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We cover everything you need to know about global health and environmental disparities.

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Behind these top 2025 news photos picked by our staff lie deeper stories and a myriad of emotions — the quiet joy of a child about to eat a snack, the despair of South Texas residents fighting a losing battle against Big Oil, and the resilience of women adapting and switching livelihoods to survive:
Reflecting on Our Most Powerful Photos of 2025
This year, our journalists and photojournalists worked across 12 countries, four U.S. states, and two disputed regions, bringing readers a visual documentation of the issues we covered.
www.thexylom.com
As the use of mad honey for a recreational high is on the rise, driven by social media hype rather than science, so are cases of mad honey disease, emerging from regions that historically never reported such cases.

Yet, there is no guidance from regulatory authorities, reports @scigat.bsky.social.
‘Podcast Bros’ Are Embracing the Other ‘Maha’ Madness
In recent years, mad honey, a sacred yet psychedelic gift among Himalayan tribes, has been appropriated by “podcast bros”, creating health and ecological complications.
www.thexylom.com
January 8, 2026 at 1:52 PM
The Trump administration claims that its “Make America Healthy Again” strategy will reverse all failed policies that have fueled the “childhood chronic disease epidemic.”

But what they left out may be the greatest driver of ill health in a child born today: climate change. (Nov 2025)
Perspective: On A Sweltering Planet, “Make America Healthy Again” Puts Children’s Health At Risk
The Trump administration is constantly enacting policies that slow clean energy deployment and expand fossil fuel infrastructure. These policies will only make the problem much worse, and a big…
www.thexylom.com
January 8, 2026 at 9:31 AM
Reposted by The Xylom
“Now this looks like store-bought honey because there’s a label there,” teases guest Will Sonbuchner. “What that truly is, I transferred the honey to this grocery store bottle so if I went through customs, I wouldn’t have any issues.”

“Good move,” the host, Joe Rogan, responds.
‘Podcast Bros’ Are Embracing the Other ‘Maha’ Madness
In recent years, mad honey, a sacred yet psychedelic gift among Himalayan tribes, has been appropriated by “podcast bros”, creating health and ecological complications.
www.thexylom.com
January 7, 2026 at 2:38 PM
Cloudbursts in India and atmospheric rivers in California are distinct weather phenomena, yet both unleash intense rainfall over a relatively short period.

Why is there an urgent need for governments to up their game in weather prediction? (Published Nov 2025)
Extreme Rainfall Events Pummel the Himalayas and California
Cloudbursts in India and atmospheric rivers in California are distinct weather phenomena, yet both unleash intense rainfall over a relatively short period. As climate change aggravates these events,…
www.thexylom.com
January 8, 2026 at 1:29 AM
Reposted by The Xylom
In Zimbabwe, teenagers use old newspapers or pieces of cloth during menstruation because they cannot afford sanitary napkins.

While poverty appears to be the surface-level reason, climate change–induced droughts have pushed families deeper into poverty. (Published Sep 2025)
What Happens To Zimbabwe’s Teenagers When They Can’t Afford Menstrual Care and Clean Water
The root causes of period poverty in Zimbabwe run deeper than simple affordability. Prolonged droughts, many worsened by climate change, have devastated crops and pushed millions into deeper poverty,…
www.thexylom.com
January 5, 2026 at 7:02 PM
Want to understand the full consequences of the Trump administration's insatiable demand for oil?

The Xylom and other members of the Climate News Task Force have built a single signup page so readers can get updates from all of us. One form, multiple trusted sources.
Get the Climate News Task Force newsletter bundle
Twelve climate newsrooms joined forces in 2025 to create the Climate News Task Force, to increase and improve climate journalism collaborations and innovate new solutions to current challenges.
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January 7, 2026 at 7:39 PM
“Now this looks like store-bought honey because there’s a label there,” teases guest Will Sonbuchner. “What that truly is, I transferred the honey to this grocery store bottle so if I went through customs, I wouldn’t have any issues.”

“Good move,” the host, Joe Rogan, responds.
‘Podcast Bros’ Are Embracing the Other ‘Maha’ Madness
In recent years, mad honey, a sacred yet psychedelic gift among Himalayan tribes, has been appropriated by “podcast bros”, creating health and ecological complications.
www.thexylom.com
January 7, 2026 at 2:38 PM
Reposted by The Xylom
Heat affects burn survivors severely because their sweat glands do not function normally, putting them at risk of heat stroke.

During the hot months, venturing outdoors is often not an option for them.

But a new calculator developed by Texas researchers helps them assess heat risk. (Oct 2025)
Texas Researchers Make A Heatstroke Calculator for Burn Victims
Extreme heat poses a significant threat to millions of people worldwide, particularly to burn victims, who have lost the ability to regulate their internal body temperatures through the natural…
www.thexylom.com
January 6, 2026 at 1:59 PM
In January 2024, the Nigeria government banned paraquat due to the severe risks it poses to human health, animals, and the environment.

