Secrets of Ancient Human-Neanderthal Sex Revealed

Scientists have discovered that Neanderthal males had a preference for human females. Researchers have long known that Homo sapiens interbred with Neanderthals, who thrived across Europe and western Asia between about 400,000 and 40,000 years ago before going extinct. A trio of University of Pennsylvania scientists, writing in the journal Science, compared DNA from 73 modern women in Africa with genetic data from three female Neanderthals. They found the Neanderthals’ X chromosomes carried 62 percent more modern human DNA than the rest of their chromosomes. The skew points to a directional pattern in ancient sexual encounters—largely between male Neanderthals and female humans. “It’s a really interesting, provocative hypothesis that there was this long-term mating preference,” said Joshua Akey, a Princeton University geneticist who was not involved in the research. A male—who has an X and a Y chromosome—can pass on only one copy of the X chromosome, compared with a female with two. That dynamic, the authors said, helps explain why more modern human X chromosomes flowed into Neanderthal populations.

The State Department has begun evacuating the U.S. embassy in Israel. All non-emergency staff have been told to leave with their families “due to safety risks,” amid fears Israel could be in the firing line if tensions with Iran spill over. Hostilities continue to escalate as the White House demands that Iran end its nuclear program. The removal of U.S. citizens from the region suggests that military action could be imminent, while non-essential staff were also removed from the embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, earlier this week. U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee told staff that if they wanted to leave the country, Friday was the day to do it. President Trump made clear at Tuesday’s State of the Union address that he would prefer to reach an agreement with Iran through diplomatic channels. However, he has ordered a massive buildup of military hardware, including aircraft carriers, in the Middle East. Talks between the U.S. and Iran, mediated by a delegation from Oman, have reportedly progressed well. Axios reports that an Iranian military spokesperson said Friday, “Any unwise American action will lead to a widespread fire in the region.”

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Shia LaBeouf is headed to court-ordered rehab after his Mardi Gras meltdown. A judge has ordered the 39-year-old actor to enroll in substance abuse treatment, undergo mandatory drug testing, and post a $100,000 bond following his arrest in New Orleans, according to People. LaBeouf was initially released without bail after allegedly assaulting a bartender and a patron at Royal Street Inn & R Bar during Bourbon Street festivities. But that didn’t last long. The actor was charged with two counts of simple battery, but Judge Simone Levine later reversed the initial release decision after details of LebBeouf’s use of homophobic slurs during the incident came to light. Witness Jeffrey “Damnit” Klein told People the actor was acting erratically—yelling, lunging at patrons, and throwing punches when confronted. He alleges LaBeouf struck him in the face while also hurling homophobic slurs, calling Damnit a “f---ing f----t.” A bartender was also reportedly hit during the chaos. Now viral video from the scene shows LaBeouf being taken away by paramedics.

French DJ David Guetta has revealed he has become a dad for the fourth time at the age of 58. The producer, whose smash hits include “When Love Takes Over” with Kelly Rowland and “Titanium” with Sia, shared a picture of his newborn, named Skyler, with his 12.1 million Instagram followers. “The most beautiful secret we’ve ever kept,” Guetta posted alongside photos of his girlfriend, 34-year-old actress Jessica Ledon. Guetta already has a child, Cyan, with Ledon, as well as two other children—Tim Elvis, 22, and daughter Angie, 18—whom he shares with his ex-wife, Cathy. Some of Guetta’s high-profile friends congratulated the couple following the surprise announcement of their child. DJ Tiësto posted, “Congrats my brother,” along with two heart emojis, while singer and actress Jennifer Lopez added, “Awwww congratulations.” Guetta and Ledon first got together in 2015 but reportedly split in 2022. The pair reunited the following year and welcomed their first child together in March 2024. Guetta is one of the most successful music artists of the 21st century, having sold more than 10 million albums and 65 million singles around the world, as well as generating around 30 billion streams on Spotify.

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If you’re looking for longer, fuller, more fluttery lashes, but aren’t interested in the daily glue-and-strip routine or the upkeep (and expense) of lash extensions, a growth serum is the most low-maintenance path to noticeable results. Sure, a solid mascara can fake it for a few hours, but a well-formulated lash serum works behind the scenes, helping your natural lashes reach their full potential with consistent use.

