Good morning, and a warm welcome to all our new subscribers. In today’s edition:

• 🥩 Can you have too much protein?
• 🎤 Ariana Grande withdraws from public life
• 🤖 What happens if AI bubble pops

…and much more.

Ready, Set, Go: Today’s news should be a ~4.36-minute read (1,159 words).

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"It's the job that's never started that takes the longest to finish."

–J.R.R. Tolkien (1892-1973)

If American democracy had a check-engine light, most voters would agree it's on. But ask what's causing it, and you'll probably get two very different answers.

Americans are broadly concerned about the state of the country's democratic process, according to new Gallup polling from the Democracy for All Project. Just 25% say the public's role in democracy is working well, while 37% say it's working poorly.

But bipartisan agreement ends after that

Republicans and Democrats consistently point to different problems with America’s democratic process.

• Some 77% of Democrats say they're concerned about political leaders pressuring election officials to change election outcomes, compared with 56% of Republicans.
• Meanwhile, 66% of Republicans say they're concerned about ballots being improperly handled, counted, or secured, versus 52% of Democrats.

The partisan divide also extends to democracy's overall health. 75% of strong Democrats say American democracy is performing poorly, compared with just 15% of strong Republicans.

But...It isn’t all partisan trench warfare, with Americans generally agreeing on several core democratic principles, per other Gallup polling from the Democracy for All Project.

The vast majority of Americans say using violence to achieve political goals is never acceptable (83%), support elected leaders compromising to get things done (80%), and say a mix of cultures, races, and religions makes the nation stronger (84%).

Looking ahead…Nearly three-quarters of Americans (73%) report at least a fair amount of concern about multiple aspects of the election process ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.

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Walk through a grocery store today and you’ll find protein in places never previously imagined. Coffee, cookies, cereal, snack chips—and, at this rate, probably protein-infused toothpaste.

But a recent analysis of 350+ studies led by biomedical scientist Dudley Lamminga suggests more protein isn’t always better.

The longevity case for less

Their findings, published last week in Cell Press’ flagship journal Med, suggest that eating less protein, or less of certain amino acids that make up protein, may activate biological processes tied to healthier long-term aging in humans, mice, insects, yeast, and other organisms.

• Lower protein intake was consistently linked to better metabolism, changes in how cells respond to nutrients, reduced cellular damage, and improved maintenance of healthy cells.
• One possible reason may be tied to an increase in hormone FGF21—found with lower protein consumption—which promotes energy expenditure by encouraging the body to burn fat, instead of storing it.

Recent human clinical trials have also found that participants who lowered their protein intake lost weight and body fat while improving fasting blood sugar, despite often consuming more total calories.

The evidence isn’t one-sided. Other studies indicate higher protein intake can support weight loss and help older adults preserve muscle, particularly when combined with exercise.

Those findings are what led to updated US dietary guidance this year calling for daily protein consumption of 0.5-0.7 grams per pound of body weight, nearly twice the previous amount.

BUSINESS & MARKETS

• 📈 US stocks close up across the board in first day of August trading, with the Dow surging to to a record closing high (S&P: +1.5% | Dow: +1.3% | Nasdaq: +2.1%).
• 🏘️ JPMorgan Chase announces plans to invest $750 billion through 2035 to boost US housing supply; plan includes financing for 1 million affordable housing units, and assisting 500,000 Americans in buying homes.
• 🇺🇸🇯🇵 US Treasury Dept. takes rare step of helping Japan prop up its currency, the yen, amid a slide against the dollar; Japan is largest foreign holder of US Treasuries ($1.1+ trillion), with the current yen crisis raising the prospect of selling significant portions and raising borrowing costs for US gov’t. | 🌎 Coalition of 25 Democratic-led states sue Trump admin over recent sweeping tariffs of 10% or 12.5% on most goods from 60 US trading partners.

