Record $3M jackpot cashes at MGM National Harbor in Maryland

OXON HILL, Md.

A poker player is now a millionaire thanks to collecting the biggest jackpot in the history of the MGM National Harbor resort-casino.

Representatives with the property said a card player, John C., was able to get a seven-card straight flush while playing Face Up Pai Gow poker on Mar. 19, which resulted in a $3,040,756.80 jackpot.

The jackpot was piling up since the resort opened in 2016, according to MGM representatives, and it just crossed over the $3 million mark earlier this month.

No immediate word was given on what the lucky man was going to do with his jackpot winnings.

Scientists discover a new form of ice, could be found outside of solar system

Las Vegas, Nev.

Physicists have discovered a new form of ice, something they say redefines the properties of water at high pressures.

A team of scientists working in UNLV’s Nevada Extreme Conditions Lab pioneered a new method for measuring the properties of water under high pressure, according to a recent report from the university.

The scientists at the lab said the water sample was first squeezed between the tips of two opposite-facing diamonds - freezing into several jumbled ice crystals. The ice was then subjected to a laser-heating technique that temporarily melted it before it quickly reformed into a powder-like collection of tiny crystals.

By incrementally raising the pressure and periodically blasting it with the laser beam, the team observed the water ice transition from a known cubic phase, Ice-VII, to the newly discovered intermediate and tetragonal phase Ice-VIIt, before settling into another known phase, Ice-X.

UNLV reports the research team had been working to understand the behavior of high-pressure water that may be present in the interior of distant planets.

Zach Grande, a UNLV graduate student, led the work, which also demonstrated that the transition to Ice-X, when water stiffens aggressively, occurs at much lower pressures than previously thought, according to the university’s report.

“Zach’s work has demonstrated that this transformation to an ionic state occurs at much lower pressures than ever thought before,” said UNLV physicist Ashkan Salamat. “It’s the missing piece and the most precise measurements ever on water at these conditions.”

Researchers said solid water, or ice, forms different solid materials based on variable temperatures and pressure conditions, like carbon creating diamond or graphite. And water is exceptional in this aspect as there are at least 20 solid forms of ice currently known.

It’s unlikely to find this new phase of ice on the surface of Earth, but it is likely a common ingredient within the mantle of Earth and in large moons and water-rich planets outside of our solar system, according to UNLV.

Move over peanut butter, Cinnamon Toast Crunch cinnamon spread is here

A popular cereal brand is expanding beyond the breakfast table as it is transforming into a flavorful spread this month.

B&G Foods announced Monday the launch of Cinnamon Toast Crunch Creamy Cinnamon Spread, something it says can be added to just about anything.

“Cinnamon Toast Crunch Creamy Cinnamon Spread will offer consumers new opportunities to enjoy the flavors of the iconic cereal well beyond breakfast,” said Jordan Greenberg, executive vice president and chief commercial officer with B&G Foods. “Consumers are eager to find new and innovative ways to enjoy their favorite foods and flavors, such as Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal.”

B&G Foods has created recipe ideas for the cinnamon spread that include dessert puffs, cookies, pizza, grilled cheese and more, according to a product press release.

Company representatives said the taste of Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal can be added to bread, fruit, an ingredient in baked goods, a dessert topping or enjoyed with a spoon out of the jar.

“Bringing Cinnamon Toast Crunch to brand fans in this spreadable form felt like a completely new idea, and we’re excited for consumers to experience this new innovation firsthand,” said Astrid Perez Martin, senior brand manager for General Mills.

The cinnamon spread joins Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cinnadust Seasoning Blend that was launched in 2020.

Select Colorado high schools will no longer recognize a class valedictorian

Denver, Colo.

A school district in Colorado plans to do away with valedictorian awards at its high schools in the coming years.

The Cherry Creek School District, about 20 miles outside of Denver, will not give special recognition to students who have earned the highest grade-point average in their class at graduations starting in 2026, according to a letter sent to parents earlier this month.

The newsletter said faculty have found the tradition outdated and inconsistent with what they know and believe of its students and that learning is not a competition.

High school principals with the district said this is a way to help decrease the angst several students face daily by removing unnecessary pressure.

But the district said it would continue to honor those students who receive academic achievements such as the honor roll, GPA honor cords at graduation and more through various other ways.

According to the letter, the Cherry Creek School District consulted counsel to ensure it is in alignment with its decision to eliminate a class valedictorian when it comes to the admission processes of other local schools, colleges and universities.

“At the University of Denver, we are not concerned with schools eliminating class rank or valedictorian recognition, as these are not factors used in our admission process,” wrote Todd Rinehart, vice-chancellor of enrollment with the University of Denver. “Many college and university admission committees stopped considering class rank years ago, as very few high schools still report a class ranking.”

COVID virus can infect inner ear, cause hearing loss, study finds

A recent study found the virus that causes COVID-19 can infect cells of the inner ear, including hair cells, which are critical for both hearing and balance.

In a study of 10 COVID-19 patients who reported a variety of ear-related symptoms, researchers with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Massachusetts Eye and Ear said they found a pattern of infection in human inner ear tissue samples consistent with inner ear problems.

The study said several COVID patients developed issues with their ears - including hearing loss, tinnitus. dizziness and balance problems - which suggests that the SARS-CoV-2 virus may be able to infect the inner ear.

Before the COVID pandemic began, Lee Gehrke, a professor at MIT’s Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, and Konstantina Stankovic, a former associate professor at Harvard Medical School, began working together on a project to develop cellular models to study infections of the inner ear, MIT said.

Viruses such as cytomegalovirus, mumps and hepatitis can all cause deafness, the professors said.

In early 2020, after the SARS-CoV-2 virus emerged, Stankovic said she started to see patients who were experiencing hearing loss, tinnitus and dizziness who had tested positive for COVID.

Gehrke and Stankovic decided to use the model system they were working on to study the COVID infections, MIT said. And their research showed that the virus can infect the inner ear, specifically the hair cells and, to a lesser degree, Schwann cells, cells that keep peripheral nerve fibers alive.

“Having the models is the first step, and this work opens a path now for working with not only SARS-CoV-2 but also other viruses that affect hearing,” Gehrke said.

Nine of the 10 patients suffered from tinnitus, six experienced vertigo and all experienced mild to profound hearing loss.

Possible routes the virus can take to enter the ears include the eustachian tube, which connects the nose to the middle ear.

Stankovic said the virus may also be able to escape from the nose through small openings surrounding the olfactory nerves. That would allow it to enter the brain space and infect cranial nerves, including the one that connects to the inner ear.

“This article provides very compelling evidence that Sars-CoV-2 infects the inner ear, and might be causally related to the hearing and balance symptoms in a number of patients with COVID-19 infection,” said Yuri Agrawal, a professor of otolaryngology, head and neck surgery at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.

Researchers said they hope to use their human cellular models to test possible treatments for the inner ear infections caused by SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses.