Curating the internet, weekly.
In partnership with
Good morning! It's Sunday, July 12, and welcome to our Sunday Edition. This Tuesday is the 2026 MLB All-Star Game, so we dove into the history of the league. Keep reading to learn about how Taylor Swift's relationship with Travis Kelce impacted the NFL (News in Context), how the Supreme Court became so influential (Civics), the invention of the Philly cheesesteak (Etc.), and much more.
📖 Our Sunday edition digs deep into the context and rabbit holes behind the news. We'll be back with our regular Daily Digest tomorrow through Saturday.
PS—Did someone forward you this email? Join 4.7 million insatiably curious readers here, or click forward to share with friends. Feedback is a gift, and we read every email. Let us know how we're doing at topics@join1440.com.
America's Pastime
Major League Baseball is the highest-level professional baseball organization in America and the oldest professional sports league in the US, dating back to the Civil War. It generates the second-highest revenue among the Big Four US sports organizations and features the longest season in professional sports.
> Check out a ranking of the top 100 players in baseball history, from Barry Larkin to Babe Ruth. (More)
> Visualize how changes to lineups, driven by modern analytics, could have changed one of MLB's most iconic moments. (More)
The league has endured numerous controversies and changes: the freewheeling (and dangerous) 19th-century Deadball Era, Jackie Robinson's breaking of the color barrier in the mid-20th century, and the performance-enhancing controversies of the 1980s and 1990s.
> Before 1920, during the Deadball Era, a single baseball was used throughout a Major League game, leading to a notoriously dirty style of play. (More)
> Jackie Robinson's iconic 42 is the only number that's been retired leaguewide, meaning no current players can wear it except in his honor. (More)
> The 1919 Chicago White Sox, later known as the "Black Sox," were banned from baseball for fixing that year's World Series despite being acquitted in court. (More)
First played in 1933, the MLB All-Star Game is a midseason exhibition matchup that brings together the sport's top players from the American League and National League. Fans, players, and coaches vote to select the rosters, with the game held at a different host ballpark each year.
> The first MLB All-Star Game was designed by a sports journalist during the Great Depression. (More)
> Watch some of the best moments from the history of the All-Star Game. (More, w/video)
Discover more:
> See how MLB teams can travel with roughly 12,000 pounds of gear and luggage (More, w/video)
> Every MLB baseball needs to be rubbed with a special kind of mud, provided by one New Jersey family. (More, w/video)
> "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" was inspired by a billboard advertisement. (More, w/video)
In partnership with Fisher Investments
Tax-Efficient Strategies for Multimillionaires
Managing a portfolio of $5 million or more comes with complex challenges— countless investment options, big tax bills and a meaningful legacy to pass along someday. Fisher Investments understands these complexities and is offering a free guide to help you navigate them effectively.
Tax-Efficient Wealth Management for Affluent Investors is designed to help you evaluate and optimize your wealth management strategy. With this guide, you’ll uncover actionable insights on minimizing taxes, optimizing estate and legacy planning, exploring philanthropy and getting tailored investment guidance.
Claim your complimentary copy of Tax-Efficient Wealth Management for Affluent Investors now for tax-efficient strategies to help make the most of your life and legacy.
Please support our sponsors!
News in Context
1440 brings you the knowledge and context behind the week's stories:
The 2026 NATO Summit took place in Turkey this week as the US-Iran war escalated. (More)
> NATO was formed in 1949 to deter Soviet expansion and help restore Europe.
> See a map of the current 32 NATO countries.
Pop star Taylor Swift and Super Bowl champion Travis Kelce officially tied the knot on July 3. (More)
> The pair's relationship boosted the NFL's popularity among younger audiences.
> ... and learn about the impact of Swift's Eras Tour on regional economies.
Venezuela's recent earthquakes have devastated the population and left survivors with new health issues. (More)
> Visualize how search and rescue teams pull survivors from rubble.
