Editorial - The HighWire

The UN’s “Non-Binding” Pandemic Declaration: Sequence In, Shot Out

Updated 2:36 PM EDT, Wed October 21, 2026

On October 12, with little to no media coverage, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Political Declaration on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness, and Response. The vote was 153 in favor and 3 against. The United States, Israel, and Argentina voted no, and New Zealand and Paraguay abstained. The scant headlines moved on within a day,…Continue reading The UN’s “Non-Binding” Pandemic Declaration: Sequence In, Shot Out

The Kind of People Who Build Bridges for Animals

Updated 6:14 AM EDT, Tue October 20, 2026

Three mule deer wandered up to a brand-new bridge near Grass Lake, in the far north of California, and walked across it. The bridge was built just for them, and other animals, and a trail camera caught them taking advantage of it. Remarkably, the bridge was not even finished being built when they used it.…Continue reading The Kind of People Who Build Bridges for Animals

From Lockdowns to Large Language Models: How AI Became the Post-COVID Companion We Never Asked For

Updated 5:54 AM EDT, Mon October 19, 2026

The Trillion-Dollar AI Boom Built on a Generation Already Isolated by COVID The date was May 11, 2023, and the federal COVID-19 Public Health Emergency officially ended in the United States. An entire generation of children and adolescents had been artificially masked and forced onto devices for their education and socialization. Already struggling with mental…Continue reading From Lockdowns to Large Language Models: How AI Became the Post-COVID Companion We Never Asked For

Does Consciousness Begin Before Birth?

When does consciousness first emerge in infants? Many insist infant (and fetal) consciousness doesn’t begin until around the baby’s first birthday, but another viewpoint maintains that consciousness begins in the womb before birth. Indeed, while pinpointing when and in what form consciousness begins is far from an absolute determination, new research has, not surprisingly, found…Continue reading Does Consciousness Begin Before Birth?

Updated 4:21 AM EDT, Thu July 17, 2025

Largely Unregulated: The Buzz About Peptides

Peptides—chains of typically 2 to 50 amino acids—are the new buzzword in wellness, adding incredible hype to what’s considered healthy. Indeed, the peptide buzz is everywhere, from skincare to performance enhancement, anti-aging, weight loss, and medical treatments. So, what are they? Peptides are naturally found in the body and can also be ingested through food…Continue reading Largely Unregulated: The Buzz About Peptides

Updated 9:48 AM EDT, Tue July 15, 2025

DARPA Breaks Wireless Power Record, Beaming Energy Over Five Miles Away

Although it surely bypasses the objective behind the concept of wireless power transmission envisioned by Nikola Tesla, DARPA’s Persistent Optical Wireless Energy Relay (POWER) program recently set a new record for wireless power transmission, beaming more than 800 watts of power delivered during a 30-second transmission from a laser 5.3 miles away. The tests, which…Continue reading DARPA Breaks Wireless Power Record, Beaming Energy Over Five Miles Away

Updated 10:16 AM EDT, Thu July 10, 2025

Unhealthy Food Marketing: The Intentional Targeting of Our Children

Junk food companies—those that produce ultraprocessed meals and snacks full of toxins and lacking any nutritional value—bombard younger generations with carefully crafted, powerful advertisements promoting unhealthy, high-fat, high-sugar, and salty snacks and beverages. Research has shown that the marketing efforts of these companies lead to increased consumption of their destructive products. And now, a sweeping…Continue reading Unhealthy Food Marketing: The Intentional Targeting of Our Children

Updated 5:17 AM EDT, Tue July 8, 2025

Legacy Media and the Death of Fake News

In June 1941, the FCC allowed advertising on television. One month later, on July 1, the very first paid television advertisement aired on TV. The ad was for Bulova watches and appeared on New York station WNBT (subsequently WNBC) before a baseball game between the Brooklyn Dodgers and the Philadelphia Phillies. According to reports, Bulova…Continue reading Legacy Media and the Death of Fake News

Updated 4:23 AM EDT, Thu July 17, 2025

Wishful Thinking: Google’s Takeover of America

Is Google to be trusted? A recently released report by the multinational technology conglomerate itself, titled “Google is helping America become stronger, safer and more competitive than ever before,” notes that, with its AI technology, the company has invested over $49 billion in research and development to “power American technological leadership.” Clearly written with a…Continue reading Wishful Thinking: Google’s Takeover of America

Updated 6:56 AM EDT, Tue July 1, 2025