Good morning, it's Tuesday, Oct. 27. The US once again has nine Supreme Court justices, NASA made an exciting lunar discovery, and markets tumbled yesterday. Have feedback? Let us know at [email protected].

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NEED TO KNOW

Barrett Confirmed 

The Senate confirmed Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court yesterday evening, approving her nomination along a nearly party-line 52-48 vote. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), facing a tough reelection bid, was the only member of either party to break ranks. The vote caps a quick, 27-day process—the modern record belongs to former Justice John Paul Stevens, confirmed in just 19 days in 1975 (see list)—and is the closest confirmation to a presidential election in history. 

Barrett becomes the third justice to be appointed by President Trump and gives the court a 6-3 conservative lean. She was sworn in shortly after the vote during an in-person White House ceremony—Justice Clarence Thomas delivered the oath—and will be available for the upcoming session of oral arguments, which begin next week. The docket includes Texas v. California Nov. 10, which challenges the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act. Barrett would also be seated for any potential election dispute, should one arise.  

Lunar Hydration

A pair of studies revealed the most definitive evidence to date demonstrating the existence of water—relatively abundant and accessible—on the surface of the moon. The findings could have significant implications for the prospect of future lunar development. Drinking water could be harvested on-site, while the water molecules could be separated into hydrogen for fuel and oxygen for breathing, among other applications. 

With little atmosphere, scientists long believed any water on the moon would have evaporated. Ice has been discovered trapped (and difficult to access) near lunar poles, and a 2009 study suggested the possibility of water near the lunar surface—but couldn't distinguish between water (two hydrogen atoms, one oxygen atom) and hydroxyl (one hydrogen, one oxygen). The recent study, performed using a modified Boeing 747 with a telescope strapped to its back, confirmed the presence of water by measuring sunlight reflected off the lunar surface.

The water is not freestanding—scientists believe the majority is trapped in rocks and mineral deposits. 

Markets Drop as Cases Rise

Markets tumbled yesterday across the board, with investors rattled by a combination of rising COVID-19 cases across the globe and dimming prospects for the passage of a stimulus package. The Dow Jones dropped by 650 points (-2.3%), followed by the S&P 500 (-1.9%) and the Nasdaq (-1.6%). President Trump has renewed calls for a stimulus, though negotiations still remain between House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D, CA-12) and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, and it is unclear whether a major package could pass the Senate. 

The rolling average for new daily COVID-19 cases in the US has reached a record high near 69,000, surpassing the average seen during the July peak of 67,000 (see data). Cases appear to be trending upward, with no signs of decreasing. Public health officials say one major challenge is, unlike the summer surge, cases are widely distributed across the country; outbreaks can't be managed by restrictions in a handful of cities. Meanwhile, the average number of new tests has only risen from about 950,000 per day to 1 million over the same period, or about 5%. See how your state is doing here. 

More than 225,735 deaths have been reported in the US, as of this morning (see data).

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IN THE KNOW

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture

> Los Angeles Dodgers look to win their first World Series in 32 years tonight (8pm ET, Fox) against the Tampa Bay Rays; Dodgers lead series 3-2 (More)

> Facebook enters cloud-based gaming market with a free offering directly from their existing app; rollout began in several US states yesterday, but not available on Apple's iOS (More)

> The Weeknd and rapper Roddy Ricch lead all artists with eight nominations apiece for the 2020 American Music Awards (8pm ET, Nov. 22, ABC) (More)

Science & Technology

> Japan sets new goal of being carbon neutral by 2050; country has the world's fourth-largest economy (More) | See Japan's emission profile (More)

> Biological mechanism that allows bats to moderate their immune system response discovered; capability allows them to harbor a variety of zoonotic diseases without getting sick (More)

> Study uncovers mechanism behind exercise and slowed tumor growth in cancer patients; physical activity boosts the ability of cytotoxic T cells to attack cancer cells (More)

Business & Markets

> Ant Group—Chinese fintech giant founded by Jack Ma—could fetch as much as $34B in upcoming IPO valuing company at more than $300B; would be the world’s largest IPO (More)

> Sources say Dunkin’ Brands is in acquisition talks with Inspire Brands—private equity-backed owner of Arby’s and Buffalo Wild Wings—for up to $8.8B (More)

> US new home sales drop for first time in four months despite mortgage rates at record lows (More)

Politics & World Affairs

> Roughly 1 million people have power shut off in California's Bay Area as high winds threaten utility lines, bring fears of wildfires (More)

> Chilean voters overwhelmingly pass national referendum to rewrite the country's constitution; current laws were established during the reign of the military dictator Augusto Pinochet (More)

> Hurricane Zeta develops into Category 1 storm, expected to make landfall along the US Gulf Coast Wednesday evening (More)

IN-DEPTH

Why Americans Don't Vote

FiveThirtyEight | Staff. In recent presidential elections, nearly 40% of the voting-eligible population didn't vote. Here are some of the reasons Americans sit out elections—and why this year may be different. (Read)

The Last Days of Stan Lee

AARP | David Hochman. Tragic accusations of elder abuse marred the end of Stan Lee's life, with a coterie of advisers allegedly seeking to profit off the comic book legend, even at the expense of his physical and mental health. (Read)

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ETCETERA

Breaking down the demographics of the 2020 electorate.

The economics of coffee in one chart.

How African dust storms create Caribbean beaches.

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Take a look inside the world's most beautiful caves.

Pandemic fatigue is real—and it's getting worse. ($$, WSJ)

The original "Hocus Pocus" cast is set to reunite. 

This bird is a rare gynandromorph.

A mesmerizing dance-off between Thai bank mascots.

Clickbait: Aliens help singer Demi Lovato get over a breakup.

Historybook: Ivan the Great dies (1505); Philadelphia is founded (1682); President Teddy Roosevelt born (1858); New York City subway opens (1904); American poet and novelist Sylvia Plath born (1932).

"The most important single ingredient in the formula of success is knowing how to get along with people."

- Teddy Roosevelt

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