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On this day in history, Feb. 12, 1809, Abraham Lincoln is born in Kentucky

February 12, 2023 Published by Fox News

America’s 16th president, Abraham Lincoln, was born in Hodgenville, Kentucky, on this day in history, Feb. 12, 1809.

Lincoln grew up in a poor family, the son of a Kentucky frontiersman — and struggled to become educated, according to whitehouse.gov.

Young Lincoln attended school for only one year until he left to learn independently by reading, History.com reports.

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY, FEB. 11, 1858, OUR LADY OF LOURDES FIRST APPEARS TO ST. BERNADETTE SOUBIROUS

When Lincoln was eight years old, his family moved to Indiana, which he described as a “wild region with many bears and other wild animals still in the woods.”

Lincoln’s mother passed away when he was 10 years old. Young Abe spent the remainder of his childhood with his father and siblings in the family’s Pigeon Creek log cabin, the Indiana Department of Administration reports on its website.

A drawing of the early home of Abraham Lincoln in 19th century Gentryville, Indiana, is shown here. (The Print Collector/Print Collector/Getty Images)

As an adult, Lincoln moved to Illinois, where he worked several different jobs: postmaster, surveyor and shopkeeper.

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY, NOV. 17, 1871, NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION FOUNDED BY CIVIL WAR VETERAN UNION OFFICERS

Lincoln was also a “legendary wrestler” in Illinois due to his impressive physical strength and 6’4″ stature, History.com reports.

Lincoln first entered politics in 1834 when he began serving in the Illinois legislature.

He served in that body until 1842 — the same year he married Mary Todd.

The Lincoln family in a lithograph, from left: Abraham Lincoln, William Lincoln, Robert Lincoln, Mary Todd Lincoln and Thomas Lincoln. The lithograph was published by Kelly and Sons in 1861. (Glasshouse Vintage/Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

He served in Congress from 1847 to 1849 and went on to become an attorney, according to History.com.

In the 1850s, as the nation’s division over slavery grew more intense, Lincoln returned to politics as leader of the Republican Party.

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY, NOV. 21, 1864, ABRAHAM LINCOLN ‘PENS’ LETTER TO MRS. BIXBY

Even though he was considered politically moderate, Lincoln advocated for the restriction of slavery in states where it existed.

Lincoln reminded the nation that “a house divided against itself cannot stand.”

During his run for Senate in 1858, Lincoln reminded the nation that “a house divided against itself cannot stand,” according to History.com.

Abraham Lincoln, 16th president of the United States. His presidential campaign favored abolition but prioritized saving the Union. (Historica Graphica Collection/Heritage Images/Getty Images)

Lincoln lost the Senate seat but gained national recognition for his unified political stance.

In 1860, Lincoln launched his presidential campaign, which favored abolition but prioritized saving the Union.

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY, FEB. 6, 1911, PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN IS BORN IN ILLINOIS

Lincoln won the presidency by 400,000 popular votes about one year before the Civil War began — which was on April 12, 1861, according to Senate.gov.

In 1863, Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing enslaved people in the Confederate states.

President Abraham Lincoln with General George B. McClellan at his headquarters at Antietam, Oct. 3, 1862. From left: General George W. Morell, Colonel Alexander S. Webb, General McClellan, scout Adams, Dr. Jonathan Letterman, unidentified officer, President Lincoln, Colonel Henry Hunt, General Fitz, John Porter, unidentified officer. (Getty Images)

Lincoln’s efforts to abolish slavery earned him the nickname “the Great Emancipator,” despite his initial waffling on the issue at the beginning of the war.

THE GREAT ADVICE OF PRESIDENTS WASHINGTON AND LINCOLN ON PRESIDENT’S DAY

Lincoln was known for entertaining friends and guests with his “dry, folksy wit,” History.com reports.

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He was also a great animal lover and brought a variety of pets into the White House, including a turkey named Jack and a goat named Nanko.

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Although he was likable, Lincoln’s decision to end slavery didn’t sit well with Confederate sympathizers, reportedly leading to his assassination by John Wilkes Booth on April 14, 1865.

