Try This: 3 Big Shares for Your Week

Today, I have three shares you need to know about: 

1. Whistleblowers shed light on a hidden toxin many of us will be exposed to while traveling. 

2. We’re talking about the vitamin you might already be taking that could protect you against skin cancer.

3. How new technology can radically improve life expectancy in America. 

Let’s get into it!

Toxic Fumes Are Leaking onto Airplanes (Making Crew and Passengers Sick)

The Wall Street Journal did an exposé on toxic fumes on planes, and it was deeply troubling.

It’s kind of crazy, but sometimes air that passes through the engine—getting exposed to chemical solvents en route—makes its way to the main cabin. This not only gives off a funky smell, but it can have some serious health consequences.

I don’t expect everyone to read the full article, but I thought a few of the key points were worth highlighting here for Try This readers because I know you care about toxic exposure.

1. Airplane fumes can cause brain injuries as severe as NFL concussions: Doctors treating flight attendants and pilots have compared the neurological damage from fume exposure to concussions suffered by pro football players. One neurologist has treated over 100 crew members for brain injuries linked to toxic cabin air.

2. The problem is accelerating, especially on Airbus A320s: Fume events per million flights jumped from about 12 in 2014 to nearly 108 in 2024. At JetBlue and Spirit, both of which heavily use Airbus A320s, incidents spiked 660 percent between 2016 and 2024 after Airbus loosened maintenance rules to save money.

3. Crews and passengers have literally passed out mid-flight: Pilots have collapsed in cockpits, and attendants have needed emergency oxygen after being overcome by fumes. One JetBlue pilot, Andrew Myers, collapsed into a jetway after testing a plane and was permanently disabled from the exposure.

4. The chemicals involved include former nerve agents of warfare: FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) safety inspectors have flagged that modern jet oils contain organophosphates, the same family of chemicals once used as nerve agents. These toxins can pass unfiltered into cabin air. 

5. The FAA and airlines are vastly underreporting incidents: Official FAA data suggested ~330 fume events in 2024. But internal airline records show the real number may be closer to 800 per million departures—more than 20 times higher than the FAA’s 2015 estimate.

6. Regulators and manufacturers downplayed the risks—on purpose: Internal Boeing and Airbus documents reveal executives feared public outrage if people realized cabin fumes could “make aircrew sick to the point of death.” Yet instead of redesigning systems, Airbus even loosened inspection rules.

7. Fume-related toxins exceed safety limits in tests: FAA-funded studies found chemicals like formaldehyde (a carcinogen), tridecane (causes stupor), and tributyl phosphate (a neurotoxin) in cabin air at levels above worker safety thresholds, but the findings were downplayed.

8. The only modern plane that avoids this risk is the Boeing 787: Nearly every jetliner since the 1950s has used “bleed air” from engines for cabin air. The 787 is the first to use a separate system that avoids engine oil contamination. Boeing marketers initially debated whether to even highlight this, fearing it would raise questions about their other models. Yikes!!

Manufacturers are finally working on design fixes, and some airlines are stepping up maintenance. The more people know about this, the more they will demand from the airlines. Let’s hope things change ASAP.

The Vitamin That Protects Us from Skin Cancer

New research suggests that nicotinamide (a form of vitamin B3) may significantly lower the risk of non-melanoma skin cancers, especially in people who’ve already had one. 

In a large study, people who took 500 mg of nicotinamide twice a day for at least a month saw their overall risk drop by about 14 percent. 

But here’s something even wilder: for those who started after their first skin cancer diagnosis, the risk dropped by more than 50 percent.

The strongest benefit showed up for squamous cell carcinomas, though basal cell cancers also declined.

A few things to keep in mind:

• The evidence is strongest in people with a history of skin cancer.
  

• Nicotinamide should be considered an add-on to sun-safe habits like wearing hats and using mineral-based sunscreen.
  

• According to some experts, 500 mg twice a day could be well-tolerated by many, but always check in with your doctor before introducing new supplements, especially if you’re dealing with any chronic conditions.

Overall, this is really promising research for those who are concerned about skin cancers.

Advanced Technology Holds the Key to Minimizing Motor-Related Deaths

I recently took a couple of Waymo (autonomous ride) trips in LA. Of course, it was a mind-blowing experience to be in a driverless car, but here’s something that might surprise you…it actually felt extremely safe. 

This breakdown from neurosurgeon Dr. Jon Slotkin about the potential benefits of moving toward driverless cars really caught my attention. 

In 2023, around 40,000 people died in motor vehicle accidents. Dr. Slotkin points to research from Waymo showing how autonomous cars could cut down on these deaths. Here are the highlights: 

• Fewer crashes, way fewer deaths: Waymo’s driverless cars show 91 percent fewer serious crashes than humans. At intersections (the deadliest spots on the road), they’ve cut injuries by 95 percent.
  

• The national math: If every US car performed like Waymo, we’d prevent 33,000–39,000 deaths every year and save about $1 trillion in costs. Even if just a quarter of cars switched, that’s still 10,000 lives saved annually, basically wiping out all pedestrian deaths in a year.
  

• Physics on their side: Nearly half of Waymo’s “contacts” happen at under 1 mph. Instead of catastrophic crashes, they’re turning unavoidable moments into harmless bumps.

Waymo has published a lot of fascinating information on their impact here. Here are some highlights comparing the average human driver to a Waymo driver:

I know it can feel scary to think about “AI” taking over, but if something is genuinely going to save human lives, could we really be so scared of that?

I’m all about improvements in technology in the name of keeping people safe. 

See you next week,
Dhru Purohit