Both lung cancer diagnoses and deaths in men and women have declined over the past 20 years. That trend has helped improve the overall cancer mortality picture. Twenty years of cancer data indicate a slow, gradual, but significant change, with overall deaths declining 2.1 percent a year from 2001 to 2018 and 1.5 percent a year from 2018 to 2022.“Progress has been made in reducing overall cancer mortality, largely driven by sustained declines in lung cancer,” according to the report “The Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer (ARN).”To decrease the odds of dying from cancer, 20 years of data reported by the U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI) suggests to stop any kind of tobacco use, and focus on weight loss.Improvement in Cancer MortalityThere may be room for even more improvement if tobacco use continues to decline and innovation in lung cancer treatment continues. More screening (only about 18 percent of eligible adults are tested for lung cancer) for that form of the disease could also help catch it earlier, thus leading to more effective treatment.“Despite remarkable progress, lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death,” according to the report.However, the incidence of cancers associated with obesity grew during the 20-year study period. Those forms of cancer include female breast, uterus, colon and rectum, pancreas, kidney, and liver cancers.“Contrary to the rapid declines in incidence rates in smoking-associated cancers, incidence rates are increasing for multiple cancers, particularly those associated with excess body weight,” according to the report.Signs of Successful Cancer TreatmentsAlthough the report doesn’t explicitly state it, one positive picture the data paints is that cancer treatment seems to show slow, steady improvement. That’s because, broadly speaking, cancer incidence isn’t dropping as steadily as cancer deaths. In men, diagnoses decreased from 2001 through 2013 and then plateaued through 2021. In women, overall cancer incidence actually rose slightly every year from 2003 through 2021, except for 2020.There are also some disease-specific indicators that point to improved cancer treatment. For example, although new diagnoses of breast cancer slowly rose over the study period, the death rate from it decreased in the same time frame.Gender DifferencesThe data also points out many gender differences in terms of both cancer incidence and mortality. For instance, even though rates have declined, then steadied in men, while they are slowly ticking up in women, men still have both an overall higher incident rate and death rate than women.Different forms of the disease are prominent in each gender. Prostate cancer is the most common form in men, while stomach cancer leads in prevalence in women.Although not universal, the data also shows some variations by race and ethnicity. For example, Black women with breast cancer have a 40 percent higher death rate than White women with the disease, “[…] a disparity that has persisted for decades,” according to the report.More Cancer Battles AheadIn general, the report summarizes gradual progress in the war against cancer, but could benefit from more attention and progress in specific battles.“Overall, cancer incidence and death rates continue to decline, representing changes in risk factors, increases in screening utilization, and advances in treatment. However, sustained disparities by race and ethnicity emphasize the need to fully understand the factors that create these differences so that they can be mitigated,” the report concluded.This article is not offering medical advice and should be used for informational purposes only.Article SourcesOur writers at Discovermagazine.com use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this article: U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI). Annual Report to the Nation: Cancer deaths continue to declineBefore joining Discover Magazine, Paul Smaglik spent over 20 years as a science journalist, specializing in U.S. life science policy and global scientific career issues. He began his career in newspapers, but switched to scientific magazines. His work has appeared in publications including Science News, Science, Nature, and Scientific American.

