Preview text: Three athletes DQ'd for PFAS ski wax at Milan-Cortina. Plus: a free tool for Crohn's disease.

Good morning. Here's what's going right.

🌟 Today's Lead

Olympics Enforce First-Ever Ban on 'Forever Chemical' Ski Waxes — And It's Working

The Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics have drawn a line in the snow: fluorinated ski waxes laced with PFAS "forever chemicals" are banned, and the ban has real consequences. Three athletes have already been disqualified after their equipment tested positive.

PFAS — per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — have been standard in competitive ski wax for decades, offering marginal speed advantages while depositing chemicals that never break down into mountain ecosystems, waterways, and food chains. The International Ski and Snowboard Federation flagged the issue in 2020, but enforcement lagged until the IOC made Milan-Cortina the proving ground with real-time testing and disqualification as the penalty.

The signal to the chemicals industry is powerful: if the world's most competitive athletes can perform without PFAS, the argument that fluorinated coatings are "essential" elsewhere weakens considerably. With the EU's proposed universal PFAS restriction covering ~10,000 substances — the broadest chemical ban ever attempted — this Olympic enforcement adds cultural weight to the regulatory push.

[Read the full story →]

In Brief

🏥 Eating Within an 8-Hour Window Cut Crohn's Disease Activity by 40%

A randomised controlled trial published in Gastroenterology found that simply restricting meals to an 8-hour daily window reduced Crohn's disease activity by 40% and halved abdominal discomfort over 12 weeks — without changing what patients ate. The University of British Columbia trial enrolled adults with Crohn's who were overweight or obese. No pills, no side effects, no cost. For the estimated 3 million people living with Crohn's in Europe and North America, this offers a complementary tool they can start today. [Read more →]

🌍 China's Coal Power Generation Falls as Renewables Surge

China — the world's largest coal consumer — has recorded a decline in coal-fired power generation as renewable energy capacity continues its rapid expansion. The shift is significant: when the biggest emitter starts bending its coal curve downward, global emissions trajectories change. Combined with last week's IEA confirmation that renewables have overtaken coal globally, the energy transition is gaining momentum where it matters most. [Read more →]

💊 First Drug Candidate for Zika Virus Enters Development

Researchers have identified the first viable drug candidate targeting Zika virus, a mosquito-borne disease that caused a global health emergency in 2015–16 when it was linked to severe birth defects. Until now, there has been no treatment or vaccine. The compound shows promise in preclinical testing, offering hope for the millions in tropical and subtropical regions where Zika remains a threat. [Read more →]

🧬 Protein Discovery Could Rejuvenate Ageing Brain Cells

Scientists have identified a protein called DMTF1 that appears capable of rejuvenating ageing brain cells, restoring function in preclinical models. The finding opens a new pathway for research into neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's — shifting the question from "can we slow decline?" to "can we reverse it?" Early days, but a genuinely novel target in a field that desperately needs them. [Read more →]

📊 Progress by Numbers

• 3 athletes disqualified at Milan-Cortina 2026 for PFAS-positive ski wax — proving the ban has teeth
• 40% reduction in Crohn's disease activity from time-restricted eating alone — no drugs, no cost
• 98% of Americans tested have PFAS in their blood — making Olympic-level bans a symbolic and practical milestone
• 9,000+ European bison now alive, up from just 50 in the 1920s (featured later this week)

💡 One Thing You Can Do

Try time-restricted eating. Today's Crohn's study used a 16:8 pattern — all meals between 10am and 6pm. You don't need Crohn's disease to benefit: time-restricted eating has shown metabolic improvements across multiple conditions. Pick an 8-hour window that works for your schedule and try it for a week. No calorie counting, no special foods. Just timing.

You're receiving this because you believe progress deserves as much attention as problems.
[Unsubscribe] · [Share with a friend] · [Follow us on social]