Tootfinder

Can a retinal implant really restore vision lost due to geographic atrophy? https://www.ophthalmologyadvisor.com/features/retinal-implant-vision-geographic-atrophy/

Can A Retinal Implant Really Restore Vision Lost Due To Geographic Atrophy?
A retinal implant made big news with recent headlines saying it can restore vision lost to geographic atrophy. Here, experts separate fact from hype.

A Science Strategy for the Human Exploration of Mars: #Mars, Says New Report: https://www.nationalacademies.org/news/search-for-life-should-be-top-science-priority-for-first-human-landing-on-mars-says-new-report -> In a major new report, scientists build rationale for sending astronauts to Mars: https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/12/in-a-major-new-report-scientists-build-rationale-for-sending-astronauts-to-mars/

Members of Congress are routinely escorted through airport security,
but the process does not normally result in profanity-laced airport tirades
Police investigation faults Nancy Mace for testy exchanges

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/20

Police investigation faults Nancy Mace for profanity-laced airport tirade  
A report found Rep. Nancy Mace (R-South Carolina) turned a “minor miscommunication” by police into a “spectacle” during a recent encounter at Charleston International Airport.

Oh the delights of POP3. I've restored download from a mailbox which had been failing for months, and now Thunderbird is helpfully redownloading 5000 emails from the past 8 years. I guess this means I'll be able to test the "Remove Duplicate Messages" plugin once again today.
#email

The Hole in Trump's Rationale for Acquiring Greenland (The Atlantic)
https://www.theatlantic.com/national-security/2026/01/pentagon-arctic-greenland-china-russia/685553/?gift=YomuSz8U7hgV6-iiBzXx_DUBUJLpiEJkNSXs5GxZeDo&utm_source=copy-link&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=share
http://www.memeorandum.com/260109/p112#a260109p112

I recently watched a Veritasium video that touches on Braess's Paradox[1]: sometimes removing connections (eg roads) makes things faster.
The part that caught my attention was "even though every driver made a rational decision to minimize their own time, collectively it made the situation worse."
IOW, proof that adding up everyone's self interested actions does NOT lead to the best outcome. aka,

"Chimpanzees revise their beliefs if they encounter new information, a hallmark of rationality that was once assumed to be unique to humans"
(Original title: Chimps Are Capable of Human-Like Rational Thought, Breakthrough Study Finds)
https://www.404med…

Popular Mechanics article on the PRIMA retinal implant from Science Corp. https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/health/a69948833/photovoltaic-retina-implant-trial-results/ "restored vision is not by any means immediate for tho…

A Revolutionary Device Can Cure Blindness. This Has ‘Never Been Done Before,’ Researcher Says.
Thanks to this tiny piece of tech, people with profound vision loss can now read, do cross word puzzles, and navigate public transit.

Revised January 8, 2026: Simulation of prosthetic vision with the PRIMA system and enhancement of face representation https://arxiv.org/abs/2503.11677 retinal implant

Simulation of prosthetic vision with PRIMA system and enhancement of face representation
Objective. Patients implanted with the PRIMA photovoltaic subretinal prosthesis in geographic atrophy report form vision with the average acuity matching the 100um pixel size. Although this remarkable outcome enables them to read and write, they report difficulty with perceiving faces. Despite the pixelated stimulation, patients see smooth patterns rather than dots. We present a novel, non-pixelated algorithm for simulating prosthetic vision, compare its predictions to clinical outcomes, and de…

#Okuvision's #OkuStim transcorneal electrical stimulation awarded the German Design Award 2026 – Gold, in the category Medical, Rehabilitation and Health Care

OkuStim
Degenerative retinal diseases lead to progressive vision loss and are the most common cause of blindness in working-age adults. OkuStim translates a complex therapy – transcorneal electrical…