Good morning. It's Tuesday, Oct. 28, and we're covering the arrival of a powerful storm in Jamaica, a 92-year-old head of state, 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]. |
|
|
|
|
Jamaica Braces for Melissa |
Hurricane Melissa is expected to make landfall in Jamaica today as a Category 5 storm, with sustained winds of more than 157 miles per hour. If it does, it will be the strongest system to have hit the island since record-keeping began in 1851.
As of this writing, Melissa is responsible for at least seven deaths—three in Jamaica, three in Haiti, and one in the Dominican Republic. A life-threatening storm surge of up to 13 feet is forecast along the island’s southern coast, with the capital of Kingston seeing the highest risk, and near southwestern Black River, the projected landfall site. Warnings are in effect for parts of Cuba, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic. The storm is not expected to directly impact the mainland US as the hurricane veers upward and eastward into the North Atlantic Ocean (see path).
Melissa is the 13th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 through Nov. 30. See how this season compares here (w/video). And explore the best resources on hurricanes here. |
The US Department of Energy has inked a $1B partnership with Advanced Micro Devices to develop two next-generation artificial intelligence supercomputers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee. The systems will accelerate research in areas such as nuclear fusion, medical science (including cancer treatments), and national security.
The first machine, named Lux, is expected to be operational in six months, while the second machine, named Discovery, will be completed in 2028. Supercomputers perform massive calculations millions, or even billions, of times faster than a regular laptop. They link thousands of processors to work on problems at the same time rather than doing one calculation after another—a method known as parallel processing. See how supercomputers work here.
The US is home to more than 170 supercomputers, including five of the world's top 10 most powerful machines. China and Germany rank second and third in total number of supercomputers (see breakdown). |
Cameroon’s top court yesterday declared 92-year-old incumbent Paul Biya the winner of a controversial presidential election. Biya—already the world’s oldest head of state—is now set to remain in power through 2032, when he will be nearly 100 years old.
The announcement follows nationwide protests that resulted in at least four civilian deaths and over 100 arrests. Demonstrators allege election fraud has kept Biya as president since 1982. Biya’s former ally turned primary challenger, 76-year-old Issa Tchiroma Bakary, claims to have won the election with 54.8% of the vote. Official results, however, show Tchiroma Bakary with 35.2% to Biya’s 53.7%—the narrowest margin since 1992. Earlier this year, Cameroon’s electoral commission barred high-profile opposition leader Maurice Kamto, 71, from running on contested grounds.
Biya is Cameroon’s second president since independence from France in 1960, and the only president most citizens have ever known. Over 70% of the country's population is under the age of 35. See stats on Cameroon here. |
|
|
|
In partnership with Enzymedica |
|
How 'Nature’s First Food' Is Changing Wellness |
|
When you think of supplements, one of your first thoughts may be a standard multivitamin. At the very least, it's probably not colostrum but as it turns out, that could be a big mistake.
Colostrum is the first form of milk produced by mother cows immediately after giving birth. Called the “original superfood” for a reason, not only is it the first act of nourishment in nature’s life cycle, but it’s absolutely packed with nutrients, immune-supporting compounds, and bioactive peptides. All of which play a role in supporting your immune system and digestive function, while promoting healthy hair, skin, and nails. The only downside? How difficult high-quality colostrum is to source.
Lucky for you, Enzymedica has done the hard work finding the best ingredients on the planet, validating them with the latest science to formulate effective products made without compromise. Try their Colostrum + Probiotics for yourself and experience nature’s first superfood for yourself. |
|
Please support our sponsors! |
|
|
|
|
Sports, Entertainment, & Culture |
> LA Dodgers gain edge in World Series after beating Toronto Blue Jays in 18-inning Game 3, which ties for longest World Series game in MLB history by innings; Game 4 tonight at 8 pm ET (More) | Lululemon and NFL launch apparel collection for all 32 league teams (More) |
> Sean "Diddy" Combs scheduled for release from federal prison May 8, 2028, though eligible for earlier release for good conduct (More) |
> Producer Taylor Sheridan, known for "Yellowstone" and "Landman," to join NBCUniversal after Paramount deal ends in 2028 (More) |
|
|
|
In partnership with Death & Co |
|
From Wall Street titans like Blackstone, to A-list celebs like Robert De Niro, major investors are doubling down on a surprising market: boutique hotels. Why? The market is projected to reach $218B by 2029.
Perfect timing for Death & Co. They’re expanding from award-winning cocktail bars into boutique hotels. With 4 new properties built this year, and 3 more still to come, they’re on track to make over $20M in 2025, and are projecting 5.5X revenue growth by 2029.
Now you can become a Death & Co investor. But this opportunity ends on Oct. 30.* |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
> US chipmaker Qualcomm to enter AI semiconductor market, creating new competition for Nvidia and AMD; Qualcomm shares rise 11% on the news (More) |
> Engineers replicate irregular patterns on animals by controlling how differently sized cells move through tissue; simulations could inform synthetic material design and targeted drug delivery (More) |
> Researchers calculate human eye's resolution limit, at which further screen display improvements offer no noticeable benefits (More) | Free calculator helps consumers determine optimal TV specs (More) |
🚀 Hanging in space: This morning's Science & Technology newsletter explores the International Space Station (and much more). Email comes out at 8:30 am ET—click here to subscribe! |
|
|
|
|
|
> Amazon reportedly set to announce largest corporate layoffs in company history, potentially impacting as many as 30,000 people, starting today; roughly 27,000 workers have been laid off since 2022 (More) |
> US stock markets close up (S&P 500 +1.2%, Dow +0.7%, Nasdaq +1.9%), with all three indexes notching record highs over potential US-China trade truce (More) |
> iRobot shares fall nearly 34% after the Roomba maker warns search for buyer has stalled after negotiations fell apart with last bidder (More) |
|
|
|
> Indiana and Virginia convene special legislative sessions to consider mid-decade redistricting efforts after Texas, Missouri, North Carolina, and California each take steps to redraw maps (More) |
> Argentina's dollar bonds surge after President Javier Milei's conservative party secures over 40% of the vote in midterm elections Sunday; President Donald Trump credits his earlier pledge to support Argentina's currency if Milei's party won (More) |
> President Donald Trump reveals he underwent an MRI following his annual physical exam in April (More) |
|
|
|
> Why Aren't Smart People Happier?
Seeds of Science | Adam Mastroianni. What metrics of happiness and intelligence, AI, and grandmothers with folksy wisdom reveal about emphasizing intelligence at the expense of meaning. (Read) |
> My Mirror Staring Back at Me
SciShow | Madelyn Leembruggen. How one of the most important discoveries in physics taught us we should never shake hands with an alien. (Watch) |
|
|
|
In partnership with Enzymedica |
|
The Secret to Fixing Your Gut |
|
Please support our sponsors! |
|
|
|
|
Clickbait: Dole finally created a piña colada pineapple.
Historybook: "Gulliver’s Travels" is first published (1726); Polio vaccine developer Jonas Salk born (1914); Bill Gates born (1955); Julia Roberts born (1967); Actor Matthew Perry dies (2023).
*Please support our sponsors. |
|
|
|
"Our greatest responsibility is to be good ancestors." |
|
|
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: This is a paid advertisement for Death & Company’s Regulation A offering. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Please read the offering circular at invest.deathandcompany.com. |
|
1440 Media 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza, Suite 1212 Chicago, IL 60654
Copyright © 2025, 1440 Media, All rights reserved. Privacy Policy. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
