Cancer Vaccine, Fastest Star, and Most Fun States

Good morning, it's Thursday, Aug. 20. An mRNA vaccine could help cut skin cancer recurrence. First time reading? Join over 4.7 million insatiably curious readers. Sign up here.

Also in today's Digest: the Milky Way's fastest star (Need To Know), President Donald Trump's pick to lead the FDA (Pol. & World Affairs), the US' most fun states (Etc.), and much more. 

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 Need To Know 

Novel Cancer Vaccine

A personalized mRNA vaccine helps prevent skin cancer from returning or spreading, drugmakers Moderna and Merck said yesterday. The result marks the first positive late-stage trial for an mRNA cancer therapy, an approach scientists have been developing for decades (w/audio).

Researchers sequenced tumors from patients with melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. They then encoded the genetic instructions for those mutations into molecular messengers called mRNA and used them to manufacture bespoke vaccines—a process that took about six weeks. These vaccines train the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells. The drugmakers have yet to release the full late-stage trial data, but an earlier trial found that pairing the vaccine with immunotherapy nearly halved the risk of recurrence or death after five years, compared with immunotherapy alone. Similar vaccines are being tested for breast, lung, kidney, and other cancers. 

mRNA was first discovered in the 1960s, but the first mRNA vaccine didn't come to market until the COVID-19 pandemic. Explore the obstacles here.

Reservoir Remains

Suspected human remains were discovered this week in Lake Mead, Nevada, the US National Park Service has revealed. The finding comes as the US’ largest reservoir experiences record-low water levels, conditions that may help unearth skeletal remains.

Authorities were still investigating the finding as of this writing, including the possible identity of the deceased. A decadeslong drought has caused water levels at the lake to fall to a record 1,039 feet above sea level—nearly a foot below the last record set in 2022, when four bodies were discovered. Those men disappeared or were killed between 1974 and 2002, including periods when water levels were 20 to 30 feet higher. The lake is about 30 miles from the Las Vegas Strip, where mob violence may explain some killings. 

As water levels recede, they are also exposing ghost towns like St. Thomas. Lake Mead began filling in 1935 with the creation of the Hoover Dam. See history here (scroll and swipe for before-and-after pictures).

Fastest Star Discovered

Astronomers have discovered the fastest known star in the Milky Way, new research published yesterday reveals. Its proximity to the galaxy’s central black hole could offer scientists a way to directly measure the spin of the supermassive cosmic entity for the first time and test Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity. 

Star S301 travels at speeds up to approximately 56 million mph, 100,000 times faster than a commercial plane. It follows a tight, lopsided orbit that places S301 roughly as close to black hole Sagittarius A* as Saturn is to the sun (scroll through a scaled solar system). Researchers believe Sagittarius A*’s spin slightly alters the star’s orbit each time it passes the black hole every 8.7 years. Observing S301’s position over the next decade may unlock unprecedented insight into the black hole’s rotation and its impact on the galaxy’s evolution.

Learn how scientists have tested Einstein's theory of gravity and how it explains black holes and stellar orbits here.

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture

> Amazon seemingly leaks Jason Statham's upcoming action thriller "Mutiny" on Prime Video ahead of its official theatrical release tomorrow (More) | Watch the film trailer (More)

> Nicaragua defeats Dominican Republic in opening game of the Little League World Series, which runs through Aug. 30 (More, w/bracket) 

> WNBA star Nneka Ogwumike to retire after this season, her 15th in the league (More) | Former Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios is provisionally suspended from tennis after testing positive for cocaine (More) 

Science & Technology

> Scientists develop pacemaker battery that generates electricity from a patient's heartbeat, potentially eliminating the need for pacemaker replacements (More) | How pacemakers work (More, w/diagram)

> Largest study of psychedelics outside clinical trials finds participants report relief from anxiety, depression, and PTSD symptoms three months after using psilocybin, or magic mushrooms (More) | What magic mushrooms do to the brain (More, w/video)

> Jellyfish reveal how rapid cell turnover may protect against cancer by enabling tissue to proofread, destroying and easily replacing cells that could become cancerous (More) 

Business & Markets

> US stock markets close higher (S&P 500 +0.2%, Dow +0.2%, Nasdaq +0.2%) after Treasury announces plans to increase buybacks of long-term debt (More) | Moderna shares rise 177% following promising mRNA cancer vaccine result (More)

> President Donald Trump pauses threat to enact 50% tariffs on Canadian imports for three days; goods expected to be impacted include wine, honey, hockey sticks, and dairy products (More) 

> Gross US debt exceeds $40T, setting new record just five months after surpassing $39T (More) | Federal Reserve’s July meeting minutes show policymakers may increase interest rates if inflation does not decline in coming months (More)

Politics & World Affairs

> President Donald Trump nominates aide, Dr. Heidi Overton, to lead the Food and Drug Administration; Overton has advised Trump on lowering prescription drug prices and has been an outspoken opponent of abortion drug mifepristone (More)

> Israel opens criminal investigation into the attacks that killed 5-year-old Palestinian girl, Hind Rajab, in Gaza in 2024 and more than a dozen medical workers in 2025 (More) 

> United Arab Emirates suspends trade with Iran after accusing the country of firing two ballistic missiles Tuesday; the UAE was Iran's biggest source of imports in 2024, responsible for 30% of total imports or $22B in goods (More) 

In-Depth

> The Psychedelic Toad Myth

Longreads | Kimon de Greef. For decades, rumors have spread about people licking toads to get high. The strange story spans ancient Mesoamerica, "Beavis and Butt-Head," and one very misunderstood toad. (Read) 

> The Uninvited Guest

Criminal | Phoebe Judge. A 20-year-old living alone thought she'd found the perfect apartment. Then food started disappearing, and things began moving around—until she discovered a far more unsettling explanation. (Listen)

The US' most fun states, ranked.

How much cash do Americans actually keep in the bank?

Hershey's newest Halloween treats aren't candy.

These are America’s best small towns for 2026.

... and vote for Hallmark's merriest Christmas town. 

Prince Harry and Meghan are (reportedly) moving back to the UK.

See inside America's first all-jellyfish museum. (w/video)

Miss video stores? This website brings them back.

Peto's Paradox is the observation larger animals get less cancer.

In partnership: Investors are eyeing this “Black Diamond,” but the opportunity ends 8/27.*

Clickbait: If you give Harrison Ford a cookie ...

Keep going: The "Peter Principle" refers to your colleagues who are promoted to the level of their incompetence. (w/video)

Historybook: First around-the-world telegram sent (1911); "Valley of the Dolls" author Jacqueline Susann is born (1918); Actress Amy Adams born (1974); NASA launches Viking 1 probe toward Mars (1975); Comedian Jerry Lewis dies (2017).

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