Amazing World

Baby elephants have an adorable and heartwarming habit — they often suck on their trunks for comfort, much like human babies suck their thumbs. This behavior usually starts when they are very young and helps them feel calm, safe, and secure.

In the wild, elephant calves are highly dependent on their mothers and the herd for protection. When they feel nervous, tired, or unsure, sucking their trunks can soothe them. It’s a natural self-comforting action that helps regulate stress and emotions. Just like thumb-sucking in children, most baby elephants gradually outgrow this habit as they become more confident and independent.

Elephants are incredibly social and emotionally intelligent animals. The bond between a mother elephant and her calf is especially strong, and physical closeness plays a big role in a calf’s development. Small behaviors like trunk-sucking remind us that across species, the need for comfort, safety, and connection is universal.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday announced a comprehensive review of a widely used synthetic preservative found in packaged foods, signaling a broader push to reexamine chemicals that have long been permitted in the American food system.

As part of the effort, the FDA requested detailed information from manufacturers about their use of Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA) and asked whether current scientific research still supports its safety in foods and food-contact materials.

BHA is an artificial antioxidant designed to slow the spoilage of fats and oils. It is commonly used to extend shelf life in food products, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, animal feed, and other consumer goods.

This review falls under a program launched by the FDA in 2025 aimed at reassessing chemicals that have remained in use for decades without updated safety evaluations. Consumer health groups have long urged regulators to take a closer look at BHA, which the agency had previously flagged during reforms to its post-market chemical review process.

“This reassessment signals the end of the ‘trust us’ approach to food safety,” Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said in a statement. He noted that BHA has continued to be used despite the National Toxicology Program classifying it as “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen” based on animal studies.

The preservative can be found in products such as breakfast cereals, frozen meals, cookies, candy, ice cream, and certain processed meats. While overall use has declined in recent years, regulators say it remains prevalent in foods marketed toward children.

FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said the agency plans to conduct similar evaluations of other substances, including butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and azodicarbonamide—a chemical used in yoga mats and also as a dough conditioner.

In addition, the FDA said it is moving to strengthen its “Generally Recognized as Safe” (GRAS) framework to improve transparency and oversight of chemicals added to foods without prior FDA approval.

Spears, 44, sold her catalog to music publisher Primary Wave. Citing legal documents dated December, TMZ was first to report on Tuesday, Feb. 10, that the pop star sold her ownership stake in her catalog, which includes hits such as "Toxic" and "Baby One More Time."

Spears has not offered further details on upcoming live performances in either the United Kingdom or Australia, and there are no announcements on her official website or other social media pages.