Good morning. It's Tuesday, Nov. 4, and we're covering notable races in an off-cycle Election Day, a color-changing bioengineering feat, and much more. First time reading? Join over 4.5 million insatiably curious readers. Sign up here.
Don’t keep us a secret: Share the email with friends (copy URL here).
And, as always, send us feedback at [email protected]. |
|
|
|
|
New York City voters head to the polls today to choose their next mayor in a closely watched election. Progressive candidate Zohran Mamdani (D) is polling on average more than 14 points ahead of his rival, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (I).
Turnout is projected to reach nearly 2 million votes, potentially outpacing any NYC mayoral election since 1969 (early voting is already more than four times higher than in 2021). Mamdani—a democratic socialist and Queens state assemblyman—polls higher with younger voters, pledging universal child care, free bus rides, and a rent freeze on rent-stabilized apartments (roughly 44% of NYC rentals). If elected, the 34-year-old will be the city's first Muslim leader and tied for its second-youngest mayor. Cuomo has run a centrist, independent campaign after losing the Democratic primary to Mamdani. Republican Curtis Sliwa trails in third.
Elsewhere, voters in California will decide whether to redistrict mid-decade, while Virginia and New Jersey will elect governors. See an overview of the key races here. |
The Trump administration said yesterday it will partially fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program this month amid the federal government shutdown—now tied for the longest in US history. The update comes after funding for the program, colloquially known as food stamps, lapsed over the weekend.
The Agriculture Department will use $4.65B from SNAP's approximate $5B contingency fund to cover half of the estimated $8B in monthly benefits for nearly 42 million Americans (see data). Roughly $450M of the contingency fund will cover states' administrative costs, and $150M will aid food assistance programs in Puerto Rico and American Samoa. The partial funding excludes new applicants, disaster assistance, and any financial buffer, as the contingency funds will be depleted.
Separately, the Senate reconvened yesterday with no funding vote scheduled (see updates). President Donald Trump has urged Senate Republicans to eliminate the filibuster, which requires 60 votes to pass legislation. A House-passed bill previously failed to advance in the Senate 13 times. |
Researchers have devised a method to produce unprecedented quantities of xanthommatin—the pigment that allows octopuses to camouflage and gives monarch butterflies their vibrant wings. Xanthommatin's color-changing power could have broad applications, from defense technology to sunscreen.
Scientists have historically struggled to extract sufficient amounts of xanthommatin from animals or produce enough of the pigment in a lab to harness its properties. But a study published yesterday details how researchers succeeded in producing up to 1,000 times more xanthommatin than previous methods. They genetically engineered a microbe to generate one molecule of xanthommatin for every molecule of formic acid—a compound essential for the bacteria's growth and survival. As the microbe multiplied and required more formic acid, it simultaneously generated more of the pigment. See an overview of genetic engineering here.
The study's authors say the technique can be applied to produce other biochemicals, potentially offering a clean, efficient alternative to fossil fuel-based manufacturing. |
|
|
|
In partnership with Timeline |
|
Science Redefines Healthy Aging |
|
Please support our sponsors! |
|
|
|
|
Sports, Entertainment, & Culture |
> Actress Diane Ladd, a three-time Oscar nominee known for "Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore" and "Wild at Heart," dies at age 89 (More) | Singer Donna Jean Godchaux-MacKay, the Grateful Dead's only female performer, dies at age 78 (More) |
> 2025 Gold Glove Award, which honors MLB's best defensive players, given to 20 players, including nine first-time awardees (More) |
> Comedian Jon Stewart renews "The Daily Show" contract with Comedy Central through December 2026 (More) |
|
|
|
|
|
> Waymo to expand robotaxi service to Detroit, Las Vegas, and San Diego; Alphabet-owned company aims to offer 1 million trips per week by end of 2026 (More) |
> Neurologists link roughly 3,000 or more daily steps to slower cognitive decline in older adults at increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease; benefits plateau around 5,000 to 7,500 daily steps (More) |
> Researchers stimulate chromosome errors tied to maternal age in mouse eggs, a step toward understanding and extending women's reproductive longevity (More) |
What are extremophiles? This morning's science and technology newsletter explores the nearly indestructible tardigrade. Email comes out at 8:30 am ET—sign up here to receive! |
|
|
|
|
|
> US stock markets close mixed (S&P 500 +0.2%, Dow -0.5%, Nasdaq +0.5%); tech-heavy Nasdaq rises on AI optimism (More) |
> OpenAI signs $38B seven-year cloud computing deal with Amazon as part of first partnership between the two; shares of Amazon rise to record high (More) | Microsoft to invest roughly $15B in the UAE over next four years (More) |
> Huggies and Kleenex manufacturer Kimberly-Clark to acquire Tylenol maker Kenvue in more than $40B cash-and-stock deal (More) |
|
|
|
In partnership with FinanceBuzz |
|
|
|
|
|
|
> Two US citizens allegedly inspired by ISIS are charged in 72-page complaint, accused of plotting to carry out a thwarted terror attack on Halloween (More) | Suspect behind UK train attack charged with 11 counts of attempted murder, including over separate same-day incident (More) |
> Medieval tower in Rome, known as the Torre dei Conti, partially collapses while under renovation, trapping a worker inside (More) |
> The Netherlands' prime minister says the country will return a 3,500-year-old sculpture to Egypt following the Grand Egyptian Museum opening (More) | See previous write-up (More) |
|
|
|
> The Big Business of Expert Witnesses
The Hustle | Zachary Crockett. In the Depp-Heard trial, California-based psychologist Dr. Shannon Curry was called to the stand. Expert witnesses can be paid tens of thousands of dollars or more in an effort to tilt a case. (Read) |
> Walkachusetts
The Pudding | Russell Samora. Inspired by reading books on walking, one man spends nine days walking 160 miles across Massachusetts. The experience sparks appreciation, annoyance, indifference—and blisters. (Read) |
|
|
|
In partnership with Timeline |
|
Power Your Cells, Fuel Your Future |
|
Please support our sponsors! |
|
|
|
|
Clickbait: Rats are snatching bats out of the sky. (w/video)
Historybook: Journalist Walter Cronkite born (1916); Nellie Tayloe Ross becomes first woman elected governor in the US (1924); Former first lady Laura Bush born (1946); Iran hostage crisis begins (1979); Barack Obama becomes first African American elected US president (2008). |
|
|
|
"Objective journalism and an opinion column are about as similar as the Bible and Playboy magazine." |
|
|
Behind the Name. In 1440, the printing press sparked a knowledge revolution. We carry that spirit forward, cutting through the noise and algorithm-driven feeds, to bring fact-driven knowledge to everyone.
Want to connect with 4.5 million insatiably curious minds? Become a 1440 partner here. |
|
*Disclosure: Our clinical study showed that sedentary, middle-aged adults with an average BMI of 29.52 increased hamstring muscle strength. |
|
1440 Media 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza, Suite 1212 Chicago, IL 60654
Copyright © 2025, 1440 Media, All rights reserved. Privacy Policy. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
