling pressure, with Nvidia Corp. and Meta Platforms Inc. each surging at least 3.5%.
S&P 500 earnings are crushing second-quarter expectations — up 9.1%, triple the pre-season forecast and the strongest beat rate since 2021, according to data compiled by Bloomberg Intelligence.
Monday’s jump in stocks prompted a comment from Trump, who said it was a “Good day in the Stock Market” and there will be many more days like this.
“America is very rich again, and stronger than ever before,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform Monday.
Still, a chorus of stock market prognosticators at some of Wall Street’s biggest firms are warning clients to prepare for a pullback as sky-high equity valuations slam into souring economic data.
On Monday, Morgan Stanley, Deutsche Bank AG and Evercore ISI all cautioned that the S&P 500 Index is due for a near-term drop in the weeks and months ahead. The predictions come after a furious rally from April’s lows that propelled the gauge to levels it has never seen before.
Separately, Fed San Francisco President Mary Daly said the time is nearing for rate cuts given mounting evidence that the job market is softening and there are no signs of persistent tariff-driven inflation, Reuters reported.
“I was willing to wait another cycle, but I can’t wait forever,” Daly said of the Fed’s decision last week.
In Asia, investors will also be focused on an auction of 10-year Japanese government bonds later Tuesday. Some market participants expect the sale to be weak following the recent decline in yields.
On the tariff front, the European Union is expecting Trump to announce executive actions this week to formalize the bloc’s lower levies for cars and grant exemptions from levies for some industrial goods such as aviation parts, according to people familiar with the matter. Meanwhile, the Swiss government said it is determined to win over Washington after last week’s shock announcement of 39% levies on exports to America.
“Our base case remains that US tariffs will eventually settle around 15%. While this would be the highest since the 1930s, and six times higher than when Trump returned to office, we do not expect it to cause a recession or end the equity bull market,” said Ulrike Hoffmann-Burchardi at UBS Global Wealth Management.
Corporate News:
Palantir Technologies Inc. reported a 48% increase in revenue for the second quarter to more than $1 billion, citing the “astonishing impact” of artificial intelligence technology on its business. Tesla Inc. approved an interim stock award worth about $30 billion for Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk, a massive payout meant to keep the billionaire’s attention on the automaker as a legal fight over a 2018 pay package drags on. Meanwhile, shipments from Tesla Inc.’s Shanghai factory slipped back into decline on intense competition in China and global trade uncertainties. Some of the main moves in markets:
Stocks
S&P 500 futures rose 0.2% as of 10:47 a.m. Tokyo time Japan’s Topix rose 0.6% Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 rose 1.1% Hong Kong’s Hang Seng rose 0.1% The Shanghai Composite rose 0.4% Euro Stoxx 50 futures rose 0.1% Currencies
The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index was little changed The euro was little changed at $1.1572 The Japanese yen was little changed at 146.96 per dollar The offshore yuan was little changed at 7.1778 per dollar Cryptocurrencies
Bitcoin was little changed at $114,849.2 Ether fell 0.3% to $3,691.1 Bonds
The yield on 10-year Treasuries was unchanged at 4.19% Japan’s 10-year yield declined 2.5 basis points to 1.475% Australia’s 10-year yield declined 11 basis points to 4.21% Commodities
West Texas Intermediate crude was little changed Spot gold rose 0.2% to $3,380.71 an ounce This story was produced with the assistance of Bloomberg Automation.
–With assistance from Alice French and Jason Scott.
A Kyoto University research team has developed a pain-reliever that is comparable to morphine but does not have serious side effects.
Morphine, often administered to cancer patients, has serious adverse effects such as breathing issues and addiction.
According to the team, the newly developed drug, Adriana, is a groundbreaking painkiller, which works on a completely different mechanism to morphine and other existing synthetic opioids. The drug has the potential to revolutionize pain control in the medical field, the team said.
