HUNGRY KIDS DON’T LEARN. SCHOOLS ARE STRUGGLING TO FEED THEIR STUDENTS NEEDS, PUSHING FOR ALL KIDS TO EAT FOR FREE. MY CHILD IN MILK NOW NOT EVEN FOR A SECOND. I FEED PEOPLE. IT’S WHAT I DO. BUT THE ROAD TO UNIVERSAL FREE MEALS IS ROCKY. SCHOOL MEAL DEBT WAS THE PROBLEM PRE-PANDEMIC, BUT IT’S CLEARLY BECOME A GREATER PROBLEM. WE HEAD TO PENNSYLVANIA, WHERE TEACHERS AND CAFETERIA WORKERS ARE DEMANDING CHANGE. PLUS, ELECTION OFFICIALS ARE TRYING TO KEEP TRACK OF NEARLY 27 MILLION AMERICANS WHO MOVED LAST YEAR. PEOPLE ARE LIKELY TO TAKE CARE OF EVERYTHING AT THEIR HOUSE, MOVE OUT, SHUT DOWN UTILITIES, BUT THEY NEVER CANCEL THEIR VOTER REGISTRATION. WE INVESTIGATE A TECHNOLOGY CALLED ERIC, HELPING STATES MAKE ELECTIONS MORE SECURE. ERIC IS LIKE ONE OF THE BEST KEPT SECRETS OUT THERE. BUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN STATES REFUSE TO USE THE SYSTEM? AND FROM WEAPONS TO WORKS OF ART. IN THE FACE OF GUN VIOLENCE, MANY PEOPLE FEEL THAT THERE IS NOTHING THAT THEY CAN DO. HOW THIS ARTIST IS TRANSFORMING TRAUMA INTO A TRIBUTE FOR VICTIMS OF GUN VIOLENCE. I’M SOLEDAD O’BRIEN. WELCOME TO A MATTER OF FACT. FEEDING AMERICA’S CHILDREN WHILE THEY’RE AT SCHOOL IS A GROWING PROBLEM. WHEN THE PANDEMIC BEGAN IN 2020, FEDERAL LAWMAKERS PAID FOR FREE LUNCH FOR EVERY PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENT. ABOUT 50 MILLION KIDS. THERE WAS NO INCOME REQUIREMENT. A BIG HELP FOR PARENTS FACING LAYOFFS OR ILLNESS OR PAY CUTS. CONGRESS ENDED THE FREE LUNCH FOR ALL PROGRAM LAST YEAR AND UNPAID SCHOOL LUNCH DEBT RETURN, AND THAT DEBT CAN START IN KINDERGARTEN AND FOLLOW A CHILD ALL THE WAY TO GRADUATION, SOMETIMES HINDERING A CHILD’S SCHOOL EXPERIENCE BY BARRING THEM FROM FIELD TRIPS OR PROM OR EVEN WALKING AT GRADUATION. SO FAR, ONLY A HANDFUL OF STATES HAVE PASSED LEGISLATION TO GIVE STUDENTS UNIVERSAL FREE MEALS. OUR CORRESPONDENT LAURA CHAVEZ WENT TO PENNSYLVANIA TO TALK TO TEACHERS, CAFETERIA EMPLOYEES AND FAMILIES WHO ARE FIGHTING FOR KIDS TO EAT FOR FREE. WE HAVE FOUND PIZZA AND HEATED ADS TODAY WHEN KIDS POUR INTO THE CAFETERIA AT OAK PARK ELEMENTARY AND HATFIELD, PENNSYLVANIA JILLIAN BRANDIS KNOWS THE TIME THEY SPEND HERE MATTERS. ALL DAY LONG, THEIR STUDY BOOKS, THEY’RE WORKING HARD IN THEIR COMPUTERS, AND THEN THEY GET TO COME HERE AND HAVE A BREAK AND ENJOY SOME FOOD AND HAVE THAT SOCIALIZING. I THINK THE UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE IS FOOD. IF KIDS NEED FOOD, THE KIDS NEED FOOD BEFORE THEY LEARN. AND BEFORE THEY’RE READY TO LEARN. JONATHAN WINKLE IS OAK PARK’S PRINCIPALS AND AN ADVOCATE FOR MAKING SURE SCHOOL MEAL DEBT DOESN’T KEEP