Scott Eisenberg donated his first pint of blood in 1991. And last week, he donated his 100th. “Somewhere along the line, it just became a habit, and it became important to me knowing that I could save a life,” he recently told CBS News. We’re currently in a blood shortage, so if you find Eisenberg’s story inspiring, consider searching for a donation site near you.
Must Reads
Big Bear bald eagle Jackie appears to be on the mend and returning to her feisty self after coming down with a mysterious illness
The Midwest Rises in Annual Best States Ranking From US News
Jason Cameron—Moment/Getty Images
For the fourth consecutive year, Utah took the No. 1 spot on the annual U.S. News Best States ranking — but a quick peruse of the 2026 list makes it clear that the Midwest is the region to watch right now. South Dakota is ranked second, up from eighth in 2025. Minnesota also moved up (from No. 4 to No. 3) and North Dakota went all the way from 12th to fourth. Rounding out the top five is another nearby locale, Nebraska. “The rise of several Midwest states highlights the region’s growing appeal as an alternative to traditional coastal hubs,” U.S. New & World Report writes. “States like South Dakota, North Dakota, and Nebraska consistently have some of the lowest unemployment rates of any state, while home prices remain far below the national average.” If this has you thinking about an interstate move, U.S. News made a “Best State for You” quiz this year to help narrow down your search. You’ll rank the importance of eight categories and then get a personalized list of states that align with your personal priorities and lifestyle preferences. Take the free quiz here (heads up that you might be asked to input your email first).
Together With Outskill
This 16-Hour Curriculum Will Teach You How to Use Claude
In the U.S., 87,714 people lost their jobs due to AI from January to May 2026. Meanwhile, Fortune 500 companies are paying a 62% salary premium to people with AI skills. Claude is one of the premier platforms out there — so do you know how to use it to your advantage? Outskill hosts the world’s first Claude-athon, led by mentors who have condensed 800-plus hours of Claude research, articles, YouTube content, and real-world practice into a focused 16-hour curriculum. You’ll learn how to master Claude’s three modes, vibe code apps, and dashboards without writing code, and hear about more than 10 other AI tools and workflows that pair with Claude. It’s Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET: Sign up below.
New Expedition for Amelia Earhart’s Long-Lost Plane Will Launch This Fall
Bettmann/Getty Images
This October, an expedition will aim to crack a mystery that has captivated the world for 89 years: the disappearance of Amelia Earhart, who vanished during her attempt to become the first woman to circumnavigate the globe via plane in 1937. The 16-person team led by the Archaeological Legacy Institute and Purdue University will travel to Nikumaroro, a remote Pacific island between Hawaii and Australia where it’s believed Earhart’s Lockheed Electra 10-E aircraft might be sitting in a lagoon. Satellite images show a visual anomaly known as the “Taraia Object” in the area, and evidence from Earhart’s last message and radio signals support the theory that the aviator and her navigator, Fred Noonan, landed the plane on Nikumaroro and then got stranded. “The evidence supporting the Nikumaroro hypothesis remains compelling, and the only way to answer this question is to go to Nikumaroro, inspect the Taraia Object firsthand, and follow the evidence wherever it leads,” expedition leader Richard Pettigrew said in a news release. The team plans to travel about 830 nautical miles over six days to reach Nikumaroro from Tarawa, Kiribati, and spend multiple days on the island before coming back — hopefully with answers. Learn more about the upcoming expedition.
Health
Antifungal Pill Shows Promise for Sickest Valley Fever Patients
Carolyn Van Houten—The Washington Post/Getty Images
A study published last week showed that an experimental antifungal pill effectively treated patients with the most serious form of valley fever, an illness contracted by inhaling spores of a fungus that typically lives in the soil of dry, dusty regions and can in rare cases cause infected joints, scarred lungs, and meningitis. The news raises hope for better treatments for disseminated valley fever, which is when the disease spreads beyond the lungs. “I feel like this is going to be a big game changer,” lead author Fariba Donovan told SFGate. The oral medication, called olorofim, was found to help more than 70% of participating patients who were diagnosed with disseminated valley fever and had exhausted other treatment options. This form of the disease represents about 1% of all valley fever cases, and people who are over 60 or have weakened immune systems are among those at higher risk of catching it. The pill — not yet approved by the FDA — doesn’t eradicate the fungus, so patients need to stay on it to keep symptoms at bay. But Donovan said some of her patients regained the ability to walk and drive after taking the medication and noted she’s now working on another study to see if the drug can get rid of the disease entirely if administered earlier.
In Other News
Two annual meteor showers will reach their peak around the same time tomorrow night — get the deets (read more)
Pompeii archaeologists partially reconstructed a ceiling fresco featuring scenes from Greek mythology (read more)
Virginia is the latest state to require employers to disclose a “good-faith” salary range in job postings (read more)
“The Mets made me a better man”: Check out highlights from last weekend’s Baseball Hall of Fame Induction (read more)
A rare Arctic squid was caught on camera in the wild for the first time and spotted guarding eggs (read more)
Inspiring Story
A teen chasing a dream
When Chase Merriweather was 3 years old, he had his arms and legs amputated due to septic shock. Now 16, the Pennsylvania high schooler has found his stride on the track and set his sights on going for gold at the 2028 Paralympic Games in Los Angeles. “You’ve just gotta run your race,” he said. “I run mine.”
Photo of the Day
Zou Zheng—Xinhua News Agency/Getty Images
On Monday, the long-awaited Gordie Howe International Bridge connecting Detroit to Windsor, Ontario, officially welcomed its first drivers, including the grandson of the Canadian hockey player the bridge was named after. The bridge is the largest land border crossing with the United States, featuring six traffic lanes as well as a multi-use path for pedestrians and cyclists that will be open starting Aug. 5.
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