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Water Levels Across the Great Lakes Are Falling — Just as Data Centers Arrive (Maria)
The author writes, “The sign outside Tom Hermes’ farmyard in Perkins Township in Ohio, a short drive south of Lake Erie, proudly claims his family has farmed there since 1900. Today, he raises cattle and grows corn, wheat, grass and soybeans on 1,200 acres. For his family and his business, water is life. So in May 2024, when Aligned Data Centers broke ground for a 200,000-square-foot data center on a site that abuts farmland he rents, Hermes was concerned. … Meanwhile, a 10-minute drive north, the shoreline of Lake Erie hasn’t been this low in years.”
‘I Didn’t Vote for This’: A Revolt Against DOGE Cuts, Deep in Trump Country (Al)
From Politico: “Trump administration policies slashing staffing and funding for public lands are waking a sleeping political giant in Montana. Will either party notice?”
Pulitzer Prize Board Members Dump Broad Discovery Demands on Trump for Tax Returns, Psych Records, and ‘Any’ Prescription Meds History (DonkeyHotey)
The author writes, “Pulitzer Prize Board members filed court documents in Okeechobee County, Florida, on Thursday, containing a litany of broad discovery demands in an attempt to beat back President Donald Trump’s defamation lawsuit over Russia probe reporting awards.”
How Did the CIA Lose a Nuclear Device? (Laura)
From The New York Times: “Buried beneath the rock and ice of the Himalayas, in one of the most remote places on earth, lies a sensational chapter of the Cold War, and it’s not over yet. What happened to the American nuclear device, which contains Pu-239, an isotope used in the atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki, and even larger amounts of Pu-238, a highly radioactive fuel? Nobody knows.”
Video: We Had 400 People Shop for Groceries. What We Found Will Shock You. (Dana)
From More Perfect Union and Consumer Reports: “We found that Instacart is using AI algorithms to charge customers different prices for the same items. The scary part? It’s not just online. It’s in physical grocery stores, too.”
Stressed Rats Keep Returning To Cannabis and Scientists Know Why (Mili)
The author writes, “Rats with naturally high stress levels were far more likely to self-administer cannabis when given access. Behavioral testing showed that baseline stress hormones were the strongest predictor of cannabis-seeking behavior. Lower cognitive flexibility and low endocannabinoid levels also contributed to increased use. The results hint at possible early indicators of vulnerability to drug misuse.”
Geologists Might Have Stumbled Upon the Largest Gold Mine in the World (Sean)
The author writes, “A deposit of gold ore recently discovered in China isn’t just giant. It’s supergiant. So much so, in fact, that Chinese experts claim it could be the largest deposit of any precious metal — not just gold ore — in existence today. How big is the ‘supergiant’ deposit located under the Wangu gold field in the Hunan province? Experts estimate it at 1,100 tons.”