Angelica Stabile is a lifestyle writer for Fox News Digital.

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Why California's musical road sounds terrible

February 12, 2023 Published by GrilloCOM Grab

In Lancaster, California, there’s a musical road. When you drive over it, it plays the William Tell Overture. Unfortunately, it’s out of …

Larry Coyer, former Broncos defensive coordinator, dead at 79 from 'sudden illness'

February 12, 2023 Published by Fox News

Former Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Larry Coyer, who helped lead the team to the 2006 AFC championship, died from “a sudden illness,” his family confirmed in a statement Friday.

Coyer, who spent nearly 50 years coaching at both the collegiate or professional level, was 79.

Broncos defensive coordinator Larry Coyer paces the field as players stretch out. (Cyrus McCrimmon/The Denver Post via Getty Images)

“It is with a heavy heart that we announce Larry has passed away today after a sudden illness,” the Coyer family wrote, via the Broncos’ website.

FORMER OHIO STATE STAR DIMITRIOUS STANLEY DEAD AT 48

“Larry was a well-loved man by many, and we are processing this loss.”

The Broncos also released a statement on social media.

“We’re deeply saddened by the passing of former Broncos DC Larry Coyer. A widely respected coach with a distinguished & remarkable 50+year career, Larry was a key part of four Broncos playoff teams & their ‘05 AFC Championship Game berth.

Broncos linebacker coach Larry Coyer before a game against the Seattle Seahawks in Seattle. (Craig F. Walker/The Denver Post via Getty Images)

“Our hearts go out to the Coyer family.”

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Coyer spent seven seasons with the Broncos, first joining the organization as a linebackers coach in 2000. In 2002, he was promoted to defensive coordinator and served in that role another four seasons.

The Broncos made four playoff appearances during Coyer’s tenure that included an AFC championship game, which ended in a loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Defensive coordinator Larry Coyer of the Denver Broncos leads the defense in a practice during minicamp July 7, 2006, at the Paul D. Bowlen Memorial Broncos Center in the Dove Valley Business Park of Englewood, Colo. (Brian Bahr/Getty Images)

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Coyer began his coaching career in 1965 as a defensive backs coach at his alma mater, Marshall University.

He spent several years coaching college football before jumping to the NFL, most recently as the Indianapolis Colts‘ defensive coordinator from 2009 to 2011.

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Here is what we know about the unidentified objects shot down over North America

February 12, 2023 Published by CNN

CNN
—

An unidentified object was shot down over northern Canada on Saturday, marking the third time in a week that US fighter jets have taken down objects in North American airspace.

On Friday, an unidentified object was shot down in Alaska airspace by a US F-22, and last weekend, a Chinese surveillance balloon was taken down by F-22s off the coast of South Carolina.

There’s no indication at this point that the unidentified objects have any connection to China’s surveillance balloon but it seems that national security officials across the continent remain on edge. Airspace was briefly closed over Montana before being quickly reopened on Saturday evening after a radar anomaly prompted a jet to investigate before an all clear was given.

The unidentified object that was shot down in Canadian airspace had been tracked since Friday evening, according to a statement from Pentagon spokesman Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder.

The object was detected by North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), and two F-22 fighter jets from Joint Base Elemendorf-Richardson, Alaska, were sent up to monitor the object with the help of the Alaska Air National Guard.

The object appears to be a “cylindrical object” smaller than the Chinese surveillance balloon that was shot down previously, Canadian Defense Minister Anita Anand said at a news conference on Saturday.

“Monitoring continued today as the object crossed into Canadian airspace, with Canadian CF-18 and CP-140 aircraft joining the formation to further assess the object,” Ryder’s statement said.

US President Joe Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau both approved the shoot down on Saturday, according to a statement from the White House.

“President Biden authorized US fighter aircraft assigned to NORAD to conduct the operation and a US F-22 shot down the object in Canadian territory in close coordination with Canadian authorities,” the White House statement said. “The leaders discussed the importance of recovering the object in order to determine more details on its purpose or origin.”

The object was shot down with a AIM-9X missile from a US F-22 – the same missile and aircraft that shot down an unidentified object on Friday, and the Chinese surveillance balloon on February 4.

“The object was flying at an altitude of approximately 40,000 feet, had unlawfully entered Canadian airspace and posed a reasonable threat to the safety of civilian flight. The object was shot down approximately 100 miles from the Canada-United States border over Canadian territory in central Yukon,” she said.

Ryder’s statement said that while Canadian authorities conduct recovery operations, the FBI will be “working closely with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.”

Saturday’s take down of an unidentified object is the third such incident in one week.

On Friday, an unidentified object was shot down by a US F-22 over Alaskan airspace after it had been monitored by the US since Thursday evening.

Pilots gave different accounts of what they observed after coming near the object, a source briefed on the intelligence told CNN; some pilots said it “interfered with their sensors,” but other pilots said they didn’t experience that.

The object was flying at 40,000 feet, which made it a risk to civilian traffic. That set it apart from the Chinese surveillance balloon, which was traveling “well above commercial air traffic,” Ryder said at the time.

The Chinese balloon was shot down off the coast of South Carolina last Saturday after traveling across the US. Biden administration officials said it posed little intelligence gathering and military risk.

It did, however, pose a risk to people and property on the ground if it were to be shot down, as officials said it was roughly 200 feet tall and the payload weighed more than a couple of thousand pounds.

The US military is still working to recover debris from the balloon on the ocean floor. Ryder said Friday that they have “located a significant amount of debris so far that will prove helpful to our further understanding of this balloon and its surveillance capabilities.”

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Key neurons in mice ‘learn’ to sniff out threats

February 12, 2023 Published by Futurity (National Geo)

Researchers are finding new clues to how the olfactory sensory system aids in threat assessment and have found neurons that “learn” if a smell is a threat.

Whether conscious of it or not, when entering a new space, we use our sense of smell to assess whether it is safe or a threat. In fact, for much of the animal kingdom, this ability is necessary for survival and reproduction.

“We are trying to understand how animals interact with smell and how that influences their behavior in threatening social and non-social contexts,” says senior author Julian Meeks, principal investigator of the Chemosensation and Social Learning Laboratory at the Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience at the University of Rochester.

“Our recent research gives us valuable tools to use in our future work and connects specific sets of neurons in our olfactory system to the memory of threatening smells.”

Sniffing out threats

Smell may guide how the brain responds to a social threat. In mice, the researchers identified a specific set of neurons in the accessory olfactory system that can learn the scent of another mouse that is a potential threat. The research appears in the Journal of Neuroscience.

“We knew that territorial aggression increases in a resident male mouse when it is repeatedly introduced to the same male,” says Kelsey Zuk, first author of the research.

“Previous research has shown this behavior is guided by social smells—our research takes what we know one step further. It identifies where in the olfactory system this is happening. We now know plasticity is happening between the neurons, and the aggression between the male mice may be driven by the memory formed by smell.”

The researchers found that “inhibitory” neurons (nerve cells that act by silencing their synaptic partners) in an area of the brain responsible for interpreting social smells become highly active and change their function when males repeatedly meet and increase their territorial aggression.

By disrupting the neurons associated with neuroplasticity—learning—in the accessory olfactory bulb, the researchers revealed that territorial aggression decreased, linking changes to cellular function in the pheromone-sensing circuity of the brain to changes in behavioral responses to social threats.

“It abolished the ramping aggression that is typically exhibited,” says Zuk. “It indicates that this early sensory inhibitory neuron population plays a critical role in regulating the behavioral response to social smells.”

Unknown smells

Threat assessment also comes when an animal navigates unknown smells. For example, the smell of a predator it has never encountered. In a second paper in eNeuro, researchers found that a novel predator smell, i.e. the smell of a snake to a mouse, caused the animal to engage in a threat assessment behavior—neither acting “fearful” nor “safe.”

“This offers clues into how chemical odors given off by predators stimulate threat assessment in the brain,” says Jinxin Wang, first author of a paper. “Identifying changes in patterns of animal behavior helps us better understand how threatening smells are processed in the brain.”

