Good morning. It's Tuesday, Dec. 24, and we're covering details of an ethics report on a former congressman, a historic milestone for NASA, and much more. First time reading? Join over 4 million intellectually 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].
Editor's note: The 1440 team will be off for the next two days enjoying time with friends and family—wishing you a wonderful holiday break. We'll see you Friday! |
|
|
|
The House Ethics Committee released the report on its yearslong investigation into former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R, FL-1) yesterday. Read the 37-page document here (click "Committee Report").
The committee found Gaetz obstructed Congress and violated other ethics rules while in office, paying over $90K to 12 women for sex or drugs—including marijuana, ecstasy, and cocaine. One of the girls allegedly paid for sex was 17 years old at the time; multiple women were transported over state lines for the purpose of sex.
The committee cited text messages, travel receipts, financial records, and testimonies from over two dozen witnesses. They found Gaetz violated state laws but not federal ones; the Justice Department dropped a related investigation in 2023.
Gaetz denies all wrongdoing and resigned from Congress last month in a since-dropped US attorney general bid. Committee member Rep. Michael Guest (R, MS-3) included a dissenting statement in the report, finding it a violation of precedent to release a report on a former congressman. |
Two of Japan's leading automakers, Honda and Nissan, have formally announced they are exploring plans to merge. The move would create the world's third-largest car manufacturer by revenue ($191B) after Toyota and Volkswagen (see more).
Honda and Nissan signed a memorandum of understanding yesterday, with the goal of establishing a joint holding company by August 2026 and bringing in Nissan partner Mitsubishi. Analysts view the deal as a lifeline for Nissan, which announced plans to slash 9,000 jobs last month and whose profits have tumbled partly due to an outdated model lineup in the US and lagging sales in China.
However, Honda and Nissan executives said the merger would aid in developing new technologies amid a transition from fossil fuels, including managing the costs of building intelligent cars and electric vehicles. Discussions are set to conclude in June 2025. Honda shares closed up nearly 13% on the news.
See other major automaker mergers and acquisitions here. |
NASA is set to make history just before 7 am ET today with its Parker Solar Probe scheduled to make the closest-ever flyby of the sun to date. At its nearest, the spacecraft will reach 3.8 million miles of the solar surface—about 4.5 times the diameter of the sun. For comparison, the moon sits at a distance from Earth roughly 30 times our planet’s diameter.
In addition to studying the sun’s atmosphere, the probe is expected to shed light on our understanding of solar wind (see 101)—streams of fast-moving particles that sweep throughout the solar system, creating auroras and interfering with electronics on Earth. The spacecraft, which launched in 2018, now travels at approximately 430,000 miles per hour and is designed to withstand temperatures around 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit.
The probe honors physicist Eugene Parker, who first proposed the existence of the solar wind. |
|
|
|
|
In partnership with Nautilus |
Feeling Curious This Christmas? |
You’re not alone! Enough downtime away from work and on the couch, and our brains start craving some serious stimulation—which is where Nautilus comes in.
This award-winning publication brings together the world’s brightest thinkers to explore science’s great untold stories … and you can enjoy all of it from the comfort of your festive onesie. The end result is a newsletter that combines scientific rigor with elegant storytelling to dive deep into the most cutting-edge topics in anthropology, technology, physics, genetics, and so much more.
If you want to scratch your curiosity itch, or just need something new to read for the holidays, Nautilus is a no-brainer. Current readers, 1440 team members included, call it one of the best science reads out there, but see for yourself and subscribe here (yes, it’s 100% free). |
Please support our sponsors! |
|
|
|
Sports, Entertainment, & Culture |
> Netflix to broadcast two NFL Christmas Day games tomorrow with the Kansas City Chiefs taking on the Pittsburgh Steelers (1 pm ET) and the Baltimore Ravens against the Houston Texans (4:30 pm ET); Beyoncé will perform at halftime of the Ravens-Texans game (More) |
> Animation Guild approves contract with film and TV producers and streamers (More) | "Squid Game" season 2 premieres on Netflix on Thursday, Dec. 26 (More) |
> Woody Fraser, Emmy-winning producer and director best known for creating "Good Morning America" and "The Mike Douglas Show," dies at 90 (More) | Burt, beloved crocodile from "Crocodile Dundee" film, dies at an estimated 90 years old (More) |
|
> Meta to incorporate in-lens displays into the next generation of its Ray-Ban smart glasses, according to reports (More) | What is mixed reality? (More, w/video) |
> Russian scientists discover an "exceptionally" well-preserved baby woolly mammoth; 50,000-year-old remains are the seventh complete specimen of its kind ever found (More) |
> Gene-editing tool shown to reduce the formation of molecules that form amyloid-beta plaques, a key culprit in the development of Alzheimer's (More) | Take a deeper dive into what we know about Alzheimer's and its potential causes (More) |
|
In partnership with Honeycomb Luxury |
|
|
|
> US stock markets close higher (S&P 500 +0.7%, Dow +0.2%, Nasdaq +1.0%), with technology stocks, including Tesla, Meta, and Nvidia, leading the rally (More) |
> Nordstrom to go private in all-cash deal valued at over $6B, including debt; deal—backed by its founding family and Mexican retailer El Puerto de Liverpool—will close in 2025 (More) | Xerox to buy printer maker Lexmark from Chinese owners in $1.5B deal; Xerox shares close up nearly 13% on the news (More) |
> The Container Store files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy amid competition from retailers like Target and Walmart; company's 102 nationwide locations will remain open (More) | US regulator sues Walmart and a fintech company over illegally forcing delivery drivers to open costly deposit accounts (More) |
|
> President Joe Biden commutes sentences of 37 out of 40 federal death row inmates to life imprisonment; crimes of three people whose death sentences were not commuted were involved in mass shootings or acts of terrorism (More) |
> Suspect in fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson pleads not guilty to state murder and terrorism charges (More) | Man faces murder charges in death of woman lit on fire in New York City subway (More) |
> Kilauea volcano erupts on Hawaii’s Big Island following elevated earthquake activity beneath the volcano's summit; volcanic smog expected to spread over parts of the island (More) | See photos (More) |
|
> Fighting to Avoid Her Mother’s Fate, for Her Daughters’ Sake
The New York Times | Virginia Hughes. After witnessing her mother's early cognitive decline, Linde Jacobs learned she carries the gene responsible for the condition. Jacobs has roughly 10 years to save herself—and her loved ones—from being ravaged by the disease. (Read)
> How to Disappear Completely
The Verge | SE Smith. A Pew study found 38% of web pages in 2013 have vanished today. What happens to our culture—and history—when the internet as we know it disappears? (Read) |
|
In partnership with Nautilus |
Stay Sharp This Holiday Season |
The holidays are a time of rest—but that doesn’t mean you can’t get your mental reps in with Nautilus. This 3x-weekly newsletter is award-winning and wallet-sparing (it’s 100% free) and covers science’s greatest stories, boldest ideas, and most interesting phenomena explained by some of the world’s most respected writers and thinkers.
Whether you’re simply fascinated by science or looking to spark a new perspective, Nautilus has everything you need to head into the new year feeling sharper, smarter, and more inspired. Subscribe for free today and start unlocking the great mysteries of the world. |
Please support our sponsors! |
|
|
"Your failures are your accomplishments because it makes you prepared for whatever it is that you are going to do next." |
|
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 intellectually curious readers like you? To become a 1440 partner, apply here. |
1440 Media 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza, Suite 1212 Chicago, IL 60654
Copyright © 2024, 1440 Media, All rights reserved. |
{/if} 
|
|
|
|
|
