Good Morning! Today’s edition is 793 words, a 3-minute read.

What’s on tap: 

• Two jellyfish become one

• Lebron & Bronny James become first father-son NBA duo

• How hobbies can enrich your mind, body, & soul

First-time reader? Sign up here!

Big Story

Hurricane Milton

Hurricane Milton has strengthened into a Category 5 storm as it spins toward Florida's Tampa Bay region.

• Milton's winds surged by 92 mph in just 24 hours, one of the fastest increases on record. The rapid intensification is due to its small "pinhole eye" and unusually warm Gulf of Mexico waters. Experts predict Milton may weaken slightly before making landfall but will still cause widespread damage.

• The storm’s center could arrive Wednesday in the Tampa Bay region, which hasn’t been directly hit by a major hurricane in over a century. Evacuation orders have been issued, with forecasters warning of a dangerous storm surge and heavy rainfall. Tampa officials are rushing to clear debris from Helene to prevent flying projectiles during Milton’s landfall.

• President Biden approved an emergency declaration for Florida, mobilizing 7,000 federal workers. Schools and airports have already closed in anticipation, while Florida's Gulf Coast continues to recover from Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Ian in 2022.

Big Story

Two Jellies Become One

Scientists found that a type of comb jelly, Mnemiopsis leidyi, can fuse with another jelly after an injury.

• The discovery was made when researchers noticed a jelly with two butts in a lab tank, leading them to test if injured jellies could fuse — and they did, 9 out of 10 times.

• After the fusion, the jellies' bodies and nervous systems become one. When one side of the fused jelly was poked, the whole body reacted, showing their nervous systems had fully joined.

• Within just two hours, the muscle movements of the two lobes became almost perfectly synchronized, and their digestive systems also connected, allowing food to pass through both sides.

• The reason these jellies fuse is still unclear, but the researchers think it might help them survive. More research is needed to understand how the fusion works and what it could teach us about healing and recovery.

Big Story

Russia Sentences American to 7 Years

A Russian court sentenced 72-year-old U.S. citizen Stephen Hubbard to nearly seven years in prison for allegedly fighting as a mercenary for Ukraine during Russia’s invasion.

• Hubbard was convicted of being involved in the armed conflict after a mostly secret trial. He has been in custody since April 2022.

• Hubbard had been living in the Ukrainian city of Izyum since 2014, and prosecutors claimed he was paid to join a Ukrainian defense unit. They said he was trained, given a uniform, and fought for Ukraine in the conflict.

• Russia has jailed several Americans recently, including Robert Gilman, who received a longer sentence after attacking prison staff. Russia has also held other Westerners on various charges, with some related to its Ukraine conflict.

Little Stories

• US scientists Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun won the 2024 Nobel Prize in Medicine for discovering microRNA, tiny molecules that play a key role in how cells grow and develop. Their work showed how cells become specialized, like muscle or nerve cells, even though all cells in the body have the same genes. (More)

• Lebron James added another record to the history books Sunday night. When his son checked into the Lakers preseason game, they became the first father-son duo to share the court simultaneously. (More)

• Wildfires in Bolivia have destroyed over 24.7 million acres of land this year, mostly in the tropical eastern part of the country. This is the worst fire season Bolivia has ever seen. The area burned is about the size of Iceland or 19 million football fields. (More)

• Canadian police have a rare woman serial killer in custody. Sabrina Kauldhar, 30, was arrested on Friday and charged with three murders that happened over three days in Toronto, Niagara Falls, and another Canadian city. Police believe she randomly targeted her victims. (More)

• A US judge told Google to relinquish its monopoly on the mobile app business. The judge's order says that for the next three years, Google must allow other payment methods in apps and let users download apps from other platforms besides the Google Play Store. (More)

Extra Credit

🏓 How hobbies improve your mind, body, & spirit.

😃 The happiest countries in 2024.

🦁 Uber offers a $200 African safari.

🗺️ World’s oldest $150,000 treasure hunt solved after 31 years.