A CHILD FROM EATING. WE DON’T KNOW WHAT THEIR HOME ENVIRONMENT IS. SO IT’S VERY IMPORTANT AT THIS ONE MOMENT OF THE DAY WHERE THEY HAVE A CHANCE TO HAVE A WARM HOME COOKED MEAL HERE IN OUR CAFETERIA. EVERY KID IN HIS SCHOOL GETS FREE LUNCH, EVEN IF THEY CAN’T PAY. THEY EAT THANKS TO A FUND SET UP BY THE STAFF. BUT OTHER SCHOOLS ARE STRUGGLING TO OFFSET THE IMPACT OF SCHOOL MEAL DEBT. FOR SOME OF THE KIDS, THIS IS THE REAL ANXIOUS PART. ONCE THEY TURN THIS CORNER AND GET TO THE POINT OF SALE SYSTEM OF DO THEY HAVE A BALANCE ON THEIR ACCOUNT OR NOT, OR ARE THEY GOING TO HAVE TO GO DUMP THEIR TRAY? VITO MALACARI IS A TEACHER AT A SCHOOL IN NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA. DURING THE PANDEMIC TO TAKE THIS A STEP BACK. WE HAD A UNIVERSAL BREAKFAST AND LUNCH PROGRAM THAT STUDENTS DIDN’T HAVE TO PAY FOR BREAKFAST. THEY DIDN’T HAVE TO PAY FOR LUNCH. DURING THAT TIME, WE SAW STUDENT ENGAGEMENT INCREASE. WE SAW ATTENDANCE INCREASE. AND THEN AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR, THOSE PROGRAMS DISAPPEARED. NOW, MALACARI SAYS SOME KIDS AREN’T EATING BECAUSE THEY CAN’T PAY. A LOT OF KIDS MIGHT FEEL SHAME ABOUT HOLDING MEAL DEBT AND SOME KIDS MIGHT SAY THEY NEED TO GO TO GUIDANCE OR ANOTHER TEACHER’S CLASSROOM TO FINISH UP A PROJECT BECAUSE THEN THEY’RE NOT HAVING TO HAVE AN EMPTY SPACE IN FRONT OF THEM. AND HE SAYS KIDS ARE PAYING A HEFTY PRICE FOR THEIR HUNGER. HUNGRY KIDS DON’T LEARN. THEY DON’T SIT STILL. THEY’RE MORE IRRITABLE, THEY’RE LESS LIKELY TO LEARN, AND THEY CAN’T CONCENTRATE. THE THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS EACH YEAR FALL THROUGH THESE CRACKS, AND IT CREATES A CYCLE OF POVERTY, CREATES A CYCLE OF DEBT THAT THESE STUDENTS EXPERIENCE, A CYCLE OF TRAUMA. MANY FAMILIES THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC HAD COME TO RELY ON THE BENEFIT OF FREE SCHOOL BREAKFAST AND LUNCH. AND IT CAN JUST BE VERY DIFFICULT RIGHT NOW GIVEN HIGH FOOD AND FUEL COSTS TO COVER THE EXPENSE OF A SCHOOL MEAL. DIANE PRATT-HEAVNER IS THE SPOKESPERSON FOR THE SCHOOL NUTRITION ASSOCIATION. OUR 2023 TRENDS SURVEY SURVEYED OVER 1200 SCHOOL MEAL PROGRAM DIRECTORS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. AMONG THOSE SCHOOLS THAT HAVE TO CHARGE FOR MEALS, 96% REPORTED THAT THEIR CHALLENGE BY UNPAID MEAL DEBT. CONGRESS RECOGNIZING THESE FINANCIAL CHALLENGES FOR SCHOOL MEAL PROGRAMS, OFFERED SCHOOLS AN ADDITIONAL $0.40 PER LUNCH AND $0.15 FOR BREAKFAST THIS SCHOOL YEAR. UNFORTUNATELY, THOSE FUNDS EXPIRE ON JUNE 30TH, AND WE HAVE NOT SEEN FOOD PRICES BUDGE. MEAL PRICES VARY BASED ON INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS, BUT