Good morning. In today’s edition:

• 🛰️ Data centers in space
• 🪨 Project Vault
• ☕ Gen Z parties at coffee shops

…and much more.

Ready, Set, Go: Today’s news should be a ~3.75-minute read (998 words).

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“Know yourself and you will win all battles.”

–Sun Tzu (544 B.C. - 496 B.C.)

Grok and Buzz Lightyear may have more in common than you think.

SpaceX has filed a new request with the Federal Communications Commission to go to infinity and beyond launch up to 1 million solar-powered satellites designed to function as AI data centers in low-Earth orbit.

Reach for the stars

The filing proposes connecting a massive constellation of satellites via lasers, creating a network of solar-powered data centers in space meant to keep up with the AI industry’s explosive growth.

SpaceX argues the approach could sidestep some of the biggest headaches facing data centers on Earth: massive electricity demand, water usage for cooling, and growing pushback from local communities.

• The plan represents a massive bet that SpaceX can reduce the costs of launching Starship—its next-gen reusable rocket—for a cost-effective way of deploying millions of tons of mass per year to orbit.
• SpaceX describes its ambitious project as a step towards a “Kardashev II-level civilization,” or sci-fi shorthand for a society capable of harnessing far more energy than we do today.

Reality check: While it’s unlikely SpaceX will put 1 million satellites in space—where only 15,000 satellites exist currently—operators typically request FCC approval for higher numbers of satellites than they intend to deploy. This strategy buys them design flexibility and serves a starting point for negotiations should the FCC want to reduce that figure.

In other major SpaceX news: Yesterday afternoon, CEO Elon Musk announced plans to combine the rocket maker with his artificial intelligence startup, xAI. The merged entity is gearing up for a massive IPO as soon as June, and is reportedly expected to seek a valuation of $1.25 trillion.

Most people treat skin issues on the surface. But what if the real lever is internal hormone balance?

DIM is a plant compound that supports how your body processes estrogen. That’s why so many people notice changes in things like breakouts, energy dips, and stubborn “off” days when they start using it.

Nature’s Craft DIM Complex puts it into one simple daily capsule. If your routine still feels slightly out of sync, this might be what’s missing.

Last week, the Library of Congress unveiled its annual list of 25 films to be inducted into the National Film Registry (NFR) for preservation. And it’s giving *nostalgia* in the best way.

What is the NFR? Essentially, it’s like your childhood DVD collection but on a national scale. The NFR’s stated purpose is to aggregate and preserve a list of works deemed significant to American culture.

It first emerged in 1988, after prominent filmmakers and industry leaders pushed Congress to protect classic films from commercial alterations they viewed as harmful (like cutting scenes to fit in a certain TV time slot).

• The public can nominate movies for induction into the NFR each year, with films first becoming eligible 10 years after their release.
• The final 25 films are then chosen by the Library of Congress.

This year’s inductees include Inception (2010), The Incredibles (2004), The Karate Kid (1984), and The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014), among others (see the full list).

NFR fun facts: The most recent additions bring the total number of films in the Registry to 925. And of that overall list, only Raging Bull was inducted prior to the 10-year release minimum, while eight other iconic films—including Goodfellas, Toy Story, and Fargo—were inducted right at the 10-year mark.

BUSINESS & MARKETS

• 🏘️ Nearly two-thirds of US home buyers last year paid less than the original listing price, the highest such proportion since 2019, per a new Redfin analysis; the average discount for the homes sold below list price was ~8%, the highest figure since 2012.
• 🌏 President Trump announced a new trade deal with India that will see the US lower its tariff rate from 25% to 18%, while India commits to several conditions including an end to Russian oil purchases; official text of the deal has yet to materialize.
• 💼 January’s jobs report, initially scheduled to be published Friday, will be delayed due to the ongoing partial US gov’t shutdown, the Labor Dept. said.