However, an investigation by The Xylom found that paraquat, along with other banned chemicals, continues to be sold, signaling poor enforcement. (Oct 2025)
Paraquat, A Banned Toxic Chemical, Is Leaking Into The Global Food Supply Chain
He was treated for skin burns at the hospital, yet more than a year and a half later, a numbness prevails in his groin and stomach.  Ahmad still continues to use the herbicide in his crop, as it is…
www.thexylom.com
January 7, 2026 at 2:21 AM
On Sept. 8th, Nepali youth staged one of the world’s most consequential protests against corruption, unemployment & the government’s decision to ban social media platforms.

There's an unexpected consequence: alarming air pollution putting vulnerable populations in hospitals. (Published Oct. 2025)
Nepal's Air Got More Toxic During Gen-Z Protests
“Before, it used to be around 40 cases a day, but after the protests, it went over 100 — mostly people who had inhaled tear gas and thick smoke from burning buildings [and] seeking emergency care for…
www.thexylom.com
January 6, 2026 at 9:22 PM
Reposted by The Xylom
“Presenting the cliff honey as just a psychoactive drug to get high is not only misleading marketing, but also at some level disrespectful to the Indigenous community, who have used it for centuries for many other purposes too” | via @scigat.bsky.social @thexylom.com
‘Podcast Bros’ Are Embracing the Other ‘Maha’ Madness
In recent years, mad honey, a sacred yet psychedelic gift among Himalayan tribes, has been appropriated by “podcast bros”, creating health and ecological complications.
www.thexylom.com
January 6, 2026 at 8:44 PM
Heat affects burn survivors severely because their sweat glands do not function normally, putting them at risk of heat stroke.

During the hot months, venturing outdoors is often not an option for them.

But a new calculator developed by Texas researchers helps them assess heat risk. (Oct 2025)
Texas Researchers Make A Heatstroke Calculator for Burn Victims
Extreme heat poses a significant threat to millions of people worldwide, particularly to burn victims, who have lost the ability to regulate their internal body temperatures through the natural…
www.thexylom.com
January 6, 2026 at 1:59 PM
Reposted by The Xylom
If you follow Floodlight, you’ll want to hear from our partners too. We’ve teamed up with five other Climate News Task Force newsrooms on a collaborative signup page for our newsletters, putting high-quality climate reporting in one place.
Get the Climate News Task Force newsletter bundle
Twelve climate newsrooms joined forces in 2025 to create the Climate News Task Force, to increase and improve climate journalism collaborations and innovate new solutions to current challenges.
trustfnd.com
December 17, 2025 at 2:37 PM
In Zimbabwe, teenagers use old newspapers or pieces of cloth during menstruation because they cannot afford sanitary napkins.

While poverty appears to be the surface-level reason, climate change–induced droughts have pushed families deeper into poverty. (Published Sep 2025)
What Happens To Zimbabwe’s Teenagers When They Can’t Afford Menstrual Care and Clean Water
The root causes of period poverty in Zimbabwe run deeper than simple affordability. Prolonged droughts, many worsened by climate change, have devastated crops and pushed millions into deeper poverty,…
www.thexylom.com
January 5, 2026 at 7:02 PM
Reposted by The Xylom
[NEW] For millennia, Himalayan tribes have scaled cliffs to obtain psychoactive honey for its medicinal properties.

But in recent years, the honey has been exploited.

This story was supported by The Ferriss – UC Berkeley Psychedelic Journalism Fellowship & co-published by The Himalayan Times.
‘Podcast Bros’ Are Embracing the Other ‘Maha’ Madness
The cliff honey that Himalayan tribes used for its medicinal properties has come to be called mad honey, thanks to its consumption by thrill-seekers to get a high, unaware of the health complications…
www.thexylom.com
January 5, 2026 at 11:30 AM
Reposted by The Xylom
Did you know that the word "honey" is known in the Nepali language as... "Maha"?!

Well you can guess where this story is headed when psychoactive "mad" honey catches the attention of MAHA-adjacent "podcast bros" the same time MAHA guts the U.S.'s food and supplement safety apparatus:
[NEW] For millennia, Himalayan tribes have scaled cliffs to obtain psychoactive honey for its medicinal properties.

But in recent years, the honey has been exploited.

This story was supported by The Ferriss – UC Berkeley Psychedelic Journalism Fellowship & co-published by The Himalayan Times.
‘Podcast Bros’ Are Embracing the Other ‘Maha’ Madness
The cliff honey that Himalayan tribes used for its medicinal properties has come to be called mad honey, thanks to its consumption by thrill-seekers to get a high, unaware of the health complications…
www.thexylom.com
January 5, 2026 at 3:24 PM
For the first time, our analysis shows how much America’s top research institutions depend on the specialized knowledge of H-1B skilled workers.

