Author: IQ TIMES MEDIA

The long-term effects of banning fluoride from public drinking water across the country could cost families billions of dollars and result in millions of rotten teeth, a new analysis predicts.The study, published Friday in JAMA Health Forum, shows that if all 50 states stopped community water fluoridation programs, kids in the U.S. could expect to develop 25.4 million more cavities within the next five years.That’s the equivalent of a decayed tooth in 1 out of every 3 children.The number of cavities would more than double in 10 years, to 53.8 million.“That is a tremendous increase,” said Dr. Tom Reid, president…

NEW YORK (AP) — The nation’s top public health agency posted new recommendations that say healthy children and pregnant women may get COVID-19 vaccinations, removing stronger language that those groups should get the shots.The change comes days after U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced that COVID-19 vaccines will no longer be recommended for healthy children and pregnant women.But the updated guidance on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website sends a more nuanced message, saying shots “may” be given to those groups.“The announcement from earlier this week sounded like CDC was going to fully withdraw any statement…

Zion Williamson is being sued by a woman describing herself as a former dating partner and who alleges the New Orleans Pelicans star committed repeated sexual violence against her.The civil lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Thursday night, identifies the plaintiff as “Jane Doe.” She claims she began dating Williamson in 2018, when he played at Duke, and alleges that he engaged in abusive behavior toward her in California, Louisiana and Texas from 2020 until their relationship ended in 2023.Williamson’s New Orleans-based attorney, Michael Balascio, called the claims in the lawsuit “categorically false and reckless,” and accused…

Google’s AI assistant, Gemini, is gaining a more prominent place in your inbox with the launch of email summary cards, which will appear at the top of your emails. The company announced Thursday that users no longer have to tap an option to summarize an email with AI. Instead, the AI will now automatically summarize the content when needed, without requiring user interaction. When Gemini launched in the side panel of Gmail last year, one of the features allowed users to summarize their long email threads, along with other tools like those to draft email messages or see suggested responses,…

We’re thrilled by the overwhelming response to our call for speakers at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, taking place October 27-29 at Moscone West in San Francisco. After a careful selection process, we’ve narrowed it down to 20 impressive finalists — 10 breakout sessions and 10 roundtables. Now it’s your turn to help shape the agenda. Audience Choice voting is open until 11:59 p.m. PT tonight. This is your final opportunity to weigh in — vote for your favorite sessions and help decide which will take the stage. You can vote for as many sessions as you’d like — just one vote…

As we count down the final days to TechCrunch Sessions: AI on June 5 at UC Berkeley’s Zellerbach Hall, we’re offering one last chance to score a special deal. We’ve launched the TC Sessions: AI Trivia Countdown — your shot to show off your AI knowledge and win big. Just answer a few short AI-specific trivia questions for a chance to win two tickets for the price of one low rate. Act fast — the trivia closes on June 4. TC Sessions: AI Trivia Countdown If you’ve got a knack for random AI industry facts like, “Which AI technology powers…

June 5 is almost here — bringing real, unfiltered AI conversations… and higher ticket prices. Lock in your savings now. Register now to save $300 on your TechCrunch Sessions: AI pass — and get 50% off for your +1. Don’t wait for rates to spike when event doors open. Join us at UC Berkeley’s Zellerbach Hall — the one-day epicenter for next-gen AI insights, big questions, and actionable ideas from the builders, thinkers, and investors shaping the future. Image Credits:TechCrunch What’s on the agenda? A few highlights: The Frontier of AI: Fireside with Anthropic’s Jared Kaplan From Seed to Series…

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — John Thrasher, a former Florida State University president and longtime state legislator, died on Friday. He was 81.Thrasher, who served as speaker of the Florida House and as a member of the Florida Senate, died Friday morning in Orlando, his family said in a statement. He had been battling cancer, according to a social media post last month from his former lobbying firm.“John lived a remarkable life — and he made a big difference in the lives of so many in our state,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said in a statement.Thrasher, a Republican, was a member…

Consumers increasingly want to take control of their health — including by taking control of what they eat. Buzzy AI startup Superpower just made its second acquisition of the year to capitalize on that interest.Superpower is building a health AI “super app” that combines biannual lab tests with users’ health histories to create personalized lifestyle recommendations. The startup announced $30 million in Series A funding, led by Forerunner, just last month.Now, Superpower is buying at-home lab testing company Base, Business Insider has learned exclusively.Base, started by former Amazon engineer Lola Priego, provides at-home blood and saliva tests to help consumers improve…

Gale, a startup that uses AI to streamline the US visa application process for employers and workers, has raised $2.7 million in seed funding.Its cofounders, who are all immigrants, launched the startup out of Y Combinator’s 2025 winter cohort following their own frustrations navigating the US visa system.The trio — Rahul Gudise, Rishabh Sambare, and Haokun Qin — told Business Insider they found the process confusing, full of delays, and bureaucratic.”If I wanted a question answered about my visa status, it would take the attorneys like four business days to get back to me, minimum,” said Gudise, who previously worked…