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Good morning, it's Thursday, Oct. 1. Passengers foiled an apparent attempt to crash a Tel Aviv-bound flight. First time reading? Join millions of insatiably curious readers. Sign up here.
Also in today's Digest: the FDA investigates AI companies (Need To Know), could sugar fuel antibiotic resistance? (Sci. & Tech.), the US military ends its presence in Iraq (Pol. & World Affairs), Fat Bear Week's winner (Etc.), and much more.
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Need To Know
Dubai Flight Attack
A Dubai flight to Tel Aviv plummeted yesterday before passengers broke into the cockpit to stabilize and divert the plane. Israeli authorities say an Omani copilot stabbed his Indian captain midair; Israel is investigating a potential motive.
Roughly two hours after FlyDubai flight 1073 took off, passengers near the front of the aircraft heard an altercation and a cry for help. The plane then nosedived, plunging 14,125 feet in 29 seconds (watch passengers react). A crew member and at least one other passenger broke into the cockpit to subdue the pilot-assailant and regain control of the plane. Another pilot scheduled to operate a later flight executed an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. Both pilots were hospitalized with stab wounds (see aftermath, warning—sensitive). The plane's roughly 180 passengers later boarded a flight to Israel; a few sustained minor injuries.
Follow the aircraft's erratic flight path here; watch passengers celebrate after landing in Saudi Arabia here.
FTC Scopes AI
The Federal Trade Commission confirmed yesterday that it is investigating OpenAI, Anthropic, and other leading AI companies over potential dangers to consumers. The probe reportedly predates the July discovery that OpenAI agents hacked into AI platform Hugging Face.
The FTC is also expected to subpoena documents from METR, an AI safety watchdog hired by AI companies to investigate rogue agentic behavior. (Read some of METR’s most notable findings from the Hugging Face hack.) The FTC has not publicly identified the scope of its investigation. The news comes after President Donald Trump hosted the leaders of OpenAI, Anthropic, and other top AI companies Tuesday at the White House. Executives signed an agreement to self-police, emblematic of Trump’s stance that existing regulation is sufficient to protect Americans from rogue agentic behavior.
A new poll yesterday found 73% of Americans are concerned about AI safety. See an overview of various camps in the debate.
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Gene-Edited Bananas
Bananas bred to resist browning could expand to more supermarket shelves after passing a major regulatory review last week in the UK. The innovation could reduce food waste, as browning is responsible for roughly 20% of banana yield losses.
Scientists used CRISPR technology (visualize) to alter three genes linked to polyphenol oxidase, an enzyme that causes browning. Unlike traditional genetic modification, this gene editing does not introduce DNA from foreign species and could occur naturally. The change was found to extend the shelf life of peeled bananas by up to 24 hours and make them more resistant to bruising. Gene editing has previously been used to increase vitamin D content in tomatoes and develop sweeter strawberries. The modified bananas have received regulatory approval in 10 other countries, including the US, where they are slated to launch commercially this year.
The Cavendish bananas sold in grocery stores today are the result of over 1,000 years of domestication. The earliest varieties were small with large black seeds (scroll for picture).
🫶 Humankind: Conservationists mount an operation to save Bumpy, an orphaned hippo who now enjoys pool days and has befriended an elephant. (w/photos)
In The Know
Sports, Entertainment, & Culture
> Chicago White Sox defeats Houston Astros in the team's first MLB Playoffs win since 2005 (More) | ... and more from last night's games (More) | See full bracket and schedule (More)
> Federal judge approves settlement allowing Paramount to close $111B deal for Warner Bros. Discovery, ending a legal battle between the studio and 12 states aiming to block the merger (More)
> Collection of paintings, including works by Vincent van Gogh and Claude Monet, is going up for auction on Nov. 18 after over 50 years in private ownership; Sotheby’s auction house expects sales could exceed $450M in total (More, w/images)
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Science & Technology
> Butterfly flight and wing patterns create optical illusions that confuse predators' sense of speed and direction, making them difficult to catch (More) | See magnified images of butterfly wings (More)
> Eating sugar-rich foods while taking antibiotics may increase levels of bacteria linked to hard-to-treat infections, according to a study of patients with blood cancer (More) | How does the gut microbiome work? (More, w/video)
> Most common lung cancer can develop resistance to drugs targeting KRAS, a gene involved in about 25% of cases, by transforming into a different type of tumor; finding could reveal new drug targets (More)
Business & Markets
> US stock markets close mixed (S&P 500 -0.3%, Dow -0.9%, Nasdaq +0.2%) after new economic data indicates inflation increased 3.4% in August, a minor cooling compared with 3.7% in July (More)
> Carnegie Mellon University will receive a $3B donation from Ken Griffin, founder and CEO of hedge fund Citadel; it is the largest single donation in the history of US higher education (More) | Who is Ken Griffin? (More)
> Toy maker Mattel's shares fall 4.2% on news CEO Ynon Kreiz is leaving company for a senior position at Paramount Skydance; current Condé Nast CEO Roger Lynch will replace him (More) | How Mattel stays relevant in pop culture (More)
Politics & World Affairs
> US military ends its 12-year mission in Iraq after declaring victory over ISIS; Iran claims responsibility for forcing US out (More) | Iran says it has received the US' counterproposal, is weighing it (More)
> New rules go into effect today for SNAP assistance, impacting an estimated 37 million Americans; changes include eligibility requirements and benefit adjustments due to inflation (More, w/chart)
> Supreme Court greenlights execution of Christa Pike, Tennessee's only female inmate on death row, superseding last-minute lower court decision; Pike was convicted of the 1995 murder of 19-year-old classmate Colleen Slemmer (More)
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Etcetera
Meet Backpack, the chunky champion of Fat Bear Week.
See which companies rank among the world’s best employers.
The night sky is getting roughly 10% brighter every year.
... and explore a map of the world's darkest skies.
Who were England’s so-called “witches,” really?
This newly discovered geometric shape has eight sides and three holes.
Scientists once dubbed Nov. 13, 2026, “doomsday.” Should you be worried?
England’s beloved Sycamore Gap tree is showing signs of life.
Can a falling penny kill you? Physics says no. (w/video)
Clickbait: The newest fall fragrance is decidedly corny.
Historybook: Yosemite National Park is established (1890); Bonnie Parker, half of the infamous crime duo Bonnie and Clyde, born (1910); President Jimmy Carter born (1924); Actress Dame Julie Andrews born (1935); Walt Disney World opens (1971); 58 killed, 869 injured in mass shooting in Las Vegas (2017).
"Sometimes opportunities float right past your nose. Work hard, apply yourself, and be ready. When an opportunity comes you can grab it."
- Julie Andrews
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