Spy agencies brief people in power. We brief you. Each week we’ll bring you one story that matters, plus a few that don’t!
Your Brief for August 15, 2024: The Man on the Mountain, a reservoir on Mars, the Starliner capsule and more!
News
New CEO At Starbucks
Starbucks made headlines Tuesday, announcing CEO Laxman Narasimhan will be stepping down after just 17 months. The coffee giant has faced increasing challenges, including slipping sales and growing investor unrest. Former Chipotle CEO Brian Niccol will officially step into his new role as chairman and CEO on September 9th. This shift in leadership comes as Starbucks grapples with underwhelming performance in critical markets. In the U.S., third-quarter same-store sales dropped by 3% this year, while in China, where the company faces stiff competition from more affordable alternatives, same-store sales fell by 14%. Adding to the pressure, several investors have been vocal in their demands for change; Former CEO Howard Schultz wrote an open letter voicing concerns about the company's direction. Starbucks shares surged 24% following the announcement, marking the stock's best day since its IPO in 1992. Meanwhile, Chipotle saw its shares dip by 7%.
Nature
An Ancient Bone
What mammal did this bone belong to?
Archaeologists uncovered this tiny arm bone on the Indonesian island of Flores, reporting it belonged to the smallest ancient human species on record! The discovery offers new insights into the evolution of Homo floresiensis, an early relative of ancient humans. Nicknamed the "hobbits" because of their small stature, standing roughly 3.5 feet tall, they shared their island home with unique creatures like pygmy elephants, rabbit-sized rats, and Komodo dragons. This 700,000-year-old fossil, measuring just 3.5 inches, is part of the humerus, the upper arm bone, and suggests that Homo floresiensis underwent significant body size reduction due to the isolated environment and limited resources on Flores, in a process known as island dwarfism. The bone also supports the theory that Homo floresiensis descended from Homo erectus, an ancient hominin species that emerged in Asia.
Image Credit: Yousuke Kaifu
True Spies
The Man On The Mountain
Could you hunt the deadliest game of all?
In the remote mountains of Northern Idaho, there’s no shortage of places to hide. Though it’s a vast and mighty land of forests, lakes, log cabins, and intrepid frontiersmen, you’re never truly alone… And whether that's good, or bad, depends entirely on who is watching whom.
It’s 1966, and a dangerous fugitive has taken refuge in the dense forests of Bonner County. Deputy US Marshal Marc Cameron receives the assignment to hunt down the criminal and parol violatore, Faron Lovelace; a confessed racist and member of a white supremacist organization responsible for a spree of robberies and murders in the late 90s. Lovelace has escaped federal custody during prisoner transport and is now on the run, believed to be held up in the mountains. Fortunately, Deputy US Marshal Marc Cameron is an expert seeker!
It’s up to Cameron, and a colleague, to track down the deadly fugitive, serve him with an arrest warrant, and put him back behind bars! The duo know little about the criminal they are hunting, but they do know to be cautious; the fugitive they seek has a record for armed robbery, previously kidnapped a couple, and views himself as an assassin. After knocking on doors across Northen Idaho, the marshals might have found a breakthrough clue…
What will come of their mission? Join Marc Cameron in this week’s podcast selection, ‘The Man on the Mountain’, to find out!
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History
The Altar Stone
Research led by Welsh PhD student Anthony Clarke, based at Curtin University in Western Australia, has pinpointed the origin of Stonehenge’s central Altar Stone to northern Scotland. A surprising 450 miles from the iconic site in England and over 300 miles farther than previously thought! The finding sheds light on the remarkable collaboration among Neolithic communities across the British Isles.
The Altar Stone, a 14,000-pound, 16-foot bluestone, lies predominantly underground at the heart of the expansive rock formation in Wiltshire, southwest England. Scholars long believed this massive stone was quarried from nearby Wales. However, the new findings disprove this theory. By analyzing the chemical composition of rock fragments and leveraging a global rock formation database, researchers at Curtin University traced the Altar Stone's origin to the Orcadian Basin in northeast Scotland. Erected before the invention of the wheel, it’s thought the stone may have been transported by sea!
Technology
The Starliner Capsule
Is Boeing facing another setback?
NASA has announced a return contingency plan, for Boeing's Starliner astronauts, from the International Space Station (ISS) in February 2025. Boeing’s goal for the capsule is for it to “service missions to the International Space Station", and the aviation giant reports the craft “has an innovative, weldless structure and is reusable up to 10 times with a six-month turnaround time.” However, recent developments with NASA may now mark another setback for Boeing as it navigates ongoing challenges with Starliner's first crewed mission.
The capsule launched on June 5, carrying seasoned NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams. Originally intended as a nine-day mission, it’s now stretched over two months due to testing prompted by concerns over helium leaks and thruster control issues! NASA’s latest mission update follows supposed internal disagreements with Boeing, who reportedly assert that the capsule is safe for flight. Though the contingency plans are not yet in place, they could see astronauts returning to Earth aboard a capsule from competitor, SpaceX.
Image Credit: Boeing
Puzzles and Games
The Game Of Carrom
Carrom is the smooth-talking, finger-flicking cousin of pool, air hockey, and shuffleboard. Forget cues and pucks—this game is all about finger precision! Originating from the Indian subcontinent, Carrom has charmed players for over a century. Its name might sound like an exotic dish, but it refers to the unique square board where players launch small wooden discs called "men". The aim of the game? Pocket all your pieces (and the elusive queen) before your opponent does! With a snap of your finger flick your striker, the name for the hitting piece, in hopes of sliding "men" and the queen into your opponent's pocket. The first player to clear the board of their pieces takes home glory—or at least bragging rights. Easy to learn, quick to play, and endlessly satisfying when you land that perfect shot! Attempt to master the delicate balance between finesse and force with Carrom.
Up for a challenge? Puzzle maker Bryant White has prepared the crossword 'Take a Bow!' for you to solve!
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New research suggests a vast reservoir of water could be hidden beneath the surface of the red planet! Seismic data collected by NASA's Mars InSight lander between 2018 and 2022 indicates that an underground reservoir may exist roughly 7 to 13 miles beneath the planet's outer crust. Geophysicists estimate that the reservoir could hold enough water to cover the entire planet to a depth of about a mile! However, accessing this water presents many problems as drilling that deep is no easy feat… Mars, wet around 3 billion years ago as shown by its ancient lakes and river channels, is thought to have lost much of its water when its atmosphere thinned. Until now, scientists believed the thinning process caused all water to freeze, escape into space, or become locked in minerals. The potential reservoir offers a new target in the search for signs of microbial life outside of Earth!
Image Credit: NASA
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