Bookmarks 2026-01-12T04:53:29.587Z
by Owen Kibel
34 min read
Bookmarks for 2026-01-12T04:53:29.587Z
-
Trump says Iran proposed nuclear talks, as US eyes military action amid protests Added: Jan 11, 2026
Trump says Iran proposed nuclear deal talks, as U.S. considers military action amid protests
Site: Axios
A "meeting is being set up," Trump told reporters today.
-
Noem doubles down on fatal ICE shooting — and vows to flood Minneapolis with more agents
Site: Axios
Critics accuse the administration of a cover-up.
-
Auto-brewery syndrome Added: Jan 11, 2026
Auto-brewery syndrome
Site: Grokipedia
Auto-brewery syndrome, also designated gut fermentation syndrome, constitutes a rare disorder wherein gastrointestinal microorganisms, predominantly yeasts such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae or Candida species, ferment dietary carbohydrates into ethanol, yielding elevated blood alcohol concentrations and intoxication manifestations absent exogenous alcohol consumption. This endogenous ethanol production disrupts normal metabolism, precipitating acute episodes of inebriation triggered by...
-
Russell's paradox - Wikipedia Added: Jan 11, 2026
Russell's paradox - Wikipedia
-
Gödel's incompleteness theorems - Wikipedia
-
Bonobos are the only known primate, humans included, that don't kill each other
Site: Earth.com
Bonobo evolution reveals bonding and group cohesion in response to threats, favoring paths to finding peace instead of aggression.
-
Earth’s past climate hints at unstable rainfall ahead
Site: Earth.com
Ancient climate clues show warming makes rainfall less reliable, with longer dry gaps and sudden heavy rain.
-
Old herbal remedy moves from folklore to facts
Site: Earth.com
Scientists are testing the ancient herb borage to see which healing claims hold up and where modern evidence still falls short.
-
‘SpaceX will not go for IPO’, predicts ace investor Chamath Palihapitiya, says reverse merger with Tesla more likely | Company Business News
Added: Jan 11, 2026‘SpaceX will not go for IPO’, predicts ace investor Chamath Palihapitiya, says reverse merger with Tesla more likely | Company Business News
Site: mint
Chamath Palihapitiya predicts SpaceX will not pursue an IPO, suggesting a reverse merger with Tesla instead. His comments were made on the All-In podcast, but Elon Musk has not confirmed any plans.
Chamath Palihapitiya, a former Facebook executive and a prominent investor, has predicted that Elon Musk's aerospace startup, SpaceX, is unlikely to go for an initial public offering (IPO) amid speculations of it happening this year.The CEO and Founder of Social Capital, who is known for his “blank-check” companies, said on his podcast All-In that instead of an IPO, he believes that SpaceX would eventually go public through a reverse merger with Tesla.“I don’t think SpaceX will IPO, I think it will reverse merge into Tesla and I think Elon will use it as a moment to consolidate control and power of his two seminal assets into one cap table,” he said.The comments were made during an episode of the podcast released a day before, in which he and his two co-hosts, investors Jason Calacanis and David Sacks, discuss and predict key trends, as well as developments in the technology industry for the year ahead.What is a reverse merger and did Musk ever hint about it?A reverse merger happens when a private company becomes publicly traded by merging with an already public firm, bypassing the costly and lengthy traditional IPO process to quickly gain public listing.Even though Palihapitiya has predicted the consolidation of Musk's companies, the billionaire himself has never made any comments on the likelihood of such a move in recent times.It was also not clear from Palihapitiya's remarks whether he had information about specific plans from SpaceX or was just speculating. While Palihapitiya is not known to be particularly close to Musk, his co-hosts Calacanis and Sacks are closely associated with the SpaceX boss since his Paypal days. They been also been involved in Elon Musk's takeover and ownership of Twitter Inc, according to multiple news reports.Palihapitiya had also predicted earlier that SpaceX’s internet-from-space initiative Starlink would go public in 2023, but the forecast did not come true.Details about SpaceX IPOIn December last year, Elon Musk finally responded to reports claiming the launch of a SpaceX IPO in 2026. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the billionaire CEO said that the report of his company planning to go public is “accurate”.Meanwhile, Bloomberg also reported that SpaceX is moving ahead with plans for an IPO that would seek to raise significantly more than $30 billion. The report added that the transaction would make it the biggest listing of all time.SpaceX’s management and advisers are reportedly pushing for a listing as soon as mid-to-late 2026, however the timing of the IPO could change based on market conditions and other factors, and one of the people said the timing could slip until 2027, Bloomberg reported.
-
summarize the halting problem - Google Search Added: Jan 11, 2026
Google Search
-
Rahm Emanuel targets GOP and Dems as he tests 2028 campaign for president
Site: Axios
The former Chicago mayor wants to lead a post-Trump "renewal wing" of the Democratic Party.
-
Quote of the day by Seneca: ‘We suffer more often in imagination than.......’
Added: Jan 11, 2026Quote of the day by Seneca: ‘We suffer more often in imagination than.......’
Site: Bhandara DCCB
The quote “We suffer more often in imagination than in reality” comes from Lucius Annaeus Seneca, a first-century Roman thinker whose writings continue to influence discussions on stress, fear, and
-
Trump says US must acquire Greenland to block Russia, China threats | Fox News Added: Jan 11, 2026
Trump says US must acquire Greenland to block Russia, China threats | Fox News
President Donald Trump said the U.S. must acquire Greenland from Denmark, warning that Russia or China would move in if Washington does not act.
-
We’re talking about AI all wrong. Here’s how we can fix the narrative Added: Jan 11, 2026
We’re talking about AI all wrong. Here’s how we can fix the narrative
Site: The Conversation
Artificial brains, humanoid robots and ‘assistants’ are misleading myths – and they directly affect how we use AI.
-
Site: X (formerly Twitter)
-
Microwave-sized machine that debuted at CES ready to take on sprawling data centers - Las Vegas Sun News Added: Jan 11, 2026
Microwave-sized machine that debuted at CES ready to take on sprawling data centers
Site: Las Vegas Sun
It’s about the size of a microwave, costs more than a house and could change how artificial intelligence runs. At CES in Las Vegas last week ...
-
Site: X (formerly Twitter)
-
Furious AI Users Say Their Prompts Are Being Plagiarized
Added: Jan 11, 2026Furious AI Users Say Their Prompts Are Being Plagiarized
Site: Futurism
A self-described AI ambassador is in shambles after she says other AI prompters have been plagiarizing her instructions.
-
Australia's Defence Policy Explained | #Utopia #Shorts - YouTube Added: Jan 12, 2026
Australia's Defence Policy Explained | #Utopia #Shorts
Site: YouTube
With a major defence white paper about to be launched Jim & Rhonda ask Tony for help. (Season 3 Episode 7: On The Defence)You can now watch Utopia from anywh...
-
Violence EXPLODES, Rioter Calls For ARMED KILLINGS Of ICE, Rebellion Against US | Tim Pool
Site: YouTube
Become A Memberhttp://youtube.com/timcastnews/joinThe Green Room - https://rumble.com/playlists/aa56qw_g-j0BUY CAST BREW COFFEE TO FIGHT BACK - https://castb...
-
LIBERAL POLICE DEFECT, DECLARE FEDS ILLEGITIMITE, CIVIL WAR IS HERE
Site: YouTube
Local police have already been declaring feds authority void, national guard and other law enforcement.Rioters dont care for fact, civil strife is escalating...
-
ITS OVER
Site: YouTube
We are COOKEDHow do we recover form population collapse?Become A Memberhttp://youtube.com/timcastnews/joinThe Green Room - https://rumble.com/playlists/aa56q...
-
Elon Musk on X: "Censorship is the hallmark of an actually fascist state" / X Added: Jan 12, 2026
Site: X (formerly Twitter)
-
Site: X (formerly Twitter)
-
Free Speech, Comedy, and Woke Culture | Konstantin Kisin
Site: YouTube
Please note that this conversation was recorded in 2019 before the COVID-19 crisis. Konstantin Kisin is a Russian-British comedian, podcaster, writer and soc...
-
Minneapolis Cops Blocked From Investigating The ICE Shooting
Site: YouTube
SUPPORT THE SHOW BUY CAST BREW COFFEE NOW - https://castbrew.com/Join - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLwNTXWEjVd2qIHLcXxQWxA/joinHosts: Tim @Timcast (eve...