ON AVERAGE, A SCHOOL LUNCH COSTS ABOUT $3 AND BREAKFAST COSTS ABOUT A DOLLAR 75. BUT IF YOU HAVE THREE KIDS IN SCHOOL AT A TIME PAYING THAT PRICE TIMES 180 DAYS OF SCHOOL, THAT REALLY ADDS UP. AND IF THE MEAL DEBT GOES UNPAID, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS TO PAY AND THAT COMES OUT OF EDUCATION FUNDS JUST COME BACK INTO THE DOOR. JONATHAN WINKLE KNOWS OTHER PRINCIPALS AND DISTRICTS ARE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO MAKE ENDS MEET. HE’S GRATEFUL FOR THE CONTRIBUTIONS HIS EMPLOYEES MAKE TO FEED THEIR STUDENTS. DENY A CHILD A MEAL? NO, NOT EVEN FOR A SECOND. I FEED PEOPLE. IT’S WHAT I DO. IT’S WHAT I LOVE TO DO. WE TAKE GREAT STRIDES HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL STUDENTS, WHEN THEY COME INTO THE CAFETERIA, KNOW THAT THEY’RE IN A SAFE SPACE. AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS THEY KNOW THEY’RE GOING TO BE FED AND THEY KNOW THAT ANY NEEDS THEY HAVE ARE GOING TO BE MET. ISN’T IT KIND OF UNFAIR FOR LIKE THE PARENTS THAT PACK A LUNCH? YOU KNOW, THEY’RE TAKING CARE OF THE COSTS ON THEIR END AFFAIRS, NOT ALWAYS EQUAL. AND SO WE TREAT ALL STUDENTS WHAT THEY NEED. AND SOME STUDENTS, YOU KNOW, THEY GET A LITTLE BIT MORE SUPPORT. SUPPORT, HE THINKS, PUTS STUDENTS ON A MORE LEVEL PLAYING FIELD FOR LEARNING. IT MAKES SO MUCH SENSE TO PROVIDE A HEALTHY SCHOOL MEAL TO A STUDENT JUST LIKE WE PROVIDE A RIDE TO SCHOOL AND TEXTBOOKS AND LAPTOPS TO LEARN ON THE STUDENTS HOURS WHEN THEY COME INTO THE DOOR. THEY ARE OUR FAMILY. IN NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA, I’M LAURA CHAVEZ, FOR MATTER OF FACT. NEXT, ON A MATTER OF FACT, IF STATES DON’T HAVE ACCURATE VOTER ROLLS, DOES IT MAKE THEM VULNERABLE TO ELECTION DENIERS? WE’LL SHOW YOU A TECHNOLOGY HELPING ELECTION OFFICIALS SHARE REGISTRATION ROLLS TO SECURE THE VOTE. BUT NOT EVERYONE IS ON BOARD. PLUS, AN ARTIST FED UP WITH GUN VIOLENCE IS HONORING THE VICTIMS. SO I DECIDED TO TAKE A SIG SAUER MCX RIFLE AND MELTDOWN AND TRANSFORM IT INTO 49 LIBERTY BELLS. WHY? SHE SAYS, MELTING DOWN GUNS AND TRANSFORMING THEM COULD BE A WAY TO HEAL THE TRAUMA. AND SCIENTISTS ARE TRAVELING ALL OVER THE WORLD, FOR ONE THING. YOUR PROOF WHY THEY SAY THIS UNUSUAL COLLECTION COULD IMPROVE EVERYONE’S HEALTH. YOU’RE WATCHING MATTER OF FACT, AMERICA’S NUMBER ONE NATIONALLY SYNDICATED PUBLIC AFFAIRS NEWSMAGAZINE. WELCOME BACK TO MATTER OF FACT. THE U.S. DOESN’T HAVE A NATIONAL DATABASE OF VOTERS MAKING IT HARD FOR STATES TO KEEP VOTER REGISTRATION RECORDS UP TO DATE IN THE 2022 MIDTERM ELECTIONS. MORE THAN 30 STATES USED A SYSTEM CALLED