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Good morning, it's Tuesday, June 30. We're watching the Supreme Court as another round of major rulings looms, while NASA attempts to rescue a falling telescope. First time reading? Join 4.7 million insatiably curious readers. Sign up here.
Also in today's Digest: the ozone hole may be older than anyone realized (Sci. & Tech.), Comcast breaks itself apart (Bus. & Mkts.), a town that bans tourists once a week (In-Depth), Freddie Mercury's bathtub hit (Etc.), and much more.
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Need To Know
Presidential Power Expanded
The Supreme Court yesterday gave the executive branch power to fire most independent agency officials without cause, except for Federal Reserve leaders.
The conservative majority upheld President Donald Trump's firing of Democratic Federal Trade Commission member Rebecca Kelly Slaughter over ideological differences. The ruling overturns a 91-year-old precedent intended to protect independent agencies from political pressure; that case arose from a similar attempt by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to dismiss an FTC commissioner. In a separate decision, however, the court created a carve-out for the Federal Reserve, ruling that Trump cannot fire Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook while she contests mortgage fraud allegations. The justices cited the central bank's historical independence (w/video).
Separately, the court upheld a grace period for mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day and ruled cellphone location data is entitled to Fourth Amendment protections. The justices are due to deliver their remaining opinions of the term today, including rulings on birthright citizenship and transgender athletes.
Telescope Rescue Plan
NASA is preparing for a first-of-its-kind mission to save a telescope in orbit from falling to Earth. The mission could begin as soon as 6:23 am ET today.
Swift is a $500M observatory launched in 2004 that detects gamma-ray bursts triggered by the deaths of massive stars (explore learnings, w/illustrations). It is falling to Earth sooner than expected due to a recent uptick in solar storms, which can increase drag on satellites, causing them to lose altitude (how do solar storms impact satellites?). Last year, Arizona-based Katalyst Space won a $30M contract to rescue Swift by raising its orbit to around 370 miles before it falls below 185 miles around October. The 185-mile benchmark is considered the point of no return, after which the telescope is projected to make an uncontrolled reentry.
If all goes well, a rocket will propel Katalyst's device into orbit. From there, the device will approach Swift over several weeks and attach to it with custom, Lego-like robotic arms. See the plan here via YouTube.
🫶 Humankind: Argentina fans successfully return a lost wallet in a crowded World Cup stadium by chanting the owner's name. (w/video)
Game. Set. Wimbledon.
Wimbledon, the world's oldest tennis tournament, opened yesterday at London's All England Club, kicking off two weeks of matches headlined by Serena Williams' return and Novak Djokovic's pursuit of a record 25th Grand Slam singles title. See storylines here.
First held in 1877 as a fundraiser to replace a broken lawn roller, Wimbledon is the only Grand Slam still played on grass. The tournament features 128-player men's and women's singles draws, with competitors advancing through a single-elimination bracket. Defending champion Jannik Sinner enters as the men's favorite after rival Carlos Alcaraz withdrew with a wrist injury. On the women's side, defending champion Iga Świątek seeks to become the first woman to win back-to-back Wimbledon titles since Serena Williams in 2016.
Wimbledon is also famous for its traditions. Players wear white clothing (see Naomi Osaka's creative take), fans consume roughly 140,000 servings of strawberries and cream each year, and every tennis ball is stored at 68 degrees to ensure a consistent bounce. Learn about Wimbledon's quirkiest traditions.
In partnership with EnergyX
Morgan Stanley: 80K-Ton Lithium Deficit Ahead
From AI data centers to EVs, energy storage demand is exploding, and lithium powers it all. Now Morgan Stanley estimates the market will face an 80k-ton shortfall this year alone. With 5X demand growth expected by 2040, the deficit is just starting.
Great timing for EnergyX. Their patented tech can recover up to 3X more lithium than traditional methods, 500X faster than evaporation ponds. That combination earned a $1B private valuation and investment from leaders like General Motors and POSCO.
Next up? Commercial production on up to 9.8M tons of lithium in Chile. This is a $1.1B annual revenue opportunity at projected market prices. You can currently claim a piece of this much-needed solution as an EnergyX shareholder, but only through July 16. Invest before the deadline.*
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In The Know
Sports, Entertainment, & Culture
> Former NFL star Chris Johnson, 40, shares ALS diagnosis; watch the interview, where he uses an eye-controlled device to speak (More) | Actress Dame Penelope Keith, known for playing Margo in "The Good Life," dies at age 86 (More)
> Former NBA players Malik Beasley and Ed Davis among six indicted in sprawling federal sports gambling probe (More) | Norway's Viktor Hovland wins Travelers Championship after beating world's No.1 golfer, Scottie Scheffler, in playoff (More)
> Brazil defeats Japan 2-1, off late goal (More) | Paraguay upsets Germany in first tournament penalty shoot-out (More) | Norway meets Ivory Coast at 1 pm ET, France meets Sweden at 5 pm ET, and Mexico hosts Ecuador at 9 pm ET (More, w/schedule)
1440 is partnering with Men in Blazers to bring you the most detailed coverage of the world’s biggest tournament this summer. Sign up here to get daily, in-depth updates.