Unfortunately, not all lash growth serums are created equal. Some formulas are powered by prostaglandin analogs (lipid compounds that prolong hair follicle activity), while others harness peptide complexes and botanical extracts. If you’re looking for a relatively quick, visible payoff, Lilash’s physician-formulated serum stands out for taking a more comprehensive approach rather than hinging on a single hero ingredient.

Lilash’s Purified Eyelash Serum pairs an advanced prostaglandin analog (Dehydrolatanopros) with conditioning agents like vitamin B5 and hydrolyzed lupine protein to support both growth and strength. In other words, this serum doesn’t just encourage lash growth, but it also reinforces the hair fiber itself to minimize breakage and fallout. The result is a two-pronged strategy: optimize the growth cycle while improving lash resilience, which ultimately enhances density and volume over time.

Of course, efficacy is only half the conversation. Lash serums (particularly those containing prostaglandin analogs) can cause irritation for some—especially for people with sensitive eyes. Lilash’s formulas are manufactured in an FDA-registered facility with rigorous quality-control standards, and the brand positions the formula as suitable for contact lens wearers and those prone to sensitivity.

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Whether you’re rehabbing lashes post-extensions, noticing thinning due to stress or hormonal shifts, or simply looking to dial up fullness without relying on falsies, Lilash’s growth serum offers a more sustainable, long-game solution for lash enhancement and health. The best part? Lilash is offering 25 percent off the Purified Eyelash Serum through March 1.

Cottage cheese, once a staple of 1970s diet culture, has made an astonishing comeback, catching dairy producers off guard as they struggle to keep up with demand. Tesco, the U.K.’s largest supermarket chain, said sales had tripled over the past two years to reach a record high, calling the product a “fully fledged culinary phenomenon.” Meanwhile, in Australia, supplies have disappeared quickly from store shelves. The boom has been linked to wider fitness trends, a focus on gut health, and high-protein diets. Social media also amplified the craze, with TikTok users promoting recipes that folded cottage cheese into everything from pizza bases to chocolate desserts. “We are constantly sold out of cottage cheese,” Peder Tuborgh, CEO of Arla, Europe’s largest dairy cooperative, told Bloomberg last week. “The magnitude of that trend has been quite astonishing. We are desperately looking for more capacity in that area.” At Scotland’s Graham’s Family Dairy, a £3.5 million ($4.7 million) expansion boosted cottage cheese production capacity by half, but managing director Robert Graham said demand still outpaced supply.

A tour guide has been arrested after using chalk to mark a pyramid in Egypt. Footage of the incident was posted on social media on Sunday from the Saqqara area near Cairo, with the guide involved reported to have been leading a Russian-language tour group. “Today at Saqqara, near the Pyramid of Unas, I came across a man—a tour guide for Russian tourists—drawing on the pyramid with chalk,” the video’s caption said. “When I politely told him that what he was doing was wrong, he asked me, ‘Are you serious?’ Honestly, I didn’t know how to respond.” An investigation was launched by the Egyptian Ministry of Interior following the incident, which led to his arrest and suspension from work, The Daily Mail reports. The newspaper added that he confessed and could face a year in prison or a fine of around $10,427. He reportedly claimed it was his first day back after a four-year hiatus and had become overexcited, leading to his “unforgivable mistake.” The Saqqara Antiquities Department has since removed the graffiti, while the Egyptian General Tourist Guides Syndicate says its operators work hard to ensure no damage is done during tours.

President Donald Trump, 79, is set to meet New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, 34, on Thursday. The New York Post first reported Mamdani’s trip to Washington, D.C., and people familiar with the mayor’s plans told CNN that he will meet the president to discuss housing. The visit comes following a shoutout from Trump during his State of the Union address on Tuesday, in which he said he speaks to the mayor “a lot” and called him a “nice guy” with “bad policy.” Trump and Mamdani first met in November in an interaction that made headlines, as the president—who had criticized the Democratic Socialist for months prior—gloated over their “really good, very productive meeting” and said they “agree on a lot more than I would have thought.” In January, sources told Axios that the mayor and president exchanged numbers during their Oval Office meeting and had been texting back and forth. The Thursday meeting has not been added to Mamdani’s public schedule, but a spokeswoman for the mayor confirmed to The New York Times that it would take place. The Daily Beast has contacted the White House and Mamdani’s office for comment.