The researchers used video tracking to observe the movement and posture of mice exploring familiar environments with different odors—like other mice and snakes. Wang and colleagues developed a hybrid machine learning approach that helped them to uncover that mice respond to novel predator odors in ways that were unique and distinguishable from how mice reacted to non-predator odors. These behaviors were neither fearful nor safe but rather a state of assessment.

“These findings offer new clues into how smells impact social behavior and what it may mean for survival, but this study also offers new tools that will propel this science forward,” says Meeks.

“We combined methods that had known limitations to improve the accuracy, information depth, and human-interpretability of the collected data. We think this approach will be valuable for future research into how the blends of chemical odorants given off by predators stimulate threat assessment in the brain.”

Additional coauthors of the Journal of Neuroscience research are from the University of Rochester and the University of Florida. Support for the research came from the National Institutes of Health.

Additional coauthors of the eNeuro research are from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Support for the research came from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.

Source: University of Rochester

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49ers kicker Robbie Gould takes a shot at Eagles’ Jalen Hurts, questions QB’s ability to throw

February 12, 2023 Published by Fox News

The San Francisco 49ers were dominated in the NFC championship game less than two weeks ago.

But some of the Niners’ players are still talking about the 31-7 loss to the Eagles. San Francisco was forced to put in veteran backup quarterback Josh Johnson when rookie starter Brock Purdy suffered an elbow injury early in the first quarter.

All-Pro kicker Robbie Gould not only seems to feel like the injuries ruined the 49ers’ chances of winning, but he was also unimpressed with how the opposing team’s quarterback played in the game.

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San Francisco 49ers kicker Robbie Gould celebrates with fans after an NFC wild-card game against the Dallas Cowboys Jan. 16, 2022, in Arlington, Texas. (Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Gould took a swipe at Pro Bowler Jalen Hurts in an interview with The 33rd Team.

“If you make Jalen Hurts play quarterback, you’re going to have probably a pretty solid day on defense,” Gould said.

Other 49ers players have made their feelings about the game clear. Star running back Christian McCaffrey has also made comments about how the NFC title game played out.

JALEN HURTS DOES NOT HAVE ‘ANYTHING TO PROVE’ IN ORDER TO BE LONG-TERM ANSWER AT QB, EAGLES OWNER SAYS

“It’s tough to win a football game in the NFL without a quarterback, let alone the NFC championship game,” McCaffrey told “PFT Live” earlier this week. “I wish they had changed the rule where you’re allowed to carry three. … I think they should change that. It’s not good for us, obviously. It’s not good for fans watching to not have a quarterback. I hope there’s something they do with that moving forward so that you can stay in the fight.”

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts runs for a touchdown against the New York Giants during the first half of an NFL divisional round playoff game Jan. 21, 2023, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

McCaffrey followed up those comments by mentioning in a separate interview with FanDuel’s Kay Adams that he felt like the NFC title was “stolen” from the 49ers.

Niners wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk has even questioned the Eagles’ defense.

During the game, Johnson suffered a concussion in the third quarter. Purdy was forced to return to the game, but he could not throw a pass and handed the ball off the rest of the game.

Jalen Hurts of the Philadelphia Eagles warms up prior to the NFC championship game against the San Francisco 49ers at Lincoln Financial Field Jan. 29, 2023, in Philadelphia. (Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)

Hurts refined his throwing during the offseason, and the fourth-year quarterback threw for a career-high 3,701 yards over 15 games. He also had a 66.5% completion percentage, his best since he entered the NFL.

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He was still efficient with his legs and rushed for 760 yards. Hurts earned his first Pro Bowl selection and was an MVP candidate most of the season.

Chantz Martin is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.

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What we know about the unidentified object shot down over Alaska

February 12, 2023 Published by CNN

CNN
—

An unidentified object was shot down 10 miles off the frozen coast of Alaska on Friday afternoon, US officials announced, but details about the object are scarce.

US military pilots sent up to examine the object gave conflicting accounts of what they saw, which is part of the reason why the Pentagon has been cautious in describing what the object actually is, according to a source briefed on the intelligence.

The incident marked the second time that US jets had taken down an object in less than a week, following the shooting down of a suspected Chinese spy balloon off the coast of South Carolina last week.

