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Good morning, it's Tuesday, Aug. 4, and humpback whales may have rhythm. First time reading? Join over 4.7 million insatiably curious readers. Sign up here.
Also in today's Digest: officials confirm the first two deaths in the cyclosporiasis outbreak (Sci. & Tech.), eight contenders for song of the summer (In-Depth), a Pacific Island nation changes its name (Etc.), and much more.
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Need To Know
Michigan Primary Matchup
Michigan voters head to the polls today for statewide races, including the most expensive Democratic Senate primary in US history. The winner will face Republican Mike Rogers in November for the seat being vacated by Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI).
More than $60M has been spent on the Democratic primary, with pro-Israel lobby AIPAC directing nearly $30M to support four-term Rep. Haley Stevens (D, MI-11). Stevens has highlighted her work on former President Barack Obama’s recession-era bailout for Detroit's automobile industry. She faces Abdul El-Sayed, a former Detroit public health official who emphasizes a progressive agenda, including Medicare for All. The race is largely seen as a referendum on Israel; a recent poll found nearly 60% of Democrats, including El-Sayed, believe the party is too supportive of the country.
The latest polls largely show El-Sayed leading Stevens. A recent poll found El-Sayed trailing Rogers by 10 points, and a closer race between Rogers and Stevens.
Whale Song and Dance
Male humpback whales appear to synchronize different parts of their songs with specific stages of their dives, according to research published yesterday. The findings offer the first evidence linking underwater movements to the structure of the elaborate courtship songs males sing during breeding season.
Researchers attached temporary sound-and-motion tags to 16 humpback whales off Maui between 2018 and 2024, tracking both their dives and vocalizations. The whales repeated distinct song "themes" during specific phases of a dive, with some singing continuously for up to 16 hours (hear the songs, w/video). Scientists believe some themes evolved to attract mates, while others reflect physical constraints such as oxygen consumption and buoyancy. The findings could help researchers infer a whale's depth and behavior from acoustic recordings alone.
Whale songs are among the few animal vocalizations passed down culturally rather than genetically, with new songs spreading across ocean populations. Could humans one day communicate with whales? Explore the idea (w/video).
🫶 Humankind: French postal workers serve as lifelines, checking on older residents during a dangerous heat wave.
Antarctic Time Capsule
A study published yesterday reveals a rich community of microorganisms living in the water flowing through Antarctica’s Blood Falls, suggesting the crimson waterfall may have ancient marine origins. See images.
Genetic analysis of roughly 167 water, sediment, and air samples suggests that the newly discovered microbes belong to organism groups commonly found in the ocean. They are likely descendants of a marine community that became trapped beneath the Taylor Glacier when seawater flooded a valley millions of years ago. The trapped seawater appears to have formed a hypersaline brine with a lower freezing point, allowing the microbes to survive as Antarctica grew increasingly cold. Scientists believe the microbes have remained isolated and relatively unchanged since the flood, providing a rare glimpse into life before the modern Antarctic ice sheet.
Prior research found that the waterfall's color comes from iron in the brine, which rusts when it comes into contact with oxygen (w/video).
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In The Know
Sports, Entertainment, & Culture
> Mauricio Pochettino to continue coaching the US men's national soccer team through the 2030 World Cup (More) | How the 54-year-old Argentine became the US coach (More)
> Philadelphia Phillies land three-time batting champion Luis Arraez and Boston Red Sox snag three-time All-Star catcher Adley Rutschman ahead of MLB trade deadline (More, w/all trades graded)
> Ariana Grande pulls out of London musical and steps back from the public eye, citing public scrutiny; the 33-year-old singer has faced ongoing commentary about her physical appearance (More)
Science & Technology
> Michigan reports first two US deaths in cyclosporiasis outbreak, which has surpassed 6,700 confirmed cases; both deceased patients had underlying health conditions (More) | Scroll for outbreak heat map (More)
> Neural activity suggests the brain turns inward during REM sleep, tuning out sensory information from the outside world while continuing to process internal signals (More) | How humans evolved to need less sleep (More, w/video)
> Researchers devise technique to place delicate molecules into microchips, potentially enabling ultrasmall, faster computing technologies (More) | How are microchips made today? (More, w/video)
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Business & Markets
> US stock markets close higher (S&P 500 +1.5%, Dow +1.3%, Nasdaq +2.1%); Dow hits record as Big Tech stocks rise and oil prices fall (More)
> Amazon becomes fifth company to top $3T market cap as its shares reach a new all-time high (More) | See list of the world's biggest companies by market cap (More)
> Data analytics software giant Palantir reports stronger-than-expected quarterly earnings and revenue, sees US government revenue grow 90% year-over-year (More) | Visa to buy AI-powered fraud detection company BioCatch for $2.4B (More)
Politics & World Affairs
> Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche rescinds $1.8B anti-weaponization fund and limits IRS audit immunity for President Donald Trump, earning support for his confirmation from holdout Republican senators (More) | The fund 101 (More)
> Washington state wildfires force at least 60,000 people to evacuate, destroy more than 600 homes and structures across Spokane County (More) | Listen to a fire historian explain wildfires via "1440 Explores" (More)
> Court case begins over South African law allowing the government to seize private land to address economic inequality, in some cases without compensating the owner (More) | How the law became a flashpoint in US-South Africa relations (More)
In-Depth
> Lonely, I Am So Lonely
BBC | Yang Tian. Some influencers are boasting about their lack of social ties, flipping a taboo of loneliness into an aspirational lifestyle of solitude. (Read)
> And the Song of the Summer Is ...
Popcast | Staff. Can a song of the summer be anointed? The hosts of The New York Times' "Popcast" establish a bracket of eight contenders and make their case for the final boss of summer 2026 music. (Listen)
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Etcetera
World's third-smallest country changes its name.
Baby has life-changing surgery while still in mother's womb.
Eight items found in every ancient Egyptian household.
Helicopter parents are meddling in their adult children's careers.
Monkeys sometimes have pets like humans.
Zac Brown Band gifts cruises to over 37,000 fans at Fenway Park.
See two bird sculptures carved from mammoth ivory 40,000 years ago.
Adidas drops college-themed shoes in time for football season.
In partnership: Experts ranked 17 hearing aids. Meet the winner.*
Clickbait: Would you try a Flamin' Hot Cheetos cookie?
Historybook: Jazz legend Louis Armstrong born (1901); Anne Frank and family are captured after two years hiding from Nazis (1944); President Barack Obama born (1961); Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, born (1981); Rwanda peace treaty signed (1993).
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