8.21.2024

Facts, without motives.
 

In partnership with

Good morning. It's Wednesday, Aug. 21, and we're covering antitrust scrutiny against Disney's merger in India, the passing of a supercentenarian, and much more. First time reading? Join over 3.8 million intellectually curious readers. Sign up here.

You share. We listen. As always, send us feedback at [email protected].

Need To Know
 

Lilly Drug Cuts Diabetes Risk

Pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly's weight loss drug tirzepatide was found to reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by 94% among people with excess weight, according to a study released yesterday. 

 

The three-year study is the longest completed study of the drug and involved observing the effects of the weekly injectable in more than 1,000 patients with prediabetes who were obese or overweight. The study showed those who took the highest weekly dose at 15 mg saw a nearly 23% reduction in body weight on average and a 94% reduced risk of developing diabetes compared with prediabetics who took a placebo and lost 2% of their body weight on average. See a diabetes overview here.

 

Tirzepatide is the active ingredient in Eli Lilly's weight loss drug Zepbound and its diabetes version Mounjaro—both of which have gained popularity due to their aid in weight loss. Eli Lilly is the world's most valuable pharmaceutical drugmaker with a $900B market cap and has seen its shares rise over 60% this year. 

 

Disney-Reliance Deal Scrutiny

India's antitrust commission cast doubt on a proposed $8.5B merger between Disney's India operations and Indian giant Reliance, arguing the deal's current terms are anticompetitive. The Competition Commission of India sent private notices to the companies requesting further concessions within 30 days to keep the deal afloat.

 

The proposed deal would give the joint venture broadcast rights for top leagues in cricket, the country's most popular sport. Roughly 100 million people tune in for matches in the renowned Indian Premier League with a total fanbase of over 750 million (more than double the US population). The new entity would control 40% of all TV advertising market share in India, with over 120 channels and two streaming services. 

 

Reliance is India's largest public company by market capitalization and is owned by the billionaire Ambani family (see family tree). Disney CEO Bob Iger claimed the move would de-risk Disney's operations in India amid growing competition. 

 

World's Oldest Person Dies 

Maria Branyas Morera, the world's oldest known person, has died at the age of 117, her family announced yesterday. Born on March 4, 1907, in San Francisco, she moved to Catalonia, Spain, at age 8. Morera witnessed major historical events, including two world wars and the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic, and she became the oldest known survivor of COVID-19 at age 113. She was active on social media as "Super Àvia Catalana" (or Super Catalan Grandma), amassing nearly 19,000 followers.

 

There are approximately 722,000 centenarians—those aged 100 and older—globally, with 108,000 in the US. Supercentenarians—those aged 110 and older—are rare, with about 250-300 worldwide and roughly 60-70 known in the US. Morera credited her longevity to enjoying nature, good company, avoiding toxic people, luck, and genetics.

 

Some studies suggest the maximum human lifespan could be between 120 and 150 years. The oldest verified person to have ever lived died in 1997 at 122. The current oldest living person is now 116-year-old Tomiko Itooka from Japan.

In partnership with Miso Robotics

One Giant Leap for AI

 

The move from prototype to commercial product is a critical step for any startup. It’s a sign that they’ve proven their tech, their customers want it, and they can now start making money. That’s exactly what’s happening with Miso Robotics. And unlike most successful startups that make this transition, you can invest in Miso at this pivotal moment

 

Miso’s honed Flippy, their AI-powered kitchen robot, in the kitchens of some of the world’s top fast food brands, including White Castle and Jack in the Box. Backed by 150,000+ hours of training data and a new collaboration with Nvidia, Miso’s launching the commercial-ready Flippy Next Gen this month. It’s smaller, faster, and smarter than ever, making it tailor-made for today’s fast food kitchens.

 

Now Miso’s ready to begin selling its Next Gen Flippy to 170 brands and 100,000+ fast food locations in desperate need of an automation solution. That’s a $4B recurring revenue opportunity for Miso. Join Miso as a shareholder today and tap into the restaurant automation revolution.*

Please support our sponsors!

In The Know
 

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture

> "Call Her Daddy" podcast host Alex Cooper signs three-year exclusive deal with SiriusXM for a reported $125M (More) | Beyoncé launches SirDavis, a new whiskey in partnership with Moët Hennessy (More) | Jennifer Lopez files for divorce from Ben Affleck after two years of marriage (More)

> Democratic National Convention brings in 20 million viewers across 13 networks on its first night, edging the Republican National Convention's 18.1 million night one viewers; both of this year's figures top viewership in 2020 (More

> World No. 1 men's tennis player Jannik Sinner will avoid a ban despite twice testing positive for an anabolic steroid; the US Open is set to begin next week (More

In partnership with The Ascent

And The Top 4 Bonus Cards Are...

