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Good morning! It's Sunday, Sept. 13, and welcome to our Sunday Edition. Friday marked the 25th anniversary of the tragic attacks on US soil. To commemorate the event, we revisited what happened, how it changed America, and the impact it continues to have on its victims. Next, we featured a special Humankindness section honoring the courage and service shown by everyday people on 9/11.
Below that, explore record heat in August (News in Context), the science behind cracking your knuckles (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 millions of 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.
Never Forget
Nearly 3,000 people died in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the deadliest in US history. Their effects profoundly reshaped American society and the world. The day still resonates deeply: 93% of Americans who were at least 10 years old on 9/11 say they remember exactly where they were when they heard the news.
> Decades of instability in the Middle East gave rise to al-Qaida. (More, w/video)
> President George W. Bush explained his very public initial reaction to the attacks during a visit to a second-grade classroom. (More, w/video)
> View artifacts at the Smithsonian that tell the story of 9/11. (More, w/photos)
In response to 9/11, the US launched the Global War on Terror, beginning the longest military engagement in American history. Domestically, the government passed the Patriot Act, created the Department of Homeland Security, and transformed airport security while implementing controversial detention and interrogation policies.
> Read how the attacks reshaped US foreign and military policy for decades. (More)
> The Authorization for Use of Military Force, passed days after 9/11, has been used by five administrations to justify military operations in 22 countries. (More)
> See Also: Netflix's outstanding five-part documentary on how 9/11 and the War on Terror changed America. (Watch trailer)
More than 400 first responders died on 9/11, the largest loss of emergency personnel on a single day in American history. More than 10,000 members of the New York Fire Department have been diagnosed with at least one condition related to the World Trade Center's collapse, nearly 4,500 of which are cancers.
> Hear from heroic firefighters who were there and loved ones of those who died that day. (More, w/video)
> 9/11 first responders still deal with significant mental and physical impairments. (More)
Discover more:
> Queen Elizabeth II ordered the US national anthem played at Buckingham Palace after the attacks. (More, w/video)
> Vladimir Putin was the first world leader to call Bush after 9/11, and visited the US two months later. (More)
> Watch Jon Stewart's unifying opening monologue during his first show back after the tragedy. (More, w/video)
> Hear the story behind President Bush's first pitch at the World Series in NYC, less than two months after 9/11. (More, w/video)
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Humankindness on 9/11
On 9/11, we saw the worst of humanity—but that day also allowed for some of its best. This week, we wanted to highlight some of the amazing stories of heroism by ordinary individuals.
> Civilian boat captains helped evacuate roughly half a million people from lower Manhattan, resulting in the largest seaborne evacuation ever. (More, w/video)
> Colleagues carried a quadriplegic coworker down nearly 70 flights of stairs to safety on 9/11. (More)
> The "Man in the Red Bandana" saved lives by repeatedly entering the south tower's burning sky lobby to guide survivors to safety before dying in its collapse. (More, w/video)
> Gander, a tiny town in Newfoundland, Canada, came together to host thousands of stranded passengers from 95 countries for days after 9/11 and inspired a Tony Award-winning Broadway musical. (More, w/video)
> Passengers and crew aboard hijacked United Flight 93 stormed the cockpit, forcing the hijackers to crash the plane short of its likely target, the US Capitol. See intact objects found in the wreckage of the crash. (More, w/video)
An estimated 1 million Americans showed up to give blood in the days after the 9/11 attacks. Find your nearest blood drive today to support the Red Cross, which recently declared its second-ever national blood supply crisis. (Sign up info)
News in Context
1440 brings you the knowledge and context behind the week's stories:
The global price of oil rose past $100 per barrel this week for the first time since July. (More w/tracker)
> A recent report found that the war is the largest oil supply disruption in history.
> The war in Iran has also pushed up costs for fertilizer, prescriptions, and mortgages.
August 2026 was the hottest month ever recorded globally, tied with July 2023. (More)
> Scientists can determine Earth's past climate conditions by analyzing air trapped in microscopic bubbles within ice cores.
> Climate change has likely increased the average hurricane intensity over the past four decades.
A researcher quit Anthropic over safety concerns that AI labs will lose control of their models. (More)
> See what happened when AI agents operated in virtual societies for 15 days without human guidance.
> AI may exploit a vulnerability in a system to access sensitive data if that information enables it to complete its assigned task.
Burning Man concluded last week after attracting an estimated 70,000 attendees. (More w/photos)
> The inaugural event in 1986 hosted around 30 people on a San Francisco beach.
> See a gallery of the otherworldly artwork created at Burning Man, which is intended to be transient.
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Etcetera
Understand the science behind the sound of cracking your knuckles.
See a timeline of the consolidation of the television and film industry.
Track individual sharks around the world in real time.
The world's largest deserts are led by the Antarctic and Arctic regions.
The card game Uno was invented by an Ohio barber following an argument with his son.
California hosts the most billionaire residents of any US state.
Explore a list of hip-hop's all-time greatest diss tracks.
US states have reported over $25B in tax revenue from recreational cannabis and medical marijuana sales.
See a fast-fashion graveyard in Chile's Atacama Desert full of used clothing.
To prevent floating away from others while sleeping, sea otters may wrap themselves in kelp or hold paws.
In partnership: Is your personal data being shared by malicious data brokers? Find out.*
Revisit when retail investors on Reddit coordinated and shocked Wall Street.
Al Capone avoided getting charged with bootlegging by keeping his name off paperwork.
Historybook: Actor and producer Tyler Perry born (1969); Israel and Palestine Liberation Organization sign peace accord (1993); Rapper Tupac Shakur dies six days after a drive-by shooting (1996); Ann Richards, educator and former governor of Texas, dies (2006).
*Please support our sponsors.
"Long live the rose that grew from concrete when no one else even cared."
—Tupac Shakur
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