Good morning. It's Saturday, Jan. 17, and in this weekend edition, we're covering a 3,000-pound trove of fossils and rock, a major AI company's decision to introduce ads, and much more. First time reading? Join over 4.6 million insatiably curious readers. Sign up here. |
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Monumental Fossil Discovery |
Roughly 3,000 pounds of fossils and rock have been unearthed at Dinosaur National Monument, the National Park Service said yesterday. The discovery marks the first excavation in over 100 years at the national park straddling Utah and Colorado.
The fossil trove was accidentally discovered during a parking lot construction project near the Quarry Exhibit Hall, where visitors can see roughly 1,500 dinosaur bones encased in a rock face. Paleontologists believe the new fossils belong to a large long-necked dinosaur—most likely a Diplodocus. The extinct genus is thought to have had scales patterned in a range of dark colors, similar to those of modern reptiles and birds, according to a recent study analyzing fossilized skin samples from another site in Montana.
Dinosaur National Monument was established in 1915 to protect 80 acres around the Carnegie Quarry—a rock formation that yielded over 350 tons of fossils in the early 20th century. The park has since been expanded to include over 210,000 acres.
Explore the best resources we've found on dinosaurs here. |
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In partnership with Pendulum |
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CIA director meets with Venezuela's acting president.
Officials revealed yesterday that CIA Director John Ratcliffe met in Caracas Thursday with interim President Delcy Rodríguez. He is the most senior US official to visit Venezuela since the US captured former leader Nicolás Maduro two weeks ago. Rodríguez, who was vice president under Maduro, advocated for opening the state-run oil industry to more foreign investment in a nationwide address Thursday. |
ICE detainee population reaches record high.
Internal Homeland Security data reveals that the number of detainees in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody facing deportation has reached a record high of roughly 73,000. The count is the highest in ICE's nearly 23-year history and marks a roughly 84% increase from the same time last year. Nearly 67,000 detainees were single adults, and another 6,000 were classified as family units. |
Canada agrees to cut 100% tariffs on Chinese EVs.
Canada will start by allowing up to 49,000 Chinese electric vehicles into the country at a 6.1% tariff rate, with the quota rising to 70,000 over five years. In exchange, China will lower tariffs on Canadian farm products—such as canola—from 84% to about 15%. The deal, struck during Prime Minister Mark Carney's visit to China this week, marks a divergence from US policy, which maintains 100% tariffs on Chinese EVs. Carney is the first Canadian prime minister to visit China since 2017. |
OpenAI to introduce ads to ChatGPT in revenue push.
The AI company will begin showing ads to users on ChatGPT's free plan and the lowest-cost subscription. CEO Sam Altman has previously called ads a last resort for OpenAI's business model; the company reportedly declared an internal emergency last month in response to the success of Google's Gemini chatbot. Ads are expected to be labeled, not affect responses, and avoid sensitive topics like politics. |
South Korean court sentences impeached president to five years in prison.
The court found former president Yoon Suk Yeol guilty of abusing his power, obstructing justice, and falsifying documents. The verdict marks the first in a series of trials stemming from Yoon's actions during a December 2024 martial law crisis. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty in a separate trial on charges of leading an insurrection. A verdict in that trial is expected next month. |
World's best begin competing in the Australian Open tomorrow.
The year's first of four Grand Slam tennis tournaments kicks off in Melbourne tomorrow. No.1 men's singles player Carlos Alcaraz has a chance to be the youngest man to win all four majors. Meanwhile, No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka seeks redemption after falling in last year’s final to American Madison Keys, currently ranked No. 9. |
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Ottawa man takes his Rwandan Uber driver tobogganing for the first time. (More) |
Three-year-old girl forms a special bond with a server at the restaurant she visits weekly. (More, w/video) |
Washington State firefighters step in to deliver groceries after a delivery driver is involved in a car accident. (More) |
High school students surprise beloved substitute teacher with gift inspired by something he wears every day. (More, w/video) |
Man proposes to his wife for a second time after her ring was lost in the LA wildfires. (More, w/video) |
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In partnership with TriAgenics |
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Who Loves This More Than Parents? |
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Today, we're sharing a story from reader David K. in Queenstown, Maryland.
"My wife and I watch our granddaughter three days a week. Trash pickup comes on our second day. Our granddaughter excitedly rushes to the window, full of smiles, to wave 'hi' to the driver of the truck. He returns the wave with a toot of his horn.
"The pickup before Christmas, he pulls over, gets out of his truck, walks over to the now empty trash container, puts a box on top, then drives away. I retrieve the box, and to my delightful surprise, it is a toy trash truck for our granddaughter!"
What act(s) of kindness did you experience this week? Tell us here. |
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Introducing: 1440 Health & Medicine |
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Dear readers,
We have some exciting news! Coming soon, we'll be launching the next in our weekly deep-dive emails, 1440 Health & Medicine.
This series complements our Daily Digest—instead of focusing on news, we'll deliver evergreen and foundational knowledge to help you better navigate our ever-evolving world. Topics will range from the science of goose bumps and aging to innovations like CRISPR, mRNA vaccines, and more. Helmed by award-winning health and science journalist Dina Fine Maron, we'll provide you with important context and background and point you to resources that will pique your curiosity and allow you to delight your friends and neighbors!
Join the waitlist here and keep an eye out for the first edition in the coming weeks. Have a topic you want to see covered? Email it to us at [email protected]. |
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"Don’t try to be young. Just open your mind. Stay interested in stuff. There are so many things I won’t live long enough to find out about, but I’m still curious about them." |
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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. |
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