The Wednesday, August 26, 2026 Edition
Dolly Parton Dies at 80, CIA Chief Visits Moscow, and Colorado's Fat Marmot Week
4 min read
Sports, Entertainment & Culture
Science & Technology
2.4 miles
The distance between Russia's Big Diomede and Alaska's Little Diomede islands in the Bering Strait. Despite sitting close enough to see each other, the islands straddle the International Date Line -- putting them nearly a full calendar day apart.
Source: Mental Floss
Today: Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz continue their US Open mixed doubles run in New York.
Aug. 27-28: A near-total 'blood moon' partial lunar eclipse will be visible across the Americas, with free livestreams available for anyone stuck under cloudy skies.
- 1883The Indonesian volcano Krakatoa erupts in one of history's deadliest volcanic events
- 1920The 19th Amendment is certified, guaranteeing American women the right to vote
- 1939The first televised Major League Baseball game airs, Reds vs. Dodgers on NBC
- 1978Cardinal Albino Luciani is elected Pope John Paul I in Rome
The baffling science of SSRIs: how do they really work?
Why scientists still can't explain how SSRIs actually work in the brain, decades after they became the world's go-to antidepressants.
Nature · Lynne Peeples
Football is dangerous. Parents are finally steering their kids away from it.
How mounting CTE and concussion research is finally pushing parents to steer their kids away from football.
Vox · Dylan Scott
How chicken conquered the world
How the humble chicken conquered the world's dinner plates to become the planet's dominant bird.
Financial Times$ Subscription
Get The Morning Brief free, every morning.
Everything you need. Nothing you don’t.