ERIC, THE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION INFORMATION CENTER. IT’S A NONPARTISAN SYSTEM ALLOWING ELECTION ADMINISTRATORS TO SHARE VOTER DATA ACROSS STATE LINES, HELPING OFFICIALS FIND OUT WHEN PEOPLE MOVED OR DIED OR BECAME INELIGIBLE TO VOTE. RECENTLY, SEVERAL REPUBLICAN LED STATES ANNOUNCED THEY WILL NO LONGER BE USING ERIC. LAST YEAR, WE REPORTED THAT LOUISIANA WITHDREW FROM ERIC. WELL, NOW ALABAMA, FLORIDA, MISSOURI, OHIO, WEST VIRGINIA AND IOWA ARE DOING THE SAME. ALL CLAIM THAT ERIC IS FUNDED BY LIBERAL DONOR ERS AND IMPROPERLY SHARES DATA WITH PROGRESSIVE GROUPS. THAT’S SOMETHING THAT ERIC EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SHANE HAMBLIN DENIES. LAST FALL, OUR CORRESPONDENT DAN LIEBERMAN WENT TO NEW JERSEY AND PENNSYLVANIA TO FIND OUT HOW ERIC WORKS. TODAY IS THE LAST DAY FOR VOTER REGISTRATION IN PASSAIC COUNTY. NEW JERSEY. ELECTION SUPERVISOR MINOSKA MORLA IS TRYING TO KEEP UP. HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT SOMEONE ISN’T REGISTERED AND VOTING IN ANOTHER STATE, TOO? IF YOU ARE A REGISTERED VOTER IN ANY OTHER COUNTY OR A STATE, WHY IT WILL BRING IT UP. BUT RIGHT NOW, MINOSKA CAN’T EASILY CHECK DATA ACROSS STATE LINES. WHAT DO YOU NEED TO DO THIS MORE EASILY? WELL, WE NEED MORE INFORMATION. THE TASK OF KEEPING TRACK OF THE VOTER ROLLS IN NEW JERSEY SHOULD GET EASIER. THE STATE RECENTLY JOINED ERIC THE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION INFORMATION CENTER, A NONPROFIT WITH A MISSION TO IMPROVE THE ACCURACY OF VOTER ROLLS IN ACCESS TO VOTER REGISTRATION. YOU NEED GOOD TOOLS TO HELP YOU KEEP THOSE RECORDS UP TO DATE. SHANE HAMBLIN IS THE GROUP’S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. SO MANY PEOPLE MOVE AND DIE EVERY DAY AND EVERY YEAR. THE LATEST CENSUS DATA SHOWS ABOUT 27 MILLION PEOPLE MOVED IN 2021. AND IN 2019, ALMOST 3 MILLION PEOPLE DIED. SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THAT ON A DAILY AND WEEKLY BASIS, IF YOU’RE AN ELECTION OFFICIAL TRYING TO KEEP YOUR ROLLS UP TO DATE, THAT’S A LOT OF CHANGE EVERY DAY CHURNING THROUGH YOUR VOTER ROLLS. SEVEN STATES LAUNCHED ERIC IN 2012 AS A NONPARTY PARTIZAN EFFORT. WITH ASSISTANCE FROM THE PEW CHARITABLE TRUSTS IN 2022 THROUGH SEPTEMBER OF THIS YEAR, WE’VE GIVEN OUR MEMBERS OVER 400 REPORTS. 