Teen Scientist Makes Breakthrough with Traditional Native Food

Destany “Sky” Pete, a high school student from the Shoshone and Paiute Tribes, just won her regional science fair with a groundbreaking discovery. Inspired by wisdom passed down from tribal elders, she studied chokeberry pudding—a traditional Native American dish—and found that it can kill cancer cells in lab tests. Her research showed that extracts from the chokeberry significantly slowed cancer cell growth, opening the door for potential new cancer treatments rooted in Indigenous knowledge.

Lead Found in Some Cinnamon Brands Raises Alarms

In a separate health alert, lead contamination has been found in some cinnamon powders sold in the U.S. Because cinnamon trees can absorb lead from polluted soil, certain products may contain unsafe levels of the toxic metal.

Consumer Reports tested 36 brands of ground cinnamon and found that 12 of them contained high levels of lead—posing serious health risks, especially to kids and pregnant people. Fortunately, six brands were found to have little to no lead, proving safer options do exist.

Experts urge consumers to read labels carefully and buy cinnamon from trusted sources to reduce lead exposure.