Good evening. Like K-pop, chocolate is having a cultural moment. Scientists have figured out a way to optimize the cacao fermentation process to create the perfect chocolate—and plan to use that knowledge to create cocoa starter cultures for farmers and hobbyists that could usher in a new era of high-grade, delicious brown gold, according to a new study published in Nature Microbiology.

• The cacao fermentation process, which involves yeast and bacteria doing mad work💪, sets the standard for chocolate's flavor complexity, aroma maturation, and reduction in initial bean bitterness. The process is mostly uncontrolled and thus varies, influencing the quality.
• In their experiment, the researchers effectively “domesticated” the cacao fermentation process, designing a recipe for premium chocolate that reins in any of this variance.

For the culture: The development of starter cultures for beer, bread, and cheese production revolutionized their respective industries—and the researchers expect their work to do the same for chocolate.

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Each of the following events happened on August 20. Your challenge is to put them in the order in which they occurred by year, earliest to latest. Answers at the bottom!

• A) The National Football League is formed at a meeting in Canton, Ohio—or more accurately, the American Professional Football Conference, which would later turn into the NFL, is formed.
• B) The peregrine falcon, the world’s fastest bird at up to 200 mph, is removed from the US’ endangered species list after 31 years. The banning of the pesticide DDT is largely credited for the bird’s resurgence.
• C) Viking 1, the spacecraft that will soon become the first to successfully land on Mars, is launched by NASA from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
• D) The first enslaved Africans are believed to have landed at the colony of Jamestown in present-day Virginia, setting the stage for slavery in the British colonies, and later the United States.

Hint: Fast comes last?

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Today’s Conjoiner sequence is guaranteed to take you for a ride—just beware, you may have to rein it in a little. Your adventure starts now👇.

The first clue of today’s sequence is: “Santa has nine of these pulling his sleigh”...

Mini

The feeling of completing today’s mini crossword has been compared to seeing an Insta “like” notification from your crush. It’s that satisfying.

• Play today’s puzzle here.

Sudoku

Think you’re good with numbers? You probably are…and today’s sudoku would further prove it.

• Play today's puzzle here if you’re up for a challenge.

Click to play any (or all) of the three GOATWars’ challenges below, then pick the GOAT through a series of head-to-head matchups. This data-driven process was developed to create definitive best-of-all-time lists using a more objective approach than random bloggers just publishing controversial opinions for clicks.

• 👟 THE GREATEST COLLECTIBLE SNEAKERS OF ALL TIME
• 🫡 THE GREATEST CAPTAINS OF ALL TIME
• 🍿 THE GREATEST BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH PERFORMANCES OF ALL TIME

🫙 THE GREATEST CONDIMENTS OF ALL TIME

1. Ketchup
2. Barbecue Sauce
3. Ranch Dressing

Explore the full list.

🎾 THE GREATEST FEMALE TENNIS PLAYERS OF ALL TIME

1. Serena Williams
2. Martina Navratilova
3. Billie Jean King

Explore the full list.

🎶 THE GREATEST POP ALBUMS OF ALL TIME

1. Thriller (Michael Jackson)
2. Abbey Road (The Beatles)
3. Purple Rain (Prince)

Explore the full list.

Note: Results are as of the published time; these lists are dynamic and may change.

D, A, C, B

• D) 1619: The first enslaved Africans are believed to have landed at the colony of Jamestown in present-day Virginia, setting the stage for slavery in the British colonies, and later the United States.
• A) 1920: The National Football League is formed at a meeting in Canton, Ohio—or more accurately, the American Professional Football Conference, which would later turn into the NFL, is formed.
• C) 1975: Viking 1, the spacecraft that will soon become the first to successfully land on Mars, is launched by NASA from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
• B) 2000: The peregrine falcon, the world’s fastest bird at up to 200 mph, is removed from the US’ endangered species list after 31 years. The banning of the pesticide DDT is largely credited for the bird’s resurgence.