News for the insatiably curious.
In partnership with
Good morning. It's Wednesday, Oct. 14. Elon Musk is the biggest known political donor in the 2026 US midterms cycle. First time reading? Join millions of insatiably curious readers. Sign up here.
Also in today's Digest: AI unicorn files for bankruptcy (Need To Know), "Girls" to release five new episodes (Sports, Ent., & Cult.), mini organs launched into space (Sci. & Tech.), White House asks Kimberly Guilfoyle to resign (Pol. & World Affairs), and much more.
Don’t keep us a secret: Share the email with friends or share via SMS/social.
Need To Know
Musk Be the Money
Elon Musk, the world's richest man, is the single biggest known donor in the 2025-26 US election cycle, federal filings are expected to show tomorrow. Musk donated $366M to conservative candidates, groups, and causes—among the heftiest political spends in US history.
Musk’s largest donation was to a fund working to elect Republicans in the Senate. He also donated $76M to his own political action committee, America PAC (explore six-point platform), and $10M apiece to the Republican Governors Association and to a PAC supporting Texas Senate candidate Ken Paxton (R). Musk has increasingly posted messages critical of the left on issues like immigration and transgender rights; see an interactive analysis of how his posting habits on X evolved from 2019 to 2024.
Separately, the Supreme Court agreed yesterday to hear arguments on whether the Department of Government Efficiency has to supply records to a government watchdog group. Musk led the agency for four months in early 2025.
AI Unicorn Bankruptcy
AI startup Character.AI filed for bankruptcy yesterday amid several lawsuits linking conversations with its customizable chatbots to suicide and self-harm.
Founded in 2021 by former Google engineers, Character.AI was an early generative AI unicorn, reaching a $1B valuation in 2023. The startup's popularity grew after it struck a $2.7B licensing deal with Google in 2024, with roughly 20 million users creating and conversing with its chatbots each month (see researched use cases). Character.AI and Google have since settled lawsuits from several families saying the chatbots led their children to die by suicide or harm themselves. Kentucky has filed a similar lawsuit alleging the chatbots encouraged self-harm, while Pennsylvania is suing over the chatbots allegedly posing as licensed medical professionals.
The Walt Disney Company is expected to acquire $20M of Character.AI's $50M to $100M in estimated assets, including staff and some technology licensing. Disney had previously sent the startup a cease-and-desist letter over using copyrighted Disney characters without permission.
In partnership with SmartAsset
How Do You Set Up a Family Trust?
You've worked hard to build your savings, and you likely have a clear picture of who you'd like to benefit from it one day. For many investors, a family trust may be a key part of a smart estate plan, especially for preserving and passing on wealth.
A family trust is a specific type of trust you could use to help ensure your loved ones receive your assets according to your wishes. Assets held in the trust may also pass to your heirs without going through probate, which can help keep them out of the public record.
Not sure if this strategy is right for you? Consulting a financial advisor could be a great first step. Take SmartAsset's free quiz to find and compare vetted fiduciary advisors who serve your area. Get your financial advisor matches today.
Please support our sponsors!
The Emperor's Lost Fort
Archaeologists in Wales have revealed evidence of a Roman military fort that may lend credibility to a centuries-old legend about a fourth-century emperor.
The fort, first identified in 2024, sits near Frenni Fawr hill in southwest Wales, where medieval folklore claims Roman Emperor Magnus Maximus established a camp. Maximus was proclaimed emperor by troops in Britain in 383, then expanded his rule into Europe before being executed in 388. Recent excavations uncovered two late-fourth-century Roman coins, pottery, tiles, and preserved wagon tracks. Surveys also suggest the presence of buildings resembling military headquarters, which likely housed 500 soldiers. Archaeologists say the find challenges assumptions that the region's Indigenous Celtic population lived peacefully under Roman rule (see history of the Roman conquest of Wales). While the findings don't prove Maximus visited, the fort is the only known Roman military site near the location described in the medieval tale.
The legend appears in “The Dream of Macsen Wledig,” part of “The Mabinogion,” a collection of Welsh mythology (read it here).
🫶 Humankind: Florida restaurant owner helps a struggling regular customer by giving him a job when he faced eviction.
