Good Morning! 🌞 

Today, we’re going to do a bit of myth-busting. In the Western Christian tradition, yesterday was All Saints’ Day, the day before that is All Hallows’ Eve, also known as Halloween. In our introduction on the 31st, we mentioned that Halloween traditions originated in the Irish/Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced “sow-win”).

However, there is no solid scholarly evidence of a direct connection between Halloween and Samhain, despite the abundance of articles speculating about one. While Samhain was a Celtic festival that took place around early November, its exact date varied because it was based on a lunar calendar.

One possible similarity between the two is the Celtic belief that the barrier between the fairy realm and our realm is weakest during the month of November, also called Samhain. However, there is little evidence that this belief influenced the Catholic Church’s choice of November for All Saints’ Day. Originally, Celtic Christians celebrated All Saints’ Day in the spring and only moved it to the fall in the 9th century—hundreds of years after Ireland converted to Christianity.

Innovation

Pesticide Detection Device

Sirish Subash, a 9th grader from Snellville, Georgia, won the 3M Young Scientist Challenge with his invention, a handheld device that detects pesticide residues on produce.

Using an AI-based sensor, Sirish created PestiSCAND, a spectrophotometry-based device that identifies pesticides on fruits and vegetables by analyzing light reflected from their surfaces. Testing over 12,000 samples, he achieved a detection accuracy above 85%. Sirish was inspired by his mother’s advice to wash fruit and his discovery that 70% of produce still contains harmful pesticides, which can cause health issues like cancer and Alzheimer’s. As one of nine finalists, Sirish spent four months with a 3M scientist mentor to refine his prototype. Now, he aims to bring the device to market at a price of $20 and has plans to continue development through his college years. He won a $25,000 grand prize and the title of “America’s Top Young Scientist” at the competition’s final event in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Sirish, whose dream school is MIT, says he’ll use his prize money to help cover tuition.

Health Sciences

Low-Carb Diet May Reverse Diabetes

A new study suggests that people with type 2 diabetes who follow a low-carb diet may be able to discontinue their medication. Researchers in the U.S. found that low-carbohydrate diets can improve beta-cell function in patients with the condition, which affects about 34 million Americans and one in 15 people worldwide.

Type 2 diabetes typically occurs in individuals aged 45 and older, but cases are increasingly seen in children, teens, and young adults. Beta-cells, located in the pancreas, produce and release insulin, which regulates blood sugar levels. In people with diabetes, beta-cell response to blood sugar is often impaired, potentially due to excessive carbohydrate intake. Foods high in "empty carbs," such as refined grains and sugary items, can cause rapid spikes in blood sugar and insulin levels.
Professor Barbara Gower from the University of Alabama, the study's lead author, stated, “This study shows that people with type 2 diabetes on a low-carbohydrate diet can recover their beta-cells, an outcome that cannot be achieved with medication.” The research indicates that individuals with mild type 2 diabetes may be able to stop their medication by reducing their carbohydrate intake, allowing for meals that are higher in protein and better aligned with their energy needs.

US News

1,500-Mile Trail

A retired community designer and former state representative, Charlie Gandy, is mapping out a 1,500-mile trail across Texas, spanning from the state’s eastern bayous to El Paso. Named the Cross Texas Trail, or XTX, Gandy aims to make it Texas’s answer to iconic long-distance trails like the Appalachian and Pacific Crest Trails. Gandy, 66, who describes himself as a “big, hairy goals” kind of Texan, has teamed up with the advocacy group Bike Texas. Together, they’re planning a route that winds through parks, rural roads, and diverse Texas landscapes. Gandy hopes it will capture the “rugged, rural, remote” feel of the state.

The trail is set to begin near Beaumont on the eastern border, travel west through bayous, hills, and a loop around San Antonio and Austin, then head toward Big Bend National Park. The route will eventually reach Texas’s highest peak before continuing to El Paso. To bring the XTX to life, Gandy and Bike Texas are seeking sponsors, resources, and support for water stations in remote areas. Private landowners, eager to connect their property to the project, are helping with access across the largely private lands of Texas.

While Gandy is driven by adventure, Robin Stallings, Bike Texas’s executive director, aims to make the trail accessible to cyclists and urban Texans. They’re also making it possible to traverse by horseback and plan to pass through historic towns like La Grange and Chicken Ranch. Gandy hopes to inspire the creation of a Texas trail legacy with a planned completion by spring 2025.

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Mind Stretchers

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Answers to yesterday’s Mind Stretchers

A growing economy! Gerry Moore you got this first!

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