8.5 MILLION RECORD ADDS THAT WERE THAT NEEDED TO BE UPDATED OR THESE ARE INDIVIDUALS WHO MAY NO LONGER BE ELIGIBLE. STATE ELECTION OFFICIALS HAVE COME TO RELY ON ERIC, BUT IT’S NOT IMMUNE FROM THE POLITICS OF THE MOMENT. LOUISIANA, A CURRENT ERIC MEMBER, SUBMITTED A RESIGNATION LETTER SUGGESTING IN PART THAT QUOTE, PARTIZAN ACTORS MAY HAVE ACCESS TO ERIC NETWORK DATA. ERIC DOES NOT SHARE DATA AND REPORTS WITH ANYONE OTHER THAN OUR MEMBERS. ONE OF THE LIBRARIES PUT UP SIGNS JIM ALLEN HAS HELPED RUN ELECTIONS FOR NEARLY TWO DECADES IN STATES WITH AND WITHOUT ERIC. HE NOW OVERSEES ELECTIONS IN DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA. ERICA IS LIKE ONE OF THE BEST SUCCESS STORIES OF GOOD GOVERNMENT COMING TOGETHER RED STATES, BLUE STATES, PURPLE STATES ALL COOPERATING WITH EACH OTHER TO TRY TO HELP VOTERS UPDATE THEIR RECORDS. SO WHEN YOU HAVE PEOPLE COMING IN QUESTIONING THE INTEGRITY OF THE SYSTEM HERE, DO YOU POINT TO THINGS LIKE ERIC TO SAY, LOOK, WE’RE DOING IT RIGHT? ERIC IS LIKE ONE OF THE BEST KEPT SECRETS OUT THERE. IT’S DOING THE RIGHT THING. IT’S ACTUALLY DOING WHAT IT’S SUPPOSED TO DO. IN MEDIA, PENNSYLVANIA, I’M DAN LIEBERMAN, FOR MATTER OF FACT. COMING UP, MEET THE ARTIST TRANSFORMING GUNS INTO ART AS A QUEER LATINX WOMAN, I REALLY FEEL LIKE THIS IS SOMETHING WHICH HAS AFFECTED NOT ONLY ME BUT ALSO MY COMMUNITY. HOW SHE HOPES HER SCULPTURES SEND A MESSAGE TO EVERYONE. AND LATER, THE IDEA THAT GIVING SOMEBODY POOP COULD CURE THEIR ILLNESS IS A PRETTY AMAZING THOUGHT. HOW A SPECIAL SAMPLE COLLECTION COULD HELP IMPROVE GLOBAL HEALTH. TO WATCH MORE STORIES LIKE THIS ANY TIME, HEAD TO MATTEROFFACT.TV. A NEW SURVEY ON GUN VIOLENCE FROM K-F-F SHOWS ONE IN FIVE ADULTS SAY A FAMILY MEMBER HAS BEEN KILLED BY A GUN, INCLUDING DEATH BY SUICIDE. ABOUT 120 AMERICANS DIE FROM GUN VIOLENCE EVERY SINGLE DAY. THAT’S A NUMBER THAT CONTINUES TO RISE EVERY DECADE. SO FAR THIS YEAR, THERE HAVE BEEN MORE THAN 140 MASS SHOOTINGS. ONE ARTIST IS USING HER MEDIUM TO SPEAK TO THE TRAUMA OF GUN VIOLENCE, MELTING DOWN GUNS AND TURNING THEM INTO WHAT SHE CALLS LIBERTY BELLS. WE VISITED STEPHANIE MERCEDES AT HER STUDIO AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND IN COLLEGE PARK, WHERE SHE SPOKE ABOUT HOW HER PERSONAL EXPERIENCES ARE SHAPING HER WORK. THIS WORK RIGHT HERE IS A REALLY IMPORTANT AND VERY PERSONAL PIECE TO ME. IT IS A SIX HOUR M6 RIFLE, WHICH WAS THE EXACT MODEL OF RIFLE THAT WAS USED BY THE ORLANDO PULSE CLUB SHOOTER. I DECIDED TO MELT DOWN AND TRANSFORM IT INTO 49 LIBERTY BELLS FOR EACH OF THE INDIVIDUALS WHO LOST THEIR LIVES. THAT NIGHT. I’M GAY. I’M LATINA. I REALLY FELT LIKE I VERY EASILY COULD HAVE BEEN IN THAT CLUB. AND IT REALLY INSPIRED THIS ENTIRE BODY OF WORK. THIS SCULPTURE RIGHT HERE IS CAST OUT OF A COMBINATION OF ALUMINUM, BULLET CASINGS AND ALSO GUNS. TODAY, WE’RE GOING TO BE TAKING GUNS AND WE WILL BE FORGING THEM, GRINDING THEM AND ALSO CUTTING THEM. AND THEN I WILL