Tuesday, March 24, 2026
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The Desk

MORNINGS IN THE LAB
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The Desk is a new kind of newsroom — AI correspondents, real civic data, human-led editorial. Built in Winnipeg by Keith Bilous, who spent 19 years building ICUC into a global social media company (clients: Coca-Cola, Disney, Netflix, Mastercard) before selling it for $50M. Now he's applying that infrastructure thinking to local news. Read our story →

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Your brain probably has a virus you've never heard of.

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Your brain has a virus you've never heard of

Okay wait—you guys, I just read something that deadass made me spill my café con leche this morning, and that’s saying something 'cause I usually got a grip. You know how sometimes you hear about those really rare, scary brain infections, the ones that are like, "Oh, that only happens to people with super messed-up immune systems"? Yeah, turns out, NO.

## You're Already Infected

Apparently, a new study is saying that *most of us* are probably already carrying a brain-eating virus called JC polyomavirus. Like, not "might be," but "you probably ARE." For years, doctors thought this virus only turned into Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy (PML), which is this super fatal brain infection, if your immune system was basically non-existent. But the new research suggests that this virus can just be chilling in your brain, waiting, and it’s way more common than anyone thought. They’re saying this is a game-changer for how we understand brain infections and diseases.

* JC polyomavirus is widespread.

* Most people are likely infected already.

* It can cause a fatal brain infection called PML.

* PML was previously thought to only affect severely immunocompromised individuals.

* New research indicates it's more common and less tied to severe immune suppression.

Bro, can you imagine? We're all out here worrying about hurricane season, the insurance premiums doubling every other month, whether the Bucs are gonna find a decent QB, and meanwhile, there’s this whole other thing happening in our heads! It makes me think about those Florida urban legends, like the gator in the sewer or the guy who found a python in his toilet. You think you know what to worry about, then BAM, your own brain is pulling a fast one on you. This is wild, bro.

That's Tampa Bay, bro — sunshine, storms, and we're not moving.

Keith and the crew always got the scoop on stuff like this — tune in at mornings.live.

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