Good morning. It's Friday, Jan. 17, and we're covering positive news in the fight against cancer, the passing of an iconic filmmaker, and much more. First time reading? Join over 4 million intellectually curious readers. Sign up here. |
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The American Cancer Society's latest report reveals a significant shift in cancer trends. The overall cancer mortality rate in the US declined by 34% from 1991 to 2022, preventing approximately 4.5 million deaths.
However, cancer rates are rising among women and younger adults, with women under 50 now having cancer rates 82% higher than men, up from 51% in 2002. Pancreatic cancer remains a concern, with increasing incidence and mortality rates and an 8% five-year survival rate for pancreatic exocrine tumors. Cancer incidence among children (ages 14 and younger) has declined after decades of increases but continues to rise among adolescents (ages 15 to 19). See all statistics here.
Cancer remains the second-leading cause of death in the US and the primary cause for those under 85. In 2025, the ACS estimates there will be 2,041,910 new cancer diagnoses in the US, with 618,120 cancer deaths. Researchers attribute these shifts to environmental influences, lifestyle changes, and potential genetic factors. |
Acclaimed director David Lynch passed away at the age of 78, his family announced via social media yesterday. Details of his death were not provided; however, Lynch, a lifelong smoker, revealed last year he had been diagnosed with emphysema and was largely unable to leave the house.
Often employing dark themes and surreal aesthetics, Lynch was known for "Elephant Man" (1980), "Blue Velvet" (1986), and "Mulholland Drive" (2001), as well as the TV series "Twin Peaks" (1990-91, 2017). His 1977 debut feature film "Eraserhead" garnered a cult following and remains a topic of debate—Lynch was notoriously cryptic about its themes and symbolism. Even Lynch's 1984 adaptation of the novel "Dune"—which struggled at the box office and saw Lynch remove his name from certain credits due to disagreement over the final cut—has seen renewed interest in recent years.
Lynch received the Academy Honorary Award for lifetime achievement in 2019, and his unique style has been enshrined in its own descriptor of "Lynchian." |
Blue Origin Reaches Orbit |
Jeff Bezos-owned Blue Origin successfully launched its New Glenn rocket into orbit early Thursday on its first attempt, 25 years after the Amazon founder started the space company. The 320-foot rocket's payload, Blue Ring, is a spacecraft designed to move satellites to different orbits.
The launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida, demonstrated the company's viability amid years of industry dominance by Elon Musk's SpaceX and its workhorse Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets (see comparison). The seven-engine, two-stage, partially reusable New Glenn rocket is designed to launch spacecraft into orbit and is contracted with NASA to launch a lunar lander as part of the third Artemis mission in 2027. Up to eight more New Glenn launches are anticipated this year. See photos here and a video of the launch here.
Elsewhere in space, astronaut Suni Williams conducted her first spacewalk during her current mission, seven months after being stranded on the International Space Station following the malfunction of the Boeing Starliner vehicle. |
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Sports, Entertainment, & Culture |
> NFL playoffs Divisional Round kicks off tomorrow; see schedule and predictions for all four matchups (More) | Saudi-backed LIV Golf league signs multiyear broadcasting deal with Fox Sports (More) |
> Comedian and five-time Emmy winner Conan O'Brien selected as 26th recipient of prestigious Mark Twain Prize for American Humor (More) |
> Bob Uecker, longtime baseball broadcaster, comedian, and actor known as "Mr. Baseball," dies at age 90 (More) |
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> DNA mutation responsible for brain cell death in Huntington's disease found to act over the span of decades; discovery solves mystery of why symptoms arise in middle age despite it being an inherited disease (More) |
> Google says it won't add fact-checks to Google searches or YouTube videos despite a forthcoming European Union law requiring the practice (More) |
> Ancient human relative Homo erectus lived in extreme desert environments as early as 1 million years ago; study suggests ancient humans were much more adaptable to harsh climates than previously believed (More) |
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> US stock markets close lower (S&P 500 -0.2%, Dow -0.2%, Nasdaq -0.9%) (More) | Average US 30-year fixed mortgage rate rises above 7% for first time since May (More) | Electric, hybrid vehicle sales reach record 20% of total US vehicles sold last year (More) |
> American Express to pay $230M to settle federal probe into alleged deceptive marketing practices (More) | Digital payments company Block to pay $255M to federal and state regulators to settle Cash App's banking law violations (More) | Toyota’s truck division Hino to pay $1.6B over US emissions scandal (More) |
> Oil giant BP to lay off around 4,700 employees, roughly 5% of its total workforce (More) | Spirit Airlines to lay off 200 employees amid Chapter 11 bankruptcy (More) |
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> Israeli cabinet delays ratifying ceasefire and hostage-release plan to today following last-minute disagreement with Hamas; Israel continues strikes in Gaza day after ceasefire deal announced (More) | See previous write-up (More) |
> Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody (R) to fill Sen. Marco Rubio's (R) seat in US Senate; Rubio was nominated to be the US secretary of state (More) | Senate confirmation hearings continue, including for treasury secretary nominee Scott Bessent and interior secretary nominee Doug Burgum; see recap (More) |
> Rudy Giuliani, former New York City mayor, reaches settlement deal to end $148M defamation case with two former Georgia election workers (More) |
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> Hidden Humanity in Ancient Roman Coins
Literary Hub | Gareth Harney. The intricate designs on ancient Roman coins were all skillfully forged by hand using hammers, no magnification tools, and hours of dedication. (Read)
> Making One of Jane Austen's Favorite Sweet Treats
Tasting History | Max Miller. An 18th-century recipe for bath cakes—sweet rolls loved by legendary author Jane Austen—provides historical context about breakfast traditions in England. (Watch) |
> An Invasion of Pink Salmon
bioGraphic | Jude Isabella. The Grense Jakobselv River partially serves as a border between Russia and Norway, creating a unique challenge for Norwegians seeking to control the invasive pink salmon populations. (Read)
> The Sharp and Rebellious Eye of MoMA's Founder
The MoMA Magazine Podcast | Staff. At a time when modern art was ridiculed, Lillie P. Bliss was one of the few visionaries who set out to collect and share the works of artists like Vincent van Gogh and Henri Matisse. (Listen) |
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