On Saturday, the North American Aerospace Defense Command said it was monitoring “a high altitude airborne object” over northern Canada, and military aircraft are currently operating in the area from Alaska and Canada, according to a news release from the agency.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced shortly after that he ordered the downing of the object.

It’s currently not clear what this object is or whether it has any relation to the Chinese spy balloon or the object shot down over Alaska.

Trudeau said he spoke with President Joe Biden on Saturday and that Canadian forces will lead the object recovery operation.

The object taken down Friday, which officials have not characterized as a balloon, was shot down at 1:45 p.m. EST, according to Pentagon spokesman Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder, who said recovery teams are now collecting the debris that is sitting on top of ice in US territorial waters.

The object “came inside our territorial waters – and those waters right now are frozen – but inside territorial airspace and over territorial waters,” National Security Council coordinator for strategic communications John Kirby told reporters on Friday. “Fighter aircraft assigned to US Northern Command took down the object within last hour.”

Asked about the operation on Friday afternoon, Biden told CNN, “It was a success.”

Here’s a look at what we know so far about the object shot down on Friday.

US President Joe Biden waits on the South Lawn of the White House before welcoming Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Rosangela Janja da Silva in Washington, DC, on February 10, 2023.

F-35 fighter jets were sent up to investigate after the object was first detected on Thursday, according to a US official. Kirby told reporters that the first fly-by of US fighter aircraft happened Thursday night, and the second happened Friday morning. Both brought back “limited” information about the object.

But the pilots later gave differing reports of what they observed, the source briefed on the intelligence said.

Some pilots said the object “interfered with their sensors” on the planes, but not all pilots reported experiencing that.

Some pilots also claimed to have seen no identifiable propulsion on the object, and could not explain how it was staying in the air, despite the object cruising at an altitude of 40,000 feet.

The conflicting eyewitness accounts are partly why the Pentagon has been unable to fully explain what the object is, the source briefed on the matter said.

In a statement Saturday, US Northern Command said the command has no new information to share about the object’s “capabilities, purpose or origin,” but noted that recovery efforts are being affected by Arctic weather conditions, “including wind chill, snow and limited daylight.”

The statement added that “fighter aircraft” downed the “high altitude airborne object” on Friday following an order from Biden and said recovery operations for the remains of the object continue Saturday in coordination with the FBI and local law enforcement.

Kirby said Friday that Biden was first briefed on the object on Thursday evening, as “soon as the Pentagon had enough information.” It “did not appear to be self-maneuvering,” Kirby said.

It’s unclear what the object looks like, or where it came from. On Friday, Ryder said it was traveling north east across Alaska. He declined to provide a physical characterization, only saying that it was “about the size of a small car” and “not similar in size or shape” to the Chinese surveillance balloon that was downed off the coast of South Carolina on February 4.

“We’re calling this an object because that’s the best description we have right now,” Kirby said. “We don’t know who owns it – whether it’s state-owned or corporate-owned or privately-owned, we just don’t know.”

There was not a significant concern about damage to people or property if the object was shot down, which was the primary reason the Chinese surveillance balloon was allowed to traverse the continental US last week.

Ryder also emphasized that officials do not know the origin of the object, which did not appear to be manned and that it was shot down because it posed a “reasonable threat to civilian air traffic” as it was flying at 40,000 feet.

Ultimately, the object was downed near the Canadian border and northeastern Alaska by a F-22 fighter jet out of Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, equipped with an AIM-9X – the same aircraft and missile used to take down the surveillance balloon. A US official said the military waited to shoot the object down during daylight hours to make it easier for the pilots to spot it. Ryder said the mission was “supported with aerial assets from the Alaska Air National Guard.”

The Alaska National Guard and units under US Northern Command, along with HC-130 Hercules, HH-60 Pave Hawk, and CH-47 Chinook are all participating in the effort to recover the object, Ryder said.

Sailors assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group 2 recover a high-altitude surveillance balloon off the coast of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, February 5, 2023.

Officials have given no indication so far that the object is at all related to the Chinese surveillance balloon downed last weekend, debris of which is still being recovered on the Atlantic Ocean floor.