The experts at The Ascent by The Motley Fool have done the research for you, and as of August 2024, these 4 cards are some of the best cards you can add to your wallet to take advantage of bonuses.

 

When it comes to matters of finance, The Ascent doesn't just name any card a top card. After all, they’ve been doing financial research for 30 years.

 

Learn more, and apply today.

 
 

Science & Technology

> Chinese robotics startup Unitree reveals $16K humanoid robot the company says is ready for mass production (More, w/video) 

> Herpetologists discover how python hearts withstand the digest stress of giant meals; the animals' heart tissue was found to become less stiff to accommodate extra blood flow during feeding sessions (More

> Tree study suggests ancient humans began migrating into the South Pacific as early as 50,000 years ago; timing of when humans reached modern-day Australia remains an open debate (More

 

Business & Markets

> US stock markets close lower (S&P 500 -0.2%, Dow -0.2%, Nasdaq -0.3%); S&P 500, Nasdaq end eight-day win streak, longest rally of 2024 (More) | Gold prices reach record high, surpassing $2,525 per ounce (More)

> OpenAI strikes deal with Condé Nast, allowing the company access to content from Vogue, The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, and others for ChatGPT and upcoming Google competitor SearchGPT (More) | What is SearchGPT? (More)

> Justice Department declines to challenge Alaska Air's $1B Hawaiian Airlines acquisition; deal still needs approval by Department of Transportation (More)

 

Politics & World Affairs

> Former President Barack Obama headlines night two of the Democratic National Convention following speeches by Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and more; see updates (More)

> Panama begins repatriating migrants traveling through the Darién Gap on US-funded trips to their home countries, beginning with 29 Colombians; Biden administration has provided $6M to program designed to deter migrant travel to the US (More)

> Israel's military says it has recovered the bodies of six hostages from Khan Younis in Gaza (More) | Israeli strike on school in Gaza City kills at least 12 people, hundreds missing; Israel says Hamas used site as command center (More) | See latest war updates(More)

In partnership with Miso Robotics

Leaving Automation Competitors Behind

 

Miso earned the title of first-mover in kitchen AI and automation in 2016. But with their most advanced robot yet rolling off assembly lines this month—and with an Nvidia AI vision tech collaboration—that advantage may just multiply.

 

This monumental step from the prototype to commercial phase is the moment Miso’s 36,000 investors have been waiting for. You can still join them as a Miso shareholder for a limited time.*

Please support our sponsors!

Etcetera
 

European Space Agency's JUICE mission snaps moon photos.

 

... and see finalists for the Ocean Photographer of the Year.

 

US government researcher seeks to solve death through cloning.

 

Ask 1440 anything: Join our resident fact-checker—and former teacher—for a Reddit AMA Friday at 10 am ET (link here).

 

A statistical analysis of the greatest actors ever.

 

The latest health trend for celebrities: hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

 

Postcard from 1903 arrives 121 years later.

 

World's biggest cruise ship now has a sister vessel.

 

... and world's priciest supercars debut in California. (w/video)

 

Clickbait: Missing scissors cause over 200 flight delays.

 

Historybook: Nat Turner leads rebellion of enslaved people (1831); "Mona Lisa" stolen from The Louvre Museum, is recovered two years later (1911); Basketball legend Wilt Chamberlain born (1936); Hawaii becomes 50th US state (1959); Usain Bolt born (1986).

"Worrying gets you nowhere. If you turn up worrying about how you’re going to perform, you’ve already lost."

- Usain Bolt

Why 1440? The printing press was invented around the year 1440, spreading knowledge to the masses and changing the course of history. More facts: In every day, there are 1,440 minutes. We’re here to make each one count.

 

Send us your feedback at [email protected] and help us stay as unbiased as humanly possible. We’re ready to listen.

 

Interested in reaching smart readers like you? To become a 1440 partner, apply here.

*Disclosure: This is a paid advertisement for Miso Robotics’ Regulation A offering. Please read the offering circular at invest.misorobotics.com.

1440 Media 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza, Suite 1212 Chicago, IL 60654

Copyright © 2024, 1440 Media, All rights reserved.

J

 

Join a community of over 3.6 million intellectually curious individuals.

100% free. Unsubscribe anytime.

Don't miss out on the daily email read by over 3.8 million intellectually curious readers.