> Why earthquakes are so difficult to predict.
Nominations for the 2026 Emmy Awards, taking place in September, were announced this week. (More w/full list)
> "The Pitt" led nominations with 25 nods. Listen to an explainer on how the show found success using an old-school production model.
> See a list of all the stars with EGOTs.
1440 Civics
With recent Supreme Court rulings affecting everything from birthright citizenship to the independence of federal agencies**,** we wanted to take a deeper dive into the highest court in the land:
> Learn how the court, designed to be the weakest branch of government, became one of the most influential institutions in America. (More)
... and meet the nine justices currently serving on the court. (More)
> Chief Justice John Marshall, who reshaped the court and helped establish judicial review, was born in a log cabin on America's frontier as the oldest of 15 children (More)
> A 1962 Supreme Court case on redistricting was so divisive that it caused a justice's breakdown. (More)
Want more? Explore hundreds of our favorite Civics-related resources.
🎙️Follow 1440's Flagship Podcast
Some topics deserve more than a newsletter. That's where "1440 Explores" comes in. From wildfires to credit cards, our flagship podcast takes a deeper look at the topics everyone knows about—but few fully understand.
Episodes include:
> Flatulence: Your body's most overlooked health signal.
> Silicon Valley: Why the world's biggest companies ended up in one place.
> FIFA and the World Cup: The story behind the world's biggest sporting event.
> Dreaming: Why your brain tells stories at night.
Browse the full catalog and follow "1440 Explores" on Apple | Spotify | YouTube.
In partnership with Fisher Investments
Ways to Keep More of What You’ve Earned
Managing a portfolio of $5 million or more comes with complex challenges—countless investment options, big tax bills and a meaningful legacy to pass along
someday. Fisher Investments understands these complexities and is offering a
free guide to help you navigate them.
Claim your complimentary copy of Tax-Efficient Wealth Management for Affluent Investors now for tax-efficient strategies to help make the most of your life and legacy.
Please support our sponsors!
Etcetera
Visualize the path of every solar eclipse from 1900 to 2099.
Listen to Hoover, the seal who spoke English.
Mary Shelley was inspired to write "Frankenstein" after a challenge from British poet Lord Byron.
Explore photos from a little girl's 120-year-old time capsule.
Fruit fly sperm are about 40 times larger than human sperm.
How a Philadelphia hot dog vendor invented the cheesesteak.
🫶 Humankind: 11-year-old Kentucky boy rescues man who fell unconscious in an apartment pool.
Hippos produce their own sunscreen from glands beneath their skin.
The same thunderstorm named Hector appears every afternoon in Australia.
Why some researchers find TikTok more addictive than other social media platforms.
Only about half of Americans have retirement plans through their work.
For centuries, Niagara Falls has been a magnet for daredevils thanks to its 200-foot drop and forceful currents.
Historybook: US Founding Father Alexander Hamilton dies (1804); The Rolling Stones perform first concert (1962); Geraldine Ferraro is first American female major-party VP candidate (1984); Activist and Nobel Peace Prize recipient Malala Yousafzai born (1997).
"When the whole world is silent, even one voice becomes powerful."
— Malala Yousafzai
Join 4.7+ million insatiably curious news readers:
The "1440 Explores" podcast:
Weekly 1440 Topics newsletters:
Science & Technology (Tuesday)
Health & Medicine (Wednesday)
Business & Finance (Thursday)
Society & Culture (Saturday)
Behind the Name. Why 1440? The printing press was invented around the year 1440, spreading knowledge to the masses and changing the course of history. More facts: In every day, there are 1,440 minutes. We’re here to make each one count.
Want to connect with 4.7 million insatiably curious minds? Become a 1440 partner here.
1440 Media 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza, Suite 1212 Chicago, IL 60654
Copyright © 2026, 1440 Media, All rights reserved.
Unsubscribe from this email or update my subscription preferences.