The team also expects that the drug will help resolve the so-called opioid epidemic, in which a large number of deaths occur mainly due to overdoses of opioids.
Its findings were published in the online edition of the U.S. journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
When a person encounters a life-threatening situation, norepinephrine, an organic chemical secreted from the brain, suppresses pain.
For its study, the team focused on the human body regulating oversecretion of norepinephrine. By introducing a new research technology, the team succeeded in developing a drug blocking such a control function for the first time in the world.
In a clinical trial conducted at the Kyoto University Hospital between January 2023 and December 2024, the team confirmed the new drug’s efficiency to a certain extent for patients including 20 who underwent lung cancer surgery.
The team plans to conduct a clinical trial in the United States for 400 postsurgery patients in 2026, aiming to put Adriana into practical use in 2028.
“We hope that the new drug will help cancer patients who previously had no choice but to use opioids live their lives without pain as well as a need to worry about addiction or serious side effects,” Masatoshi Hagiwara, a professor at the university, said.
Introduction Taxonomy and ecology Virulence factors and pathogenic mechanisms Routes of infection and disease manifestations Diagnosis and treatment Epidemiology and risk factors Public health challenges Prevention strategies Conclusions References Further reading
Vibrio vulnificus is a life-threatening marine bacterium, increasingly linked to seafood consumption and wound infections, especially in vulnerable people. Its geographic range and public health impact are growing due to climate and environmental change.
Vibrio species, particularly Vibrio vulnificus, are increasingly recognized as important and sometimes severe public-health hazards capable of causing rapid septicemia, gastroenteritis, and necrotizing wound infections. Climate‑driven proliferation and dietary habits have converged to increase the incidence of vibriosis and related septic shock among high-risk individuals in coastal communities throughout the world.1
Taxonomy and ecology
Vibrio vulnificus is a Gram‑negative halophilic member of the family Vibrionaceae that thrives in warm, low‑salinity estuaries where tidal mixing concentrates organic matter. The curved rods of Vibrio vulnificus are routinely recovered from brackish coastal waters and bio‑accumulated by filter‑feeding shellfish. In particular, the eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) acts as both an environmental reservoir and a vehicle for human exposure.
Eastern Oyster. Crassostrea virginica. Image Credit: Gilbert S. Grant / Shutterstock
Nutrient‑rich runoff, suspended particulates, and other anthropogenic inputs further contribute to Vibrio vulnificus proliferation by supplying carbon nutrients and attachment surfaces. The organism is rarely detected in waters below 15 °C and is most abundant above 20 °C. Taken together, temperature, salinity, and nutrient availability interact synergistically to modulate the ecology and health risk of this opportunistic pathogen.2
Virulence factors and pathogenic mechanisms
Vibrio vulnificus invades hosts with a multi-layered arsenal. A surface capsular polysaccharide (CPS) masks complement fragments to avoid macrophage engulfment, thereby protecting the bacterium from serum killing.3
Secreted pore‑forming toxins, led by Vibrio vulnificus hemolysin A (VvhA), rupture cell membranes, precipitate dermal necrosis, and induce a cytokine storm that can eventually progress to septic shock. Other virulence determinants include the metalloprotease VvpE, multifunctional RTX toxins, and additional outer-membrane proteins that contribute to tissue invasion and immune evasion. Importantly, systemic dissemination is dependent upon iron levels, as the catechol siderophore vulnibactin and its outer‑membrane receptor obtain iron from transferrin and lactoferrin to ensure bloodstream proliferation.3
In estuarine niches, high levels of cyclic di‑guanosine monophosphate (c‑di‑GMP) and type IV pili contribute to the development of biofilm matrices that shield cells between hosts. Expression of these traits is determined by autoinducer‑2 synthase LuxS and small colony regulator (SmcR) quorum‑sensing circuitry, as mutants lacking either regulator exhibit significantly reduced cytotoxicity and require higher inocula to cause lethal disease.3
Routes of infection and disease manifestations
Vibrio vulnificus infects humans through ingestion or percutaneous exposure. For example, ingestion of raw or undercooked shellfish, especially oysters, deposits high bacterial loads into the gastrointestinal tract.