Science & Technology
> Ozone depletion may have begun as early as 1957, about 30 years before the ozone hole was discovered (More) | What does the ozone layer do? (More)
> Some primate baby heads are nearly twice as large as their mother's pelvic space, challenging the theory that childbirth became uniquely difficult for humans when we evolved to walk upright (More)
> Study reveals how leukemia cells can invade the lungs, leading to breathing problems, opening the door to targeted drug treatments (More)
Business & Markets
> US stock markets close higher (S&P 500 +1.2%, Dow +0.6%, Nasdaq +2.1%); Dow secures first close above 52,000 (More) | Alphabet shares rise 5% after replacing Verizon on the Dow Jones Industrial Average (More)
> Comcast to split into two publicly traded companies, spinning off NBCUniversal and European media business Sky into a stand-alone media company, with the remaining company to focus on broadband and wireless services (More)
> South Korea unveils $520B government-backed plan to expand AI chip production in the country with Samsung and SK hynix (More)
In partnership with Cash App
3 Money Habits Teens Can Start Building Now
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Setting goals helps them see how saving a little at a time can help them reach their goals.
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Whether they get paid with direct deposit or use Cash App to get allowance or gifts, they get real experience with money.
Politics & World Affairs
> US Supreme Court lets a $5M civil judgment stand against President Donald Trump, declining a final appeal after a jury found Trump sexually abused and defamed writer E. Jean Carroll (More) | Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) under federal investigation for suspected campaign finance violations (More)
> Heat wave impacts the US' Midwest and Northeast, with temperatures in the triple digits in many states and no relief expected overnight; 2 million people in the West are under fire alerts (More)
> Alex Murdaugh's retrial is set for next year after the South Carolina Supreme Court overturned his double murder conviction due to jury interference (More) | Why the retrial? (More)
In-Depth
> Split-Brain Patients and Consciousness
MIT Press | Christof Koch. Where and how a brain is damaged can help reveal which segments are critical to consciousness, which is especially useful in the case of behaviorally unresponsive patients. (Read, or click "Listen to this article")
> One Day a Week, No Tourists Welcome
BBC | Jamie Fullerton. Mawlynnong is a village of 600 people in India's northeast, heralded in 2003 as "Asia's cleanest village." Tourism has invigorated the town, but on Sundays tourists are not welcome. (Read)
In partnership with EnergyX
The Next Gold Rush
Lithium demand’s fueling a modern-day gold rush. Essential for EVs, robots, and AI, Elon Musk said it best: “Do you like minting money? Well, the lithium business is for you.”
Enter EnergyX. Their tech can recover up to 3X more lithium than traditional methods. Now, they’re preparing to unlock up to 15M+ tons of lithium across the Americas. Industry leaders like General Motors and POSCO have already invested. Join them and become a shareholder in EnergyX before the July 16 deadline.*
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Etcetera
Is the lottery winner's curse real? Here's what real-life examples show.
Justice Department seizes nearly 400 illegal World Cup streams.
Surprising health reasons airlines keep planes so cold.
Insider details on some of music's most legendary weddings.
The accidental origin story of the beloved Slinky toy.
Dunkin' celebrates the Fourth of July with limited-edition eagle cups.
The Queen song Freddie Mercury wrote in 10 minutes in the bathtub.
Apollo, the 13-year-old Shih Tzu, reappears over 1,000 miles from home.
In partnership: Why lithium industry leaders like General Motors invested in this $1B unicorn.*
Clickbait: Peek inside a Japanese shrine paying tribute to stuffed animals.
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Historybook: Aztec emperor Moctezuma II dies during the Spanish conquest (1520); Oxford debate on evolution takes place (1860); Singer and civil rights activist Lena Horne born (1917); Olympic legend Michael Phelps born (1985).
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*Disclosure: Energy Exploration Technologies, Inc. (“EnergyX”) has engaged 1440 Media to publish this communication in connection with EnergyX’s ongoing Regulation A offering. 1440 Media has been paid in cash and may receive additional compensation. 1440 Media and/or its affiliates do not currently hold securities of EnergyX. This compensation and any current or future ownership interest could create a conflict of interest. Please consider this disclosure alongside EnergyX’s offering materials. EnergyX’s Regulation A offering has been qualified by the SEC. Offers and sales may be made only by means of the qualified offering circular. Before investing, carefully review the offering circular, including the risk factors. The offering circular is available at invest.energyx.com/. Comparisons to other companies are for informational purposes only and should not imply similar results. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Market shortfall are forward‑looking estimates and are subject to substantial uncertainty.
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