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Leah Rae Russell lost more than 200 pounds over a decade, but she says she wasn’t able to fully appreciate her accomplishment until she took a final step: tightening and removing about 3 pounds of skin hanging from her chest and stomach. The change has been so dramatic, she often doesn’t recognize herself when she looks in the mirror. (Goodman, 12/9)

A Gallup poll in July found Americans' confidence in the government to ensure a safe U.S. food supply had sunk to a record low. "While 57% express at least a fair amount of confidence in the government to keep food safe," the organization said, "28% of Americans do not have much confidence and 14% have 'none at all.'" (Chappell and Aubrey, 12/9)

The effects of the opioid epidemic may not be limited to humans, with dolphins found to have fentanyl in their systems. A large proportion of bottlenose dolphins in the Gulf of Mexico were found to have human pharmaceuticals in their bodies, including fentanyl, muscle relaxants and sedatives, according to a study published in the journal iScience. The dolphins are thought to have accumulated these drugs from eating fish and shrimp, which we also consume, suggesting that there could be risks to human health from environmental pharmaceuticals. (Thomson, 12/9)

Hundreds of vials containing live viruses have gone missing from a laboratory in Australia, sparking an investigation. Queensland Health Minister Tim Nicholls announced today that 323 samples of live viruses—including Hendra virus, Lyssavirus and Hantavirus—went missing in 2021 in a "serious breach of biosecurity protocols. (Thomson, 12/9)

Scientists racing against time to contain an outbreak of a mysterious flu-like illness in a remote part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo have more to contend with than identifying its cause. Just reaching the epicenter of the outbreak of “Disease X” requires about 48 hours from the capital, Kinshasa. It’s also the rainy season there, slowing the progress of experts as well as testing kits and other medical supplies to the area in the forested country’s southwestern Kwango province. (Kew and Gale, 12/9)