This weekend is a major one for new movies, with the release of Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning and Disney’s live-action Lilo & Stitch remake in theaters. But even if you carved out two days for two major blockbusters, good news: Monday is Memorial Day. So why not spend your three-day weekend sneaking in one more movie? Per usual, a handful of worthwhile titles are leaving Netflix on June 1. Here are five you may want to catch before they’re shipped off to another platform or disappear into the pit of VOD, where you are unlikely to rent them. Cult of Chucky (2017) Is Child’s Play/Chucky the most underestimated horror franchise? Thanks to writer-director Don Mancini’s 37-year commitment to shaking up his slasher formula with each new installment, it’s certainly up there, even in the series’ direct-to-video era. Cult of Chucky picks up shortly after the events of 2013’s Curse of Chucky, which saw the murderous ginger doll stalk Nica Pierce (Fiona Dourif, daughter of Chucky voice actor Brad Dourif!) and slay her whole family. When the police arrive, Nica is ultimately charged with the murders, and hauled away to an institution. In Cult of Chucky, an abusive psychiatrist has convinced her she really was the perpetrator of the crime and Chucky was all in her head — until the doll shows up to kill more people. It’s bloodsplatteringly twisted fun. Mancini finds ways to get multiple Chucky dolls in the mix, and up the gross-out humor a few notches. Enjoy, sickos. Den of Thieves (2018) If you have yet to meet Big Nick (Gerard Butler), king of the scuzzy cops, hurry up: The terrific Den of Thieves 2: Pantera is also on Netflix, but you only have a week to catch the first installment in the series. Writer-director Christian Gudegast gives Heat a dirtbag makeover, as Butler’s bleary, on-the-verge-of-divorce antihero hunts down a team of ex-Marines who are pulling off elaborate bank heists. Pablo Schreiber (Halo) is piercing as Ray, the leader of the criminal operation, while O’Shea Jackson Jr. and 50 Cent give the Ocean’s 11-esque team its needed swagger. But Butler as Nick, bumbling around and failing at life, carries the movie, bringing in an unexpected amount of emotion as the story barrels toward its big Federal Reserve set piece. At 140 grimy, gun-heavy minutes, no one is really making movies like Den of Thieves at the moment. Ma (2019) Maaaaaaaaaaaa. Blumhouse understandably pitched this psychological horror film from [checks notes] The Help director Tate Taylor??? as “from the producer of Get Out and Halloween,” but Ma is much goofier and more meme-friendly than either of those movies — and for the better. It all lands thanks to Oscar-winner Octavia Spencer, whose vindictive, violent Sue Ann is on the wavelength of Kathy Bates’ Annie Wilkes in Misery and Glenn Close’s Alex Forrest in Fatal Attraction. At first, “Ma” is a local legend for buying kids alcohol and giving them a safe haven to party. But Sue Ann has an ulterior motive, and — well, shit goes down. Culture writers have found plenty beneath the surface of Ma over the years, especially in regard to how it grapples with race. But if that sounds heady, good news: the melodramatic horror surface is great, too. Ramayya Vasthavayya (2013) Fans of Indian action should check out this revenge thriller starring N.T. Rama Rao Jr. (RRR), who really seems to exist to walk in slow motion while preparing to beat the crap out of someone, so it’s good that we invented movies in time for his arrival on this planet. Compared to the hyper-stylish RRR or the playful action-comedy Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota (aka The Man Who Feels No Pain), Ramayya Vasthavayya is pretty basic. Nandu (NTR) is falling hard for Akarsha (played by Indian mega-star Samantha) but he also has some secrets that means he will eventually need to cut people down with a machete. But boy, does director Harish Shankar make NTR look good doing it! Whether he’s getting smacked across the face with a lead pipe or pounding some goons, the actor delivers what the camera needs. Unhinged (2020) Much like Quentin Tarantino, we here at Polygon endorse Russell Crowe’s released-during-pandemic-times-and-therefore-seen-by-too-few-people movie Unhinged. Crowe is actually the villain in this road-rage horror-thriller, which stars Caren Pistorius as an overworked single mother who crosses paths with the wrong brute while rushing to get her son to school one morning. The title is apt: Crowe’s “The Man” is quite unhinged! And instead of brushing off the beeping car behind him, he goes full Duel on the unsuspecting mom. Crowe seems as committed to playing an animalistic terror as he was committed to playing Maximus in Gladiator, and yet he surprisingly did not win another Oscar for his work in Unhinged. 

Tech AI to monitor NYC subway safety as crime concerns rise AI-powered surveillance aims to prevent crime before it happens in Big Apple’s subway system Published May 23, 2025 6:00am EDT close 'Decoding Broken Hearts': AI used to advance heart health research Fox News anchor Bret Baier has the latest on the Murdoch Children's Research Institute's partnership with the Gladstone Institutes for the "Decoding Broken Hearts" initiative on "Special Report." Imagine having a tireless guardian watching over you during your subway commute. It notices every detail with steady focus, all with one goal in mind: keeping you safe on the subway.New York City's subway system is testing artificial intelligence to boost security and reduce crime. Michael Kemper, a 33-year NYPD veteran and the chief security officer for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), which is the largest transit agency in the United States, is leading the rollout of AI software designed to spot suspicious behavior as it happens. The MTA says this technology represents the future of subway surveillance and reassures riders that privacy concerns are being taken seriously.JOIN THE FREE ‘CYBERGUY REPORT’: GET MY EXPERT TECH TIPS, CRITICAL SECURITY ALERTS AND EXCLUSIVE DEALS, PLUS INSTANT ACCESS TO MY FREE ‘ULTIMATE SCAM SURVIVAL GUIDE’ WHEN YOU SIGN UP! New York City subway (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)?How AI surveillance will work in the New York City SubwayThe AI system will analyze real-time camera feeds across subway platforms and train cars to detect unusual or potentially dangerous behaviors. Instead of identifying individuals, the technology focuses on behavior patterns that might signal trouble, such as erratic movements or confrontations. When the AI flags something suspicious, it can alert transit police to respond quickly, which could help prevent crimes before they escalate.Currently, about 40% of subway cameras are monitored live by staff. The AI aims to expand this coverage without needing additional personnel, which could enhance safety across the system. While details about the AI providers and full deployment timelines have not been shared, the MTA emphasizes that facial recognition technology will not be part of this system. This is intended to protect rider privacy. A surveillance camera mounted on a building (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)Crime trends and government responseCrime in NYC subways has seen ups and downs over recent years. While major crimes dropped by about 7.7% through mid-2024, assaults have unfortunately increased. To bolster safety, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul deployed 1,000 National Guard members to support transit police efforts. AI technology is viewed as a complementary tool in this broader strategy to keep subways safe, not a standalone solution.'DELUSIONAL' NYC POLITICIANS CALLED OUT BY GUARDIAN ANGELS FOUNDER OVER SUBWAY VIOLENCE: 'SLAP IN THE FACE' A police vehicle (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)Is AI being used in public transit elsewhere?New York is not alone in exploring AI for transit security. Cities like Los Angeles and Chicago have experimented with AI-powered cameras for tasks ranging from weapons detection to issuing parking citations. These initiatives reflect a growing interest in using technology to enhance public safety in transit environments. Entrance to NYC subway (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)Kurt's key takeawaysWhile the promise of AI surveillance is encouraging, several questions remain unanswered. We do not yet know exactly which behaviors the system will flag or how effective it will be in practice. Perhaps more importantly, privacy advocates and civil liberties groups warn about potential biases in AI systems and the risk of false positives that could unfairly target certain groups.The MTA's decision to exclude facial recognition is a positive step, but ongoing transparency and oversight will be crucial. Michael Kemper's extensive experience leading the NYPD's Transit Bureau, where he helped reduce subway crime, adds credibility to the initiative. Still, as this technology rolls out, balancing safety with privacy and fairness will be key to earning public trust.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPWould you trust AI to watch over you in the subway or are you more concerned about your privacy? Let us know by writing us atCyberguy.com/Contact.For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter.Ask Kurt a question or let us know what stories you'd like us to cover.Follow Kurt on his social channels:Answers to the most-asked CyberGuy questions:New from Kurt:Copyright 2025 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on "FOX & Friends." Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

Jane Goodall says she was objectified by male scientists when she first appeared on the cover of National Geographic. Robin L Marshall/Getty Images 2025-05-22T04:30:39Z Save Saved Read in app This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. Have an account? Jane Goodall, 91, says she was objectified by her male peers early in her career. "Back then, all I wanted was to get back to the chimps. So if my legs were getting me the money, thank you legs," she said. While her experience happened years ago, gender inequality persists in the workplace. Jane Goodall, 91, may be one of the world's leading primatologists now, but there was a time when she wasn't being taken seriously.During an appearance on Tuesday'sCall Her Daddy" podcast, Goodall reflected on the challenges she faced in her decadeslong career.Goodall told podcast host Alex Cooper that her love for animals started when she read "Tarzan of the Apes" as a child."Anyway, I knew there wasn't a Tarzan. But that's when my dream began," Goodall said. "I will grow up, go to Africa, live with wild animals, and write books — no thought of being a scientist."Most people around her thought her dream was unrealistic, except her mother, she said."And everybody said, 'That's ridiculous. I mean, you don't have money. Africa's far away and you're just a girl,'" Goodall said.Years later, Goodall appeared on the cover of National Geographic.She recalled being objectified by others in the scientific community who said that her looks, not her research, earned her the spotlight."Well, some of the jealous male scientists would say, well, you know, she's just got this notoriety and she's getting money from Geographic, and they want her on the cover, and they wouldn't put her on the cover if she didn't have nice legs," Goodall said.If someone had said that today, they'd be sued, she added. "Back then, all I wanted was to get back to the chimps. So if my legs were getting me the money, thank you legs. And if you look at those covers, they were jolly nice legs," Goodall said.The English conservationist acknowledged that things are different now."I did it by accepting that, in a way, they were right. So, thank you for giving me this advantage. It was good to give me that money," Goodall said. "I know that for me it was a long time ago. It was a different era. It wouldn't work today. "While Goodall's experience may have unfolded years ago, gender inequality persists in the workplace.Sexism at work comes in many forms, including wage disparities, stereotypes, and harassment.Several female celebrities have also spoken up about the discrimination they faced in Hollywood.In an interview with Porter magazine in November 2023, Anne Hathaway said she was told her career would "fall off a cliff" after she turned 35.In January 2024, Sofia Vergara told the LA Times that her acting jobs were limited because of her "stupid accent."Kathy Bates told Variety in September that she could have a long acting career only because she "wasn't a beauty queen."A representative for Goodall did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent by Business Insider outside regular hours. Recommended video

Kathy Rain 2: Soothsayer is a point-and-click urban thriller developed by Clifftop Games. Take a look at the official launch trailer here.

Back to work Trump admin lifts hold on offshore wind farm, doesn’t explain why Reasons for the hold were never backed up, and nobody's explaining why it ended. John Timmer – May 20, 2025 1:03 pm | 77 Credit: glegorly Credit: glegorly Story text Size Small Standard Large Width * Standard Wide Links Standard Orange * Subscribers only   Learn more On Monday, the developer of a large offshore wind farm being built off the coast of New York announced that the federal government had lifted a hold it had placed on the project roughly a month ago. The entire process has been shrouded in mystery. The government never fully enunciated its justification for the hold and hasn't yet commented on the fact that it had been lifted, although there is some hint that it was coupled to a reconsideration of a cancelled natural gas pipeline. Empire Wind is a large project being built off the southeast shore of Long Island by Equinor, a Norwegian energy company. The first of two phases, Empire Wind 1, will have an 800 MW capacity and has already received permitting and environmental approval. Equinor had started construction of the foundations for the towers that would hold the wind turbines and onshore facilities that would support this and future offshore projects. All that changed in mid-April when Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum announced via a social media post that the approval for Empire Wind had been rushed and his department would be reviewing it. A Fox News article published a few days later suggests that a review by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration "found the Empire Wind approval process relied on rushed, outdated, and incomplete scientific and environmental analysis." But nobody else has indicated that any such report exists, despite requests from the press. Meanwhile, Equinor was given no indication of how long the project would be on hold, even as it took on large expenses due to its idled workers and equipment. On Monday, however, the company announced that the hold had been lifted and construction would resume. But as with the hold itself, the reasons for its end remain mysterious. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management page for the project was only updated with a new letter on Tuesday. That letter indicates a review of its approval is ongoing, but construction can resume during the review. The Department of the Interior has not addressed the change and has not responded to a request for comment. A post by Interior Secretary Burgum doesn't mention Empire Wind but does suggest the governor of New York will approve a pipeline: "I am encouraged by Governor Hochul’s comments about her willingness to move forward on critical pipeline capacity." That suggests there was a deal that allowed Empire Wind to resume construction in return for a pipeline for fossil fuels. The New York Times suggests that this is a reference to the proposed Constitution Pipeline, which was planned to move natural gas from Pennsylvania to eastern New York but was cancelled in 2020 due to state opposition. However, Governor Kathy Hochul has not commented about a willingness to move forward with any pipelines. Instead, Hochul's statement on Empire Wind is very vague, saying that she "reaffirmed that New York will work with the Administration and private entities on new energy projects that meet the legal requirements under New York law." So while it's good news that construction on Empire Wind has restarted, the whole process has been problematic, driven by apparently arbitrary decisions that the government has refused to justify. John Timmer Senior Science Editor John Timmer Senior Science Editor John is Ars Technica's science editor. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Biochemistry from Columbia University, and a Ph.D. in Molecular and Cell Biology from the University of California, Berkeley. When physically separated from his keyboard, he tends to seek out a bicycle, or a scenic location for communing with his hiking boots. 77 Comments

As we move through the year, interior designers are making thoughtful choices about which trends to embrace and which to leave behind. “No Buy 2025" movements are gaining traction across social media, and sustainability becomes ever more important. So, we asked designers which items they're deliberately leaving off their shopping lists this year—and what they're investing in instead. Their answers reveal a collective shift toward authenticity, longevity, and personal expression over fleeting trends and mass-produced pieces. Here's what designers are saying "no" to this season.Fast FurnitureDesigners are unanimously turning away from poorly constructed, mass-produced pieces that lack staying power."The trend towards turning to 'fast furniture' to impulsively replicate every viral look is one I don't love," says Kathy Kuo, founder of Kathy Kuo Home. "My personal ethos is all about choosing timeless, well-made, and sustainable furniture and decor pieces, rather than the 'fast', disposable pieces."Philip Thomas Vanderford of Studio Thomas James agrees: "I'm consciously moving away from pieces that feel generic or purely utilitarian,” he says. “'Filler furniture'—those uninspired consoles, mass-produced side chairs, and forgettable accent tables—simply don't belong in well-curated homes."Instead: Invest in quality pieces with character and provenance. Look for artisan-made or vintage furniture that tells a story and will stand the test of time.Bouclé OverloadFollowTheFlow//Getty ImagesDesigners are now reconsidering the nubby texture that dominated interiors for years."This may not be a popular opinion but anything in a cream or white colored bouclé fabric is outdated to me these days and I have stopped sourcing that look for projects," says Aimee Meisgeier of AM Interior Design.Jen Baxter of Baxter Hill Interiors is skeptical of things that feel algorithmically overexposed, like scalloped detailing and white bouclé. “If it's everywhere now, there's a good chance we'll be cringing at it in 18 months,” she says.Instead: Meisgeier suggests alternatives like "sterling or mohair. Those fabrics also provide a beautiful warm and inviting texture but have not been so overused that they are now oversaturated in the design world."Matching Furniture SetsInstead of buying a matching set, some designers now prefer more eclectic, collected spaces.For Kerith Flynn, principal and founder of Margali & Flynn Designs, "buying full living or bedroom sets can make a room feel staged or uninspired."Instead: Flynn recommends you "mix materials and styles, like pairing a modern sofa with an antique side table, to create a more organic, collected look."Non-functional PiecesDesigners are tired of seeing spaces that sacrifice function for Instagram appeal.Whats out? "Design that's only made for the Instagram grid," interior designer Lori Evans tells us. "I'm talking about the kind of things that look great in the photo but don't really make sense to actually live with. A good example would be a sculptural chair that you can't sit in."Instead: "What I'm into for 2025 instead are homes and spaces that work for your real life, whatever that is," she says. "Livable, layered and personal over trendy and disposable any day."Overly Themed RoomsDesigners are tired of spaces that adhere too strictly to a single aesthetic."Rooms that stick too literally to one decor theme, like rope mirrors in every coastal home or Edison bulbs in every 'industrial' loft, feel kitschy and predictable," Kerith Flynn says."Farmhouse is top of my list," says interior designer Lori Evans. "It's run its course and honestly if you don't live on a farm you probably don't need an actual farm-looking house. Artwork of cows, galvanized tubs, mason jars, barn doors, you name it."Instead: Flynn suggests using "layered, eclectic storytelling. We like to draw inspiration from a style without copying it wholesale... The best-designed rooms today blend influences and reflect the personality of the people who live there, not just a Pinterest board."Julia CancillaEngagement EditorJulia Cancilla is the engagement editor (and resident witch) at ELLE Decor, where she manages the brand's social media presence and covers trends, lifestyle, and culture in the design world. Julia built her background at Inked magazine, where she grew their social media audiences by two million, conducted interviews with A-list celebrities, and penned feature articles focusing on pop culture, art and lifestyle. Over her five years of digital media experience, Julia has written about numerous topics, from fashion to astrology.

Key Takeaways on ALS, or Stephen Hawking's Condition: ALS stands for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and is also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. Stephen Hawking lived with ALS for 55 years and advocated for research and helped bring awareness to the disease. ALS is fatal, and impacts a person's ability to talk, eat, walk, and breath. Progress for treatment includes a genetic treatment, Qalsody, that was approved by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) in 2023.In 1939, Lou Gehrig, the first baseman for the New York Yankees, shocked the baseball world when he benched himself mid-season after playing 2,130 consecutive games. Though he'd had a stellar season the year prior, something was different. He didn't know it quite yet, but he was beginning to experience the symptoms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Doctors diagnosed Gherig on his 36th birthday, and he passed away just before his 38th. Renowned physicist Stephen Hawking was diagnosed with ALS (also known as Lou Gehrig's disease) in 1963. However, doctors were still unsure what caused the disease and if there were any possible treatments. Hawking's doctors gave him about two years to live, however, he lived with the disease for 55 years. During his life and career, Hawking was an advocate for ALS research and helped bring awareness to the disease. With his outreach and the help of viral challenges like the Ice Bucket Challenge in 2014, scientists have identified many new genes associated with ALS. There is hope that scientists will one day combat the disease with targeted gene therapies.What Is ALS?Schematic illustration of the neuron affected by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis disease, or ALS, a progressive disease of the nervous system that causes loss of muscle control. (Image Credit: ilusmedical/Shutterstock) When Gehrig announced his retirement, many people learned about ALS for the first time. But scientists a century earlier were making note of a progressive weakness they thought was rooted in a neurogenic cause. Now, researchers better understand the cause of the disease as well as the expected progression.“ALS is a fatal disease where a person’s brain stops communicating with their muscles. This means a person loses the ability to walk, talk, eat, and eventually breathe. It takes a devastating toll on entire families — physically, emotionally, and financially,” says Brian Frederick, the Chief Marketing and Communications Officer for The ALS Association.Stephen Hawking's Condition: The Longest Survivor of ALSALS is a rare disease, and only in the past few years did the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) create a registry that officially tracked ALS prevalence in the U.S. In 2022, almost 33,000 cases were reported.Including Gehrig, there have been a few famous people with ALS. World-renowned physicist Stephen Hawking lived with ALS for 55 years. He was diagnosed at age 21 and lived with the disease until 2018. Hawking was the longest living person living with ALS, and the average survival time after diagnosis is three years.“ALS is always fatal, usually within two to five years of diagnosis. There are some individuals who live much longer with ALS, but we don’t know why yet,” Frederick says.Advances in ALS Research and TreatmentSuperoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) enzyme. Converts superoxide radical in hydrogen peroxide. Gene mutations cause ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis). (Image Credit: StudioMolekuul/Shutterstock)For people living with ALS, the progression of the disease can vary. ALS affects motor neurons and creates paralysis in a person’s legs and arms. They will also lose control over the muscles that allow them to speak, swallow, and breathe. For some people, the paralysis may begin in their legs. For others, it can start with their voice.“We have seen several new ALS genes identified, which gives the research community targets for potential therapies,” Frederick says.Researchers were able to develop a targeted therapy for one of the identified genes, the superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) gene. A genetic treatment, Qalsody, was approved by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) in 2023 and then by regulating agencies in the European Union in 2024.Although the introduction of Qalsody is seen as progress, it can only treat patients with the mutation in the SOD1 gene. Currently, the CDC estimates there are fewer than 500 patients in the U.S. who have this type of mutation and will benefit from the new drug.In 1993, SOD1 was the first gene associated with ALS. By the time of the 2014 Ice Bucket Challenge, more than 20 associated genes were known to scientists. Now, more than 40 genes have been identified, which will help scientists work toward target treatments. Hope for an ALS CureAlthough progress is being made, there is currently no cure for ALS, and advocates hope another surge in public interest could help fund further studies. “Anyone can get ALS at any time, and it’s a brutal disease. People who are diagnosed and their families often express that they prayed for cancer or MS or anything other than ALS before that final diagnosis,” Frederick says. 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:Ray Robinson. Iron Horse: Lou Gehrig in His TimeALS Association. Stages of ALSThe Lancet Neurology. Novel genes associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: diagnostic and clinical implicationsEmilie Lucchesi has written for some of the country's largest newspapers, including The New York Times, Chicago Tribune and Los Angeles Times. She holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Missouri and an MA from DePaul University. She also holds a Ph.D. in communication from the University of Illinois-Chicago with an emphasis on media framing, message construction and stigma communication. Emilie has authored three nonfiction books. Her third, A Light in the Dark: Surviving More Than Ted Bundy, releases October 3, 2023, from Chicago Review Press and is co-authored with survivor Kathy Kleiner Rubin.

When arsenic is mentioned, many people associate it with a bygone poison. The type of quiet killer used in a murder mystery set on a train somewhere in Victorian England. It seems like a problem of the past.However, arsenic is a naturally occurring substance that can contaminate groundwater and food irrigated with tainted water. And in an alarming new study, researchers have found that climate change is impacting the level of arsenic that people are ingesting. Given that arsenic is a carcinogen, it’s primed to become a lethal killer. Billions of people are at risk of developing arsenic-induced diseases.Why Arsenic Levels are Rising in Rice In a 2025 study in The Lancet, an international team of researchers revealed the results of a study that measured two components associated with climate change — increased carbon dioxide (CO2) levels and surface temperatures — in rice paddies in China.“One important chemical aspect that has been known about rice is its ability to accumulate arsenic, leading to an important and crucial question: Can CO2 and temperature affect arsenic concentration, and if so, what are the health consequences?” says Lewis H. Ziska, an associate professor in environmental health sciences at the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University. The study was the first of its kind. Although scientists have long understood how both inorganic and organic arsenic can make their way into food or water, they weren’t sure how climate change might influence arsenic levels.To find out, the researchers grew rice in controlled paddies in China from 2014 to 2023. To a certain extent, the research team expected to find some arsenic in the rice because it grows in flooded paddies and absorbs arsenic from the water.The research team also expected the CO2 levels and surface temperatures would increase because climate change scientists have charted a projection of the likely increase. But would increased CO2 levels and temperatures lead to higher arsenic levels? And what might that mean if people eat the tainted crop? Impacts of Eating ArsenicThe study found that the increased CO2 levels and temperatures indeed lead to higher concentrations of arsenic. The researchers’ rice paddies were representative of rice paddies in Asia, which means that what happened in their paddies is likely happening in others around the region.Higher arsenic rates in rice are a major health concern. Arsenic is a known carcinogen. When found in drinking water, there is an increased risk of bladder and skin cancer. Other studies have found that ingesting arsenic can lead to cancer in the digestive tract, hematopoietic system, kidneys, liver, or lymphatic system.Problematically, billions of people can now be considered at risk for arsenic-related cancers. More than half of the world’s population depends on rice as a staple food. Scientists are concerned that the increased arsenic in a staple food like rice could lead to a spike in future cancer cases throughout Asia.Rice Consumption in the U.S. But what does this mean for the U.S. food supply? Rice consumed in the U.S. comes from the Arkansas Grand Prairie, Gulf Coast, Mississippi Delta, or Sacramento Valley. These crops have not been tested by scientists to determine how CO2 levels and surface temperatures are impacting the arsenic concentrations. But if climate change can raise arsenic levels in Asia, Ziska says it can happen in the U.S. as well.“It seems likely given the biogeochemistry of how rice can accumulate arsenic when grown under flooded (paddy) conditions,” Ziska says.It’s a research area that Ziska says needs more attention, both in terms of long-term study support and public awareness. Many people don’t realize that climate change has the ability to alter the food supply by creating conditions that are ripe for toxins.“Climate change isn’t just about wildfires and sea-level rise and storms of the century. It’s also affecting a food staple — rice — that is consumed by half the world’s population every day. Maybe we should pay attention,” he says. 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:National Cancer Institue. ArsenicEmilie Lucchesi has written for some of the country's largest newspapers, including The New York Times, Chicago Tribune and Los Angeles Times. She holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Missouri and an MA from DePaul University. She also holds a Ph.D. in communication from the University of Illinois-Chicago with an emphasis on media framing, message construction and stigma communication. Emilie has authored three nonfiction books. Her third, A Light in the Dark: Surviving More Than Ted Bundy, releases October 3, 2023, from Chicago Review Press and is co-authored with survivor Kathy Kleiner Rubin.

Dominique Fung, “Bone Holding Fan” (2021). All images courtesy of the artists and Rizzoli, shared with permission ‘Wonder Women’ Celebrates the Dazzling Figurative Work of Asian Diasporic Artists May 15, 2025 Kate Mothes In February 2020, curator and gallery director Kathy Huang met artist Dominique Fung—a month before the COVID-19 pandemic shut everything down. Their conversations, which continued throughout quarantine, served as an impetus for what would becomeWonder Women exhibitions at Jeffrey Deitch. During their chats, Huang and Fung lamented “the uptick in violence against Asian American communities, particularly against women and the elderly,” Huang says in the introduction to her forthcoming book, Wonder Women: Art of the Asian Diaspora. Mai Ta, “mirror image” (2022) The two also found it difficult to pinpoint when the last major exhibition had been staged that thoughtfully presented Asian artists, and neither could think of an instance where women and nonbinary artists had been the focus. Both of Huang’s exhibitions and her new book are the fruit of that desire to highlight the remarkable spectrum of figurative work being produced within the Asian diasporic community today. A response to racism against Asians exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, Huang conceived of the shows that went on view in 2022 in New York and Los Angeles as a means to highlight the incredible, groundbreaking work made especially by women and nonbinary artists. Forthcoming from Rizzoli, Wonder Women shares a similar title to a poem by Genny Lim, which follows experiences of Asian women through the lens of a narrator who observes their everyday routines and considers how their lives relate to hers. Huang expands on this view in her approach to showcasing the work of forty artists, each represented through at least four pieces and a personal statement. These artists “subvert stereotypes and assert their identities in places where they have historically been marginalized,” Rizzoli says. Sally J. Han, “At Lupe’s” (2022) Artists like Sasha Gordon or Nadia Waheed explore identity through sometimes fantastical self-portraiture, while others highlight family, community, and colonial or patriarchal systems in the West. Some address Asian myths, legends, and visual culture, like Fung’s exploration of antique objects or Shyama Golden’s otherworldly scenes in which hybrid human-animals interact with nature or urban spaces. Wonder Women will be released on May 20. Order your copy from the Colossal Shop. Shyama Golden, “The Passage” (2022) Chelsea Ryoko Wong, “It’s Mah Jong Time!” (2022) Nadia Waheed, “Bolides/ 852” (2022) Cover featuring a painting by Sasha Gordon Next article