Ray Blanco:

Glow-in-the-Dark Axolotls Reveal a Clue in the Mystery of Limb Regeneration

A tiny creature with frilly gills, a polite smile and glowing green skin just gave scientists a major clue to solve one of biology’s biggest mysteries: limb regeneration.

Aquatic salamanders called axolotls are known for their unusual ability to regrow limbs lost to injury or amputation. Now, researchers have uncovered more about the complex process behind this superpower in a new study published Tuesday in Nature Communications.

“A longstanding question in the field has been, what are the cues that tell cells at the injury site to grow back just the hand, for example, or to grow back an entire arm,” said senior study author James Monaghan, a professor of biology and director of the Institute for Chemical Imaging of Living Systems at Northeastern University.

It turns out a substance called retinoic acid that’s commonly found in retinol acne treatments is responsible for signaling what body parts an axolotl’s injured cells should regenerate — and how, the study found.

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Enrique Abeyta:

The Bitcoin Standard

Bitcoin is having a moment. The world’s leading crypto has now held above $100,000 for over 30 days straight for the first time ever.

Not long ago, Bitcoin hitting six figures in the first place seemed unthinkable to many investors, let alone finding support at that level. But now, Bitcoin’s status as an asset class and store of value can no longer be ignored.

What’s interesting is that Bitcoin isn’t rising alone. Its recent surge has coincided with a bull market for gold, which is up roughly 29% year-to-date.

Consider gold's history: the metal has held value for thousands of years, but was really only adopted as a primary currency about 150 years ago. That period lasted roughly 100 years. At that point, it was replaced by the U.S. dollar, which has held a dominant position for the last 75 years.

I’m not suggesting that gold or the dollar will collapse. But history shows that what seems stable today can shift quickly, and something new can rise in its place. That’s what makes Bitcoin’s rise so compelling.

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James Altucher:

BlackRock Drives $412M Bitcoin ETF Inflows Amid Israel-Iran Conflict

U.S. spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) recorded $412.2 million in net inflows on Monday, extending their streak to six days and pushing total cumulative inflows to $46.04 billion.

The six-day run of inflows began on June 9 and has now absorbed over $1.8 billion in capital, according to data from SoSoValue. The run has continued despite escalating geopolitical tensions, including renewed conflict between Iran and Israel.

Daily contributions included $386.27 million on June 9, followed by a $431.12 million surge on June 10. Despite a slight dip mid-week, inflows rebounded sharply with $322.60 million on Friday and the most recent $412.2 million on Monday.

Total net assets across all U.S. Bitcoin ETFs have reached $132.5 billion, representing 6.13% of Bitcoin’s total market cap. Trading volume remained strong as well, with $3.12 billion in value exchanged on Monday alone.

BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) led the charge, which recorded a $266.60 million net inflow on Monday and has now accumulated $50.03 billion.

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