-
Site: X (formerly Twitter)
-
This new tool could tell us how consciousness works | MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology Added: Jan 12, 2026
This new tool could tell us how consciousness works
Site: MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Transcranial focused ultrasound, a noninvasive brain imaging tool, may help researchers gain knowledge about human consciousness.
-
Bill Ackman donates $10K to ICE agent who fatally shot Renee Nicole Good | New York Post Added: Jan 12, 2026
Billionaire Bill Ackman donates $10K to GoFundMe for ICE agent who fatally shot Renee Nicole Good
Site: New York Post
“The whole situation is a tragedy. An officer doing his best to do his job, and a protester who likely did not intend to kill the officer but whose actions in a split second led to her death.…
-
Quote of the day by Plato: ‘Do not train a child to learn by force or…’ - The Economic Times Added: Jan 12, 2026
Quote of the day by Plato: ‘Do not train a child to learn by force or…’ - The Economic Times
Plato was an influential ancient Greek philosopher and student of Socrates. He founded the Academy in Athens. He authored significant philosophical works and taught Aristotle. His aristocratic family had notable lineage. Plato believed children learn best through engaging methods that nurture their natural curiosity and unique talents, rather than through coercion.
Plato was born in 428/427 BCE in Athens, Greece. He was an ancient Greek philosopher and student of Socrates (c. 470–399 BCE). Best known for creating influence as the author of philosophical works, he was a teacher of Aristotle (384–322 BCE) and founder of the Academy. Plato died in 348/347 in Athens. For two decades Aristotle was also a member of the Academy, according to Britannica. After Plato’s death, he started his own school, the Lyceum, when he was passed over as his successor at the Academy.Born in the year after the death of the great Athenian statesman Pericles, Plato was the son of Ariston (his father) and Perictione (his mother). According to Britannica, his brothers Glaucon and Adeimantus are portrayed as interlocutors in Plato’s masterpiece the Republic, and his half brother Antiphon figures in the Parmenides.Plato’s family was aristocratic and distinguished. His father’s side claimed descent from the god Poseidon, and his mother’s side was related to the lawgiver Solon (c. 630–560 BCE). Quote of the day by Plato: Do not train a child to learn by force or harshness; but direct them to it by what amuses their minds, so that you may be better able to discover with accuracy the peculiar bent of the genius of each. Meaning of the quote of the day by Plato: The core meaning of the quote by Plato is that children learn best when learning is engaging, not coercive.In this quote, Plato wants to convey that forcing a child to learn through punishment, pressure, or harsh discipline may produce obedience, but it does not reveal or nurture the child’s true abilities. According to him, education should appeal to what naturally interests and delights a child. When learning feels enjoyable rather than imposed, a child’s natural talents, preferences, and intellectual strengths emerge more clearly.By observing what captures a child’s curiosity and enthusiasm, educators and parents can accurately identify each child’s unique disposition or “genius.” Plato argues that education should guide, not compel, and that understanding a child’s individuality is more important than enforcing uniform instruction.
-
NVIDIA AI Released Nemotron Speech ASR: A New Open Source Transcription Model Designed from the Ground Up for Low-Latency Use Cases like Voice Agents - MarkTechPost
Added: Jan 12, 2026NVIDIA AI Released Nemotron Speech ASR: A New Open Source Transcription Model Designed from the Ground Up for Low-Latency Use Cases like Voice Agents
Site: MarkTechPost
NVIDIA AI Released Nemotron Speech ASR: A New Open Source Transcription Model Designed from the Ground Up for Low-Latency Use Cases
-
Site: X (formerly Twitter)
-
Site: X (formerly Twitter)
-
Megyn Kelly Calls Out the Left's Outrageous Reaction to Renee Good Shooting, and Brings Receipts
Site: YouTube
Megyn Kelly calls out the left's outrageous reaction to Renee Good shooting, and brings receipts.LIKE & SUBSCRIBE for new videos everyday: https://bit.ly/3Aw...
-
Sergey Brin says Google hires many without degrees: 'They just figure things out on their own' | Fortune Added: Jan 12, 2026
Google's Sergey Brin admits he's hiring 'tons' of workers without degrees: 'They just figure things out on their own in some weird corner' | Fortune
Site: Fortune
Google cofounder Sergey Brin studied graduate computer science at Stanford—but admits Gen Z no longer needs a degree to land a high-paying job at the tech giant.
