Good morning. In today’s edition:

• 🎗️ Cancer clairvoyance
• 🌎 Trump calls off Greenland tariffs
• 🤔 Is it still possible to get a $3 meal?

…and much more.

Ready, Set, Go: Today’s news should be a ~3.83-minute read (1,020 words).

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“The search for happiness is one of the chief sources of unhappiness.”

–Eric Hoffer (1902-1983)

In an ambitious new study that would make Dr. Strange proud, scientists from The Institute of Cancer Research, London, aim to harness the power of fortune-telling to treat breast cancer.

Their research, if proven out at scale, would allow doctors to tell whether drugs to treat breast cancer—the second-most commonly diagnosed cancer in the world—will work for each individual patient before treatment even starts.

How they did it: The UK scientists developed a liquid biopsy that analyzes circulating tumor DNA, or ctDNA, in a patient’s bloodstream, a molecule that’s released by cancer cells in varying levels.

• They recorded ctDNA levels in blood samples from 167 patients with advanced breast cancer, both before treatment began and four weeks in.
• Then, scientists compared those levels with how well patients responded to treatment, and how long their cancer stayed under control.

The results were striking

Patients with low ctDNA levels at the start of treatment tended to respond better to therapy. The same pattern showed up at the four week mark. “Our study shows that a simple blood test measuring circulating tumour DNA can provide an early prediction of whether a patients’ breast cancer will respond to treatment,” said lead author Dr Iseult Browne.

Why it’s a big deal: If doctors can see early on that a treatment is unlikely to work, they could switch strategies sooner and embrace alternative options like targeted therapy or a clinical trial for a novel drug, rather than losing valuable time on treatments that likely won’t help (and could carry some nasty side effects).

Looking ahead…Clinical trials are now underway to test whether changing treatment plans based on these early blood test results will improve patient outcomes in the long run.

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From rare preserved underground homes to rebuilt cathedrals, historic tourist sites around the world are embracing high-tech upgrades that protect the past while still allowing access to visitors.

The latest upgrade comes in Rome, where tourists can now explore a rare and well-preserved ancient buried home without ever stepping inside.

• The House of the Griffins—one of the Rome’s oldest (~2,000 years) and most ornate residences, hidden below the city—has begun offering livestreamed tours led by archaeologists wearing head-mounted cameras.
• Visitors watch from above ground as camera-equipped guides walk through the fragile underground rooms, answer questions, and point out frescoes.

Do as the Romans do

Historic sites around the world are implementing similar tech in an effort to balance conservation with access.

• The Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris used detailed 3D scans and VR experiences to let visitors explore the site in the aftermath of the 2019 fire.
• Museums from Paris to New York now offer virtual or augmented-reality tours that recreate lost rooms, artworks, or entire buildings.
• Google’s Arts & Culture platform allows anyone with Wi-Fi wander virtually through famous sites around the world.

It’s self-preservation, literally: For many historic sites, livestreams and virtual tours help them increase demand, stay relevant, and protect places and structures that can’t be repaired once they’re damaged.

BUSINESS & MARKETS

• 📈 US stocks closed up sharply across the board on the heels of Tuesday’s slump, with the S&P 500 delivering its best single-day performance in two months (S&P: +1.2% | Dow: +1.2% | Nasdaq: +1.2%).
• 🧑‍⚖️🏦 Supreme Court hears oral arguments in case over whether President Trump can unilaterally fire Federal Reserve Gov. Lisa Cook; analysts say the Justices appeared skeptical of Trump’s argument that he can legally terminate Cook.
• 🌭 Hot-dog maker Nathan’s Famous agrees to sell to packaged meat giant Smithfield Foods in an all-cash deal worth $450 million.

SPORTS, MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT

• 🎵✍️ Songwriters Hall of Fame announces 2026 inductees, including Kenny Loggins, KISS’ Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons, Alanis Morrisette, and Taylor Swift.
• ⚾ Free agent OF Cody Bellinger reportedly agrees to 5-year, $162.5 million deal to return to the New York Yankees.
• 🎬 42nd Sundance Film Festival kicks off today in Park City, Utah; the largest independent film festival in America will run through February 1st. | Oscar nominations will be announced this morning; the awards ceremony is scheduled for March 15th.

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SCIENCE, SPACE & EMERGING TECH

• 🛰️🌐 Blue Origin, the Jeff Bezos-backed space company, is launching a satellite internet network for enterprise, data center, and gov’t customers; the new service will rival similar offerings from SpaceX (Starlink) and Amazon (Project Kuiper).
• 🦵 Stanford scientists discovered a new treatment that can reverse the natural loss of cartilage in aging joints, and also potentially prevent arthritis after severe knee injuries.
• 🧬🌌 Complex building blocks for life, called peptides (which create proteins), can form naturally in deep space under extreme cold and radiation, per new study; the discovery could significantly raise the probability of finding extraterrestrial life.

US, WORLD & POLITICS

• 🌎 President Trump reiterated his determination to take control of Greenland from Denmark during a 72-minute speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, but appeared to rule out using force; after the speech, Trump said he’s calling off his plan to add a 10% tariff to goods from eight European NATO allies after forming “the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland” with NATO’s secretary general.
• 🥶 70+ million Americans were under a winter storm watch as of yesterday evening, with a massive weather system preparing to strike the US South, East, and Midwest over the coming days.
• 🏛️ Trump admin this week started arresting immigrants in Maine as part of a new federal operation targeting the state dubbed “Operation Catch of the Day," DHS officials announced.

☝️ A precious stone claimed to be the world’s largest purple star sapphire was unveiled in Sri Lanka on Saturday. The 3,563-carat gemstone is estimated to be worth $300+ million, with its owners currently looking to sell.

🤔 Did you know? France is the most-visited country in the world, with 100+ million tourists arriving each year. Spain, the US, and Italy aren’t far behind on the list, with each country pulling in 60+ million visitors annually.

📰 Worth a read: The surprising benefits of standing on one leg

🖱️ What we’re clicking:

• 10 meaningful questions to ask the older people you love
• Is it still possible to get a $3 meal?
• The secret to amazing coffee may lie deep inside elephants

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Yesterday we covered President Trump’s renewed pressure campaign against America’s military allies in Europe as part of his push for the US to acquire Greenland—a North American island with key strategic and economic importance—from Denmark.

❓ Our question to you: In general, do you support Trump’s push to acquire Greenland by using economic pressure on America’s NATO allies?

• Support: 15%
• Oppose: 81%
• Unsure/other: 4%

Click here to read some of the most thoughtful longform responses.

+Note on sample size: We received 863 votes and 128 longform responses.

What’s the deepest canyon in the US?

✨🤠 Residents at Waltonwood senior living communities in states across the US put on their cowboy boots and rhinestones to celebrate Dolly Parton's 80th birthday earlier this week. The third annual "Waltonwood to Dollywood” event encourages residents to find the simple joys in aging.

Hells Canyon

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