Amanda Wernik

Atascadero is getting its first cancer care center in July. The new UCLA Cancer Care Center will soon bring world-class treatment to North San Luis Obispo County. The center will specialize in cancer, blood disorders, leukemia and lymphoma. Right now, North County patients often drive up to 40 minutes to UCLA’s San Luis Obispo location– or nearly two hours to the next closest location in Salinas.

A UC Santa Barbara study shows that people can boost their curiosity by doing small daily activities. Scientists wanted to know if simple behaviors could lead to lasting changes in personality– specifically, the trait of curiosity. The researchers created a smartphone app designed to encourage a curious mindset. Over three weeks, the app prompted study participants to engage in daily behaviors to spark curiosity, such as asking questions or engaging with art.

A new COVID-19 variant known for causing a severe sore throat is spreading quickly in California. The variant, called Nimbus, is now the second most common variant in the state– and the fastest growing, according to California’s Health Data Tracker . It shares typical COVID symptoms like fever and cough, but some patients have reported severely dry and cracked throats. The World Health Organization said there is no evidence Nimbus causes more severe illness than other variants.