Good morning! It's Sunday, Feb. 22. Tuesday marks the fourth anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, so we explored the history of the centuries-old tensions in Eastern Europe. We also took a look at the rebellious literary movement, the Beats, to mark five years since the death of Lawrence Ferlinghetti, one of the movement's chief poets.
Scroll down to see Japan's transparent bathrooms, what key microbe many Western babies are missing, and more. Or visit 1440 Topics for primers on Formula 1, Student Debt, or 450 others.
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— 1440 Topics Team |
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Dear Readers—Our Sunday edition delivers deep dives into interesting and relevant topics, helping you explore new ideas and feed your curiosity.
Instead of the news—which we cover Monday through Saturday—today we’ll bring you deeply researched overviews and the human-curated articles, podcasts, videos, and more that most fascinated us this week. |
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Have you checked out the 1440 Daily Digest? Love our Sunday deep dives, but want to keep up with what's happening in the world? Or maybe you needed a break from the nonstop newscycle but are ready to jump back in.
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How it all started
The Russia-Ukraine conflict (see current map) is rooted in centuries of contested identity, shifting rule, and colonial domination. Beginning in the 14th century, the territory now known as Ukraine was ruled by competing powers—including Poland-Lithuania and the Austro-Hungarian and Russian empires.
Ukrainian nationalism emerged in the mid-19th century, but modern Ukraine was not established as a sovereign nation until the Soviet Union's collapse in 1991 (watch a video exploring Ukraine's origins). Today's tensions stem from that independence—its geographic position between Europe (and the broader NATO alliance) and Russia makes it both a strategic asset and a symbolic battleground for influence.
Ukrainian revolutions against pro-Russian governments in 2004 and 2014 prompted Russia to illegally annex Crimea—a peninsula on the Black Sea—and launch a full-scale invasion in 2022 (watch a breakdown of the war). The current war, Europe's largest since World War II, has profoundly affected the Ukrainian people, their infrastructure, and the post-Cold War global order.
... Read what else we learned about the conflict here.
Also, check out ...
> Russia now controls roughly 20% of Ukraine. (View)
> Stalin's policies in the 1930s caused a devastating famine in Ukraine. (Watch)
> Hear how Putin's Soviet childhood shaped his rule. (Listen)
> In 2021, Putin wrote a 5,000-word historical treatise justifying an invasion. (Watch) |
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Fungus 101
Fungi are nature’s decomposers, recycling ecosystem nutrients. Distinct from plants and animals, fungi are everywhere on Earth, including in water, soil, air, and our bodies.
The fungal kingdom includes more than 1 million species, such as molds, mushrooms, and yeasts. But in this diverse group are also fungi that produce toxins in food and ones that trigger allergic reactions and asthma attacks. When certain fungal species become overgrown in or on humans, that can lead to disorders like yeast infections, ringworm, and athlete’s foot.
Fungal diseases are increasing worldwide due to factors including climate change and the increase in international travel and trade. They cost the US around $19B annually and cause around 130,000 hospitalizations each year. Although most fungal pathogens, when inhaled, are easily cleared from the human body in otherwise healthy people, people with compromised immune systems are at particular risk. In hospitals, fungal pathogens may persist on surfaces, equipment, and in the air without strict sanitation practices and then spread easily among vulnerable people.
... Read our full explainer on fungus here.
Also, check out ...
> Cutting mold off your food doesn't make it safe to eat. (Watch)
> Black mold isn’t more worrisome than other colors of mold. (Read)
> Mapping the kingdom of fungi. (Watch)
> Some parasites can use mind control on their hosts. (Read) |
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An introduction to the Beat Generation
The Beat Generation was an American literary movement that rose to prominence in the 1950s. A loosely affiliated collection of poets, novelists, playwrights, publishers, and other artists reacted to what they considered an anti-intellectual and homogeneous social order following World War II.
The writing of the Beat Generation used experimental forms, surreal imagery, and vernacular language, and emphasized the importance of "spontaneous prose" to mimic the improvisation of jazz. Although the Beats praised canonical poets like William Blake, Arthur Rimbaud, and Walt Whitman, much of their work sought to rebel against literary tradition.
The Beats' radical politics and nonconformity influenced several subsequent countercultural movements, including antiwar and gay rights movements, second-wave feminism, and Black liberation organizations. The aesthetics of the Beat Generation movement found a home in popular music, with artists like Bob Dylan, Lou Reed, and Kurt Cobain citing Beat writers as major influences and collaborators.
... Read our full write-up on the Beat Generation here.
Also, check out ...
> Read a collection of the Beats' poetry. (More)
> Allen Ginsberg's poem "Howl" kick-started the movement. (Listen)
> Kurt Cobain was inspired by the Beats (Read)
> A lost Jack Kerouac story was discovered in the belongings of a gunned-down mob boss. (Read) |
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In partnership with Fisher Investments |
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7 Ways to Take Control of Your Legacy |
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Planning your estate might not sound like the most exciting thing on your to-do list, but trust us, it’s worth it. "The Investor’s Guide to Estate Planning" makes preparing less daunting than it seems.
Find straightforward advice on tackling key documents to clearly spell out your wishes. Plus, there’s help for having those all-important family conversations about your financial legacy to make sure everyone’s on the same page (and avoid negative future surprises). Explore ways to start, review or refine your estate plan today with "The Investor’s Guide to Estate Planning". Download for free now! |
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We added 285 resources this week to our knowledge collective—share your favorite link or outlet with us to see it featured here next week!
Take a look at Japan's new transparent public bathrooms. (View)
Western babies often are missing a key gut microbe common elsewhere. (Read)
An AI-built pixel map reimagines New York City as a video game. (View)
Jam and jelly differ in texture because of how fruit is processed. (Watch)
See ancient Roman coins likely used along the Silk Roads. (View)
How 19th-century scientific management principles birthed the stressful modern workplace. (Read)
Can you catapult satellites into space from the moon? (Read)
What the research says about the link between lead pollution and crime. (Read)
Generate and explore three-dimensional worlds with World Labs' "Marble." (Explore)
China's tree belt around the Taklamakan Desert has become a carbon sink. (Read)
Twelve ways Olympians push performance limits by "sleepmaxxing." (Read)
Avalanches happen when layered snow fails, often on perfect ski slopes. (Read)
In 1914, the Financial Times asked readers to redraw Europe for cash prizes. (Read) |
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⚖️ 1440 Explores ... Inside the US Supreme Court |
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Once considered the weakest branch, the US Supreme Court has grown into one of America's most powerful institutions, with nine unelected justices and a marble building where decisions can reshape an entire nation. Our latest episode of "1440 Explores" demystifies what happens behind the court's closed doors. |
We'll unpack:
> Where the high court's power actually comes from.
> How the court chooses which cases to hear.
> What shapes a final ruling that can last generations—including young law clerks. |
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Historybook: President George Washington born (1732); Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin born (1962); Drew Barrymore born (1975); "Miracle on Ice" as the US defeats the Soviet Union in hockey at Winter Olympics (1980); Andy Warhol dies (1987). |
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"Making money is art and working is art and good business is the best art." |
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