SPORTS, MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT

• 🎤 Ariana Grande “will be taking a step back from visibility” after her Eternal Sunshine Tour concludes in London next month, citing “endless, ongoing public scrutiny” in a statement.
• ⚾ MLB trade deadline came and went yesterday evening. | ⚽ US Soccer Federation agrees to contract extension with USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino that runs through the 2030 World Cup.
• 🥇 Spider-Man: Brand New Day officially earns $360 million across opening weekend in the US and Canada; it narrowly beats Avengers: Endgame’s record for highest-grossing domestic debut ever, after higher-than-expected sales Sunday night.

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SCIENCE, SPACE & EMERGING TECH

• 🔬 Researchers discover the protein TRF 2, best known for protecting the ends of chromosomes, also helps muscle stem cells rebuild damaged tissue; findings could eventually lead to new muscular dystrophy treatments.
• 🐄 Scientists identify nine bacteria linked to lower rates of asthma and allergies in children raised on farms; discovery could allow scientists to replicate those protective effects outside of farms.
• 🥬 Michigan reports first two deaths linked to this summer's nationwide cyclosporiasis outbreak; health authorities say both individuals had significant underlying health conditions, with cyclosporiasis deaths remaining rare.

US, WORLD & POLITICS

• ⛴️ Iran denies holding direct talks with the US over the Strait of Hormuz, but confirms Oman is mediating talks to temporarily open the waterway to commercial shipping; Trump describes Iran’s leadership as “unbelievably duplicitous” in social media post, saying they asked for talks on ending the war then announced no discussions were being held.
• 🏛️ Acting AG Todd Blanche formally rescinds DOJ’s $1.8 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund” and clarifies that President Trump’s immunity from IRS tax audits only applies to claims open at the time of settlement, not future tax filings. | Senate now appears poised to advance Blanche's AG nomination, after Sens. John Cornyn (R–TX) and Thom Tillis (R–NC) agree to support it following the formal end of DOJ’s “Anti-Weaponization Fund.”
• 🔥 Several major wildfires are spreading across the western US; a fire in Washington has burned ~390 sq. miles, destroyed ~700 buildings, and forced 67,000 people near Spokane to evacuate, with no major injuries or deaths; other fires are burning across Idaho and Oregon (~525 sq. miles) and Utah (~57 sq. miles).

☝️ You’re looking at the largest pop-up book in the world, named Luceros y Penumbras ("Starlight and Shadows"), which is on display at the Los Angeles Public Library’s main branch through November. It was created by local artist and printmaker Daniel González, with paper engineering by Matthew Reinhart and full scale engineering and fabrication by Goodnight & Co.

🤔 Did you know? Tigers look orange to humans because we are trichromats, meaning we have three color receptors in our eyes. But they appear a muted shade of green to deer and wild boars, who are dichromats with just two color receptors—making the tigers nearly impossible to register. This principle is also why it’s common for hunters to wear orange clothing, since the animals don’t see it but humans do.

📰 Worth a read: What happens when the AI bubble pops?

🖱️ What we’re clicking:

• Top 10 foods that safety experts never eat
• America’s best bars of 2026, from AZ to NY
• Why do dogs kick after pooing and peeing?

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Yesterday we covered how the US-led peace plan for Gaza has entered its next phase, with a path for Hamas to relinquish its governing role and military capabilities while Israel withdraws its troops from Gaza—but conflict still remains over which side should make the first move.

❓ Our question to you: In general, do you support or oppose the US-proposed peace plan aimed at permanently ending fighting in the Gaza Strip?

• Support: 51%
• Oppose: 23%
• Unsure/other: 26%

Read some of the most thoughtful longform responses.

+Note on sample size: We received 476 votes and 37 longform responses.

❓ Trivia: Kool-Aid was invented in what decade in Hastings, Nebraska?

🌎 True or false?… Earth is a perfect sphere.

🤔 Riddle me this: What has many keys but can't open a single lock?

(keep scrolling for the answers)

🪑 More than 2,700 people gathered in Denver over the weekend to find a seat at the "Mile Long Table." The event, held in honor of Colorado's 150th anniversary, encouraged community members to connect over a shared meal at one large table. 

❓ Trivia: 1920s

🌎 T/F: False, it bulges at the equator and slightly flattens at the poles

🤔 Riddle: A piano or keyboard

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