Madrid, the other city that never sleeps, is more awake than ever for the 2026 World Cup final between Spain and Argentina, which will be broadcast from New Jersey today. Even in the middle of July, with the town feeling almost empty because everyone’s either on vacation or escaping the scorching summer temperatures, there’s an electricity in the air. The streets may seem deserted, but people are filling terraces, bars, cafés, markets, plazas, and parks, excitedly talking about the second time in history that Spain has reached the final of the biggest sports event on the planet. And yes, some…
Author: Staff Writer
There are many reasons to scream right now—from cyclospora to corrupt politicians avoiding accountability. What if instead we collectively squealed for ice cream on National Ice Cream Day? Well, we’re in luck because it’s today: Sunday, July 19, 2026. Here’s some history along with deals to make this cool snack an even sweeter treat. Before machines, how was ice cream made? Ice cream is made up of cream, sugar, air, and frozen water. Flavors were added based on an individual’s taste preferences. Before refrigerators and machines, these ingredients were combined in a separate container, surrounded by ice and salt, which…
QUESTION: Marty, if anyone has the truth about Iran, it is you. What do you make of this leaked document that they press claims reflects regime change in the wind? I believe your computer was forecasting that the Iranian government would change, but I think that was in 2027. Do you have an update on that as well? Neil ANSWER: Despite widespread calls for wartime unity across Iran, the weeklong grand funeral for Ali Khamenei, killed by the targeted assassination of Netanyahu in an ignominious act late February in Israeli airstrikes coordinated with the United States, became a powerful showcase…
In ads, influencer partnerships, and blog posts, Anthropic has continued to position itself as the intellectual, even creative, AI platform. “There’s hope in hard questions,” explicates one ad. “Keep thinking with Claude,” suggests another. Anthropic’s models, notably, are named after literary forms, while its CEO, Dario Amodei, has styled himself as a thought leader through a series of heady blog posts. The company’s message is that AI should enhance human cognition rather than offload it. Thinking Machines, the AI lab founded last year by former OpenAI leader Mira Murati, is now putting its own spin on that approach. Earlier this…
To say the 2026 FIFA World Cup final between Spain and Argentina is the most-anticipated sporting event of the year would be an understatement. More than 80,000 people are expected to attend the final at the New York-New Jersey stadium, and well over a billion viewers are likely to tune in to the broadcast globally. Meanwhile, the quarterfinals averaged over 25 million viewers across Fox, Telemundo, and Peacock, according to Nielsen Media Research and Adobe Analytics. While soccer fans are excited for the game itself, many are also eager for the first-ever halftime show, which is being curated by Coldplay…
For anyone looking to cool off this summer, a new viral recipe is transforming one of the season’s most iconic fruits into a creamy frozen dessert, no ice cream maker required. Watermelon fever has taken over TikTok’s FoodTok community, with creators freezing halved watermelons to produce an ice cream-sorbet hybrid. The viral method calls for cutting open a seedless watermelon, scooping out some of the fruit to create a hole in the center, then wrapping it in plastic and freezing it overnight. The next day, you pour milk, heavy cream, or a dairy-free alternative into the hole. Finally, scrape the…
Below, Steve Kamb shares five key insights from his new book, How to Try Again: An Approachable Guide to Navigating Chaos and Making Change That Sticks. Steve is the founder of Nerd Fitness, an approachable fitness company that helps busy humans level up their lives. Since 2009, he has published research-backed essays and a weekly newsletter that explores failure, self-compassion, and making change that sticks. What’s the Big Idea? Failure is part of doing anything worthwhile, and every setback teaches us something we can use moving forward. Success comes from accepting reality, staying afloat when life gets hard, and pursuing goals…
At a time when Hollywood needs a win, acclaimed filmmaker Christopher Nolan is again betting on the experience economy. His epic masterpiece The Odyssey hits theaters today (Friday, July 17) and is already projected to break box office records. Let’s take a look at the numbers, what sets this film apart, and how this summer blockbuster fits into the big picture of the moviegoing experience. ‘The Odyssey’ by the numbers The Odyssey is based on the epic poem attributed to Homer and written in the 8th or 7th century BCE. The plot tells the story of King Odysseus’ 10-year journey…
Fully 70% of U.S. workers feel unprepared for today’s workforce. That’s not a data point you encounter and move past. It sits with you, especially when you’ve spent a career thinking about how learning works. What separates high performers today isn’t natural talent. The differentiator is how people use the brain science of learning to develop that kind of adaptable capacity, and how they’re starting to use AI to scale it. After earning my master’s degree in education policy from Columbia University’s Teachers College, I dedicated my career to understanding how people learn and how we can translate learning science…
When ships can’t make it through the Strait of Hormuz, the fallout goes beyond the price of oil: Nearly a third of the world’s fertilizer also passes through the corridor, coming from factories in countries like Qatar. Fertilizer prices have surged due to the Iran war—and added one more reason that food prices are going up around the world. Better technology could help. Right now most fertilizer is made using the Haber process, a technique developed more than a century ago that starts with natural gas. It’s a major source of emissions, and also a supply chain risk. Countries that…