President Trump signed an executive order on Sept. 19th last year, hiking the fee for new applicants of H-1B visas to $100,000. (Published Sep 2025)
The Most Detailed Maps of H-1B Visa Holders Joining America's Top Research Institutions
A new analysis by The Xylom shows for the first time just how much America’s top research institutions have grown to depend on the specialized knowledge of H-1B skilled workers — and how this…
www.thexylom.com
January 5, 2026 at 1:40 PM
[NEW] For millennia, Himalayan tribes have scaled cliffs to obtain psychoactive honey for its medicinal properties.

But in recent years, the honey has been exploited.

This story was supported by The Ferriss – UC Berkeley Psychedelic Journalism Fellowship & co-published by The Himalayan Times.
‘Podcast Bros’ Are Embracing the Other ‘Maha’ Madness
The cliff honey that Himalayan tribes used for its medicinal properties has come to be called mad honey, thanks to its consumption by thrill-seekers to get a high, unaware of the health complications…
www.thexylom.com
January 5, 2026 at 11:30 AM
Snow, often called white manure, is a special fertilizer for apple crops.

But of late, apple orchardists in India's Himachal Pradesh are driving longer distances in pursuit of snow because the amount of snowfall is shrinking due to warmer winters.
When “White Manure” Disappears From India's Himachal Region, So Do The Apple Trees
“It hardly snowed this year. Almost nothing in the valley,” the 35-year-old says, pulling his woolen cap down against the cold wind. “The trees are flowering, and this is when they need the most…
www.thexylom.com
January 5, 2026 at 7:21 AM
Reposted by The Xylom
In Washington state, where hands-on learning is emphasized, science remains one of the least supported subjects.

Due to the past withholding of Title I funds by the Trump administration, teachers were left to cover classroom costs out of pocket, wrote @pnwphysics.bsky.social. (Published August)
Perspective: The Quiet Collapse of Science Education Is Happening in Tacoma Classrooms
Impactful science education relies on adequate time for labs, functional spaces for conducting experiments safely, and quality materials. Without them, the learning experience is reduced to screens…
www.thexylom.com
December 30, 2025 at 1:59 PM
Reposted by The Xylom
A week after a deadly shooting at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) rattled the nation, Atlanta residents protested against the Trump administration’s research cuts and promotion of public health misinformation.

What are their demands? (Published Aug 2025)
Atlantans Sound Alarm Over Federal Cuts, Misinformation, Deadly CDC Shooting
A week after a deadly shooting at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) rattled the nation, Atlanta residents flooded the streets again Saturday morning to protest against the Trump…
www.thexylom.com
December 30, 2025 at 9:22 PM
Reposted by The Xylom
"America's Failure To Treat Psychosis Has Turned Patients Into 'The Lepers of Society.'"
Zoe Beketova; @thexylom.com; December 29.
11/12 🧵
"Psychosis affects 3 out of every 100 people in the United States."

"Every single resource that I called to say, what can we do about this, how can you help? They said, you need to make him homeless."

"That is the way that he is going to get into the system."
#Connecticut #USA #Housing #Healthcare
America's Failure To Treat Psychosis Has Turned Patients Into 'The Lepers of Society'
Psychosis affects 3% of Americans. For those living with the condition, holistic care can offer stability across daily life. But finding such support often feels like navigating a maze.
www.thexylom.com
January 4, 2026 at 2:36 PM
Reposted by The Xylom
Nearly four decades after the 1986 Chornobyl nuclear disaster, researchers have documented hundreds of plant and animal species here.

But since Russia’s temporary capture of Chornobyl in 2022, the area has been militarized and Ukrainian scientists working here are in a dilemma. (Published Aug 2025)
‘We Are Writing From The Basement’: How Two Ukrainian Radiobiologists Persist Amidst Conflict
Amidst the Russian invasion, Ukrainian scientists that have been researching in the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone are forced to rethink their work and their purpose.
www.thexylom.com
January 2, 2026 at 10:48 PM
Reposted by The Xylom
If you follow The Xylom, you’ll want to hear from our partners too. 🤝

We’ve teamed up with other Climate News Task Force newsrooms on a collaborative signup page for our newsletters, putting high-quality climate reporting in one place. 🌍📰

trustfnd.com/collaboratio...
Get the Climate News Task Force newsletter bundle
Twelve climate newsrooms joined forces in 2025 to create the Climate News Task Force, to increase and improve climate journalism collaborations and innovate new solutions to current challenges.
trustfnd.com
December 16, 2025 at 1:59 PM
In India's Srinagar, climate change is causing droughts, floods, and irregular rainfall.

Kashmiri women, who once relied on Dal lake’s resources are now facing challenges, such as lower pay.

They are now using crafts like sewing and embroidery to support their families. (Published Sep 2025)
Meet the Women Stitching a Resilient Future on Dal Lake
In Srinagar’s famous Dal Lake area, climate change is changing the lifestyles of subsistence farmers and fishers, causing women who rely on these resources to pick up needlework to generate income.
www.thexylom.com
January 3, 2026 at 6:13 PM