-
Megyn Kelly on "Disgusting" Propaganda From Democratic Party After ICE Shooting in Minnesota
Site: YouTube
Megyn Kelly on “disgusting” propaganda from the Democratic Party after ICE shooting in Minnesota.LIKE & SUBSCRIBE for new videos everyday: https://bit.ly/3Aw...
-
The Minneapolis ICE Shooting Is Almost Impossible to Prosecute
Site: YouTube
BUY CAST BREW COFFEE TO SUPPORT THE SHOW - https://castbrew.com/Become A Member And Protect Our Work at http://www.timcast.comHost:Tim Pool @Timcast (everywh...
-
Bill Maher looks stone-faced as Wanda Sykes mockingly begs him to 'do less' at 2026 Golden Globes Added: Jan 12, 2026
Bill Maher is mocked by Wanda Sykes on stage at 2026 Golden Globes
Site: Mail Online
Bill Maher is usually the one delivering the jokes on his HBO talk show Real Time, but the tables were turned on Sunday night at the 83rd Golden Globe Awards.
-
Quote of the day by Nvidia co-founder Jensen Huang: ‘There’s plenty of time, if you prioritize yourself properly and…’ - The Economic Times Added: Jan 12, 2026
Quote of the day by Nvidia co-founder Jensen Huang: ‘There’s plenty of time, if you prioritize yourself properly. Make sacrifices.’ - The Economic Times
Some quotes arrive like instructions. Others arrive like a pause button. Nvidia co-founder Jensen Huang’s reflection on time belongs to the second kind. Spoken not from a stage but during a thoughtful exchange on the Acquired podcast, his words cut gently through modern chaos: 'There’s plenty of time, if you prioritize yourself properly and do not let outlook control your day. Make sacrifices. It is not motivational wallpaper. It is a worldview shaped inside boardrooms, engineering labs, near-failure, and extraordinary success.Not too little time, too many distractionsNvidia co-founder's statement challenges one of the most widely accepted assumptions of modern life: that time is always running out. His point is subtler. Time itself is rarely the true constraint. Attention is.Huang’s version of success is built on subtraction. Do fewer things. Choose them carefully. Accept that sacrifice is part of seriousness. Real achievement, he argues, does not come from doing everything, but from protecting the few things that matter most. In other words, time expands when intention sharpens.Why this hits home in the age of endless pingsMost careers today unfold inside glowing rectangles. Workdays are measured not in hours, but in notifications. Huang’s words land differently because they confront a quiet exhaustion many professionals normalize. The fatigue of being constantly reachable. The anxiety of living by calendars designed by others. The illusion that a packed schedule equals importance. His message offers a reframing that feels almost radical in its simplicity: You are allowed to design your days around your priorities, not your inbox.That shift changes how ambition operates. It replaces frantic acceleration with deliberate momentum. It turns success into something cultivated over years, not chased between meetings. In a culture that celebrates speed, Huang makes a case for direction.The man who built the future, one deliberate decision at a timeAdvice about time often sounds hollow when it comes from people who inherited comfort. Huang did not. Born in 1963 to Taiwanese immigrant parents, he spent parts of his childhood in Taiwan and Thailand before moving to the United States. He studied engineering, earned his master’s degree from Stanford, and at 30 co-founded Nvidia from a Denny’s restaurant. The company nearly collapsed in the 1990s. He stayed.In 1999, Nvidia introduced the graphics processing unit, quietly reshaping computing. Years later, Huang bet heavily on accelerated computing and artificial intelligence long before those terms became fashionable.That patience transformed Nvidia into the backbone of the AI economy. In October 2025, it became the first company in history to cross a $5 trillion market value. By early 2026, Huang’s net worth stood at over $164 billion. He has been named among Time magazine’s most influential people and was recognized as Financial Times Person of the Year in 2025.IEEE has also recently named NVIDIA founder and CEO Jensen Huang as the recipient of the 2026 IEEE Medal of Honor, the organization’s highest recognition, along with a $2 million prize. The award celebrates Huang’s decades-long visionary leadership and his transformative impact on computing.Under Huang’s guidance, NVIDIA pioneered accelerated computing, reshaping how the world processes data. His most defining breakthrough came in 1999, when NVIDIA introduced the world’s first graphics processing unit (GPU)—a milestone that fundamentally changed computing and later became the backbone of modern artificial intelligence. Today, GPUs power advances across healthcare, engineering, robotics, autonomous vehicles, manufacturing, and scientific research.
