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Turning snake bites into BREAKTHROUGHS.
Written by: Jake Bunker
12/18/25
12/18/25
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Tim Friede is a man who allowed himself to be bitten by venomous snakes more than two hundred times and injected himself with venom in increasing doses for many years to try to build immunity to snake venom. Scientists have used his blood to help create a new type of antivenom that could change how snakebite treatment is approached around the world.
Photo Credit: National Zoo
Friede remembers his worst snakebites vividly, and he says the pain is always intense and always painful. He first let himself be bitten by an Egyptian cobra and then by a monocled cobra, and after those bites, he had to be airlifted to a hospital and spent days in a coma. Over time, he continued to expose himself to venom from a range of dangerous snakes, including mambas, cobras, taipans and more, and his unusual history of snake venom exposure made his immune system produce a wide variety of powerful antibodies that target many different venom toxins.
Scientists working with Friede’s blood have studied antibodies that can neutralize toxins from many species of snakes and have combined these to make an experimental antivenom. In tests on mice, this new antivenom protected the animals from venom from many different species of dangerous snakes, including some that had never been exposed to it. This approach differs from traditional antivenoms that are made by injecting animals such as horses with venom and then harvesting the resulting antibodies. Experts say the research is promising because it could lead to one large universal antivenom that works against many snake species and that uses human antibodies so it may cause fewer reactions. However, this work is still in early stages with studies on animals and scientists caution that significant research remains before human use and that Friede’s extreme self-experiments should not be repeated by others. Snakebite remains a major public health problem, killing tens of thousands of people each year and disabling many more, and better antivenoms could save many lives where snake encounters are common. |
(Tim Friede)
Photo Credit: The New York Times
The worlds most dangerous snakes.
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What about space?
Joe Covey
12/12/25
12/12/25
Recently there have been a lot of things that we are doing in space like building rockets to go to the moon, making better satellites and many other things. Sometimes we get so focused on what we can do in space we forget about how amazing space can be and all the things that are changing. This week the James Webb Space Telescope found the oldest supernova ever seen today. This supernova is so old that it was only 750 million years after the big bang which was 13.8 billion years ago. With this supernova came a powerful gamma-ray burst which meant the destruction of a massive star and could cause the creation of a stellar-mass black hole. "There are only a handful of gamma-ray bursts in the last 50 years that have been detected in the first billion years of the universe," as stated by Space.com.
Another interesting thing that the James Webb Space Telescope found was a planet with a helium cloud pouring off of it. Astronomers think that this planet was formed far from its star but then started to move much closer to it. Where now strips of the gasses are falling off into space and with the heat from the sun is making it radioactive. This planet shows a lot of its past in these gasses and has become almost like a playground for many scientists. “This marks the first time JWST has detected this element on an exoplanet, enabling scientists to examine the escaping gases in much greater detail than before,” as said by ScienceDaily.
Something that is happening this week on the 13th which has a bit more involvement is the Geminids meteor shower. This meteor shower has over one hundred falling meteors per hour and will be very visible. This one will also be earlier than most as stated by KXAN “The peak shower will appear to the east, coming out of the Gemini constellation, between 8 and 9 p.m. Saturday and will last through the night.” This meteor shower actually happens annually because the earth passes though its orbit around the same time every year.
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Prehabilitations rising importance
Written by Jake Bunker
12/5/25
12/5/25
Photo Credit: Hillrom
Prehabilitation, or prehab, is popping up as a good way to prepare patients for surgery, helping them recover faster and with fewer problems. Major surgery places massive amounts of stress on the body, almost like running a marathon. Just as athletes train before a race, patients can benefit from conditioning before an operation. This approach, known as prehabilitation, focuses on strengthening the body and mind through exercise, nutrition, and sometimes mental training in the time leading up to surgery.
Recent studies highlight the promise of prehab. A large clinical trial in Canada involving more than 800 older adults found that those who completed at least 75% of their prescribed prehab exercises experienced significantly lower levels of disability after surgery. While the overall rates did not change, their ability to support themselves alone post surgery improved, a great outcome for older patients. Researchers state that prehabilitation is not one size fits all. Personalized programs designed for a patient’s health status and type of surgery appear to provide the best results. For example, targeted exercise programs can reduce immune responses linked to infections and even lower risks of cognitive decline after surgery. Nutrition also plays a vital role, with protein-rich diets helping patients build muscle strength before the operation. Mental preparation, such as mindfulness or breathing exercises, is greatly seen as another pillar of prehab, reducing anxiety and improving resilience. Despite its benefits, problems can still remain. Some patients don’t have the time or resources to fully commit to prehab programs, especially when surgery is scheduled quickly. Others may struggle with motivation or physical limitations. People want a more broad system, offering accessible home-based programs and support to ensure patients can participate. The concept is simple but effective. Preparing the body before surgery can make recovery smoother and faster. As evidence grows, prehabilitation may change from an optional add-on to a standard part of surgery. Just as athletes would not run a marathon without training, patients may be encouraged to train their bodies before facing the challenges of surgery. |
Prehab recommendationsExercise
Keep a positive routine to build resilience 
Photo Credit: The New York Times
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As we all may know climate change has affected everyone around the world from water levels rising causing flooding caused by melting ice from the arctic. One thing that many people don't think about is how climate change has affected the ocean currents which affect the weather of many places. CNN states this about “Iceland’s relatively mild climate is shaped by a crucial network of currents that winds its way around the Atlantic Ocean transporting heat northward — without it, the island would be much icier and stormier.” They continue on by talking about how many of these currents are on the verge of collapse which has gotten so bad that Iceland has made it a national security.
Because of this the country is prepared for the worst case scenarios such as an usage in Europe and its upper regions. These warm currents keep the temperatures down for Europe by taking water from the tropics and moving it upward. All of this panic is because “But as warming temperatures speed the thaw of Arctic ice and cause meltwater from Greenland’s ice sheet to pour into the ocean, scientists warn the cold freshwater could disrupt the current’s flow.” as said by Reuters. Iceland already has a plan to act upon their national security by lowering carbon emissions and change what power their country is powered by. The Government of Iceland says “Iceland aims to achieve carbon neutrality before 2040 and to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030 under the Paris Agreement,” which would greatly decrease greenhouse gas emissions in and around the country.
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In this climate action plan Iceland has 150 ideas and actions to help decrease greenhouse gas. One interesting thing is that Iceland runs on renewables which is hydro and geothermal energy. This means that Iceland has a really good chance of completing their plan in the near future. Many other countries like the United States are almost completely run by gas and diesel and have very little chance to change how we get our energy. Iceland is doing things that could change the course of the country or even the entire world for the better.