In most healthy people, this leads to a brief gastroenteritis characterized by diarrhea, cramps, and vomiting. Importantly, Vibrio vulnificus can cross the intestinal barrier to reach the bloodstream, which leads to primary septicemia (PS) with a fatality rate of up to 60%. However, bloodstream infection develops primarily in immunocompromised or chronically ill patients, and the overall incidence of septicemia is low among healthy adults.
Percutaneous exposure to seawater or seafood contaminated with Vibrio vulnificus can lead to infection by entering the bloodstream through an open wound. Local infection begins with painful swelling and hemorrhagic bullae that can progress within hours to necrotizing fasciitis, sometimes necessitating amputation.4
Patients diagnosed with chronic liver disease, diabetes mellitus, malignancy, renal dysfunction, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), or other forms of immunosuppression are at a significantly greater risk of fulminant PS due to their compromised innate defenses that allow bacterial growth.
Risk of Vibrio vulnificus infection is particularly high during warm summer and autumn when bacterial replication accelerates. As a result, seafood handlers, swimmers, and coastal residents are advised to avoid consuming raw shellfish, promptly disinfect cuts, and seek urgent care for spreading limb pain. Early culture‑guided antibiotics and, when indicated, aggressive surgical debridement remain vital to survival and intensive support.4
Image Credit: Kateryna Kon / Shutterstock.com
Diagnosis and treatment
Timely recognition of Vibrio vulnificus infection is based on microbiological confirmation, following which immediate and aggressive management is essential. Blood and wound samples, including blister fluid, should be cultured on thiosulfate‑citrate‑bile‑salts‑sucrose agar.
Gram stain of the specimen often reveals banana‑shaped Gram‑negative rods. Since conventional culturing requires up to 48 hours to complete, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) methods are frequently used to identify the pathogen within hours to accurately guide therapy.
Any broad‑spectrum agent active against Gram‑negative bacilli can be used to treat Vibrio vulnificus. However, doxycycline combined with a third‑generation cephalosporin (such as ceftriaxone or ceftazidime) is widely recommended due to the organism’s rapid doubling time. Fluoroquinolones are an alternative. Imaging is often used to determine a diagnosis of gas gangrene, whereas laboratory tests screen for coagulopathy, hepatic, or renal dysfunction.5
Debridement of devitalized tissue under general anesthesia should begin as soon as feasible after diagnosis. Primary limb amputation is advised if the fascia and muscle are overtly necrotic or the haemodynamic status deteriorates. Throughout resuscitation, clinicians will prioritize circulatory stabilization and support in an intensive care setting to prevent or reverse septic shock and multiorgan failure.5
Epidemiology and risk factors
Vibrio vulnificus thrives in warm, brackish seas and can be found along many temperate‑to‑tropical shorelines. In the United States, these infections have primarily been reported along the Gulf of Mexico; however, Vibrio vulnificus has also been detected along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, Hawaii, and, occasionally, inland after storm flooding.
In East Asia, especially Japan and China, Vibrio vulnificus prevalence in seafood often exceeds 30%, which is significantly greater than its levels in West Asian waters. Peak reporting occurs between May and October, a period marked by high sea‑surface temperatures of 20-25 °C and high levels of bacterial contamination.6,7
Host factors often determine infection outcomes, as adults with alcoholic cirrhosis are 80-and 200-times more likely to become infected and die after eating raw oysters than healthy diners, respectively. The 80-fold risk refers to infection, and the 200-fold risk to mortality. Other high‑risk groups include people diagnosed with hemochromatosis, thalassemia major, diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, or medication‑induced immunosuppression.6,7
As oceans warm, fisheries and recreational waters deliver Vibrio vulnificus to new latitudes where seafood supply chains and coastal wounds facilitate its circulation. These converging environmental and host factors lead to summertime surges of fulminant septicemia and necrotizing wound infections that have been increasingly reported from the Gulf Coast to East Asia and other warming estuaries throughout the world.6,7
Public health challenges
Surveillance efforts for Vibrio vulnificus are primarily concentrated in the United States and Europe. Comparatively, low‑income countries lack routine testing, which leads to the under‑reporting of cases and weaker risk models.