-
How ants gave up armor to build some of the largest societies on Earth - The Brighter Side of News
Added: Jan 12, 2026How ants gave up armor to build some of the largest societies on Earth
Site: The Brighter Side of News
New research shows ants evolved larger colonies and more species by making individual workers cheaper and less heavily armored.
-
Another Linux desktop environment goes Wayland-only as it prepares to change version after a decade
Added: Jan 12, 2026Another Linux desktop environment goes Wayland-only as it prepares to change version after a decade
Site: XDA
A huge change for its users.
-
UK regulator Ofcom opens a formal investigation into X over CSAM scandal
Site: Engadget
The UK's media regulator has opened a formal investigation into X.
-
Canada not considering a ban on X over deepfake controversy, AI minister says Added: Jan 12, 2026
Canada not considering a ban on X over deepfake controversy, AI minister says
Site: Toronto Star
The platform, which is owned by Elon Musk, has been embroiled in controversy over sexualized deepfakes of women and children created by X’s chatbot Grok.
-
How to fall asleep fast according to a neuroscientist - Upworthy
Added: Jan 12, 2026Neuroscientist Andrew Huberman shares 'really weird' trick to fall asleep in five minutes
Site: Upworthy
There's an easy way to trick your brain into calming down.
-
DNA disproves widely repeated theories about the 'Beachy Head Woman'
Site: Earth.com
Beachy Head woman grew up locally in Roman Britain, according to new genetic and chemical analysis of a 2,000-year-old skeleton.
-
Scientists just revealed a surprising new use for coffee
Added: Jan 12, 2026Scientists just revealed a surprising new use for coffee
Site: PsyPost - Psychology News
A new study demonstrates that ordinary espresso can effectively stain biological samples for electron microscopy. This household beverage offers a safe, low-cost alternative to the radioactive chemicals traditionally used in labs.
Researchers have identified a common household beverage as an effective, non-toxic substitute for the hazardous chemicals traditionally used in high-resolution microscopic imaging. A new study demonstrates that ordinary espresso coffee can stain biological samples for electron microscopy with clarity and detail comparable to industry-standard radioactive solutions. The findings were published in the journal <em><a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ymeth.2025.08.009" target="_blank">Methods</a></em>.
To understand the magnitude of this discovery, one must first understand the invisible challenges of electron microscopy. Biologists rely on transmission electron microscopes, or TEMs, to view the internal structures of cells at the nanometer scale. While light microscopes use photons to illuminate a subject, TEMs use beams of accelerated electrons.
This difference in illumination source allows for much higher magnification. However, it presents a fundamental problem for biological observation. Living things are primarily composed of light chemical elements like carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen.
These light elements do not interact strongly with electron beams. When an electron beam passes through a slice of biological tissue, the electrons pass right through without being deflected or scattered. The result is an image with almost no contrast, making the intricate machinery of the cell invisible to the observer.
For decades, the solution has been to impregnate the tissue with heavy metals. This process is known as positive staining. The heavy metal ions bind to cellular structures, such as membranes or proteins.
When the electron beam hits these metal-coated areas, the electrons bounce off. This creates dark areas on the final image, while the unstained areas remain light. The resulting contrast allows researchers to map the geography of the cell.
The current "gold standard" for this process is a chemical called uranyl acetate. It is a salt derived from uranium. It is exceptionally effective at binding to biological lipids and proteins, providing sharp definition to cell membranes and DNA.
However, uranyl acetate comes with severe downsides. It is both highly toxic to the kidneys and chemically radioactive. The use of such dangerous material requires strict safety protocols, expensive waste disposal, and complex regulatory paperwork.
Some laboratories are even banned from possessing it entirely. Consequently, the scientific community has been searching for a "green" alternative that is safe, cheap, and effective. This search led a team of researchers in Austria to the kitchen break room.