Ryder said Friday that recovery teams have “mapped the debris field” and are “in the process of searching for and identifying debris on the ocean floor.”

“While I won’t go into specifics due to classification reasons,” Ryder said, “I can say that we have located a significant amount of debris so far that will prove helpful to our further understanding of this balloon and its surveillance capabilities.”

When asked Friday if lessons learned about China’s balloon assisted in detecting the object shot down over Alaska, Ryder said it was “a little bit of apples and oranges.”

The object did not appear to have any surveillance equipment, according to a US official, which would make it both smaller and likely less sophisticated than the Chinese balloon shot.

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Team gets closer to pinpointing insomnia’s genetics

February 12, 2023 Published by Futurity (National Geo)

Researchers have identified a new genetic pathway involved in regulating sleep from fruit flies to humans.

The findings could pave the way for new treatments for insomnia and other sleep-related disorders.

“There have been enormous amounts of effort to use human genomic studies to find sleep genes,” says Alex Keene, a geneticist and evolutionary biologist at Texas A&M University.

“Some studies have hundreds of thousands of individuals. But validation and testing in animal models is critical to understanding function. We have achieved this here, largely because we each bring a different area of expertise that allowed for this collaboration’s ultimate effectiveness.”

Keene says the most exciting thing about the team’s work is that they developed a pipeline starting not with a model organism, but with actual human genomics data.

“There is an abundance of human genome-wide association studies (GWAS) that identify genetic variants associated with sleep in humans,” Keene says. “However, validating them has been an enormous challenge. Our team used a genomics approach called variant-to-gene mapping to predict the genes impacted by each genetic variant. Then we screened the effect of these genes in fruit flies.

“Our studies found that mutations in the gene Pig-Q, which is required for the biosynthesis of a modifier of protein function, increased sleep. We then tested this in a vertebrate model, zebrafish, and found a similar effect. Therefore, in humans, flies, and zebrafish, Pig-Q is associated with sleep regulation.”

Keene says the team’s next step is to study the role of a common protein modification, GPI-anchor biosynthesis, on sleep regulation. In addition, he notes that the human-to-fruit flies-to-zebrafish pipeline the team developed will allow them to functionally assess not only sleep genes but also other traits commonly studied using human GWAS, including neurodegeneration, aging, and memory.

“Understanding how genes regulate sleep and the role of this pathway in sleep regulation can help unlock future findings on sleep and sleep disorders, such as insomnia,” says Philip Gehrman, an associate professor of clinical psychology in psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania and a clinical psychologist with the Penn Chronobiology and Sleep Institute.

“Moving forward, we will continue to use and study this system to identify more genes regulating sleep, which could point in the direction of new treatments for sleep disorders.”

Keene’s research within his Center for Biological Clocks Research-affiliated laboratory lies at the intersection of evolution and neuroscience, with primary focus on understanding the neural mechanisms and evolutionary underpinnings of sleep, memory formation, and other behavioral functions in fly and fish models.

Specifically, he studies fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) and Mexican cavefish that have lost both their eyesight and ability to sleep with the goal of identifying the genetic basis of behavioral choices which factor into human disease, including obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.

The research appears in Science Advances. Additional researchers from the University of Pennsylvania and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s contributed to the work.

Funding came from the National Institutes of Health.

Source: Texas A&M University

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SI Swimsuit model Gigi Robinson recalls painful struggles with endometriosis: ‘Nobody believed me’

February 12, 2023 Published by Fox News

It took years to find out what was causing Gigi Robinson debilitating pain every month.

The social media influencer, who was a finalist for the SI Swim Search in 2022, was diagnosed with endometriosis in December.

The condition, in which endometrial tissue grows outside the uterus, impacts one in 10 women of reproductive age, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) noted. It is most often diagnosed in women in their 30s and 40s. An exact cause is not known, and symptoms can include excessive bleeding, severe menstrual cramps that are felt in the abdomen, lower back and pelvic area, as well as fatigue and even infertility.

Gigi Robinson, a model and social media influencer, was diagnosed with endometriosis in December. (Samantha Sybo)

The only way to diagnose endometriosis with certainty is through laparoscopy, a minor surgery, according to endometriosis.org.

