🧠 School is in session: OpenAI’s new tudy mode turns ChatGPT into that one friend who won’t tell you the ending of a movie “because you need to experience it.” It scaffolds info, checks if you’re actually learning, and gently refuses to do your homework unless you keep asking, in which case it’ll cave, just like us all.
One diet soda a day
Can increase your risk of type 2 diabetes by 38%. The kicker? That’s actually higher than regular sugary drinks, which come in at 23%. Why? Researchers think artificial sweeteners confuse the body and mess with gut bacteria and insulin response. So yeah, maybe not the healthier choice after all.
$2.3 million
What it now takes to be considered “wealthy” in the U.S. That’s down from $2.5M last year. Still, unless you’ve got a trust fund or a crypto time machine, you’re probably just “comfortable.”
Tunnel vision: The Musk Boring Company is planning a 10-mile loop in Nashville, linking downtown to the airport. It’s privately funded, Tesla-filled (of course) and could launch by 2026 if no one panics about excavation under Music City.
🕰️ Gen Z raids Grandma: Turns out Grandma’s house is the new Supreme drop. Estate sales are popping with 20-somethings hunting for secondhand treasures that are cheap and well-made. It’s thrifting 2.0, but with more mid-century lamps you’ll aggressively make your personality for six months.
🐒 Chimp off the old block: I want to see this in person! Tourists snapping pics at a temple in Bali get their phones and wallets snatched by monkeys. It’s been happening for years, and nobody can stop it. The only way to get your stuff back? Bribe them with fruit, really. (paywall link). Oh, and they know what’s valuable and will barter for better snacks. If they were ducks, they’d want quackers.
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95%
That’s how much of the U.S. Walmart plans to cover with three-hour delivery by year’s end. The race isn’t who sells it cheaper, it’s who gets it to your couch faster. With Gopuff, Disney and Starbucks joining in, your impulse buys might arrive before your buyer’s remorse does.
Crypto checkout’s new era: PayPal’s now letting merchants accept over 100 cryptocurrencies at checkout (paywall link): Bitcoin, Ethereum, USDT and more. Funds get auto-converted into fiat or its PYUSD stablecoin. Fees? Just 0.99%. Settlement? Instant. And businesses can earn ~4% on PYUSD balances. Finally, a way to turn Ethereum into “Live, Laugh, Love” wall decals. Confused by crypto? Sign up for my new weekly crypto newsletter hitting in August.
🧠 Your tabs get a brain: Microsoft Edge just dropped Copilot Mode, an AI-powered browser that sees your tabs, listens to voice commands and helps you shop, plan and even book paddleboards. Will it judge your 48 open tabs? Let’s hope not. For now, the feature is opt-in and free for a limited time.