The USDA has kept raccoon rabies out of the central United States for over 30 years by air-dropping fish-flavored ravioli from helicopters.
Each one is a small packet coated in fishmeal with an oral rabies vaccine inside. Raccoons, foxes, coyotes, and skunks find them by smell, bite through, and swallow.
Many animals that consume the bait develop immunity, helping build a protective barrier across populations.
The bait is generally considered safe for pets and tested in many non-target species.
The USDA's Wildlife Services has been running this since 1995. Without the bait program, raccoon rabies very likely would have spread much further west.
A federal program you've probably never heard of is protecting your pets and your kids by feeding wild animals ravioli from a helicopter.
Scientists may have discovered a hidden network inside the human body that had gone unnoticed for decades.
In 2018, researchers described a widespread system of fluid filled spaces found throughout the body and suggested it could qualify as a newly recognized organ called the interstitium.
The structure is located beneath the skin, surrounding muscles, lining organs such as the lungs and digestive tract, and wrapping around blood vessels and the urinary system. For years, these layers were thought to be made mostly of dense connective tissue.
But when scientists examined living tissue using a laser imaging method known as probe based confocal laser endomicroscopy, they found something unexpected.
Instead of tightly packed solid tissue, they observed interconnected pockets filled with fluid and supported by a flexible network of collagen and connective fibers.
Researchers believe the structure had been missed for so long because of the way tissue samples are traditionally prepared for microscopes. Standard preparation methods involve chemically fixing tissue before examination, a process that drains the fluid and causes the spaces to collapse, making them appear solid.
In living tissue, however, the channels remain open and connected.
Scientists think the interstitium may help move fluid through the body and could influence inflammation, tissue aging, and even the spread of cancer.
Some researchers suspect these fluid pathways may help explain how certain cancers spread so quickly. Once cancer cells enter the network, the channels may allow them to travel into the lymphatic system and reach other parts of the body more easily.
The structure may also play a role in wrinkles and the stiffening of tissue that occurs with age.
Not all scientists agree that the interstitium should officially be classified as its own organ, and debate continues within the scientific community. Even so, the discovery has changed how many researchers think about human anatomy.
Read the study:
“Structure and Distribution of an Unrecognized Interstitium in Human Tissues.” Scientific Reports.
💥 James Madison will wear Marvel super hero-themed helmets vs. Washington State on Nov. 22. One side will feature JMU’s block logo, players will choose 1 of 5 Marvel heroes – Iron Man, Captain America, Hulk, Thor or Black Panther – for other side of helmet
I am going back on tour this Fall. For the Crows 2025
pre-sale available now at https://t.co/XtiqOSzmWR
album June 13th
we are coming different this time. where will i see you?
dates:
9/23 - Louisville, KY - Headliners
9/24 - Indianapolis, IN - Hi Fi
9/26 - Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg
9/27 - Boston, MA - Sinclair
9/28 - Philadelphia, PA - Thunderbird
9/30 - Pittsburgh, PA - Foundry
10/1 - Columbus, OH - Ace of Cups
10/3 - Detroit, MI - Loving Touch
10/4 - Chicago, IL - Lincoln Hall
10/7 - Nashville, TN - Basement East
10/9 - Atlanta, GA - Terminal West
10/10 - Birmingham, AL - Saturn
10/14 - Dallas, TX - Deep Ellum
10/15 - Austin, TX - Antones
10/17 - Phoenix, AZ - Crescent Ballroom
10/23 - Los Angeles, CA - Echo
10/25 - Solana Beach, CA - Music Box
10/29 - Santa Barbara, CA - SoHo
10/30 - Santa Cruz, CA - Moes
11/1 - San Francisco, CA - The Independent
11/2 - Reno, NV - Cypress
11/4 - Portland, OR - Holocene
11/5 - Seattle, WA - Madame Lous
11/7 - Vancouver, BC - The Pearl
11/8 - Bellingham, WA - Wild Buffalo
11/11 - Boise, ID - Shrine Social Club
11/12 - Salt Lake City, UT - Soundwell
11/13 - Fort Collins, CO - Aggie
11/14 - Boulder, CO - Fox
IT'S THE FREAKIN' LSU TIGERS, BABY
I cannot believe these boxes we got from @LSUfootball AND @LSUbaseball I am now a Tiger for LIFE!
Thank you Coach Kelly and Coach Johnson for all of this amazing gear... and catch my interview with LSU QB Jayden Daniels tonight at 5pm EST!