SPORTS ILLUSTRATED SWIM SEARCH FINALIST GIGI ROBINSON ON POSING WITH CHRONIC ILLNESS: ‘I’M EMBRACING MYSELF’

“I thought it was my body reacting to my cycle,” the model told Fox News Digital. “That’s what doctors had suspected… And I have always had bad back pain – horrible, awful, awful, awful back pain – three weeks out of the month. And over the past six to eight months, I had a lot of pain in ways that I just didn’t even know were possible. I was like, ‘This is so horrendous.’”

The 24-year-old said she met with several different doctors to find out what was wrong. She said only one suspected it was endometriosis and recommended laparoscopic surgery. A wary Robinson postponed the procedure. Despite the possibility of finally having relief, the idea of going under anesthesia was frightening to her.

Gigi Robinson underwent a laparoscopy, the most common way to diagnose endometriosis. (Samantha Sybo)

“I was getting a little bit of medical anxiety,” she admitted. “I wanted to be certain if I was doing the surgery that it was with purpose… But we did it, and we found [endometriosis]. It has been very interesting comprehending all that.”

“Something I always talk about is… being your own best advocate,” Robinson explained. “What would your mom, your spouse, or your best friend say to the doctor if they saw you in that much pain? That’s how you have to speak about yourself… I downplayed my pain a lot of the time… I wondered, ‘doesn’t it hurt all women sometimes?’ I just thought it was normal… But I’m now seeing a glimmer of hope.”

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Robinson has been healing from the surgical procedure. However, she noted that the experience has left her “feeling anger and frustration.”

Gigi Robinson said it took years of struggling with pain before she was properly diagnosed with endometriosis. (Samantha Sybo)

“It’s like nobody believed me, I was right,” she explained. “I kept advocating for myself. I kept pushing and it still took this long. [But] I’m at a place where I can finally, hopefully, heal. I’m starting to feel like doing certain things doesn’t hurt when it used to. And that’s huge… It’s been great. I feel great today. [After the surgery], it took two and a half weeks for me to start to feel like myself again.”

In 2022, the social media influencer was chosen from thousands of submissions to be flown to the Dominican Republic and be photographed by acclaimed photographer Yu Tsai. (Getty Images)

In 2022, Robinson was chosen among thousands of submissions to be flown to the Dominican Republic and be photographed by acclaimed SI Swimsuit photographer Yu Tsai. Her photo was featured in the 2022 issue, which included cover girls Kim Kardashian, Maye Musk, Ciara and Yumi Nu.

Robinson described the experience as “one of the greatest joys of my life.”

SI SWIM MODEL VICTORIA VESCE RECALLS OVERCOMING ‘NIGHTMARE’ BRAIN TUMOR: ‘I HAD EVERY SYMPTOM IN THE BOOK’

“It truthfully gave so many people – so many women – hope,” she said. “It’s changing the way that we’re looking at bodies, and we’re accepting bodies in all industries, especially one that’s so intimate, like swim. It showed me posing there without going on a crazy diet or without doing all the body sculpting… By the way, we only had 10 days to prepare [for it]… I wanted to set an example and show that if you’re dealing with a health issue, mental health issue, a body image issue, you could show up as you are and wear the damn bikini and love it and have a fun time and feel super sexy and hot. And I feel like I succeeded in doing that.”

Robinson noted that the experience allowed her to raise awareness on coping with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. The connective tissue disorder causes chronic pain and makes one prone to bruises and injuries that can be slow to heal. Robinson received her diagnosis when she was 11 years old.

“It has unleashed this wave of acceptance within the chronically ill community to show up as you are and be OK with it,” said Robinson about posing for the magazine. “And it’s just been incredible to get some of these messages from people all around the world. It was a moment where I felt like I needed to do this, and I did it… [The issue was] the true manifestation of being there, speaking out, using my voice. And I did it. I’m just really grateful that Sports Illustrated Swimsuit saw that in me.”

