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04.03.2025

 

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Good morning. It's Thursday, April 3, and we're covering a new era in global trade, a breakthrough in heart health, and much more. First time reading? Join over 4 million intellectually curious readers. Sign up here.

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Need To Know
 

Tariff Time

All imports into the US will face a 10% tariff, following a broad order by President Donald Trump yesterday, while many nations with existing levies on US goods will face additional reciprocal tariffs. The move marks one of the most significant shifts in US trade policies in generations and the realization of a core pillar of Trump’s 2024 campaign.

 

The order targeted a number of countries deemed to have unfair trade practices with the US. Notably, goods from China will face a new 34% tariff (the US imports about $460B annually), Japan will get hit with a 24% hike ($152B in annual imports), and the European Union will see a 20% hike ($605B in annual imports). Lesotho—which sends the US about $350M in goods—will see the highest tariff, at 50% (see full breakdown).

 

Mexico and Canada will face an already imposed 25% tax, excluding goods covered under existing free trade agreements, while all foreign autos will also see a 25% hike. Learn more about how tariffs work here.

 

Stocks tumbled in extended trading on the news, see updates here

 

World's Smallest Pacemaker

Scientists at Northwestern University announced yesterday they have developed the world’s tiniest pacemaker—smaller than a grain of rice—that can be inserted with a syringe. The device could revolutionize heart surgery, offering a minimally invasive way to regulate the essential organ.

 

Pacemakers are small, battery-operated devices that assist heartbeats with irregular rhythms by sending small electric shocks to help the heart beat normally. The devices can be permanent or temporary, with insertion and removal surgery posing potential risks. The new invention, years from being tested on humans, is activated by infrared light pulses from a wearable device and dissolves after the patient no longer needs it.

 

Its small size is partially due to its power source, a galvanic cell, which is a simple battery that uses the body’s fluids to convert chemical energy into electrical energy. The pacemaker could be especially effective in helping children with congenital heart defects who require temporary pacemakers after surgery. 

 

Experts say the breakthrough in technology opens up possibilities for use in bioelectric medicines, including healing wounds and blocking pain.

 

Val Kilmer Dies

Actor Val Kilmer, whose many credits include leading roles as Batman and the Doors’ Jim Morrison, died yesterday from complications of pneumonia, according to a statement from his daughter. A 2014 throat cancer diagnosis and years of treatment had led to the loss of his voice. He was 65.

 

Born New Year’s Eve 1959, Kilmer grew up in Los Angeles and became one of the youngest students admitted to Juilliard’s acting program at age 17. In 1983, he made his Broadway debut in “Slab Boys” alongside Sean Penn and Kevin Bacon, going on to play a mix of theatrical roles, including Hamlet. Regarded by colleagues as an eccentric, Kilmer would perform in more than 60 films including “Top Gun,” “Tombstone,” and “The Saint" (see filmography).

 

A fascination with American humorist Mark Twain led the actor to write and perform in a solo play on the writer, “Citizen Twain,” amid a broader hiatus from Hollywood in the 2010s. See his life in photos here.

In partnership with Legion M

Emmy-Winning Founders Reinvent $100B Industry

 

With Hollywood traditionally dominated by corporate gatekeepers and billion-dollar studios, fans have always been left on the sidelines. But not anymore. Emmy winners Paul Scanlan and Jeff Annison are flipping the script with Legion M—the world’s first fan-owned movie studio.

 

By turning fans into shareholders, the studio gains a built-in audience before a project is even released. This is a competitive edge that most studios simply don’t have. With over 54,000 investors, a powerhouse advisory board, and one of the best-reviewed movies of 2025, Legion M’s moonshot is well on its way. 

 

And this is just the beginning. Shareholders get exclusive perks and a voice in deciding what movies get made. Most importantly, investors own an early-stage stake in a company aiming to become one of the most influential forces in Hollywood. Unlock red-carpet access, shareholder exclusives, and 10% bonus stock by investing before midnight tonight.*

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In The Know
 

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture

> James Beard Foundation announces 2025 James Beard Award finalists for America's best restaurants and chefs (More

> "The Simpsons" renewed through its 40th season, extending the show's record as the longest-running scripted prime-time series (More) | Want to go deep into the cultural zeitgeist each week? Sign up for 1440 Society & Culture (More)

> Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin now just three goals away from breaking Wayne Gretzky's all-time NHL goals record (More

 

Science & Technology

> Engineers develop large language model to solve multistep logistical problems with reasoning similar to that of humans; approach showed 85% success rate on problems such as optimizing the route of robots on a factory floor (More

> Researchers repurpose modified smartphone camera sensors to image matter-antimatter collision events in real time (More

> Genetic analysis reveals the first DNA profile of the pastoral culture that inhabited the Sahara during the African Humid Period; the now-desert landscape was a lush savanna between 14,000 and 5,000 years ago (More

 

Business & Markets

> Amazon reportedly submits last-minute bid to acquire TikTok ahead of Saturday deadline for TikTok's Chinese parent, ByteDance, to sell its stake in the app or face a US ban; mobile technology company AppLovin also submits bid (More

> Tesla reports 336,681 vehicle deliveries in Q1, a 13% year-over-year drop; shares still rise on reports CEO Elon Musk could leave role in Department of Government Efficiency (More) | President Donald Trump's social media company files paperwork with SEC to allow Trump's trust to sell over $2B of Trump Media and Technology Group shares (More

> HR software company Rippling publicly releases affidavit of employee who admitted to carrying out corporate espionage for rival firm Deel (More) | Cryptocurrency firm Circle files for initial public offering, seeks valuation of up to $5B (More) | Want to learn more about crypto, IPOs, and more? Join 1440 Business & Finance (More)

In partnership with FinanceBuzz

Why You Should Cancel Your Car Insurance

You could be wasting hundreds every year on overpriced insurance. The experts at FinanceBuzz believe they can help. 

 

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Politics & World Affairs

> Federal judge dismisses bribery case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) with prejudice, barring prosecutors from renewing charges in the future (More) | See previous write-up on the case (More

> Over 65 million Americans across 13 states, from Texas to Ohio, brace for extreme weather event that could spawn tornado outbreaks, record flooding, and heavy rain into the weekend (More) | See tracker (More

> US Supreme Court weighs whether South Carolina can cut off Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood (More) | ... and rules the Food and Drug Administration 

acted lawfully in blocking two manufacturers from marketing fruity- and dessert-flavored vapes (More)

 

In-Depth

> Merlin's Modern Magic

Cambridge | Jessica Keating. While digitizing fragments of a rare 13th-century manuscript, hidden for centuries in the binding of a 16th-century register, researchers found the only surviving account about Merlin and the early years of King Arthur's court. (Read)

 

> The Mysterious Sinking of the Bayesian

NewLines Magazine | Floriana Bulfon. In August, a megayacht sank off the coast of Sicily during a sudden storm, killing British tech tycoon Mike Lynch, his daughter, and five others, and leaving investigators puzzled as the vessel's perfectly intact structure lies on the seafloor. (Read)

In partnership with Legion M

Meet the First Fan-Owned Movie Studio

 

Founded by Emmy-winning entrepreneurs Paul Scanlan and Jeff Annison (whose previous company, MobiTV, raised over $100M and helped pioneer streaming TV), Legion M’s fast success should come as no surprise.

 

Now you have an opportunity to join this team as they revolutionize how movies get made. By giving fans an ownership stake in their studio, Legion M has already attracted over 54,000 investors eager to help shape the next hit. Secure 10% bonus stock with your investment by tonight’s deadline.*

Please support our sponsors!

Etcetera
 

Why children are hooked on Minecraft.

 

Ranking this year's best (and worst) April Fools' pranks.

 

Can you do the selfie shuffle?

 

Why NASA wants to return to the moon. (via YouTube)

 

Is the US going through its every-80-year reinvention?

 

Pop-up singing groups are connecting Americans.

 

Toddler on vacation digs up nearly 4,000-year-old amulet.

 

How turtle soup became a delicacy—and then disappeared.

 

Clickbait: Can your state survive an alien invasion?

 

Historybook: American politician Boss Tweed born (1823); Actress Doris Day born (1922); Eddie Murphy born (1961); First mobile phone call is made (1973); Apple releases the first iPad (2010).

"The really frightening thing about middle age is the knowledge that you'll grow out of it."

- Doris Day

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*Disclosure: This is a paid advertisement for Legion M's Regulation CF Offering. Please read the offering circular at invest.legionm.com

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