by Alexa Erickson, Collective Evolution

There’s no doubt that humans have made quite an impact on Planet Earth, especially due to global development. Now, scientists have identified an explosion of newly formed minerals created as a direct result of our influence on the chemical makeup of the planet.

What’s most intriguing about this is that never before has a species defined their existence by creating new, naturally forming minerals.

“This is a spike of mineral novelty that is so rapid – most of it in the last 200 years, compared to the 4.5bn year history of Earth. There is nothing like it in Earth’s history,” study team member Robert Hazen from the Carnegie Institution for Science told The Guardian. “This is a blink of an eye, it is just a surge and of course we are only seeing the tip of the iceberg.”

By: Jason Ditz, AntiWar 

The House of Representatives today voted 371-48, with massive majorities in both parties, in favor of another $578 billion military spending bill to cover the remainder of fiscal year 2017. The bill now moves on to the Senate, where it again is expected to easily pass.

The exact meaning of the figures is a little difficult to understand this time around, because Congress had already passed a military spending bill for fiscal year 2017 back in December, which was $611 billion. That bill was only ever intended to be a fraction of what was to be spent, aiming to give way to a second “emergency” bill before April, which is today’s bill, which would cover the rest of the year. That said, there is a lot of overlap between the two and the overall budget is not just a matter of adding the two together.

Indeed, the $578 billion one voted on today probably will be bigger by the time it gets signed, with President Trump seeking to add another $30 billion, which is meant to be a first step toward what he promises will be a 9% increase in spending in fiscal year 2018.

by Mae Chan, PreventDisease.com

Researchers at the University of Virginia School of Medicine have reversed depression symptoms in mice by feeding them Lactobacillus, a probiotic bacteria found in live-cultures yogurt. Further, they have discovered a specific mechanism for how the bacteria affect mood, providing a direct link between the health of the gut microbiome and mental health.

There are over 400 species of bacteria in your belly right now that can be the key to health or disease.

Broken down, the word probiotic means "for life" or "promoting life." While it sounds good, you still may wonder: are probiotics just another gimmick, or is there some science behind mental health benefits?

Based on their findings, the researchers are optimistic that their discovery will hold true in people and are planning to confirm their findings in patients with depression.