Gigi Robinson was a finalist in the 2022 SI Swim Search. (Samantha Sybo)

The first swimsuit issue ran in 1964. It has been a launching pad for models such as Kathy Ireland, Christie Brinkley, Elle Macpherson, Kate Upton and Ashley Graham.

CHRISTIE BRINKLEY, 68, DISPLAYS HER YOUTHFUL LEGS IN TURKS AND CAICOS: ‘MAY 2023 BE FULL OF HAPPY DAYS’

Over the years the issue has tried to stay fresh with painted bikinis, plus-sized models, unedited photos, tiny swimsuits, amputee models, older models and the addition of professional athletes and celebrities in relationships.

In 2018, the issue acknowledged the #MeToo movement by featuring the likes of gymnast Aly Raisman and model Sailor Brinkley Cook posing nude with words like “Every voice matters,” ″Survivor” and “Abuse is never OK.”

Gigi Robinson is hoping her story will encourage others to seek answers from their doctors. (Samantha Sybo)

Today, Robinson hopes to use her platform in raising awareness of a personal health battle many women can identify with. Olivia Culpo, who previously appeared in SI Swimsuit, has also spoken out about her struggles with endometriosis.

As part of her healthy lifestyle, Gigi Robinson has given up alcohol – and she does not miss it. (Samantha Sybo)

“I think in general we are getting more and more comfortable talking about health issues and normalizing them online,” Robinson explained. “And in doing so, I think it gives people with the platform responsibility to share [their experiences] because it makes others feel less alone in their journey. And it could also inspire them to take direct action to get help. It could potentially lead to a diagnosis… We have to trust our intuition, right? My intuition told me to keep pushing no matter what. And so, I did, even if it took this long. Endometriosis can affect your fertility, your relationships. Therefore, I think speaking out about something so personal and so intimate and so serious is important. It will allow others to feel less alone and fight for answers. And this applies to all health issues.”,

SPORTS ILLUSTRATED SWIMSUIT UNVEILS NEWEST ROOKIE MELISSA WOOD-TEPPERBERG, 40, A MOM OF TWO

These days, Robinson is looking forward to a healthier happier future. About two years ago, she decided to stop drinking.

Gigi Robinson said she was determined to seek answers after struggling with painful endometriosis every month. (Samantha Sybo)

“I was just like, ‘I don’t know if I really need this in my life,’” she recalled. “If I’m already dealing with all these health issues, I don’t want to exacerbate them. I don’t want to put my body in a state of stress. It felt like I was gaining more control over my health, even though I’ve never had an issue with alcohol to start with. [But] it’s not good for your gut health, and it’s not good for your body… Think about how you feel when you’re hungover… Why would I put my body through that if I don’t have to? It was a personal choice. I did for a month and then for three… It felt easy… I would much rather have a mocktail and enjoy everyone’s presence intentionally and honestly, and have lucid conversations… I would say, if you are sober curious, try it out.”

“It feels freeing to talk about my experiences,” said Robinson. “I hope others will feel encouraged to use their voices, too.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Stephanie Nolasco covers entertainment at Foxnews.com.

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Tennis player Alexander Bublik smashes three racquets during loss

February 12, 2023 Published by CNN

CNN
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Breaking one racquet is unfortunate, destroying three might be considered foolish. Frustration got the better of Alexander Bublik as the tennis player sensationally lost his cool during a first-round match in Montpellier, France.

The 25-year-old was competing at the Open Sud de France as defending champion. He surprisingly lost the first set, but bounced back to take the match against the unseeded Gregoire Barrere to a deciding third set.

Alexander Bublik's title defense ended in defeat.

Bublik, the world number 50, promisingly moved 4-2 ahead in the third set, but then things started to unravel for the sixth seed. In the tiebreak, with Bublik coughing up three double faults and falling 6-0 behind, his composure failed him and he smashed his racquet on the court five times.

He then walked to his bag to get another racquet, which he also proceeded to whack on the floor. Not quite done, he grabbed another racquet and repeatedly banged that one on the court.

Unsurprisingly, he was warned for racquet abuse.

His title defense came to an early end as Barrere advanced to the second round with a 6-4 6-7 (12) 7-6 (3) victory, with Bublik’s 14 double faults proving costly.

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