Male vs. female brain, student debt, and a Gila monster.

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Big Stories

Male vs. female brain

A new study found that men’s and women’s brains function differently.

• Researchers have acknowledged distinct behavioral patterns between men and women for many years. For instance, women tend to experience higher rates of depression, while men are more prone to addiction. However, only recently have scientists identified consistent differences in how male and female brains function.

• In a recent study published in the journal PNAS, Stanford researchers utilized MRI brain scans and input them into an AI model. The model found that men’s and women’s brains differ in regions associated with memory, emotion regulation, and other functions.

• The model can identify whether a brain scan was from a man or a woman with 90% accuracy. Scientists say the model can be used to answer questions about how brain chemistry might affect learning impairments or social behaviors.

IRS to audit corporate jet usage

The IRS is coming after wealthy private jet users.

• The IRS plans to conduct more audits on how businesses use private jets. The audit rate for taxpayers earning $1 million or more dropped to 0.7% in 2019, compared to 7.2% in 2011.

• The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 allocated $80 billion in funding to the agency which will allow it to ensure executives and corporations aren’t using tax write-offs for personal jet usage.

• More than 10,000 corporate jets operate in the US. In 2022, companies like Meta and Lockheed Martin spent millions on private flights for their CEOs, with some justifying increased spending during the COVID-19 pandemic for safety reasons.

Farmland = gold

Investors are pouring money into American farmland because it's expected to become more valuable with a growing global population and fewer natural resources.

• The value of farmland owned by investment groups has more than doubled in the past three years, reaching $16.6 billion in 2023. The average value of US cropland has also increased significantly over the past few decades.

• The Covid-19 pandemic and geopolitical events like Russia's invasion of Ukraine have made agricultural land more attractive to investors, especially with rising inflation. Large investment groups are using farmland to diversify their portfolios and protect against market downturns.

• While investor interest in farmland is growing, some worry about the impact on rural communities and the control of agricultural land by investment funds. However, with the increasing demand for food and limited supply of arable land, investment in farmland is likely to continue to grow.

Little Stories

• Nvidia, a leading provider of graphics chips for artificial intelligence, had an incredible quarter. Their revenue for the fiscal fourth quarter ending January 28 surged to $22.1 billion, which is more than triple the $6.05 billion reported for the same period the previous year. (More)

• The distribution of humanitarian aid in Gaza has slowed down significantly due to hungry Palestinians and criminal gangs looting aid trucks before they can deliver supplies. Over 450 trucks with food and medical supplies are waiting at the Kerem Shalom crossing, but only a few convoys can safely pass through to reach those in need. (More)

• Today, some student loan borrowers received an email saying they no longer owe any money. The Education Department canceled the loan balances of nearly 153,000 borrowers who had borrowed $12,000 or less, repaid their loans for at least 10 years, and joined the Biden administration's new repayment plan called SAVE, which began last summer. (More)

• The Boeing executive in charge of the 737 Max program, Ed Clark, has left the company. The change in leadership follows concerns about Boeing's quality control, sparked by an incident where a door plug panel came off a 737 Max 9 during an Alaska Airlines flight. (More)

• