North American Community Hub Statistics
As the United States moves toward 2026, the fentanyl crisis is no longer accelerating at the pace seen earlier in the decade, but it remains the deadliest drug epidemic in modern U.S. history. After peaking at more than 108,000 overdose deaths in 2022, national mortality declined to approximately 103,000 deaths in 2023 and fell further … Read more
Blue eyes are not blue in a biological sense, and green eyes are rare because they sit at a precise intersection of genetics, pigment concentration, and light physics that occurs infrequently in human populations. Only brown eyes contain a true color pigment. All other eye colors emerge from how light interacts with the structure of … Read more
The quest to measure the inner workings of the human mind, to distill the staggering complexity of intelligence into a single number, is perhaps the most ambitious and contested project in modern psychology. This number, the Intelligence Quotient (IQ), is not a fixed, genetic blueprint; it’s a dynamic snapshot resulting from the intricate dance between … Read more
Artificial intelligence is no longer an add-on to computing education. By 2026, it is actively reshaping how universities organize majors, colleges, and institutional priorities. One of the clearest signals of this shift is the recent decision by the University of Wisconsin–Madison to create a standalone College of Computing and Artificial Intelligence (CAI). The move reflects … Read more
A small molecule produced by gut bacteria may become a powerful new tool in preventing type 2 diabetes, according to new research from Imperial College London. The compound, trimethylamine (TMA), long associated with cardiovascular concerns, now appears to protect the body from inflammation and insulin resistance triggered by high-fat diets. As someone who has watched … Read more
Americans today wait an average of 31 days for a new doctor appointment, according to the 2025 AMN Healthcare survey of major U.S. metro areas. Specialist waits are even longer, with patients now waiting 41.8 days for OB/GYN, 40 days for gastroenterology, 36.5 days for dermatology, and 32.7 days for cardiology. Diagnostic imaging is also … Read more
Researchers have identified exactly how an ultra-rare genetic mutation causes brain cells to die, and the mechanism appears strikingly similar to pathways implicated in major neurodegenerative diseases. The work shows that mutations affecting the GPX4 enzyme trigger a specific form of programmed cell death called ferroptosis, driven by iron accumulation and oxidative damage to neuronal … Read more
The expansion of Bentonville Ignite is not a small program upgrade. It is a structural change in how career-focused high school education will function across Northwest Arkansas over the next decade. The program is moving from roughly 600 seats today to a stated long-term capacity of up to 1,500 students, drawing participants from eight to … Read more
Veterinary researchers estimate that more than half of the world’s domestic cats are overweight, a figure that has steadily climbed over the past two decades as indoor living and constant food access have become the norm. Excess weight in cats is not a minor issue. It increases the risk of osteoarthritis, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular strain, … Read more
Weight loss drugs like Ozempic have become almost unavoidable over the past two years. I see them discussed everywhere, from doctors’ offices to casual conversations with friends. They are often presented as a breakthrough solution. But new research presented in late 2025 suggests that when it comes to actual, sustained weight loss in real-world patients, … Read more