Good morning. It's Wednesday, April 1, and we're covering the first spaceflight near the moon in 50 years, today's Supreme Court hearing on birthright citizenship, and much more. First time reading? Join over 4.7 million insatiably curious readers. Sign up here.
PS—Trust nothing today except this read on the murky origins of April Fools' Day ... and relive the best 100 April Fools' pranks.
And, as always, send us feedback at [email protected]. |
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NASA is set to launch (w/visuals) Artemis II tonight at 6:24 pm ET, sending four astronauts on a roughly 10-day journey around the moon. The mission marks the first crewed flight beyond Earth’s orbit since 1972.
Riding atop the Space Launch System, the world's most powerful operational rocket, Orion’s capsule Integrity will reach speeds near 5 miles per second as it heads for lunar orbit—the first piloted flight of the deep-space capsule. Artemis II will travel about 250,000 miles away, the farthest distance humanity has ever ventured into space. Next year, NASA aims to have astronauts link up with SpaceX and Blue Origin moon landers in low Earth orbit to test systems for lunar surface missions. A landing near the south pole is expected by 2028, amid a growing race with China’s lunar program.
“Artemis” honors the Greek moon goddess, twin sister of Apollo, connecting the current program to the original moon missions. Watch live coverage starting at 12:50 pm ET here. |
The Supreme Court will hear arguments today on whether the federal government can deny citizenship to children born in the US to parents in the country illegally or temporarily.
The case stems from an executive order signed last year to narrow birthright citizenship, which currently recognizes nearly all children born on US soil as automatic citizens. The principle was established after the Civil War to ensure that formerly enslaved people were recognized as citizens. In 1898, the Supreme Court affirmed that it also applies to children of immigrants, ruling in favor of a man born in San Francisco to Chinese parents. Ending the policy would impact around 255,000 children born in the US annually. The US is one of about three dozen countries with unrestricted birthright citizenship; most nations grant citizenship based on parents' status (see map).
Separately, the Supreme Court yesterday ruled 8-1 on First Amendment grounds that states cannot ban conversion therapy for LGBTQ+ children.
Listen to "1440 Explores" to learn how the Supreme Court became so powerful. |
Apple turns 50 years old today, a milestone for one of the world’s most valuable companies, with a market capitalization of $3.7T as of this writing. CEO Tim Cook rang the Nasdaq bell yesterday to mark the moment.
Founders Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne launched Apple out of Jobs’ garage on April 1, 1976. Their goal was to make computers accessible not just for businesses but for everyday consumers. The Apple II became one of the most successful personal computers of the time, selling nearly 6 million units, and was followed by the Macintosh in 1984. After a yearslong departure from Apple, Jobs returned to the company in the late 1990s, overseeing the launch of the iMac, iPod, and iPhone alongside designer Jony Ive.
Nearly one-fifth of the world’s population has an iPhone today; watch the 2007 iPhone launch here (w/video). Explore the history of Apple via 1440 Topics here. |
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Keep Your SSN off the Dark Web |
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Sports, Entertainment, & Culture |
> Police say Tiger Woods had opioids in his possession, bloodshot eyes at the scene of Friday's rollover crash, told police a phone and radio distraction led to the accident; Woods pleads not guilty to DUI charges (More) |
> World Cup qualifiers decide final six teams in 2026 tournament, beginning June 11 (More, w/roster) | Eurovision adds first-ever Asia competition in Bangkok Nov. 14; South Korea and Vietnam among 10 confirmed participating nations (More) |
> Six novels shortlisted for International Booker Prize, honoring translated fiction (More, w/list) | Vice President JD Vance to publish second memoir June 16 (More) | John Green announces debut adult novel, first book in nearly 10 years (More) |
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> Most-detailed breast tissue map to date shows how tissue cells decrease with age and menopause, putting older women at higher risk for breast cancer (More) | What else happens to a woman's body during menopause? (More, w/video) |
> Quantum computers may only need 10,000 to 20,000 qubits—not millions as widely assumed—potentially accelerating the timeline to exponentially faster machines (More) | What's a qubit? (More) |
> Warming water in polar regions could make phytoplankton—the base of the ocean food chain—less protein-rich, more carb-heavy, and lower in overall nutrients (More) |
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> US stock markets close higher (S&P 500 +2.9%, Dow +2.5%, Nasdaq +3.8%) (More) | Average US gas price hits $4 per gallon for first time since 2022 (More) |
> OpenAI closes Silicon Valley's largest-ever funding round, raising $122B at $852B valuation (More) | Whoop, wearable health devices maker, raises $575M at $10.1B valuation; investors include LeBron James and Rory McIlroy (More) |
> Spice giant McCormick to buy Unilever's food unit in nearly $45B cash-and-stock deal (More) | Shoemaker Allbirds—once valued at $4B—sells for $39M (More) |
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In partnership with FinanceBuzz |
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19 Things to Cut When Money Gets Tight |
With prices climbing, deciding what to cut can feel overwhelming. You aren’t "bad" with money; you likely already cook at home and cancel subscriptions, yet cash still disappears.
Even savvy people miss the subtle drains on their accounts. If you're doing everything right but still hitting a wall, it’s time to shift your strategy and keep more of what you earn.
Read FinanceBuzz's full guide on 19 Things to Cut When Money Gets Tight (Most People Ignore #11) to find out how to plug those hidden leaks and keep hundreds more in your pocket each month. |
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> Federal judge blocks construction of planned White House ballroom, requires authorization from Congress for the $400M renovation (More) | President Donald Trump signs executive order creating nationwide list of verified eligible voters (More) |
> China and Pakistan propose five-point peace plan for Iran war, including ceasefire in exchange for reopening the Strait of Hormuz (More) | See war updates (More) |
> The UK's King Charles III plans visit to the US, with state visit reportedly planned for April 27 to 30, including White House banquet April 28 (More) |
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In partnership with Incogni |
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Unknown Number Calling? It’s Not Random |
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The BBC caught scam call center workers on hidden cameras as they laughed at the people they were tricking. One worker bragged about making $250k from victims. The disturbing truth? Scammers don’t pick phone numbers at random. They buy your data from brokers.
Once your data is out there, it’s not just calls. It’s phishing, impersonation, and identity theft. That’s why we recommend Incogni: They delete your info from the web, monitor and follow up automatically, and continue to erase data as new risks appear. Try Incogni here and get 55% off your subscription with code 1440DAILY. |
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Historybook: Actress Debbie Reynolds born (1932); BBC's "Spaghetti Tree" hoax ... watch here (1957); Iran officially becomes an Islamic republic after the shah is overthrown (1979); Singer Marvin Gaye shot and killed by his father (1984). |
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"The first of April is the day we remember what we are the other 364 days of the year." |
- Mark Twain, from "Pudd'nhead Wilson and Other Tales" |
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