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Editor's note: The 1440 Daily Digest team will be off tomorrow for Independence Day. Have a great holiday—we'll see you again Sunday.
Good morning, it's Friday, July 3—the last day the US can call itself 249 years old. First time reading? Join over 4.7 million insatiably curious readers. Sign up here.
Also in today's Digest: a schism in the Catholic Church (Need To Know), how honeybee queens handle pesticides (Sci. & Tech.), Amazon is coming for Starlink (Bus. & Mkts.), clothing buttons (Best of Etc.), and much more.
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Need To Know
Happy Birthday Eve, America
Tomorrow marks 250 years since the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence. The delegates voted for the colonies to break from Great Britain on July 2, then spent two days revising the draft declaration. Many thought we would celebrate Independence Day on July 2 rather than July 4 (w/video).
Since July 4, 1776, the US has grown from 13 colonies with 2.5 million people to 50 states, 14 territories, and one district with more than 342 million people. We’re all connected by some 5,000 airports, 161,000 miles of federally supported highways, and 5.5 million miles of power lines. The economy has grown to nearly $32T.
Fireworks have been part of the Fourth of July since the first celebrations, but this year’s festivities will be bigger than ever to mark America's milestone 250th birthday. Roughly 850,000 fireworks are due to light up the nation's capital tomorrow, potentially breaking a world record.
While there will always be challenges, we've come a long way in 250 years. So grab a hot dog and raise a glass to the next 250 years—when our great-something-grandchildren will open “America’s Time Capsule.” Explore its contents here.
PS—Want more? From the Revolutionary War to the Electoral College, explore our favorite Civics resources.
🥛 In partnership with ZBiotics: Take ZBiotics Pre-Alcohol before drinking to support a fresher morning after. Get 15% off your first order at zbiotics.com/1440 with code 1440.
Church Rift Deepens
The Vatican declared yesterday the Society of St. Pius X has formally split from the Catholic Church after the traditionalist group appointed four new bishops without Pope Leo XIV’s approval—despite the pope's direct appeal not to proceed.
The move excommunicates the bishops involved and the society's members. Marriages and confessions performed by its clergy are also no longer considered valid. Founded in 1970 by French Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, SSPX emerged in opposition to the Second Vatican Council reforms of the 1960s, which allowed Mass in local languages rather than Latin and encouraged greater engagement with other faiths. SSPX has 751 priests and claims about half a million followers.
The dispute echoes 1988, when Lefebvre was excommunicated for the same offense. The Vatican lifted those penalties in 2009 in a bid to reconcile. SSPX's latest decision complicates future reconciliation, presenting an early challenge for Pope Leo's papacy. Visualize the 56-year battle between Rome and SSPX.
Security Guard Rescued
A Venezuelan security guard has been pulled from the rubble alive, eight days after earthquakes roiled the country, trapping him beneath more than 280,000 pounds of rubble.
Hernán Alberto Gil Flores was on duty in the parking lot of a shopping center when earthquakes struck on June 24 at 6 pm local time. Gil Flores was inside a small concrete booth, which protected him from collapsing debris and gave him a pocket of air. Rescuers discovered him four days later. They spent more than 100 hours working to extract him, delivering food, drinks, and supplies through a narrow shaft. Rescue efforts were interrupted by rain and the collapse of access ducts built to reach him. See scenes from the rescue (via YouTube).
At least 2,295 people were killed in the earthquakes and more than 11,000 were injured. Tens of thousands of people are still missing. Watch the rescue of an 18-day-old baby last week.
Editor's note: In yesterday's edition, we incorrectly stated the last time the USMNT reached the knockout stage was 12 years ago—it should have said 24. Thank you to the readers who caught this error.
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In The Know
Sports, Entertainment, & Culture
> Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are reportedly getting married in Madison Square Garden tonight (More, w/live updates) | Poll finds 70% of Americans care "not at all" about the wedding while more than 20% care at least "a little" (More)
> Ex-pop star Gary Glitter is charged with sexual offenses that allegedly occurred from 1978 to 1981; he is serving a 16-year sentence for 2015 convictions (More) | Prosecutors can access Tiger Woods' hospital records in Florida DUI case (More)
> Mikel Oyarzabal scores twice as Spain beats Austria 3-0, advancing to the Round of 16 (More) | Australia takes on Egypt at 2 pm ET, Argentina clashes with Cape Verde at 6 pm ET, and Colombia plays Ghana at 9:30 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.
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A Scent to Remember
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Science & Technology
> First-of-its-kind NASA mission to prevent a space telescope from falling back to Earth is delayed for second time this week after a last-minute launch issue (More) | Read a 1440 summary of the plan (More)
> Honeybee queens exposed to pesticides off-load the toxins into their eggs to protect themselves (More) | How honeybees and other pollinators contribute over $200B to the global economy (More, w/video)
> Human red blood cells mature in nurseries structured differently than those found in mice; discovery upends longstanding assumptions and may shift understandings of disease progression and recovery (More)
Business & Markets
> US stock markets close mixed (S&P 500 +0.0%, Dow +1.1%, Nasdaq -0.8%) (More) | US economy added 57,000 jobs in June, below the 115,000 jobs economists expected and the downwardly revised 129,000 jobs added in May (More)
> Tesla deliveries rise 25% year over year to more than 480,000 vehicles sent, exceeding Wall Street expectations (More) | Amazon says it has launched enough satellites to offer internet service this year, challenging SpaceX's Starlink (More)
> Jersey Mike's, the second largest US sandwich chain behind Subway, files for an initial public offering; private equity firm Blackstone bought an $8B majority stake in the roughly 3,300-store chain in January 2025 (More)
Politics & World Affairs
> Russia launches largest attack on Ukrainian capital in more than four years of fighting, killing at least 27 people and wounding dozens more (More) | See photos of the aftermath (More)
> US-Iran negotiations pause for dayslong funeral ceremonies in Iran honoring Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, killed in US and Israeli strikes on Feb. 28; will culminate in July 9 burial (More)
> Former Olympic canoe racer David Hearn indicted, accused of vandalizing Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool (More)
In-Depth
> 250 Years of Eats
NY Times | Kim Severson. While burgers and hot dogs may be the first foods that come to mind when people think of American cuisine, the nation's culinary history extends far beyond. Embark on a decade-by-decade tour of our defining dishes, dietary trends, and culinary gadgets. (Read)
> Do You Run Fake Scenarios Before Sleep?
Psychology Simplified | Staff. If so, you're not alone. The phenomenon is called paracosmic thinking, and psychologists say it helps you mold yourself into the person you want to become. (Watch)
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Best of Etcetera—June 2026
Editor's note: More than 12 million monthly clicks can't be wrong. Here are the most popular stories we ran in June. Enjoy!
(6/28/26) Chick-fil-A has been dethroned as America's favorite fast-food chain.
(6/25/26) Americans have a clear favorite cheese.
(6/16/26) Why are buttons on different sides for men's and women's clothing?
(6/2/26) Watch an adorable puppy take a bath.
(6/28/26) Are you a mosquito magnet? Here's why.
(6/22/26) Why do soccer players have holes in their socks?
(6/28/26) World Cup visitors can't get enough of these American foods.
(6/3/26) What would a restaurant menu look like in 1776?
Clickbait: What's the safest swimsuit color? It isn't blue.
Historybook: Battle of Gettysburg ends on Pickett’s Charge (1863); Dow Jones publishes its first stock average (1884); Actor Tom Cruise born (1962); Musician Jim Morrison dies (1971); Actress Olivia Munn born (1980).
"I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival."
- John Adams, July 3, 1776
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