Climate change is also transporting the bacterium into waters once considered safe. For example, heat‑driven blooms have pushed infections as far north as sub‑Arctic Finland and expanded suitable coastlines by about 392 km² since 1982.
Raw seafood, particularly filter‑feeding oysters, can concentrate Vibrio vulnificus, thereby serving as a potent vehicle for infection. Economically, fulminant septicemia and necrotizing fasciitis often demand prolonged intensive care unit (ICU) management, which makes Vibrio vulnificus one of the most expensive marine‑borne pathogens per case, with an estimated annual burden valued at over $267 million USD.8
New study find cases of flesh eating bacteria may rise
Prevention strategies
Vulnerable patient populations are advised to avoid raw or under‑cooked shellfish altogether to reduce their risk of infection. Cooking shellfish thoroughly to an internal temperature of at least 63 °C (145 °F) effectively kills Vibrio species. Individuals with open wounds, recent piercings, or tattoos must ensure that these areas remain dry and protected while swimming, wading, or handling seafood to prevent bacterial entry.
Federal regulators are expected to perform continuous water‑quality monitoring and impose prompt harvesting closures in the event that water temperature, salinity, or bacterial counts exceed safety limits. Sustained public health campaigns in coastal and endemic areas should teach safe seafood practices, wound care, and early symptom recognition.9 Note: Reference 9 primarily addresses prevention in aquaculture; for human public health, guidance is available from CDC and WHO sources.
Conclusions
Rising sea‑surface temperatures, altered salinity, and nutrient‑rich runoff are expanding the ecological range of Vibrio vulnificus, thereby increasing the risk of infection outside of traditional Gulf Coast and East Asian hotspots.
Protecting public health requires coordinated action across healthcare, environmental monitoring, aquaculture, and food‑safety sectors. These efforts must incorporate routine coastal surveillance, rapid detection technologies, stricter shellfish harvest controls, climate‑informed warning systems, and ongoing community education to ensure the early detection and mitigation of future outbreaks.
References
Igbinosa, E. O., & Okoh, A. I. (2008). Emerging Vibrio species: an unending threat to public health in developing countries. Research in microbiology. 159(7-8) 495-506. DOI: 10.1016/j.resmic.2008.07.001, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0923250808001137
Quigg, A., Gaona-Hernández, A., Hochman, M. S., Ray, S. M., & Schwarz, J. R. (2025). Applied Time Series Analyses (2000–2017) of Vibrio vulnificus and Vibrio parahaemolyticus (Pathogenic and Non-Pathogenic Strains) in the Eastern Oyster, Crassostrea virginica. Bacteria. 4(2). DOI: 10.3390/bacteria4020017, https://www.mdpi.com/2674-1334/4/2/17
Jones MK, Oliver JD. (2009). Vibrio vulnificus: Disease and Pathogenesis. Infect Immun. 77 (5). DOI: 10.1128/iai.01046-08, https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/iai.01046-08
Zu, S., Lin, L., Wen, M. H., Zhao, H. R., Hu, X. M., & Zheng, L. (2024). Secondary septic shock caused by Vibrio vulnificus infection: A case report. LabMed Discovery. 1(2). DOI: 10.1016/j.lmd.2024.100023, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S3050474024000235
Matsuoka, Y., Nakayama, Y., Yamada, T., Nakagawachi, A., Matsumoto, K., Nakamura, K., Sugiyama, K., Tanigawa, Y., Kakiuchi, Y. and Sakaguchi, Y. (2013). Accurate diagnosis and treatment of Vibrio vulnificus infection: a retrospective study of 12 cases. Brazilian Journal of Infectious Diseases. 17. 07-12. DOI: 10.1016/j.bjid.2012.07.017, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S141386701200219X