ADD IT ON TO THIS VERY LARGE SCALE, 25 FOOT LONG SCULPTURE THAT I’M CURRENTLY WORKING ON. I NEVER IMAGINED THAT I WOULD HAVE THIS MUCH CONTACT WITH BULLET CASINGS OR GUNS. AND I THINK THAT AS A RESULT, MY RELATIONSHIP TO GUNS HAS REALLY CHANGED. I THINK THAT WHEN I LOOK AT A BULLET CASING, I IMMEDIATELY BEGIN TO THINK, HOW CAN I DESTROY YOU? OR HOW CAN I MELT YOU DOWN? I LOVE WORKING WITH MY STUDENTS WHO COME FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE AND BEING ABLE TO TEACH THEM THESE TOOLS THAT IN MANY WAYS WERE THE TOOLS OF THE OPPRESSOR AND GIVE THEM GIVE IT BACK INTO THEIR HANDS THAT THEY CAN REALLY CREATE WHATEVER THEY WANT, I THINK IS VERY POWERFUL. A LOT OF TIMES YOU KNOW, WHEN THERE IS A MASS SHOOTING OR IF A SHOOTING HAPPENS, THE NEWS WILL IMMEDIATELY SHOW YOU A PICTURE OF A GUN. AND THAT’S SO COMPLETELY RETRAUMATIZING FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE LOST THEIR LOVED ONES TO GUN VIOLENCE. AND SO I REALLY HOPE THAT BY COMPLETELY TRANSFORMING THE MATERIAL FROM ONE FORM THAT FEELS VERY HORRIFIC AND SOMETHING WHICH FEELS MUCH MORE SOFT AND DELICATE AND HOPEFUL THAT THERE IS KIND OF THIS LANGUAGE OF TRANSFORMATION AND ALSO THE POSSIBILITY OF HOPE OF WHAT COULD BE IN THE FACE OF GUN VIOLENCE. MANY PEOPLE FEEL THAT THERE IS NOTHING THAT THEY CAN DO. MY ULTIMATE GOAL IS THAT I REALLY HOPE THAT THE WORK CAN TOUCH PEOPLE AND ALLOW PEOPLE TO FEEL THE RIPPLE EFFECTS OF GUN VIOLENCE AND TO HAVE A AN EXPERIENCE WHICH IS CATHARTIC. A HEAD ON MATTER OF FACT. YOUR FUTURE HEALTH COULD DEPEND ON YOUR GUT. HOW SCIENTISTS ARE GOING STRAIGHT TO THE SOURCE TO GET ANSWERS ON GLOBAL HEALTH. AND LATER, STOLEN ARTIFACTS WORTH MILLIONS TRAFFICKED FOR DECADES. FIND OUT WHO WAS BEHIND THE HEIST. TO STAY UP TO DATE WITH. MATTER OF FACT, SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER AT MATTEROFFACT.TV. YOUR FUTURE HEALTH COULD DEPEND ON YOUR GUT. AND THAT’S WHY RESEARCHERS ARE TURNING MORE ATTENTION TO TRACKING THE MICROBES IN OUR BODIES. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL GROUP CALLED MICROBIOTA VAULT IS COLLECTING FECAL SAMPLES TO PRESERVE GUT MICRO DIVERSITY. NOW, INSIDE OF EACH OF US IS AN ECOSYSTEM OF TRILLION GENES OF ORGANISMS MADE UP OF BACTERIA AND FUNGI AND YEAST AND VIRUSES. AND THE MICROBES HELPED DIGEST FOOD, ABSORB NUTRIENTS AND FIGHT HARMFUL BACTERIA. MOST IMPORTANTLY, THIS GUT MICROBIOME HOME IS VITAL FOR A HEALTHY IMMUNE SYSTEM. IN FACT, ABOUT 80% OF OUR IMMUNE PRODUCING CELLS LIVE IN YOUR INTESTINAL TRACT, AND WITHOUT THEM, WE’RE AT HIGHER RISK FOR CONTRACTING DEBILITATING CONDITIONS LIKE OBESITY OR TYPE TWO DIABETES AND