Moon Crash, Water Cyberattacks, and History's Weirdest Pets

Good morning, it's Wednesday, Aug. 5. By the time you read this, the moon's surface may look different. First time reading? Join over 4.7 million insatiably curious readers. Sign up here.

Also in today's Digest: cyberattacks on US water facilities (Need To Know), a "fecal revolution" (Sci. & Tech.), Michigan primary results (Pol. & World Affairs), historical pets (Etc.), and much more. 

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 Need To Know 

The Moon's New Scar

A discarded SpaceX rocket segment was on track to slam into the moon this morning at around 2:35 am ET, likely creating a crater about 16 feet deep and 65 to 100 feet wide. The unintentional impact offers scientists a rare chance to study human-made lunar collisions, which could become more common with the rise of space debris.

The 45-foot-long, nearly 10,000-pound second stage helped launch two lunar landers in January 2025 (scroll for rocket diagram). Atmospheric drag was supposed to pull the stage back into Earth’s atmosphere afterward, but SpaceX says conditions including solar activity redirected it toward the moon. This morning's collision will likely have occurred near the Einstein Crater at a speed of roughly 5,400 miles per hour—more than twice that of a rifle bullet—releasing as much force as about 15,000 sticks of dynamite. 

The SpaceX collision is the second known accidental human-made impact on the moon, following a 2022 crash by a Chinese rocket segment that created a pair of craters (w/photos).

US Water Targeted

At least 12 states have reported cyberattacks targeting drinking water and wastewater utilities, with officials investigating whether Iranian-linked hackers were behind some of the incidents. Authorities say drinking water was not contaminated, though some Minnesota residents experienced low-pressure water flow or received boil water notices.

The attacks targeted internet-connected control systems used to manage pumps, wells, valves, and water pressure rather than the water itself. More than 30 systems in Minnesota and nine in Michigan have reported compromises, while utilities in at least 10 other states have also been affected. Officials say hackers changed passwords, altered network settings, and temporarily locked operators out of control systems, but built-in safeguards and manual operations prevented contamination. Iranian-linked groups have previously targeted US water facilities and other US organizations.

There are over 152,000 public water systems in the US. See how hackers can turn critical infrastructure into a weapon—and how a raindrop can travel miles before it reaches your tap.

Arson Arrest

Washington authorities have arrested a man accused of sparking the Old Trails fire, one of three wildfires in Spokane that are 0% contained as of this writing. The fires have collectively burned more than 16 square miles, destroying more than 700 houses and structures and forcing more than 65,000 people to evacuate. 

The suspect is 37-year-old Aaron Farinacci, previously convicted for killing his father in 2010. He was identified by a witness who says they saw him bent by the side of the road on Saturday near where the fire started. Farinacci is accused of using a match or lighter to spark the fire and was charged with first-degree arson. Authorities are still investigating the cause of the other two fires. (How do arson investigators do it?)

Explore a map of wildfire and smoke exposure here; see a time-lapse video of the Spokane fires from the perspective of a bird feeder.

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture

> "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" earns over $1B globally in six days, a near-record pace only surpassed by "Avengers: Endgame" in 2019 (More) | See all records broken by the roughly $225M Sony and Marvel collaboration (More)

> Ohio State tops college football preseason coaches' poll for the first time since 2015 (More) | Cleveland unveils name—the Sirens—and logo for its WNBA expansion franchise, set to debut in 2028 (More)

> Country songs claim all Top Five spots in the Billboard Hot 100, with Ella Langley's "Choosin' Texas" holding the No. 1 spot for the 16th week (More) | Scroll through all 100 top songs (More)

Science & Technology

> Leonardo DiCaprio's and Jeff Bezos' foundations cofound and fund a $200M initiative to save 100 of the world's most endangered species, calling it the largest-ever fund dedicated to the cause (More) | Meet the species (More)

> Carnivorous plants may be more widespread than previously believed, after scientists confirm that a plant Charles Darwin suspected was carnivorous ingests insects (More, w/photos)

> Scientists identify the "fecal revolution," a period when nutrients and organic matter from animal waste appear to have triggered an explosion of plant and animal diversity (More)

Business & Markets

> US stock markets close at record highs (S&P 500 +1.8%, Dow +1.7%, Nasdaq +2.6%), fueled by earnings reports (More)

> SpaceX revenue rises 92% from year ago in first earnings report since going public (More) | Bending Spoons buys productivity software provider Airtable for $1.2B (More) | Jeff Bezos to sell roughly 15 million Amazon shares worth over $4B (More)

> Chipotle removes jalapeños tied to Minnesota salmonella outbreak amid health probe; shares fall nearly 10% (More) | How many Americans get foodborne illnesses each year? (More, scroll for visuals) | ... and see our guide to food poisoning (More)

Politics & World Affairs

> Progressive Abdul El-Sayed leads in Democratic Senate primary race in Michigan as of this writing, ahead of centrist Rep. Haley Stevens (D, MI-11); winner will face former Rep. Mike Rogers (R, MI-8) in November; see live updates (More) | See previous write-up (More)

> The House Committee on Ethics launches investigation into Rep. Max Miller (R, OH-7) over ex-wife's abuse allegations (More)

> Guatemala's Fuego volcano erupts, prompting more than 650 villagers to evacuate (More) | See photos (More)

Beer-drinking elk and other strange pets from history.

Ben & Jerry's brings back Pumpkin Cheesecake ice cream.

See the world's smallest buffalo, at 15 pounds.

Mahjong is taking over summer camps.

Can "poop pills" improve sleep?

The world's most livable cities, ranked.

Would you wear tennis ball shoes? (w/photo)

The rise of sardine nails.

Clickbait: "Peanut butter" pay raises are out.

Historybook: Space pioneer Neil Armstrong born (1930); Marilyn Monroe found dead in her Los Angeles home (1962); The US, the UK, and the Soviet Union sign Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (1963); Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison dies (2019).