Good morning, it's Tuesday, Sept. 8. A 22-year-old accused of orchestrating one of the US' largest-ever cryptocurrency thefts is due in court today. First time reading? Join over 4.7 million insatiably curious readers. Sign up here.

Also in today's Digest: an AI-developed drug may slow aging (Sci. & Tech.), a push to rename New Mexico (Pol. & World Affairs), Princess the boa constrictor joins the opera (Etc.), and much more. 

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 Need To Know 

Amazon Plane Crash

Federal investigators yesterday said they have begun collecting evidence from an Amazon cargo plane that overshot the runway at Miami International Airport by roughly 1,300 feet Sunday. The incident killed at least five people, injured at least five others, and shut down all runways for several hours.

A video (warning—sensitive) appears to show the Boeing 767 barreling across a small public road at nearly 130 miles per hour, striking several vehicles. The Federal Aviation Administration says the runways at the Miami airport are not equipped with a crushable arresting system designed to stop planes that overshoot because the airport's runways have a 1,000-foot safety buffer. The system, installed at 70 airports, has helped stop 26 aircraft carrying 497 people.

The flight was operated by 21 Air, one of nine vendors Amazon uses to ship customer packages on more than 250 daily flights. Go behind the scenes of Amazon's air cargo operations here (w/video).

‘Ferris Bueller Gone Bad’

The alleged ringleader of one of the largest cryptocurrency heists in the US is due in court today for his plea agreement hearing. Malone Lam, a 22-year-old Singaporean citizen in California, stands accused of siphoning more than $240M worth of bitcoin with the help of 17 others.

Lam and his network met in online gaming forums and allegedly began scamming people out of cryptocurrency in 2023. In one instance, they targeted a cryptocurrency investor through two phone calls, each warning about security threats to his cryptocurrency wallet, in order to access his security codes. Defendants allegedly spent the ill-gotten gains on luxury cars and watches, private jet rides, rented mansions, and nightclub benders. Lam allegedly spent more than $569K in one night at a Los Angeles nightclub. One judge likened the case to “Ferris Bueller gone bad.”

Cryptocurrency fraud reports jumped up last year, with Americans reporting losses of more than $11B. See tips to avoid phone scams.

Russia-North Korea Road Link

Russia and North Korea opened the first road bridge across their shared border yesterday. The new link over the Tumen River comes as the countries have expanded a strategic partnership amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine (scroll for map). 

The two-lane bridge is 0.6 miles long and will allow up to 300 vehicles to cross per day, beginning with cargo trucks. The countries agreed to the construction during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s trip to North Korea in 2024. Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un also signed a defense pact that year requiring each country to provide military assistance if the other is attacked. North Korea has supplied Russia with ammunition, missiles, and thousands of troops for the war in Ukraine. 

The bridge adds a third form of transport between the countries, joining existing air and rail routes. Direct flights offer rare travel opportunities to Russian tourists, including access to a North Korean beach resort (see inside, via YouTube). 

 In The Know 

Science & Technology

> AI-generated drug developed to treat a rare lung condition may also slow aging in humans (More) | What are the biological hallmarks of aging? (More, w/video)

> Researchers devise way to test whether black holes have hidden matter around them, potentially revealing deviations from Albert Einstein's theory of general relativity (More) | Theory of general relativity 101 (More)

> Scientists discover stem cells that appear to produce tendons and ligaments and contribute to lumbar spinal stenosis; the finding suggests existing high blood pressure medications could treat the common lower back condition (More) 

Business & Markets

> US stock markets close lower Friday (S&P 500 -0.4%, Dow -0.5%, Nasdaq -0.3%) as stronger-than-expected August payroll data increased expectations the Federal Reserve could raise interest rates (More)

> Gas prices hit a Labor Day record, averaging $4.15 a gallon amid disruptions to global oil supplies (More) | See average gas prices by state (More)

> Jaguar Land Rover will cut 4,000 jobs across its global workforce over the next two years in an attempt to lower costs and keep up with Chinese electric car manufacturers (More) 

Politics & World Affairs

> Germany's leading nationalist-populist party, Alternative for Germany (AfD), wins regional election in country's east, earning over twice the number of votes as Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s incumbent party (More) | What is AfD's platform? (More)

> President Donald Trump suggests changing New Mexico's name to New America (More) | Changing New Mexico's name would likely require approval from state lawmakers and voters (More)

> Armed man arrested after allegedly charging at Amy Acton, the Democratic candidate for Ohio's gubernatorial race; Acton was not harmed, but several others were injured (More) 

In-Depth

> Talk Less, Stare More

The Washington Post | Ariana Eunjung Cha. The number of words we speak each day dropped by 300 each year from 2005 to 2019—roughly three minutes less of daily talking. The trend may be evident in the so-called Gen Z stare. (Read) 

> Hibernation Hypothesis

Howtown | Joss Fong and Adam Cole. Is it possible to induce hibernation in humans? Lessons from squirrels, bears, and mice showcase the process and its potential metabolic benefits for humans. The key is the "torpor switch." (Watch) 

A better way to calculate your dog’s age.

Lightning McQueen makes F1 debut.

When is the best time of day to drink coffee? 

Princess the boa constrictor lands coveted role at Metropolitan Opera.

The story of the Ohio barber who invented Uno. (w/video)

Five puzzles to play instead of doomscrolling.

Would you use this $500 AI-powered toothbrush? 

How big extinct animals were compared with humans. (w/interactive)

Cars that hold their value best—and worst. 

In partnership: Americans over 55 are ditching hearing aids for this new device.*

Clickbait: Deer breaks into Florida home, takes a dip in the pool. (w/video)

Historybook: Michelangelo’s David statue unveiled to the public (1504); St. Augustine, Florida, becomes first permanent European settlement (1565); singer Patsy Cline born (1932); Ruby Bridges, first Black student to attend an all-white school in Louisiana, born (1954); Queen Elizabeth II dies (2022).

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