CELIAC DISEASE. EVERYTHING ABOUT HUMAN LIFE DEPENDS ON BACTERIA. A NEW DOCUMENTARY FILM CALLED THE ENVISAGE ALL EXTINCTION FOLLOWS SCIENTISTS FROM THE GROUP SENDING TEAMS TO REMOTE RURAL AREAS AROUND THE GLOBE AND ASKING FOLKS TO GIVE THEM A SAMPLE. WHEN WE ASKED THEM FOR STOOL SAMPLES FOR AN AREA SOMEWHERE TRIPLE BOGEY, SOMETIMES THEY LAUGH AND THEY SAY, DID YOU COME ALL THIS WAY JUST TO SEE MY POOP? AND WE SAY, YES. WHAT’S HAPPENING TO OUR INTERNAL ECOLOGY IS VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT’S HAPPENING TO OUR CLIMATE. WE’RE IN THE MIDDLE OF AN EXTINCTION CRISIS. IT’S INVISIBLE. IT’S DEADLY. AND IT’S HAPPENING IN ALL OF US RIGHT NOW. SO FAR, THEY FOUND THAT COMPARED TO THE GUT BACTERIA OF THE ISOLATED INDIGENOUS LIVING IN THE AMAZON, A TYPICAL HEALTHY AMERICAN MICROBES BIOME IS ABOUT 50% LESS DIVERSE, MEANING NOT AS CAPABLE OF FIGHTING OFF A VARIETY OF DISEASES. SCIENTISTS HOPE RESEARCH USING THESE SAMPLES COULD IMPROVE GLOBAL HEALTH. STILL AHEAD ON MATTER OF FACT, A GROUP OF FARMERS WERE BEHIND A MULTIMILLION DOLLAR HEIST OF TRAFFICKED ARTIFACTS. NOW THE OBJECTS ARE BEING RETURNED TO THE RIGHTFULFINALLY, EFFORT TO RETURN LOOTED ARTIFACTS TO THEIR RIGHTFUL OWNERS. RECENTLY, DOZENS OF OBJECTS WERE SEIZED FROM MUSEUMS IN SAN ANTONIO. PRINCETON AND NEW YORK INVESTIGATE SAY THE COLLECTED ITEMS ARE WORTH MORE THAN $53 MILLION. SOME CAME FROM COLLECTIONS AT THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART IN NEW YORK AND WERE RETURNED TO GREECE AND TURKEY. AMONG THEM, A HEADLESS BRONZE STATUE VALUED AT $25 MILLION. EXPERTS BELIEVE IT PORTRAYS THE ROMAN EMPEROR, SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS, WHO ASSUMED THE IMPERIAL THRONE IN THE YEAR 193 A.D. SO HOW DID THE ARTIFACTS END UP IN ONE OF AMERICA’S FINEST MUSEUMS? RESEARCHERS SAY IN THE 1960S, A GROUP OF FARMERS IN SOUTHWEST TURKEY STOLE SOME OF THE PIECES FROM THE SITE OF AN ANCIENT ROMAN TEMPLE. THEY EVENTUALLY SMUGGLED THEM INTO SWITZERLAND. A TRAFFICKER WORKING THROUGH A DEALER OFFERED TO LOAN THE WORKS A ANONYMOUSLY TO THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART. THE MAN HAS ALSO ANNOUNCED THE RETURN OF 15 ADDITIONAL ITEMS TO INDIE. IT’S ALL PART OF A GROWING REPATRIATION EFFORT, ENSURING THAT ILLEGALLY OBTAINED CULTURAL TREASURES ARE RETURNED TO THEIR COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN. WHICH IS VERY GOOD NEWS. THAT’S IT FOR THIS EDITION OF MATTER OF FACT. I’M SOLEDAD O’BRIEN. AND I’LL SEE YOU BACK HERE NEXT WEEK. LISTEN TO A MATTER OF FACT WITH SOLEDAD O’BRIEN ON YOUR FAVORITE PODCAST PROVIDER. WATCH US DURING THE WEEK ON FYI AND YOUTUBE.