Claudia Mayrhofer, a specialist in ultramicrotomy at the Graz Centre for Electron Microscopy, spearheaded the investigation. Her work focuses on the physical preparation of samples, which involves cutting tissues into slices thinner than a wavelength of visible light. She collaborated with colleagues from the Graz University of Technology and the University of Innsbruck.
The inspiration for the study came from a mundane observation. Mayrhofer noticed that coffee left in a cup for too long created persistent rings that were difficult to clean. She hypothesized that the compounds responsible for these stubborn stains might also bind effectively to biological tissues.
“I got the idea of using espresso as a staining agent from the circular dried stains in used coffee cups,” Mayrhofer said. “Initial tests have shown that coffee stains biological samples and enhances contrasts.”
To test this hypothesis rigorously, the team devised a comparative study. They needed to see how coffee stacked up against the radioactive standard of uranyl acetate. They also compared it against other potential substitutes found in literature.
The researchers selected zebrafish as their biological subject. Specifically, they focused on the mitochondria within the zebrafish cells. Mitochondria are ideal for this kind of test because they possess complex, double-layered membranes.
If a stain is effective, these membranes appear as crisp, distinct lines. If the stain is poor, the membranes look fuzzy or blend into the background. The team prepared a strong espresso solution using Robusta coffee beans.
They also tested a solution of pure chlorogenic acid. This acid is a primary chemical component of coffee. The researchers suspected it might be the active ingredient responsible for the staining effect.
The team treated ultra-thin sections of the zebrafish tissue with the various agents. They then imaged the samples using a transmission electron microscope under identical technical conditions. This ensured that any differences in image quality were due to the stain, not the machine settings.
Historically, evaluating the quality of a microscopic image has been a subjective process. An experienced microscopist would look at the screen and judge whether the contrast was sufficient. The authors of this study sought a more rigorous metric.
They developed an objective method to quantify the "interference contrast." This involved mathematical analysis of the digital images. They measured the pixel intensity of the stained membranes and compared it to the pixel intensity of the surrounding cellular material.
This calculation produced a numerical value representing the quality of the stain. A higher value indicated better separation between the object of interest and the background. This allowed for an unbiased ranking of the different staining agents.
The visual results were immediate and striking. The samples treated with the espresso solution produced high-quality images. The mitochondrial membranes were clearly visible and well-defined.
When analyzed with the objective software, the coffee stain performed admirably. Mayrhofer noted the success of the household beverage in the press release. “Espresso provided comparatively very good contrast values, in some cases they were even better than with uranyl acetate,” she explained.
The study revealed that the coffee stain yielded a contrast that allowed for easy differentiation of cellular structures. It was not merely a passable substitute but a competitive alternative. The pure chlorogenic acid also performed well, confirming it plays a major role in the binding process.
The researchers also attempted to use an extract from Oolong tea. This had been suggested in previous scientific literature as a potential stain. However, in this specific comparison, the tea extract failed to produce clear images without artifacts.
The implications of these findings are economic as well as practical. Uranyl acetate is expensive to buy and expensive to dispose of safely. Coffee is available in nearly every grocery store for a fraction of the cost.
Furthermore, coffee poses no health risk to the scientists handling it. It requires no special ventilation, radiation shielding, or government licenses. It simplifies the workflow of the laboratory considerably.
The study did note that while the contrast was good, the "signal-to-noise" ratio for coffee was slightly different than uranium. Uranium is a very heavy element, so it scatters electrons very efficiently. Organic molecules like those in coffee are lighter.
Despite being lighter, the density of the coffee stain was sufficient to create the necessary image. This challenges the assumption that only heavy metals can serve as effective electron microscopy stains. It opens the door to organic chemistry solutions.
There are, of course, caveats to this research. The study focused specifically on zebrafish mitochondria. Biological tissues vary greatly in their chemical composition.
A stain that works well on the lipids of a mitochondrial membrane might not bind as well to a protein in a muscle fiber or a strand of DNA. The authors acknowledge that this is a first step rather than a universal solution. Broad adoption will require further testing.
Validation across a wider range of biological specimens is necessary. Researchers need to verify that coffee does not introduce unwanted artifacts or distortions in different tissue types. Consistency is key in scientific imaging.
Team leader Ilse Letofsky-Papst emphasized the need for continued verification. “Our results show that coffee is a serious alternative to uranyl acetate,” she stated. “However, further investigations on different types of tissues are still required to enable a broad application in life science electron microscopy.”