Clemence MA, Guerrant RL. 2015. Infections and intoxications from the ocean: risks of the shore. Microbiol Spectrum. 3(6). DOI: 10.1128/microbiolspec.iol5-0008-2015, https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/microbiolspec.iol5-0008-2015
Tanveer, M., Ntakiyisumba, E., & Won, G. (2024). Prevalence and risk factors of seafood-borne Vibrio vulnificus in Asia: a systematic review with meta-analysis and meta-regression. Frontiers in Microbiology. 15. DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1363560, https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2024.1363560/full
Jayakumar, J. M., Martinez-Urtaza, J., Brumfield, K. D., Jutla, A. S., Colwell, R. R., Cordero, O. X., & Almagro-Moreno, S. (2024) Climate change and Vibrio vulnificus dynamics: A blueprint for infectious diseases. PLoS Pathog. 20(12). DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1012767, https://journals.plos.org/plospathogens/article?id=10.1371/journal.ppat.1012767
Xu, K., Wang, Y., Yang, W., Cai, H., Zhang, Y., & Huang, L. (2023). Strategies for Prevention and Control of Vibriosis in Asian Fish Culture. Vaccines. 11(1). DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11010098
Chi Pu, Captain of Stars Enlist 2025, is the first confirmed artist in the line-up. The star rose to new international fame after her performances on Sisters Who Make Waves 2023. — Photos thethaovanhoa.vn
TÂY NINH — A large-scale music and light festival will take place at T&T City Millennia, a modern urban township in Cần Giuộc Commune, Tây Ninh Province, on the evening of August 9.
Titled Khơi mạch nguồn Di sản – Vững bước Kỷ nguyên mới (Awakening Heritage, Stepping into a New Era), the open-air event is being organised by T&T Group to celebrate two national milestones: the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution (August 19, 1945) and the 80th anniversary of the National Day of the Socialist Republic of Việt Nam (September 2, 1945).
Organised with large-scale investment by T&T Group, the festival will feature a grand outdoor stage set in the heart of the modern mega-urban T&T City Millennia development. The show will combine live performances, cutting-edge sound design, lighting, and visual mapping to offer a sensory-rich experience.
Well-known Vietnamese hits will be given modern remixes, blending contemporary sound and visuals in a show designed to be both aurally and visually captivating.
The most anticipated highlight of the evening is a drone light show featuring more than 1,000 drones, making it one of the largest in Southeast Asia and the biggest ever staged in Tây Ninh Province. The synchronised drone performance will light up the sky over the southern outskirts of HCM City, creating a high-tech spectacle symbolising innovation and unity.
Among the first performers confirmed for the event is Chi Pu, one of Việt Nam’s most dynamic pop icons and recently appointed ‘Captain’ of Sao Nhập Ngũ 2025 (Stars Enlist 2025), a military-themed reality TV show.
She is expected to bring her signature style and energy to the stage, building on the momentum of her acclaimed international appearance on China’s Sisters Who Make Waves 2023, where she was widely praised for her vocal performance, choreography, and stage presence.
Known for his powerful tenor voice and artistic integrity, Đức Tuấn has carved a unique path in Vietnamese music by modernising classic, pre-war and revolutionary songs.
Joining her on stage will be a host of Việt Nam’s top-tier vocalists, including Đức Tuấn, the classically trained tenor known for reinterpreting pre-war, revolutionary, and theatrical songs with a modern sensibility; Uyên Linh, winner of Việt Nam Idol 2010; and singers Isaac, Erik, and Quân A.P, all of whom are prominent names on digital music charts and social media.
As part of the festivities, T&T Group will also inaugurate the Millennia Journey pedestrian street, an experiential cultural walkway inspired by Marco Polo’s legendary 13th-century expedition through Asia.
