Plus, a brain health fad that dyes your tongue blue ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
May 15, 2026—The “most metal animal in the world,” decaying probes on Venus, and a health trend that also dyes your tongue blue. Happy Friday! Andrea will be back on Monday.
—Emma Gometz
Newsletter Editor
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Scaly-foot snail. Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
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An artist's impression of NASA's DAVINCI probe descending toward the surface of Venus. NASA
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Venus, while a beautiful planet to see in the sky, does not sound fun to stand on. It's hot enough to melt lead (860 degrees Fahrenheit), has comparable pressure to 1,000 meters below sea level, its atmosphere is 97 percent carbon dioxide and it’s rife with volcanic activity. Space archaeologists previously thought that the 20 probes, landers and balloons sent to Venus from Earth must have been destroyed in this hostile environment, but a new study shows that there’s reason to believe many of them are still there, right where they were last seen.
How we know: NASA’s Glenn Extreme Environments Rig (GEER) lab recreated the Venusian environment on Earth. Researchers exposed materials that make up probes like titanium and aluminum to the simulated Venus environment and found they could withstand the heat and pressure. They would corrode and oxidize over time, but the shape of a probe made with titanium would likely endure. The researchers also made a map of where every probe would have ended up on the surface of Venus and determined that most of them weren’t at major risk of a volcanic or seismic event burying them.
What the experts say: Space archaeology is about studying human interaction with space through the artifacts we leave behind, which some scientists refer to as our “space heritage.” The paper “extends the range of space archaeology," says Beth O’Leary, a space archaeologist and professor emerita at New Mexico State University, who was not involved with the study. What we leave behind, wherever it is in the universe, tells our story.
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What the science says: The substance has been around a long time (it was used to treat malaria in the late 19th century), but recent research is lacking. The idea that the blue dye can boost brainpower comes from preliminary studies on methylene blue as a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease; this research is based on the theory that the dye might combine with the tau proteins that are implicated in that disease. But most of that work is in animals, and the few studies of people are very small and show only tiny effects.
What the experts say: “There are no compelling human clinical trials that have shown any benefit,” says Joe Schwarcz, professor of chemistry at McGill University. Some influencers mention methylene blue alongside creatine, which has a robust research record in humans showing it can help build and maintain muscle. “Pseudoscience producers are very good at what they do,” Schwacz says. “They have learned to cloak themselves in the garb of science. They can sound very seductive, and they’re very adept at misleading people and selling them stuff that nobody really needs.” —Andrea Gawrylewski, Chief Newsletter Editor
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Thinking about brain health can be a little scary—so much of who we are is packed into that fragile organ! But in the desperate search to preserve the brain’s wellbeing, some people can fall into sketchy fads like eating blue dye. Sure, exciting research could pave the way for new supplements, but evidence already supports some simpler brain-health solutions: Sleeping well, eating a balanced diet, and getting time outside with your friends. Enjoy your weekend everyone—your brain may thank you for it!
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—Emma Gometz
Newsletter Editor
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