SPORTS, MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT

• 🏈 NFL announces plans to host at least eight overseas games in 2026, its most ever; the international slate includes the first-ever NFL game in Paris (featuring the Saints).
• 🏛️ The Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., will close for a two-year renovation in July, President Trump announced.
• 🏀 NBA All-Star Game reserve players were officially announced, with LeBron making his 22nd consecutive All-Star team; just one other player in history—Vince Carter—has even played in 22 NBA seasons; the All-Star Game is set for February 15.

Winding down matters just as much as staying asleep. Sleep Gummies by Troomy are designed to support relaxation before bed, especially on nights when your mind feels restless. Each gummy helps support immunity, circulation, and heart health while you rest.

With a black raspberry flavor and low sugar, Sleep fits into your nightly routine without leaving you feeling groggy or weighed down the next morning.

SCIENCE, SPACE & EMERGING TECH

• 🌊 New research may have solved the longstanding mystery of how the Green River, the Colorado River's largest tributary, apparently defied gravity and flowed uphill when it first formed.
• 🤖🪐 NASA’s Mars Perseverance rover recently completed its first AI-planned driving route without the input of any humans, using Anthropic’s Claude AI models.
• 🧠 Psychotic disorder diagnoses among Canadians aged 14-20 increased by ~60% between 1997-2023, while new diagnoses at older ages plateaued or declined, per new study; the result could reflect teens’ increasing use of substances like cannabis, stimulants, and hallucinogens.

US, WORLD & POLITICS

• 🚨 Federal officers in Minneapolis will immediately receive and deploy body cameras, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said yesterday; the cameras will expand to DHS law enforcement nationwide as funding becomes available, Noem said.
• 🪨 Trump admin announced plans for a ~$12 billion stockpile of critical minerals called Project Vault; the stockpile is aimed at helping US manufacturers navigate future supply shortages, and reducing America’s reliance on China for rare earths and metals.
• 🌍 Israel reopened the major Rafah border crossing connecting Gaza to Egypt, after mostly keeping it closed since capturing the crossing in May 2024; the reopening is part of the first phase of the US-proposed ceasefire plan between Israel and Hamas.

☝️ Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow on Groundhog Day yesterday morning, predicting six more weeks of winter. But there’s hope for those of us wishing for warmer climes: Punxsutawney’s success rate at predicting the weather is just ~35%, per data from the NOAA.

🤔 Did you know? Migraine headaches are the second most common disability experienced worldwide (and first among young women), ranking only behind low back pain.

📰 Worth a read: Why American cities pay over $3,000 for one trash can

🖱️ What we’re clicking:

• Gen Z doesn’t go to the club. They party at coffee shops
• How to practice the lost art of negotiating the price of a car
• Caterpillars use tiny hairs to hear

🛏️ Bedding you can set and forget… Sierra Dreams’ Align™ snap system keeps sheets and duvets in place no retucking, no fuss. Ethically sourced, hypoallergenic materials. Save 15% with code DONUT.

Yesterday we covered President Trump’s decision to nominate former Fed member Kevin Warsh to be the next chair of the Federal Reserve, ending a months-long search to replace current Fed Chair Jerome Powell before his term ends on May 15.

❓ Our question to you: In general, do you support or oppose Kevin Warsh as nominee for the next Federal Reserve Chair?

• Support: 26%
• Oppose: 38%
• Unsure/other: 36%

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

+Note on sample size: We received 486 votes and 58 longform responses.

❓ Trivia: What musical instrument has 88 keys?

🎓 True or false?…The London Underground is the oldest underground railway system in the world.

🤔 Riddle me this…I have a ring but no finger. What am I?

💾 When you show a middle schooler a floppy disk...Students at Wendover Middle School in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, recently opened a time capsule from the year 2000, bringing history to life for the students.

❓ Trivia: A piano

🎓 T/F: True

🤔 Riddle: A phone (or a 1-year-old tree)

Advertise with us: Want to reach other smart and inquisitive readers like you? Become a DONUT partner here.