This nearly two-kilometre boulevard reimagines a miniature ‘cross-cultural journey’, where visitors will explore themed stations that blend Eastern and Western aesthetics. Each stop offers a unique experience designed to evoke the cultural richness of historical trade routes and encourage discovery.
Beyond being a high-energy entertainment event, the festival is also envisioned as a way to express the spirit of a new urban lifestyle – one where culture, community and innovation converge. According to the organisers, T&T City Millennia is being positioned not only as a place to live, but as a destination for vibrant public life.
The festival will be free and open to the public, welcoming both residents and visitors to enjoy an unforgettable summer night filled with music, lights, and cultural exploration. — VNS
Sydney Sweeney overlooks herself in her latest campaign for American Eagle.
Courtesy: American Eagle Instagram
Outside of what has become an annual American tradition of reviewing Super Bowl commercials, it has been years since I’ve heard or been sent so many reviews, opinions, and hot takes on a :15 or :30 second commercial spot.
Until now.
Last week, American Eagle came in hot with a series of ads featuring one of America’s most popular rising stars. Actress Sydney Sweeney, 27, launched her new collaboration with the retailer, titled ‘Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans’.
And it did not disappoint (or perhaps it did, depending on who you ask)
From the South China Morning Post to the Daily Mail, and Vanity Fair to NPR – outlets across time zones, age brackets and industry verticles are chiming in on their thoughts and perspectives and symbolism of the ad. On social media, the ad is the talk of TikTok, X, and Instagram with influencers and everyday people eager to record videos to share their opinion, all while replaying the ad for their users to see, of course. Even the President commented!
What’s all the talk about?
The pun/double entendre of language between genes and jeans, the intersection of visual identity and sex appeal, and the pretty privilege of “traditional” beauty.
Quite simply, this ad has unlocked America’s culture war about looks, influence, and eugenics?
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 10: Sydney Sweeney attends the Variety Power of Young Hollywood Presented by For the Music at NeueHouse Hollywood on August 10, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Variety via Getty Images)
Variety via Getty Images
American Eagle Is An Unlikley Catalyst
American Eagle Outfitters, while a longstanding international retail brand and manufacturer, is an unlikely catalyst for this moment. But what their story tells you is that GREAT ADVERTISING is effective when done correctly.
In recent years, advertising has been an industry under siege by both clients, who hire out the creative agencies that make the work, and by consumers who have multiple ways they can avoid watching ads.
Recent trends are continuing to accelerate this. Last month’s Omnicom’s much anticipated $13.5 billion acquisition of rival Interpublic was approved by the FTC, creating the world’s largest advertising agency. In the U.S., the firm would become the largest media buying ad agency as well. The new Omnicom will have over 100,000 expert practitioners with the combined entity forecast to yield $750 million in annual cost savings, highlighting the ongoing drive toward consolidation on Madison Ave.
Some argue that this consolidation hurts creativity due to the red tape and corporate-leaning culture.
It’s not to imply advertisements aren’t all around us. The average person sees hundreds of ads every day, but the reality is that due to the squeeze from both sides, the creative product is not as memorable as it could be.
When asking people if they can recall the ads that they see, the response is only between 1%-10%.
From AI, to ad-free streaming to ‘skip now’, advertising has seemed to become “in the way” of what we are trying to consume vs enhancing the experience of the time we are forced to commit.
And as algorithms become more powerful in serving custom ads, it’s become more complex and harder for brands and audiences to be able to recall advertising as they once were immediately. Gone are the days of ‘Yo Quiero Taco Bell’, ‘The Geico Caveman’, ‘Mac vs PC’, or ‘Spuds McKenzie’
BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 14: Sydney Sweeney attends the 35th annual GLAAD Media Awards at The Beverly Hilton on March 14, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images)
Getty Images
Opposing Voices Don’t Hold as Much Weight
As the dust settles, American Eagle has stood by their ad campaign despite the criticism and controversy. Saying in a recent Instagram post, they shared their ad campaign “is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story. We’ll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way. Great jeans look good on everyone.”
