Good morning. In today’s edition:

• 📈 Inflation climbs as gas prices surge
• 🧠 Could insomnia cause ADHD?
• 🍺 Zuckerberg vs. pint of Guinness

…and much more.

Ready, Set, Go: Today’s news should be a ~3.89-minute read (1,034 words).

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“If you get up one more time than you fall, you will make it through.”

–Chinese proverb

Inflation is proving harder to shake than a political campaign ad in mid-October. Consumer prices climbed faster in September than experts even predicted, driven by a surge in energy costs.

Inflation steps on the gas

US consumer prices rose 3.7% in September compared to a year earlier, per the latest Consumer Price Index, up from 3.4% in August and slightly above the 3.6% economists had predicted.

Core inflation, which excludes often-volatile food and energy prices, rose 2.6% annually and 0.3% from August, both slightly higher than expected.

• Gasoline prices jumped 9.1% from August to September, more than double the previous month's increase.
• They're now up 34% over the past year, as the ongoing conflict in Iran continues to push oil and gas prices higher—including a 74% annual increase in fuel-oil.

Americans' paychecks aren't keeping up. Average hourly earnings increased at a 3.0% annual rate in September, compared to the 3.7% rise in consumer prices, marking the sixth consecutive month that inflation has outpaced average US wage growth.

Looking ahead… The hotter-than-expected inflation report places greater pressure on the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates again this year and keep them elevated for longer. But higher borrowing costs could also weigh on economic growth, further complicating matters for Fed policymakers ahead of their next meeting in two weeks.

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For millions of Americans with ADHD, getting a good night's sleep can be an uphill battle. Now researchers are investigating whether that battle may have helped start the overall war.

Scientists are exploring a surprising new theory about attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) that suggests disruptions to the body's internal clock may not just be a symptom of the condition, as long believed—but potentially one of its causes.

A scientific wake-up call

While sleep problems have long been associated with the condition—with as many as 80% of adults with ADHD experiencing sleep disturbances—new research suggests the relationship may go both ways.

Disruptions to circadian rhythms, or the body's internal 24-hour clock, may contribute to hallmark ADHD symptoms like difficulty concentrating, impulsivity, and emotional dysregulation, according to a newly published study.

Previous research also suggests people with ADHD often experience delayed melatonin production, meaning their bodies naturally signal bedtime later than usual.

Why it’s a big deal: An estimated 22+ million Americans have ADHD, including ~7 million children/adolescents and ~15.5 million adults.

But…Researchers aren't jumping to conclusions just yet, as one study isn’t conclusive proof that circadian disruptions cause ADHD. But the new research could encourage doctors to incorporate sleep tracking, morning light exposure, and other circadian-focused interventions into ADHD care.

BUSINESS & MARKETS

• 📉 US stocks fall across the board following a hot inflation reading and growing jitters in the tech sector, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq delivering their worst days since July (S&P: -1.1% | Dow: -0.1% | Nasdaq: -1.9%).
• 📈🍎 Apple becomes second company ever to close above a $5 trillion market cap, joining Nvidia.
• 🏦 Some of the largest US banks—including JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Citibank, Wells Fargo, US Bank, Capital One, and PNC Bank—use reputation-risk policies that allow political considerations, social concerns, and public pressure to influence decisions on who receives banking, per new Treasury Department review.

SPORTS, MEDIA, & ENTERTAINMENT

• ⚾ MLB manager roulette: Philadelphia Phillies retain interim manager Don Mattingly, signing him to a two-year deal; Houston Astros fire manager Joe Espada months after letting go of GM Dana Brown. | 🏆 MLB Playoffs: Keep up with the latest action.
• 💵 Netflix lays off ~1,000 employees (6% of work force) in streaming giant’s biggest cutback to date.
• 📱 Kelly Clarkson in a viral feud with small Brooklyn art shop, whose owners say the singer's complaints have garnered millions of views.

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SCIENCE, SPACE, & EMERGING TECH

• 💥 Deep-sea rocks may spontaneously combust when brought to the surface, posing potential safety risks for future mining operations, per new study examining two samples that combusted in a USGS lab in 2022.
• 😷 Flu activity is rising early in all 50 states, with wastewater data showing activity typically seen in December or January; influenza A, the most common type of flu, accounts for 97% of positive tests, though hospitalizations remain low.
• 👂 Sensitivity to subtle sounds is linked to faster, more accurate foreign-language pronunciation, per new study; researchers find skilled learners rely less on the part of the brain involved in language processing when hearing unfamiliar sounds.

US, WORLD, & POLITICS

• 🛢️ President Trump announces plans for “massive” oil, gas, and mineral exploration in Greenland, despite the island banning new oil exploration in 2021; Denmark says US companies must follow local laws, and that the recent US security deal doesn’t grant special drilling or mining rights.
• 💰 Social Security recipients will receive a 3.6% cost-of-living adjustment in January 2027 to help offset inflation, or ~$75/month for the average beneficiary; it’s the largest bump since 2023.
• ⚖️ White House access is extended for journalists from CNN, MS NOW, and Politico pending formal trial, after federal judge rules their press credentials were improperly revoked; Justice Department says it plans to appeal.

☝️ London’s Natural History Museum announced the winners of the 61st annual Wildlife Photographer of the Year Awards, which saw a record-breaking 65,403 entries from 121 countries and territories. The grand prize went to Federico Veronesi (top left), whose winning portrait captured an intimate moment of grief where an elephant carried a deceased calf.

🤔 Did you know? Your tongue is almost as distinctive as your fingerprints. Researchers have found that the shape, size, color, and surface texture of our tongues vary from person to person, even among identical twins. These unique characteristics are so distinctive that scientists are exploring whether they could be used to identify people in forensic investigations.

📰 Worth a read: Why moving on after a breakup makes you a better person

🖱️ What we’re clicking:

• Is America becoming a nation of cat lovers?
• Mark Zuckerberg vs. the pint of Guinness
• 7 y.o.’s beach walk solves 300-y.o. shipwreck mystery

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Yesterday we covered new Axios/Ipsos polling data that shows a plurality of adults now supporting the concept of government-run health insurance that would largely replace private insurance, otherwise known as “Medicare for All.”

❓ Our question to you: Do you support or oppose the idea of Medicare for All in America?

• Support: 51%
• Oppose: 32%
• Unsure/other: 17%

Read some of the most thoughtful longform responses.

+Note on sample size: We received 730 votes and 102 longform responses.

What’s the Guinness World Record for most generations alive in a single family?

Hint: It’s a prime number.

(keep scrolling for the answer)

🕷️ More than 600 Spider-Men convened at New York Comic Con earlier this month in an attempt to set a world record. While they missed the mark by just 36 people, they still had a web-slinging good time. 

Answer: 7

From Guinness: “The youngest great-great-great-great-grandparent being Augusta Bunge (USA) aged 109 years 97 days, followed by her daughter aged 89, her grand-daughter aged 70, her great-grand-daughter aged 52, her great-great grand-daughter aged 33 and her great-great-great grand-daughter aged 15 on the birth of her great-great-great-great grandson on 21 January 1989.”

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