theSkimm - Do what you like, you've been too nice

“From Day 1: Sill and Bill”

— Nicole Richie, teasing a reunion with Paris Hilton for an all-new reality TV series. They’re about to show Gen Zers what Y2K really means.

Top Story

Opal Sandy, who was born completely deaf because of a rare genetic condition, and can now hear unaided for the first time after receiving ground-breaking gene therapy at 11-months-old, at her home in Eynsham, Oxfordshire

All Ears

The Story

The first patient in a pioneering gene therapy trial had her hearing restored.

Tell me more.

Opal Sandy, an 18-month-old from the UK, was born deaf due to auditory neuropathy, a condition caused by a faulty gene that doesn’t allow the ear to communicate sound to the brain properly. As part of the trial, researchers injected a harmless virus with a working copy of the gene into Opal’s ear. After nearly six months, clinicians said she had almost normal hearing, even the ability to hear whispers. She can now respond to her parents’ voices and has started saying “Dada,” and “bye-bye.” Experts say they’re hopeful this gene therapy could work for many types of hearing loss.

What do you mean?

About one in 500 babies are born with hearing loss or develop it in early childhood, and roughly half of those cases are caused by genetics, according to the CDC. The trial, which began last year, will continue to enroll patients under the age of 18 from the UK, the US, and Spain. They will be followed for up to five years to see how much their hearing has improved. Meanwhile, doctors in other countries, including China, are working on similar treatments for deafness caused by the gene variation that Opal has.

theSkimm

The first results from an international trial aimed at treating hearing loss through gene therapy showed groundbreaking and better than expected results. Now, experts say this type of treatment could be a game changer for genetic deafness.

Related Stories:

And Also...This

What’s ruffling people’s feathers…

Lab-grown meat. Alabama is following in Florida's footsteps and has become the second state in the country to ban the sale, distribution, and manufacturing of cultivated meat. In recent years, companies have been experimenting with different ways to grow meat in a lab, offering a cruelty-free and possibly climate-friendly alternative. Last year, the Department of Agriculture cleared lab-grown meat for sale in the US, but it is still far from being available in grocery stores. Lawmakers who support the bans say they want to protect the future of farms and ranchers in America. However, supporters of lab-grown meat say people should be given the right to choose whether or not they want to buy the product. Other states like Arizona and Tennessee are considering similar bans.

Where the rules could be changing…

The US-Mexico border. Yesterday, the Biden administration announced a new rule aimed at streamlining the asylum process along the southern border. The move by the Department of Homeland Security would allow immigration officials to more quickly reject asylum seekers who are suspected of committing serious crimes, having links to terrorism, or posing any other danger. Currently, an immigration judge decides these types of asylum cases, but that can take years. The new rule could expedite the process so it only takes days. The change still has to go through a public comment period before it can go into effect. The measure comes as immigration has become a sore point for President Biden ahead of the November election.

What has a message for dog parents…

The CDC. This week, the agency announced tighter restrictions for anyone looking to bring a dog into the US, in an effort to help prevent the spread of rabies. For anyone who falls in love with a dog while vacationing, the pup must appear healthy, be at least six months old, have a microchip, and a valid rabies vaccine. The CDC also wants to know where the dog has been for six months before coming to the US. Otherwise, the dog could be quarantined for 28 days. These rules also apply to anyone who decides to travel abroad with their dog.

Add to cart

Together with

Wanna try “skin flooding” (aka layering products for extra hydration)? Get Medik8’s:

Hyaluronic acid-filled rehydration serum.

It’s clinically proven to hydrate both instantly and over time.

Buy now

Best-selling peptides serum that’s like Botox in a bottle.

It not only visibly plumps skin, but reduces wrinkles too.

Shop to it

Medik8 total moisture daily facial cream

New peptide-powered daily moisturizer that instantly plumps skin.

And supports skin barrier function. Not a want, but a need.

Yes, please

PS: Use code SKIMM15 for 15% off your first purchase.

Skimm Picks

Here are today’s recs to help you live a smarter life…

A last-minute gift mom will never forget.

Live events = experiences she’ll treasure for years to come. And Event Tickets Center can help you score tickets to games, matches, concerts, festivals, plays…whatever your mom’s into. Use code THESKIMM10 for 10% off.*

Shop tickets

A super sleek, extremely effective water filter pitcher.

This hand-blown glass pitcher filters out bacteria, parasites, PFAS, and 30+ other contaminants...and improves taste. Phew. Plus every purchase provides a year of safe water to a child in need. Use code SKIMM20 for 20% off.^†*

Try It

Delicious, human-grade food your pup will thank you for.

Out: burnt, brown pellets. In: fresh, healthy food made from real meat and veggies. Did we mention the pre-portioned recipes are delivered riiiight to your door? Psst…Skimm’rs get 60% off their first box.*

Order up

Three books our Skimm Reads editors just binged.

"Nora Goes Off Script" by Annabel Monaghan, "The Familiar" by Leigh Bardugo, and "The Partner Plot" by Kristina Forest. Buy now and cancel your weekend plans.

Read on

25% off shorts at Abercrombie.

Until Monday, get a discount on all Abercrombie shorts (we think these high-rise cutoffs are perfect). Plus, everything else on the site is 15% off.

Shop the sale

Psst…love our recs? Follow @skimmshopping on Instagram for more products, gifts, and services that are actually worth the hype (and the price tag).

Game Time

Unleash your competitive side with today’s games and puzzles. Choose from an anagram word search, digital jigsaw puzzle, or crossword (with a twist). Better yet: Try them all.

Meet Us On The Leaderboard

Flipart | Spelltower | Crossword | Typeshift

Join Skimm Well

women spend 25% more time in poor health than men. according to the world economic forum and the mckinsey health institute

Women lack the time, resources, and support to focus on getting the care we need — and it’s impacting our health. Skimm Well can help. We make it easy for you to stay up-to-date with the latest wellness news, expert-backed tips, and resources so you can take charge of your health.

Subscribe now

Skimm'rs

We like to celebrate the wins, big and small. Let us know how your friends, neighbors, coworkers (and yes, even you) are making career moves, checking off goals, or making an impact in the community.

(Some) Birthdays…theSkimm's Olva Timorry (MA), Trudie Perkins (NY), Jennifer Mitchell (MI), Brittany Adam (SC), Leda Anderson (MA), Allison Keenan (NC), Jeffrey Theusch (FL), Manav Sidhu (CA), Kathryn Curtis (NJ), Ethan Karas (NY), Doris Grillo (OH), Paula Minell (MN), Cate Caldwell (IL), Melanie Platt (GA), Jill Spry (TN), Kathryn Maguire (NY)

PS: Paging all members of theSkimm. Reach out here for a chance to be featured.