The ‘Sydney’ jeans which the commercial was advertising, have completely sold out, and the stock price is at its highest point in nearly 6 months ($13.39 at the time of writing), showing that a great ad holds value for companies. Beyond that, the brand is now in minds and lips of millions across the world.
Could this American Eagle campaign be the tipping point to inspire a new era of creativity? And could the formula of painting the line on social issues surrounding privilege and race be the new formula?
I believe the answer is yes, and I for one am looking forward to actually watching them – regardless of what side of the debate I’m on.
Breakthrough solar-powered device converts Moon dust into essential life support. Read this article to know what the study found, how the tech works, and why lunar soil could change deep space travel forever. A groundbreaking study published in Joule (July 16, 2025) has revealed that lunar soil isn’t just dead dust, it holds the key to producing drinking water, breathable oxygen, and even rocket fuel on the Moon. Conducted by researchers at the Chinese University of Hong Kong using real samples from China’s Chang’e‑5 mission, the study demonstrates a one-step photothermal reactor that uses sunlight alone to extract water and drive catalytic reactions, no extra chemicals, no Earth inputs. The reactor heated lunar regolith (Moon soil) above 1,200 K, releasing trapped hydrogen and oxygen as water. This same chamber then transformed that water and carbon dioxide (like astronaut exhalation) into oxygen, hydrogen, and carbon monoxide, core ingredients for life support and rocket propulsion.
What the study reveals about water in lunar soil
The research showed that heating lunar soil with concentrated sunlight could extract 50–76 mg of water per gram, adding up to over 50 kg per tonne. That’s enough to support 50 astronauts per day, from just one ton of regolith. Using photocatalysis, the same water and available CO₂ were then converted into oxygen for breathing and gases like hydrogen and carbon monoxide, which can be refined into rocket fuel.
Why this lunar soil tech is a game-changer for moon missions
The device combines water extraction and oxygen/fuel generation in one integrated unit, making it drastically simpler and lighter than previous systems. Since ilmenite and other Moon minerals act as natural catalysts, there’s no need to send chemicals from Earth. This breakthrough supports in-situ resource utilisation (ISRU), a strategy that lets astronauts “live off the land” on other celestial bodies by using lunar soil as the raw material.
How lunar soil could support permanent moon bases
Provides water and breathable air for long-term lunar habitats
Enables on-site fuel production for return trips and Mars missions
Slashes the cost and payload of human spaceflight
Uses real Chang’e‑5 lunar soil, not lab simulations, to prove viability
If this tech is scaled up, lunar soil may become the Moon’s most valuable natural resource, making self-sufficient lunar living a real possibility.
What’s next for lunar soil research and applications
The study is a major proof-of-concept, but real-world challenges remain. Next steps include:
Building field-grade reactors that work in Moon’s harsh radiation and vacuum
Automating operations for crewless production
Adapting the system for use on Martian soil, which shares similar mineral properties
Still, this is the closest we’ve come to sustainable deep space life support using nothing but solar power and soil.This study doesn’t just solve one problem, it could crack three of the biggest challenges in space exploration: water, breathable oxygen, and fuel. And the magic ingredient? Lunar soil, something we once thought of as useless grey dust. By extracting essential resources directly from Moon dust, scientists could drastically reduce the need to carry supplies from Earth, cutting down costs and launch weight. If this method works at scale, it could revolutionise the way we plan Moon missions, design self-sustaining lunar bases, and even prepare for human exploration of Mars. Suddenly, the Moon isn’t just a destination, it’s a launchpad. And lunar soil? It’s no longer just debris, it’s a game-changing asset in our journey beyond Earth.Also read| Your genes might be why you hate coriander- New study explains how DNA and smell preferences are connected