In The Know
Sports, Entertainment, & Culture
> Duane “Keefe D” Davis receives sentence of 40 years to life in prison for directing the murder of rapper Tupac Shakur in 1996 (More) | Davis is the only person ever to have been charged in the case; see previous write-up (More)
> Lena Dunham's comedy "Girls" begins production next year for five-episode revival
featuring most of the original cast (More) | What is the HBO show's legacy? (More)
> WNBA reschedules Game 3 of Finals series to Oct. 21, moves location to accommodate larger crowds (More) | How WNBA viewership has grown over the years (More) | ... and hit record numbers this season (More)
In partnership with Motley Fool Money
Leading Cash Back Card Has 0% APR Into 2028
What makes this card so unique is that not only is it a slam dunk for cash back, but it also touts 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers into 2028.
It’s not every day you get up to 5% cash back paired with 0% interest for nearly a year and a half. If that sounds like some of the highest cash back potential you’ve ever seen, well, it probably is. All for no annual fee.
Science & Technology
> Researchers send mini organs into orbit to study why humans age faster in space (More) | NASA's Perseverance Mars rover has driven over 28 miles since its 2021 landing, breaking the record for off-world driving distance (More)
> Anthropic warns AI models may soon be capable of self-replicating across internet-connected devices like smart speakers, a process that would be difficult for humans to rein in (More) | How the company says it could happen (More)
> Researchers uncover how pancreatic cancer cells change genetic makeup to resist treatment and spread, opening doors to new therapies (More) | Patients are developing resistance to drug once hailed as a breakthrough (More, free w/email)
Business & Markets
> US stock markets close lower (S&P 500 -0.0%, Dow -0.4%, Nasdaq -0.2%) despite Wall Street's biggest banks reporting strong Q3 earnings (More)
> Federal Trade Commission asks a federal judge to hold Martin Shkreli, also known as the "Pharma Bro," in contempt for allegedly violating his lifetime pharmaceutical industry ban by trading biotech stocks and sharing commentary on social media (More)
> Bumble shares soar 56.6% on news the dating app agreed to $1.3B acquisition deal with Ithaca Holdings that will take the company private (More) | What are the top dating apps? (More) | ... and how do they make money? (More via YouTube)
Politics & World Affairs
> White House asks US Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle to resign after reports she solicited $100K from a political donor in exchange for access to Trump admin officials, new Press Secretary Katie Zacharia reveals (More)
> Six Flags temporarily closes nine rides across the country after Georgia rider is killed on roller coaster (More) | Exactly how safe are roller coasters? (More)
> A former Chicago police detective is identified as the killer of then-8-year-old Gloria Kowalewicz in 1960, due to advances in forensic technology (More)
In-Depth
> Life After Death?
The Pudding | Alvin Chang. Step into a virtual room where 1,500 people from dozens of countries are grouped by what they believe happens after death. What shapes their convictions and fuels their doubts about the afterlife? (Read)
> Fiber Optic Magic
Veritasium | Staff. How scientists figured out that thin strands of glass can transmit messages around the world, laying the groundwork for the internet. (Watch)
In partnership with SmartAsset
Top 10 Fee-Only Advisor Firms of 2026
With thousands of advisor firms to choose from, where do you start? SmartAsset ranked the top 10 fee-only financial advisor firms in the US based on AUM, client count and more. Fee-only firms are paid directly by clients and generally don’t earn product commissions. See the list.
Want to compare advisors near you? SmartAsset’s free quiz matches you with vetted fiduciary advisors obligated to work in your best interest. Matched advisors may not be the firms listed. Find your advisor matches.
Please support our sponsors!
Etcetera
Which states have the highest typical home values?
Hardware stores boost sales by hiring cuddly employees.
See photos of a giant pumpkin regatta, weigh-off, and smashing ceremony.
Priceless 330-pound book cover by Salvador Dalí goes missing.
Halloween hit "Monster Mash" led to an obscure Christmas tune.
How Bill Nye became "the Science Guy" by accident.
The secret to better sleep could be a four-legged companion.
Brooklyn shop hikes price of animatronic bird to $15M after Kelly Clarkson feud.
Island home to carnivorous crabs may unlock Amelia Earhart mystery.
Clickbait: Ditch your lawn mower for a lamb mower.
Historybook: President Dwight D. Eisenhower born (1890); Chuck Yeager becomes first person to fly faster than speed of sound (1947); Cuban missile crisis begins (1962); Martin Luther King Jr. wins Nobel Peace Prize (1964); American photographer Dody Weston Thompson dies (2012).
"A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both."
- Dwight D. Eisenhower
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 millions of insatiably curious minds? Become a 1440 partner here.
Need a breather? Snooze this email for 30 days.
1440 Media 111 N Canal St, Suite 1210 Chicago, IL 60606
Copyright © 2026, 1440 Media, All rights reserved. Privacy Policy.
Unsubscribe from this email or update my subscription preferences.