Italian Pro Golfer Andrea Pavan plummeted three stories in a freak elevator accident while competing at the Investec South African Open Championship. Pavan fell into an open shaft on Wednesday when “doors opened on the floor he was on, but the car itself wasn’t there.” Pavan is injured but alive, his former college coach, J.T. Higgins, told Golf Channel. Pavan is reported to have undergone extensive surgery on his shoulder and back injuries sustained in the fall and has withdrawn from the South African Open. The 36-year-old is “in good spirits, thankful to be alive and FaceTiming with his kids,” Higgins said. Pavan is a two-time winner on the DP World Tour, at the D+D Real Czech Masters and the 2019 BMW International Open. He is currently ranked 249th in the world in Golf. He previously played at Texas A&M while in college and won the 2009 NCAA championship while there.

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If you rely on coffee for its focus-boosting powers but could do without the jitters, stomach flips, and inevitable mid-afternoon crash, it might be time to rethink what’s actually in your cup. Enter the new wave of functional blends that promise steady energy without the rollercoaster. My go-to functional coffee? Everyday Dose’s mushroom coffee. Yes, mushroom coffee isn’t exactly a novel concept.

If you’ve tried early iterations, you know the flavor could skew aggressively earthy—more forest floor than flat white. The category has evolved, and Everyday Dose is part of a newer class of brands prioritizing taste as much as function. The result is a brew that’s creamy, smooth, and convincingly coffee-forward, not overtly fungal.

The formula pairs real coffee with nootropic and adaptogenic mushrooms traditionally associated with cognitive support and stress modulation, plus grass-fed collagen for added protein and skin-supporting benefits. Instead of triggering your nervous system, the blend is designed to promote more sustained, even energy—think clear-headed focus without the wired feeling or abrupt crash.

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Beyond energy, Everyday Dose leans into the ritual aspect. It dissolves easily, has a naturally mellow finish, and doesn’t require masking with syrups or heavy cream to make it palatable. Plus, for those with sensitive stomachs, many people find mushroom-forward blends easier on digestion than high-acid traditional brews.

Of course, it’s still coffee (you’ll get the caffeine you’re drinking it for—don’t worry), but the added functional ingredients appear to soften the sharper edges of the experience. The net effect feels less like a caffeine spike and more like a steady hum. Precisely what I need in 2026.

For anyone curious about upgrading their morning ritual without giving up the comfort (or flavor) of a proper cup, Everyday Dose makes a strong case that functional coffee has officially grown up.

Police records reveal what the missing mother who disappeared 24 years ago looks like after she was arrested on a decades-old charge. Michele Hundley Smith, 62, was arrested for skipping out on a court appearance for drunk driving in November 2001. By December, Smith, then 38, was gone. Smith disappeared while she was out Christmas shopping in Eden, North Carolina. She was found alive earlier this month after the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office received an anonymous tip on her whereabouts. “She said she left… due to ongoing domestic issues at the time,” Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page told People. While Smith didn’t offer additional explanation, daughter Amanda Hundley, 38, told hosts of The Vanished Podcast that her mother had drinking problems and at times would skip out on the family. Her family had waited three weeks to report her disappearance. “As far as my opinions and feelings on my mom… I am ecstatic, I am pissed, I am heartbroken, I am all over the map!” Hundley posted on Facebook after learning that her mother did not want her location shared with family.

Pop star Pink has separated from her husband of 20 years, according to People. The “Just Give Me a Reason” singer, 46, married Carey Hart, 50, in Costa Rica in 2006. Pink, born Alecia Moore, met Hart, a former professional motocross racer, at the 2001 X Games in Philadelphia. The couple dated on and off for a few years before Hart proposed in 2005. In 2008, the couple announced that they had separated, but they remained on good terms. Hart appeared in the music video for Pink’s hit song “So What,” which was inspired by their divorce. The next year, the couple shared that they had reconciled and cancelled their divorce. “We’re rebuilding,” Hart told People in April 2009. “Sometimes you have to take a couple of steps backwards to move forward.” The couple shares two children: daughter Willow Moore, 14, and son Jameson Moon, 8. The Daily Beast reached out to a rep for Pink for comment.