Good morning, it's Wednesday, May 27. The US is weighing whether to hand Cold War plutonium to private companies, while 247 kids vie for spelling bee glory in DC.
Also in today's Digest: Drake breaks a record previously held by Michael Jackson (Sports, Ent., & Cult.), scientists uncover an ostrichlike crocodile ancestor (Sci. & Tech.), lions are cooling off with "blood popsicles" (Etc.), and much more.
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An early-season heat wave broke the UK’s all-time May temperature record yesterday, as Western Europe continues to swelter under extreme heat. London’s Kew Gardens hit 95.2 degrees Fahrenheit, topping the previous record of 91.4 degrees set in 1922 and 1944.
The heat wave is being driven by a heat dome, a high-pressure system that traps and compresses hot air like a lid on a pot and can linger for days or weeks. The effects are especially dangerous in the UK, where only about 5% of homes have air conditioning and much of the infrastructure was built for cooler weather. The average high temperature for London in late May is around 68 degrees, and much of Western Europe is facing temperatures 18 to 27 degrees above normal.
London also recorded a rare “tropical night,” with temperatures staying above 68 degrees. Temperatures should ease but remain above average for the rest of the week. Check current temperatures around the world here. |
From Warheads to Reactors |
The Trump administration yesterday announced it is considering giving five companies access to radioactive plutonium from Cold War-era nuclear warheads for conversion into nuclear power plant fuel. If finalized, the deal would mark the first time the US has given the weapons-grade metal to private companies.
The Energy Department stores over 50 tons of plutonium left over from weapons programs in guarded facilities. The material can trigger explosive chain reactions, is highly toxic if inhaled, and remains radioactive for tens of thousands of years. The DOE had plans to dilute and bury much of the stockpile, but energy companies say plutonium could serve as a valuable domestic fuel source for the nation’s nuclear fleet. The Trump administration last year set a goal of quadrupling US nuclear power capacity by 2050 to meet rising energy demands.
As of 2023, the US gets roughly 27% of its enriched uranium—the most common fuel for nuclear reactors—from Russia. See the full breakdown here. |
🫶 Humankind: A couple found a baby on the New York subway 26 years ago with his umbilical cord still attached; now he's their son, Kevin. |
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The 98th Scripps National Spelling Bee kicked off yesterday in Washington, DC. Semifinals take place today; the winner will be crowned tomorrow, winning $52.5K. See the schedule here.
The competition dates back to 1925, when 11-year-old Frank Neuhauser spelled gladiolus—a type of flower—correctly. Since then, 111 champions have been crowned, owing to several two-way ties and an eight-way tie in 2019 (some competitions were skipped during World War II and the COVID-19 pandemic). All contestants must be younger than 15 and in eighth grade or below. Since 2003, the pronouncer has been 1980 winner Jacques Bailly, who makes eye contact with contestants and practices each word beforehand. Test your spelling ability here.
Nearly 250 kids have gathered for the chance to be this year’s top English speller, from all 50 states and DC, three US territories, and five countries. Of them, 13% have been trained by Scott Remer. Meet the country’s only full-time spelling bee coach. |
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Sports, Entertainment, & Culture |
> US men’s national soccer team announces 2026 World Cup roster (More) | Supreme Court declines to intervene in NFL discrimination suit led by former Miami Dolphins head coach and now Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores; case to proceed to trial (More) |
> Saxophonist Sonny Rollins, whose career spanned seven decades and more than 60 albums, dies at age 95 (More) | Listen to Rollins' solo in the Rolling Stones' "Waiting on a Friend" (More) |
> LA Philharmonic hires British conductor (and pilot) Daniel Harding as music director (More) | Meet the conductor in the cockpit (More) | Drake breaks Michael Jackson's record for most No. 1 songs on Billboard Hot 100 by solo male artist (More) |
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> Memory decline after menopause may be linked to estrogen decline in brain tissue, possibly helping explain why nearly two-thirds of Americans with Alzheimer’s are women (More) | Is there an evolutionary benefit to menopause? (1440 Topics) |
> Two-legged crocodile ancestor sheds light on an experimental phase of evolution, when several unrelated species independently developed similar survival strategies; the newly discovered creature resembles a modern-day ostrich (More, w/image) |
> Scientists use AI model to analyze tumor DNA, offering enhanced insights into how a patient's cancer might respond to different treatment options (More) |
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In partnership with EnergyX |
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You’re Already Too Late for SpaceX’s IPO |
SpaceX plans to IPO at a $1.5T valuation, the 10th-most-valuable public company by the time the average person can invest. The lesson? Like Uber delivering 490K% returns to First Round Capital, today’s biggest growth can come at the private stage.
A similar dynamic’s playing out in lithium, where EnergyX passed a $1B private valuation. Only now you can invest at the private stage, too. With lithium prices up 75% this year and demand growing 5X by 2040, EnergyX can recover up to 3X more than traditional methods.
They’re preparing to unlock up to 13M tons across the Americas. Invest in EnergyX today.* |
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> US stock markets close mixed (S&P 500 +0.6%, Dow -0.2%, Nasdaq +1.2%) (More) | Micron Technology hits $1T market cap for first time, fueled by AI demand for its memory chips (More) | Ranking companies in the trillion-dollar club (More) |
> American Airlines selects SpaceX's Starlink for in-flight Wi-Fi on more than 500 narrowbody aircraft beginning in Q1 2027 (More) | How does Wi-Fi on airplanes work? (More) |
> Eli Lilly to buy three vaccine developers in deals valued at roughly $4B (More) | Oil giant BP ousts chairman after less than a year in the role, citing governance and conduct issues (More) |
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> Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) defeats incumbent Sen. John Cornyn (R) in primary runoff (More) | See calendar of elections leading up to November (More) |
> Chemical tank explodes at pulp and paper mill in Washington state, releasing "white liquor"; at least one person confirmed dead and nine others missing as of this writing, with authorities saying there is no known threat to the public (More) |
> President Donald Trump to hold Cabinet meeting at White House, canceling original planned trip to Camp David in Maryland; follows US strikes on Iran late Monday (More) | What is Camp David known for? (More) |
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AI, Scam Callers, Data Brokers, Oh My! |
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Historybook: Marine biologist and author Rachel Carson born (1907); US statesman Henry Kissinger born (1923); Ford ends manufacture of iconic Model T (1927); Golden Gate Bridge opens in California (1937); Outkast rapper André 3000 born (1975).
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"If there is poetry in my book about the sea, it is not because I deliberately put it there, but because no one could write truthfully about the sea and leave out the poetry." |
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*Disclosure: Energy Exploration Technologies, Inc. (“EnergyX”) has engaged 1440 Media to publish this communication in connection with EnergyX’s ongoing Regulation A offering. 1440 Media has been paid in cash and may receive additional compensation. 1440 Media and/or its affiliates do not currently hold securities of EnergyX. This compensation and any current or future ownership interest could create a conflict of interest. Please consider this disclosure alongside EnergyX’s offering materials. EnergyX’s Regulation A offering has been qualified by the SEC. Offers and sales may be made only by means of the qualified offering circular. Before investing, carefully review the offering circular, including the risk factors. The offering circular is available at invest.energyx.com/. Comparisons to other companies are for informational purposes only and should not imply similar results. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Market shortfall are forward‑looking estimates and are subject to substantial uncertainty. |
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