Your Must-See News Headlines for Today, June 21

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Take another look at your bottled water before you drink. Two brands sold at Walmart and Whole Foods contain high levels of a toxic chemical, according to researchers.

Scientists are saying that our cellphones may be causing humans to develop bone spurs at the base of our skulls that look like a horn. And a bride shares the back story about why her mother-in-law wore a wedding dress for the big day.

Here’s what you need to know in your daily roundup:


TOP STORY: Researchers Found High Levels of Arsenic in Two Bottled Water Brands

Check the brand name on that water bottle before you drink it. Researchers at the Center for Environmental Health have found high levels of arsenic in two popular brands sold at Walmart, Target and Whole Foods. The two brands are Starkey, which is also owned by Whole Foods, and Peñafiel, which is owned by Keurig Dr. Pepper.

Scientists say the bottled water from Peñafiel and Starkey contain more arsenic than tap water, and more than the Food & Drug Administrations deems safe. A separate study by Consumer Reports earlier this year reached the same conclusion. Keurig Dr. Pepper temporarily suspended production while it made changes to its filtration system. The FDA has not issued a recall.

We all consume some arsenic in our daily lives because groundwater contains arsenic, as well as foods including rice and seafood. But too much of it can increase the risk of developing severe health problems such as cancer and heart disease.

Senior scientist Caroline Cox from the Center for Environmental Health said in a statement, “Bottled water companies need to take the necessary steps to remove this toxic metal from their products, and retailers should stop selling them now. Until those conditions are met, we recommend consumers avoid purchasing Whole Foods’ Starkey and Dr. Pepper’s Peñafiel.”

The organization chief executive officer, Michael Green, added in the news release, “Consumers are being needlessly exposed to arsenic without their knowledge or consent. Customers typically purchase bottled water at exorbitantly high costs with the assumption that it is safer and healthier to drink than tap water, unaware that they are ingesting an extremely toxic metal linked to birth defects and cancer.”


OFF-BEAT: Human Beings May Be Developing a Horn Because of Our Cellphones

Our cellphones are altering our anatomy. At least, that’s what researchers in Australia found in a recent study. Scientists say they have found evidence that younger generations are developing bone spurs on the back of the skull just above the neck.

In the x-ray, it sort of looks like a horn. The scientists examined the x-rays from about 1,200 people and found this bone spur to be more prominent, and larger, among younger people.

The researchers at the University of the Sunshine Coast in Queensland say our cellphones are to blame. We tilt our heads forward to look at the screen. This motion adds pressure to the back of the head and is causing bone growth. However, the authors of the study added that improved posture may prevent the bone spur from developing.


WHAT’S BUZZING THAT HAS EVERYONE TALKING: Halsey’s ‘Rolling Stone’ Cover Has Some Fans Doing a Double Take

The singer Halsey frequently changes up her look. She wears various wigs and bright eye makeup. She sported a red dress and waist-length hair for the Met Gala on May 6, and then attended an awards event a few weeks later wearing a shimmery suit with very short hair.

But for her new “Rolling Stone” cover, Halsey decided for a much more natural look. It’s her own hair, her armpits are unshaven, and there is little makeup. The image has been met with mostly positive reactions on social media, with fans praising Halsey for demonstrating that women are not always clean-shaven and slamming those who called it disgusting.

Some fans did express confusion over her skin color and thought she looked darker than usual. But Halsey is in fact biracial. Her mother is white and her father is African-American. Halsey told Playboy in a 2017 interview that even though she is “white-passing,” she is a black woman.

Halsey.


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CHECK THIS OUT: The Bride’s Mother-in-Law Wore a Wedding Dress to the Ceremony

Author Amy Pennza shared the above photo on social media in a response to comedian Jimmy Fallon’s request for #weddingfail pictures. Pennza wrote, “My mother-in-law wore a wedding dress to my wedding. So, yeah, top that one, Twitter.”

Pennza later revealed the back story in a series of tweets, explaining why she had not been angry with her mother-in-law for showing up in a white dress on her big day. Pennza explained that her mother-in-law grew up in extreme poverty and has always been careful with money.

Pennza wrote, “Her money-saving strategies are legend—and often hilarious. At family gatherings, we amuse ourselves telling stories of crazy sh*t she’s done to save money. For example, she takes the olives and celery out of a Bloody Mary and saves them for salads… When she spotted The Dress at an incredible bargain, she couldn’t turn it down. If you ask her now, she says she feels terrible about it. Although, she also told me, ‘I think I’ve still got it. We should raffle it off.’

She’s frugal. But she’s also incredibly generous. When my twins were newborns, she drove across town every night, slept on the sofa, and did three feedings. For two babies. Every night for months… So, yeah, the wedding dress was a shock. But it gave me a pretty funny memory.”

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