Eastern quolls primarily eat insects, small mammals, birds, and reptiles. CREDIT: University of Sydney/Aussie Ark. Get the Popular Science daily newsletter💡 The University of Sydney and conservation organization Aussie Ark recently released 15 endangered eastern quolls (Dasyurus viverrinus) into a controlled bushland environment. The medium-sized, bushy-tailed, white-spotted nocturnal marsupials were set off into a preserve on the Scots College’s Bannockburn property near Nowra on along the southern coast of New South Wales, Australia.   Jerrinja tribal leader Ron Carberry conducted a Welcome to Country as the animals examined their new home. A Welcome to Country is delivered by Traditional Owners or Indigenous peoples who have been given permission from Traditional Owners as a way to  welcome visitors to their Country. Carberry reflected on a time not so long ago when his ancestors roamed with this “magic little animal.” Carberry added: “What is happening today is a magnificent moment. It’s about healing Country.” The release marked a first step in rewilding a species that disappeared from Australia’s mainland more than 60 years ago. Today, eastern quolls are primarily found in the eastern part of the island of Tasmania, and in farmlands, open grasslands, dry forests, woodlands, coastal scrub, and alpine heathland. Quolls are “opportunistic hunters that take live prey such as insects, small mammals, birds and reptiles, and scavenge,” according to Australia’s Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment, and Water.  Ron Carberry releasing an eastern quoll into the bushland. CREDIT: Aussie Ark They are considered extinct on the Australian mainland primarily due to disease, poisoning, and predation by foxes. Reintroduced populations like this one are being established at sites where introduced predators are managed. Aussie Ark has already established the 400-hectare Barrington Wildlife Sanctuary. Ten of the eastern quolls released at this new site at Bannockburn were born and bred at the sanctuary.  Thomas Newsome from the University of Sydney’s Global Ecology Lab said that the team will prioritize long-term scientific research to better understand how to successfully rewild the species. They plan on using very-high frequency (VHF) radio and global positioning system (GPS) tail transmitters, a camera observation network of 54 camera traps, and quarterly cage trapping to collect data and monitor the quolls.  “This long-term research project provides us with a wonderful opportunity not only to establish a meta-population of eastern quolls on mainland Australia but also deep-dive into the ecology of the species,” Newsome said in a statement. “We need to better understand the quolls’ role in an ecosystem from which it has been absent from for almost 70 years.” An eastern quoll. CREDIT: Aussie Ark. “The release is another powerful step toward one day rewilding the eastern quoll to the mainland of Australia,” Aussie Ark Operations Manager Dean Reid added. “It follows last year’s historic release of our Eastern Quolls into Booderee Botanical Gardens, when Federal Minister for the Environment Tanya Plibersek personally released one of our quolls.” The site will join the SE NSW Eastern Quoll Hub. This network of sanctuaries is participating in a genetic metapopulation management plan. The goal of this plan is to ensure the long-term genetic and demographic health of eastern quoll populations in areas where they are protected from predators. 

  Riverstone Audio We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn more › So, you bought your first turntable. Maybe you were seduced by that warm analog sound coming out of your speakers or headphones. Maybe you inherited your dad’s massive classic LP collection. Or maybe you fell down a Record Store Day rabbit hole and emerged with a stack of dusty jazz reissues, a limited-edition picture disc, and no clue how to clean them.  However you got here, welcome. Vinyl is one of the most rewarding—and, if we’re being honest, high-maintenance—ways to enjoy music. Unlike digital music streaming, a turntable is a mechanical system. A stylus rides a real groove, in real time. That means dust, drag, and bad habits can mess with your sound—and your records. Sure, vinyl can be persnickety, but that’s part of its charm. With just a little effort (and a few helpful tools), you can keep your turntable tracking true and your records sounding great for years to come. From balancing your tonearm to cleaning your grooves to flattening warped LPs, here’s how to keep your setup in tip-top shape—with recommendations for tools that can help. Choose the right cartridge for your sound (and budget) The cartridge is your turntable’s point of contact with your records. It holds the stylus—the tiny, diamond-tipped needle that rides the groove—and converts vibrations into an electrical signal. Cartridges come in two main types: moving magnet (MM) and moving coil (MC). MM cartridges are more common—they’re affordable, durable, and work with most entry-level turntables and phono pre-amplifiers. MC cartridges are more sensitive and detailed, but they typically need special preamps and are harder to replace. Think of it like this: MM cartridges are reliable all-rounders with a punchy, dynamic sound. MC cartridges pull more nuance but demand more from your setup. iFi Zen Phono 3 MM/MC Phono Preamp iFi Each cartridge has its own sonic personality. Some lean warm and smooth, while others are crisp and revealing. If your turntable came with a pre-installed cartridge, it’s likely an MM—and probably a solid place to start. But if you’re ready to upgrade, a great budget pick is the Audio-Technica AT-VM95E ($55): known for excellent tracking, tonal balance, and value.  Audio-Technica AT-VM95E Turntable Cartridge Audio-Technica If you’re ready to splurge, consider the Ortofon 2M Bronze—at $429, it’s incredibly accurate and balanced, with a clear top end that doesn’t get fatiguing. (And if you’re really suffering from a case of upgraditis, there’s the $695 Ortofon 2M Black, which uses a Shibata diamond to draw every transient in finest detail.) Swapping cartridges isn’t difficult, but accuracy matters. Misalignment can degrade sound or wear down your records. Use a tool like the Hudson Hi-Fi mirrored protractor ($15) to dial in precise angle and overhang. Ortofon 2M Black Turntable Cartridge Ortofon Balance your tonearm for better sound and longer record life No matter how affordable or fancy your stylus is, if it’s too light on the groove, it can skate across the record and miss detail. Too heavy, and it’ll grind down the vinyl and wear out the stylus. Proper tonearm balance—also called tracking force—is key to clean sound and record longevity. Consult your cartridge’s recommended tracking force, typically measured in grams (usually between 1.5 and 2.5g). Most turntables have a counterweight at the rear of the tonearm that lets you dial in the correct amount. If your turntable doesn’t include a built-in force gauge, use an external tracking force scale—like the Riverstone Audio Precision Record Level Turntable Stylus Tracking Force Pressure Gauge/Scale ($35)—for more accuracy. Riverstone Audio Precision Record Level Turntable Stylus Tracking Force Pressure Gauge/Scale Riverstone Audio Once that’s set, adjust anti-skate to match your tracking force. This keeps the stylus centered in the groove for smooth, even playback. Upgrade your mat  Your turntable’s platter mat cushions your records, controls vibration, and reduces static. If you’re using a stock felt mat, consider upgrading to cork or rubber for better grip and sound isolation. Cork mats (like Corkery’s $22 model) are great all-rounders; rubber and silicone add damping for improved resonance control. Acrylic mats, such as the Hudson Hi-Fi Acrylic Turntable Mat ($19), are another option, designed to mimic the acoustic properties of vinyl for tighter bass and a cleaner overall sound—but they work best on acrylic platters. Whatever you choose, make sure the thickness doesn’t mess with your tonearm height. Corkery Cork Turntable Platter Mat Corkery Isolate your setup from vibrations Foot thumps? Low-end rumble? Your turntable might be picking up unwanted vibrations from the surface it sits on. For this reason, it’s best to separate your turntable and speakers. However, many things—like subwoofers, walking across the room, or even spinning warped records—can introduce noise. Isolation feet can help.  IsoAcoustics Orea Series Equipment Isolators IsoAcoustics Models like IsoAcoustics’ zaZen platform ($230) or the Orea Series equipment isolators ($48 – $79 each, sized and priced based on weight of components) reduce interference by decoupling your turntable from shelves and furniture—especially useful if your floors aren’t exactly solid. (We’ve heard the pucks in an A/B audition, and there was an audible tidying of the soundstage and tightening of bass in the isolated setup.) Even budget-friendly generic silicone pucks ($13 for eight) are a worthwhile investment. Tight on space and want a compact speaker + vibration isolation? The $349 Andover Audio SpinBase 2 Speaker System is a clever under-turntable combo that adds a powered playback source while preventing feedback. Andover Audio SpinBase 2 Speaker System Andover Clean your records regularly Dust is the enemy of good vinyl sound. Even minute particles you can’t see can muffle detail, add surface noise, or worse, grind into the grooves under your stylus. So, if you’re looking for how to clean records before every play, we recommend giving each album side a pass with an anti-static brush—like my go-to, the AudioQuest Antistatic Carbon Plate Record Brush ($30), which uses more than 1 million (!) conductive carbon fibers to sweep away microscopic dirt and eliminate static. Let the record spin on the platter, and gently hold the brush in place for a few rotations, following the groove’s path. (Shine a flashlight on the record before and after to verify that you removed all dust and debris.) AudioQuest Antistatic Carbon Plate Record Brush AudioQuest Store your records properly Just as important as how to clean records is how you store your records. Good storage keeps your records sounding their best and protects them from warping, scratches, and dust. Always store vinyl upright—never stacked flat, which can cause warping over time. Invest in sturdy shelves or crates that support the full edge of the record.  Keep your collection away from heat, sunlight, and moisture. That means no storing records in attics, basements, or next to radiators. Inner sleeves matter too: Replace worn paper sleeves with anti-static inner sleeves to reduce dust and static buildup. MoFi Original Master Sleeves are beloved by hi-fi heads, thanks to their three-ply construction and static resistance. Want to protect your jacket art? Big Fudge makes clear, acid-free outer sleeves that are tough enough to protect, thin enough to stack. MoFi Original Master Sleeves Mobile Fidelity Keep your stylus sparkling Over time, dust and residue can build up on your stylus, dulling your sound—or worse, damaging your records. You don’t need to clean your stylus after every play, but a regular wipe-down will keep it performing at its best. Use a soft stylus brush or stylus cleaning gel. With a dry brush, like the one in Vinyl Buddy’s Ultimate 5-Piece Vinyl Record Cleaning Kit ($22), gently sweep from back to front—never side to side or back-and-forth, which can damage the stylus. If you opt for gel, like the Hudson Hi-Fi Turntable Stylus Cleaner Vinyl Cleaning Gel Bubble ($17), just lower the stylus onto the pad and lift—no scrubbing required. Vinyl Buddy Ultimate 5-Piece Vinyl Record Cleaning Kit Vinyl Buddy Avoid DIY hacks—no foggy breath, no rubbing alcohol, and definitely no Magic Eraser. Your stylus is expensive and fragile. Treat it accordingly. Flatten warps with a clamp or weight Warps happen—especially with older or heat-exposed records. A record clamp or weight can gently flatten the disc against the platter for better tracking and less distortion. Our favorite is the Viborg LP528G Turntable Stabilizer ($19)—this sleek brass clamp tames minor warps, improves stability, and adds heft and style, with a range of vivid colorways to choose from. Do proceed with caution: Some turntables, especially those with suspended platters or lightweight motors, aren’t built to handle extra mass. Always check your manufacturer’s guidelines. Viborg LP528G Turntable Stabilizer Viborg Cue your records carefully Resist the urge to drop the needle! Always use the cueing lever, never your fingers, to lower the stylus onto the record—it protects your vinyl and your stylus. Avoid placing the needle near the label or edge. Start gently in the lead-in groove, and never “drop” it mid-track unless you’re confident. Adopting a steady hand and good habits today will save you from scratches later. A little care goes a long way Listening to vinyl is a joyful experience that can renew your love of music, but it’s a habit that runs on ritual and respect. Whether you’re spinning brand-new 180-gram reissues or crate-digging dollar-bin treasures, a well-maintained setup helps your favorite songs sound the way they were intended to—and keeps them sounding that way. Put in a little effort now, and your vinyl and turntable will keep giving back—one satisfying spin at a time.

Nature, Published online: 23 April 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08927-xSpatially resolved transcriptomic profiling of primary tumours and metastases from patients with pancreatic cancer provides insight into the evolutionary progression to metastasis, and the variation in clonal architecture within and between individuals.

Nature, Published online: 23 April 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-01269-8Researchers pinpoint the genes responsible for the final three pea traits studied by the famed citizen scientist.

The Eye of Horus is frequently found in ancient Egyptian burials, particularly on wedjat amulets.

Learn facts about cancer, in which abnormal cell growth destroys healthy body tissues.

Made and rendered in Blender, textured in Substance. May favourite workflow of all time😌 submitted by /u/vzooooo [link] [comments]

Tino Klein took us behind the scenes of Trouble in LEGO Town, his Blender-made Chasm's Call entry that took 5th place, sharing his process and how he tackled various challenges.Read: https://80.lv/articles/breakdown-lego-style-construction-site-with-a-collapsing-crane-made-with-blender/

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