Good morning, it's Tuesday, Sept. 22. The first official day of fall is here—but the pandemic has even canceled the equinox party at Stonehenge. Have feedback? Let us know at [email protected].

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NEED TO KNOW

RBG to Lie in State

Former Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg will lie in repose at the Supreme Court tomorrow and Thursday, officials announced yesterday. With a modified ceremony due to the pandemic, Ginsburg's casket will be stationed under the building's massive portico both days, allowing the public to pay respects outdoors. She will then lie in state in the US Capitol Friday, becoming the first woman​ to receive the honor. Ginsburg will be buried next week at Arlington National Cemetery, next to her husband, Martin.

President Trump said yesterday he would put forth a nominee by Friday or Saturday. Amy Coney Barrett, a federal appeals court judge on the Seventh Circuit, appears to be the leading contender, though at least four others are still under consideration. 

With a 53-47 Senate majority, a nominee is likely to be confirmed—see our write-up yesterday on the process—with the only question being whether a vote occurs before or after the Nov. 3 election. To bring a vote to the floor, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) needs 51 votes, assuming a party-line vote by Democrats. Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Susan Collins (R-ME) have said they won't support a preelection vote; 35 others have said they will support a vote, and 16 have not made a public statement as of this morning. Track the whip count—or how lawmakers are planning to vote—here ($$, WashPo).

Europe's Second Wave

Health officials in the United Kingdom warned yesterday that, absent new preventive measures, new cases of the coronavirus could rise to almost 50,000 per day by mid-October. The country reported almost 4,000 cases Sunday, a figure that has doubled over the past week. Deaths remain low—under 20 were reported Sunday—though experts expect the numbers to lag a rise in new cases by two weeks or more.

Elsewhere in Europe, average daily cases in France and Spain have surpassed 10,000 after a relatively calm summer. Farther east, Israel instituted a second round of restrictions after cases hit 6,000 per day—one of the world's highest rates when accounting for population. 

Meanwhile, the US will likely pass 200,000 total reported deaths today (according to the Johns Hopkins University dashboard) as it closes in on 7 million total cases. See per capita comparison with major European hotspots here. 

Illumina Buys GRAIL

Biotechnology giant Illumina will buy cancer detection startup GRAIL, officials announced yesterday, just two weeks after GRAIL filed paperwork to go public. Under the $8B cash and stock deal, Illumina—which already owns 14.5% of the startup—will buy out existing investors, including Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos. 

GRAIL is viewed as one of the leaders in the race to develop blood tests that can provide early detection of a wide variety of cancers, thereby increasing odds of survival. Known as liquid biopsies, the approach searches for biomarkers—typically pieces of DNA shed by dying tumor cells (see 101)—floating through the bloodstream. The company is currently running three major clinical studies, with two examining the genetic signatures of breast and smoking-related cancers. Analysts say the market for liquid biopsies could reach between $30B–$130B in the US alone—if the technology pans out. 

Despite the news, Illumina's stock actually dropped 8.6%, with investors rattled over the lack of final clinical results and existing revenue. 

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IN THE KNOW

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture

> Ellen DeGeneres apologizes on air to staff over allegations of a toxic work culture and misconduct as her daytime show returned for 18th season (More)

> New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft likely to have soliciting sex charges dropped over lack of evidence (More) | Las Vegas Raiders unveil $1.9B Allegiant Stadium, nicknamed “Death Star,” on Monday Night Football (More) | See full Week 2 NFL recap (More)

> Emmy TV ratings hit all-time low as 6.1 million watched Sunday’s ceremony, down 12% from last year’s previous low (More) | Michael Lonsdale, best known as James Bond villain in “Moonraker,” dies at 89 (More)

Science & Technology

> Facebook launches pilot program around image copyright, will let people and companies claim ownership over images and honor take down requests on both Facebook and Instagram (More)

> University of Pittsburgh researchers develop machine learning algorithm that can spot subtle signs of osteoarthritis years before symptom onset (More)

> Mysterious deaths of roughly 330 African elephants in Botswana were likely caused by toxins produced by cyanobacteria in drinking supply; officials unsure why only elephants were affected (More)

Business & Markets

Brought to you by The Ascent

> US stock markets down (S&P 500 -1.2%, Dow -1.8%, Nasdaq -0.1%) as pandemic fears in Europe grow (More)

> American household wealth rebounds 7% in second quarter to record high $119T; data show racial wealth gap as white households account for 85% of wealth, Black 4.4%, Hispanic 3.2% (More)

> Microsoft to acquire ZeniMax Media, video game maker of "Doom" among other games, for $7.5B (More) | Sources say mobile streaming service Quibi is exploring strategic options including a potential sale; company has raised $1.4B (More)

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Politics & World Affairs

> Tropical Storm Beta makes landfall along Texas coast, projected to drop between five and 15 inches of rain while moving toward Louisiana (More) | Hurricane Teddy projected to hit Canada's Newfoundland overnight (More)

> House lawmakers introduce stopgap funding bill to keep the government open through Dec. 11; Senate unlikely to support, end of month funding showdown likely (More) | Justice Department threatens to withhold federal funds from "anarchist" cities (More) | ... and separately opens $101M in grants to combat human trafficking (More)

> President Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping to deliver opposing speeches at today's United Nations General Assembly; the largely virtual gathering marks the 75th anniversary of the organization (More)

IN-DEPTH

The Battle Over Dyslexia

The Guardian | Sirin Kale. Once widely accepted as the reason some schoolchildren struggled to learn how to read and write, some experts are now questioning to what degree—if any—dyslexia impacts learning. (Read)

The Plot Against Conspiracy Theories

Wired | Clive Thompson. For years, YouTube was considered the gateway drug to conspiracy theories, with its recommendation algorithm built to push casual browsers down never-ending rabbit holes. Now, AI-driven software is learning how to demote such content—but can it keep up? (Read, $$)

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ETCETERA

Fortune releases its 2020 Change the World list.

How wildfires send smoke around the globe, in one animation.

Visualizing what happens each minute on the internet. 

An hourslong flight to nowhere sells out in minutes.

The 20 most stunning residential architectural designs for 2020. 

Mapping Tesla's supercharger network.

Famous artwork get a furry makeover.

The next reality show may send its winner into outer space.

Clickbait: Playing music with a boxing speed bag. (w/video)

Historybook: President Lincoln issues Emancipation Proclamation, freeing slaves in Confederate states (1862); Peace Corps formally authorized by Congress (1961); Iraq invades Iran, beginning the Iran-Iraq War (1980); “Friends” debuts on NBC (1994); RIP baseball great Yogi Berra (2015).

"When you come to a fork in the road, take it."

- Yogi Berra

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