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Good morning, it's Monday, July 13. Longtime Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) died suddenly over the weekend. First time reading? Join over 4.7 million insatiably curious readers. Sign up here.
Also in today's Digest: a mirror in orbit (Need To Know), Wimbledon winners (Sports, Ent., & Cult.), the first publicly traded nuclear fusion startup (Bus. & Mkts.), pigeons wearing backpacks (Etc.), and much more.
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Need To Know
Lindsey Graham Dies
South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham (R) passed away unexpectedly Saturday night from an aortic rupture related to cardiac disease, according to a preliminary report from medical examiners. As recently as Friday afternoon, Graham was in Kyiv meeting with Ukrainian lawmakers before returning the next morning.
Born in the small South Carolina town of Central, the 71-year-old spent more than three decades as an Air Force lawyer and part of the South Carolina Air National Guard and Reserves (while in office), retiring in 2015. Known for his staunch conservative foreign policy stances, Graham succeeded Strom Thurmond (R) in the Senate in 2003 and was seeking reelection in the upcoming midterms. Gov. Henry McMaster (R) will select his interim replacement, likely providing an inside track to the party's nomination.
Separately, Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) addressed his nearly monthlong hospitalization for the first time yesterday, saying he suffered injuries from a fall at his home.
Earth's Night Light?
The Federal Communications Commission last week approved a startup’s plans to launch a satellite reflecting sunlight onto the dark side of Earth. California-based Reflect Orbital aims to launch its first satellite later this year.
Reflect Orbital anticipates customers will include solar farms and rescue workers in emergency situations. Critics, however, caution about light pollution and the impact it could have on animals’ circadian rhythms (why is regulating your light exposure important for health?). The project could also interfere with space research.
Reflect Orbital’s first satellite will include a 60-foot mirror that can light up a 3-mile-wide area on Earth with a full moon level of brightness for about five minutes. The company ultimately hopes to roll out up to 50,000 satellites, potentially charging $5K per hour for those with an annual contract (and a higher rate in emergency situations).
See more on the company’s plans here (via YouTube).
🫶 Humankind: Goldie the goat arrives for moral support for Colorado firefighters.
The Cost of Forever
The US Postal Service raised the cost of Forever stamps by 4 cents yesterday, up from 78 cents to 82 cents apiece—part of a broader set of price hikes. See other increases here.
The announcement comes as the USPS recorded a $9B loss in FY 2025. The postmaster general told Congress this year that first-class stamps would need to cost 90 cents to 95 cents apiece to stabilize the USPS. Future hikes could come as often as twice a year through 2028, though none have been announced to date. The Postal Service’s problems have been blamed on declining mail volume (see graph) and a since-revised 2006 law requiring the USPS to prepay retirement benefits, costing over $5B annually.
The Forever stamp continues to be usable for domestic, 1-ounce letters, regardless of price hikes. Listen to a history of the USPS here.
In partnership with LMNT
Caffeine Gets a Bad Rap …
Sorry to all the coffee and Monster lovers, but it’s the truth. Whether we’re talking sudden crashes, degrading focus, or issues sleeping, caffeine—especially the isolated kind found in most energy drinks—isn’t the solution, it’s the problem. But here’s the good news: When used correctly, caffeine can do amazing things … and LMNT’s newest flavor, Lemonade Iced Tea, is the proof.
Made with full black tea extract, crucial electrolytes for optimal hydration (like sodium, potassium, and magnesium), and no artificial colors, flavors, or sugars, LMNT Lemonade Iced Tea isn’t your average pick-me-up. This unique blend offers a noticeably steadier feeling and no crash … probably why everyone from Stanford neuroscientists to NFL, NBA, and Olympic athletes trust it.
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In The Know
Sports, Entertainment, & Culture
> Jannik Sinner defends Wimbledon's men's final, defeating Alexander Zverev (More) | Linda Nosková wins first Grand Slam title in Wimbledon women’s final Saturday (More)
> Disney's live-action "Moana" earns a projected $43M at the domestic box office, below expectations and on par with "Snow White" in 2025 (More) | "Michael" becomes first Lionsgate movie to cross $1B at the global box office (More)
> World Cup semifinals set, with France facing Spain tomorrow (3 pm ET, Fox) and England taking on Argentina Wednesday (3 pm ET, Fox) (More) | 1440 x Men in Blazers: Follow the final rounds with the most in-depth daily coverage (Sign up)
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Science & Technology
> Meta suspends Muse Image days after launch, following widespread backlash; tool allowed AI image creation from any public Instagram account without the user's consent (More) | How to disable the feature (More)
> China completes its first successful recovery of an orbital reusable rocket; technique used a netlike wire grid to "catch" the booster (More, w/video)
> Nanoparticles made from the membranes of human immune cells show ability to treat the fungus responsible for yeast infections, mouse study shows (More)
Business & Markets
> US stock markets close up Friday (S&P 500 +0.4%, Dow +0.3%, Nasdaq +0.3%); South Korean chipmaker SK Hynix rises 13% on Nasdaq debut (More)
> Jeff Bezos-backed General Fusion becomes first nuclear fusion startup to be publicly traded; Nasdaq listing starts today after Friday SPAC merger (More) | How fusion works (More, w/video)
> Khosla family, led by venture capitalist Vinod Khosla, to buy Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks for more than $9.6B (More)
Politics & World Affairs
> More than 350 people rescued in Missouri amid flash flooding in three counties, including roughly 100 rescues by water (More) | See footage (More, via YouTube)
> Maine's Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner formally withdraws from the race; state's Democratic Party will hold a nominating convention Saturday, July 25 to determine his replacement (More) | See previous write-up (More)
> Shooting attack at a street festival in Toronto kills two people, wounds at least six others; a suspect was still at large as of this writing (More)
In partnership with LMNT
Less Caffeine, Better Everything
Not-so-fun fact: Energy drinks are full of isolated caffeine, which causes crashes, jitters, and lack of focus. It’s kinda like taping over your body’s check engine light instead of, you know, actually fixing it … not good.
For a better alternative, try LMNT’s newest flavor (and first with caffeine), Lemonade Iced Tea. Made with full black tea extract, naturally occurring L-theanine and polyphenols for a steadier experience, and key electrolytes for optimal hydration, it’s one seriously supportive drink. Try it for yourself and get a free 8-count sample pack of LMNT right here!
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Etcetera
See demographic data on US adults today (w/charts).
... and explore Americans' origins via interactive map.
Making a Monopoly game in the USA is harder than it looks.
Anthony Hopkins drops first single, an orchestral piece, at age 88.
How a longtime Costco cashier became a millionaire.
Play a daily game guessing the origin of rare artifacts.
Man creates typewriter art one keyboard stroke at a time.
Can you order continents from biggest to smallest?
In partnership: Salt has been misunderstood for far too long.*
Clickbait: Pigeons wearing tiny backpacks.
Historybook: The Northwest Territory (much of today's Midwest) is created by US law (1787); French revolutionary Jean-Paul Marat killed (1793); The legendary Hollywood Sign is dedicated (1923); Krispy Kreme Doughnuts is founded (1937); Actor Harrison Ford born (1942); Yankees owner George Steinbrenner (immortalized in the sitcom "Seinfeld") dies (2010).
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