Today’s Big Story

Red Light Special

The therapy aids recovery, cures scars and can even make you look younger

Doctors seem to always want to keep us away from lights: Ultraviolet light from the sun, blue light from our devices and the big white light of death. But red light is one type of light doctors aren't shielding us from.

It's a therapy that seemed niche for a while, but is definitely surging in popularity lately, especially in the world of skincare—treating everything from wrinkles and skin elasticity to acne. The glowing red LED therapy has also shown promise in a variety of other areas, including wound healing, pain management and even cancer care.

It’s no wonder, then, that the therapy was pioneered by NASA scientists. So how, exactly, does it work? LED light directed at the skin triggers a process called photobiomodulation, a noninvasive way to stimulate and rejuvenate certain cells. That’s why it’s so effective for skin. The light stimulates collagen under the surface to boost production, which reduces wrinkles and scarring. And new evidence suggests the applications may be even broader.

The specific wavelengths of red and near-infrared light promote healing while stimulating cellular function. Dan Gibbins, director of HELIOS Red Light Therapy, told GQ that RLT works by penetrating the skin which stimulates mitochondria, the “powerhouses” of cells, enhancing energy (ATP) production. That, in turn, improves blood flow, reduces inflammation and accelerates recovery after particularly brutal workouts. It also helps alleviate chronic pain and stiffness, often associated with arthritis or injuries.

Chris Bohler, chief technology officer at Kineon, one of the UK’s main purveyors of RLT treatments and tech, says plenty of high profile fans are regularly under the lights. Everyone from biohackers and athletes looking to optimize performance and speed joint and tissue recovery (think CrossFit Games champion Noah Ohlsen) to actors (Hugh Jackman and Mark Wahlberg) looking to stay on top of their game.

About That Surprise Martial Law in South Korea

Their president declared (and retracted) martial law and now faces impeachment

Members of South Korea’s opposition submitted a motion on Wednesday to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol after his surprise declaration of martial law—in an unscheduled televised address late Tuesday—that plunged the country into a political crisis. It was the first time a South Korean president had declared martial law since the country’s military dictatorship ended in the late 1980s. According to the New York Times, the chaos “within one of America’s closest allies evoked memories of the dictatorial postwar regimes that stifled peaceful dissent and created a police state.”

The country had been in a bitter political stalemate for months, with South Korea’s liberal opposition parties winning a parliamentary majority in April. Last week, tensions escalated when the opposition decided to cut the government budget and start impeachment proceedings against key officials. Yoon faced immediate backlash from across the political spectrum, including his own ruling party, and his future as leader now hangs in the balance.

Under the South Korean constitution, impeachment needs to be proposed by a majority of parliament—and approved by two thirds of all lawmakers. The proposal would then go to the Constitutional Court—one of South Korea’s highest courts, along with the Supreme Court. At least six justices must agree to go ahead with the impeachment, according to the constitution. The president would be suspended from exercising his power during the process until the impeachment is adjudicated, according to the constitution. The Washington Post reports that back in 2016, South Korean lawmakers voted to impeach president Park Geun-hye over her role in a corruption and influence­-peddling scandal.

Could Caffeine Do Even More for Us?

New research shows it counteracts the effects of alcohol and limits the risk of addiction

Could coffee help to counteract some of the effects of alcohol on the brain, and potentially limit the risk of addiction? That's what's suggested by a new study of how caffeine interacts with the production of the feel-good chemical dopamine.

Previous research has established that caffeine interferes with some of the ways that alcohol changes behavior. In this latest research, a team of scientists from Italy and the U.S. took a closer look at what's happening in this relationship. In experiments with rats, scientists found that caffeine has a significant impact on the mesolimbic dopamine pathway—an important part of the brain's reward system, through which dopamine is released.

According to Science Alert, this same pathway has been linked to some of the brain reinforcement mechanisms that keep those with alcohol use disorder coming back for more—which means it might be possible to develop treatments that break these damaging loops in behavior. Sounds promising … and worth another cup of coffee this morning.

Are Headlights Getting Too Bright?

The crusade against bright headlights has picked up speed

Did you hear that Porsche is recalling around 3,000 of its new Macan EVs in the U.S. due to an issue with its headlights? The problem: They’re too bright. Porsche says there’s a software error in which the affected vehicles are incorrectly programmed and the “upper beam photometry requirements exceed maximum threshold specified” by the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard.

But this is not a Porsche-specific problem. According to The Ringer, a crusade of sorts against bright headlights has picked up speed in recent years, thanks in large part due to wildly active subreddits. The posts consist of a mishmash of venting, meme-ing, and community organizing. A common entry is a photo taken from inside the car of someone being blasted with headlights as bright as an atomic bomb, and a caption along the lines of “How is this f#@king legal?!”

Apparently, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration receives more consumer complaints about headlights than any other topic. And going by data compiled by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, headlight brightness has roughly doubled in the past 10 years—although you probably don’t need convincing if you’ve been paying attention over that span. Something happened out there, and a zap of light causing you to grimace behind the wheel suddenly went from a rarity to a routine occurrence. As opposed to the sepia-toned halogen lights we had mostly been using for generations of vehicles, LED lights—which are now used for the vast majority of new cars—come out blazing white or blue, “like an omnipresent police flashlight shining at you during a traffic stop.”

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Carve out some time.