Gloria Steinem, the journalist, activist and organizer who became the most recognizable face of the U.S. women's movement, died Wednesday at 92.
The big picture: Steinem resisted being cast as feminism's singular face, but for six decades she carried its ideas into mainstream America across its second and third waves.
Steinem made the personal political: An illegal abortion at 22 preceded decades of fighting first to legalize abortion and then to defend that right.
Brain implants like those being developed by Elon Musk's Neuralink are becoming the latest friction point in the intensifying U.S.-China rivalry in the life sciences.
Why it matters: The devices are bringing new hope to patients with strokes, Parkinson's disease and other neurological conditions. And tech billionaires have fueled advances by pouring billions into biotech startups focused on linking the brain with computers.
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, International Database; Chart: Noah Bressner/Axios
People 65 and older now outnumber children ages 5 and younger worldwide for the first time in recorded history, according to a new report by the U.S. Census.
Why it matters: A global plunge in fertility — demographers' term for the number of children being born — and increased longevity are creating a demographic inversion that's projected to deepen for decades.
It's a trend that's shifting the historic balance between working-age people and older adults.
The last baby boomers turn 65 by the end of the decade, a major demographic milestone that's projected to have a cascading effect on hospitals' ability to meet the demand for care.
Why it matters: It's shaping up to be a perfect storm for health systems: older patients with more needs, skimpier reimbursements, a smaller labor force to pull from and less appetite among lawmakers to provide financial relief.