Despite the need for more trials, the study represents a shift in how scientists approach sample preparation. It suggests that the answer to complex laboratory problems may not always lie in synthesized chemicals. Sometimes, the solution is brewing in the pot next door.
The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ymeth.2025.08.009" target="_blank">Coffee – a ubiquitous substitute for uranyl acetate in staining of biological ultrathin sections for electron microscopy studies</a>,” was authored by Claudia Mayrhofer, Robert Zandonella, Willi Salvenmoser, and Ilse Letofsky-Papst.
-
The unexpected interaction between CBD and THC in caffeinated beverages
Added: Jan 12, 2026
The unexpected interaction between CBD and THC in caffeinated beverages
Site: PsyPost - Psychology News
A new study suggests that adding cannabidiol, commonly known as CBD, to products containing caffeine and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) can intensify the drug’s psychoactive effects and increase impairment.
A new study suggests that adding cannabidiol, commonly known as CBD, to products containing caffeine and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) can intensify the drug’s psychoactive effects and increase impairment. The research indicates that while caffeine alone does not substantially alter the body’s processing of THC, the addition of CBD changes how the body metabolizes the intoxicating compound. These findings were published in the journal <em><a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41386-025-02232-x" target="_blank">Neuropsychopharmacology</a></em>.
The legal landscape for cannabis is shifting rapidly across the United States. State-level legalization and federal provisions such as the 2018 Farm Bill have led to a proliferation of cannabis-derived products. One emerging trend in the commercial marketplace is the sale of beverages that mix cannabinoids with caffeine. These products are often marketed as energy boosters or alternatives to alcoholic drinks.
Despite the growing availability of these mixtures, very little scientific data exists regarding how these chemical constituents interact within the human body. Public health officials and regulators lack precise information on whether combining stimulants like caffeine with depressants or psychoactive compounds like THC creates unique safety risks. Most existing knowledge comes from animal studies, which have suggested that caffeine might worsen memory deficits caused by THC.
To address this gap in knowledge, a team of researchers led by Justin C. Strickland at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine conducted a controlled investigation. They sought to evaluate the isolated and combined effects of these substances. The researchers aimed to simulate real-world usage patterns to understand the potential risks facing consumers who purchase these pre-mixed cocktails.
The study recruited twenty healthy adults to participate in the experiment. The group was evenly divided between ten men and ten women. All participants had a history of using cannabis and caffeine, ensuring they were familiar with the substances, but they were not heavy or daily users. This selection criteria helped ensure the results would apply to the general population of casual consumers rather than just chronic users with high tolerance.
The investigation utilized a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled crossover design. This means that neither the participants nor the research staff knew which drug combination was being administered during a given session. Additionally, every participant underwent all four experimental conditions at different times. This rigorous structure allowed the researchers to compare an individual’s reaction to the drug mixtures against their own baseline, reducing the influence of personal biological differences.
The four conditions included a placebo session, a session with only THC, a session with THC and caffeine, and a final session combining THC, caffeine, and CBD. The researchers chose to use a cumulative dosing schedule rather than a single large dose. Participants received three separate doses administered over a two-hour period. This method was designed to model how a consumer might slowly drink a cannabis-infused beverage at a social event.
The total dosages administered were 7.5 milligrams of THC, 180 milligrams of caffeine, and 105 milligrams of CBD. These amounts were selected to reflect the potency of products currently available on retail shelves. Throughout the sessions, the researchers collected a wide array of data. They measured subjective feelings, such as how "high" or anxious a participant felt. They also tracked physiological signs like heart rate and blood pressure.
Performance impairment was another key metric. The researchers tested reaction time, memory, and balance. They also utilized a sophisticated driving simulator to assess whether the participants could safely operate a vehicle. Finally, the team collected blood samples to analyze the pharmacokinetics of the drugs. Pharmacokinetics refers to how a drug is absorbed, distributed, metabolized, and excreted by the body.
The results regarding the combination of just THC and caffeine were somewhat unexpected given previous animal models. The researchers found that adding caffeine to THC did not substantially change the subjective experience of being high. Participants did not report feeling more intoxicated, nor did they feel significantly more alert compared to when they took THC alone. The metabolic data confirmed this observation. Caffeine did not alter the concentration of THC in the blood.
However, the team did observe a subtle but potentially risky signal regarding decision-making. When participants consumed the THC and caffeine mixture, they expressed a slightly higher willingness to drive compared to when they consumed THC alone. This increased confidence occurred despite the fact that their actual driving performance on the simulator remained impaired. This disconnect suggests that caffeine might mask feelings of sedation without restoring the physical and mental skills necessary for safety.
The findings shifted dramatically when CBD was introduced to the combination. When participants consumed the mixture of THC, caffeine, and CBD, they reported stronger subjective effects. They felt "higher" and experienced more anxiety than they did with THC alone. Objective tests mirrored these reports. Performance on tasks measuring cognitive and motor skills degraded further in the triple-combination condition.
The blood analysis provided a biological mechanism for these intensified effects. The researchers discovered that the presence of CBD led to higher concentrations of THC in the blood plasma. Additionally, levels of 11-OH-THC were elevated. 11-OH-THC is a potent metabolite produced when the liver breaks down THC. It is known to be more psychoactive than THC itself and readily crosses the blood-brain barrier.
This pharmacokinetic interaction suggests that CBD inhibits the enzymes in the gut or liver that usually break down THC. By slowing this breakdown process, CBD essentially increases the bioavailability of the psychoactive compound. Consequently, a consumer drinking a beverage with both CBD and THC might absorb a higher effective dose of THC than if they had consumed the THC product in isolation.
The study has several implications for consumers and regulators. It challenges the common marketing narrative that CBD is a purely non-intoxicating substance that can "mellow out" the effects of THC. In the context of oral consumption, CBD appears to act as a potentiator. It makes the psychoactive experience stronger and potentially more disorienting.
There are important caveats to consider when interpreting these results. The study focused on a specific ratio of cannabinoids and caffeine. It is possible that different formulations could produce different outcomes. The sample size of twenty people is relatively small, although the within-subject design strengthens the statistical validity. Furthermore, the study only examined oral administration. The metabolic interactions observed here might not occur if the products were inhaled, as smoking or vaping bypasses the digestive system's first-pass metabolism.
Future research is needed to explore a wider range of doses. Understanding whether lower amounts of CBD still trigger this metabolic interaction is essential. The researchers also highlight the need to investigate other common additives found in these beverages, such as vitamins or taurine. As the market for cannabis beverages expands, more granular data will be necessary to inform safety guidelines.
The authors note that these interactions should be a factor in regulatory decision-making. Current labels often list the milligrams of THC and CBD separately. However, this study indicates that the numbers do not tell the whole story. The biological interaction between the ingredients alters the final effect on the user.
In conclusion, the researchers state regarding the CBD interaction: "The robust alteration of Δ9-THC-induced effects and Δ9-THC pharmacokinetics by CBD further emphasizes the importance of considering full cannabinoid profiles. Broadly, these data highlight the importance of considering drug combinations and interactions in future cannabis regulatory decision-making."
The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41386-025-02232-x" target="_blank">Effect of caffeine and cannabidiol (CBD) co-administration on Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) subjective effects, performance impairment, and pharmacokinetics</a>,” was authored by Justin C. Strickland, Hayleigh E. Tilton, Noah M. Patton, Ryan Vandrey, C. Austin Zamarripa, Tory R. Spindle, Dustin C. Lee, Cecilia L. Bergeria, David Wolinsky, Jost Klawitter, Cristina Sempio, Jorge Campos-Palomino, Uwe Christians, Matthew T. Feldner, Jessica G. Irons and Marcel O. Bonn-Miller.
-
Violence ERUPTS In Minneapolis, Leftists Call For ARMED Resistance ft. Patrick Casey
Site: YouTube
BUY CAST BREW COFFEE TO SUPPORT THE SHOW - https://castbrew.com/Become A Member And Protect Our Work at http://www.timcast.comHost:Tate Brown @realTateBrown ...
-
Scientists found a repeating math pattern inside the human body Added: Jan 12, 2026
MSN
-
The human cell count and size distribution | PNAS Added: Jan 12, 2026
PNAS
Site: PNAS
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), a peer reviewed journal of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) - an authoritative source of high-impact, original research that broadly spans the biological, physical, and social sciences.
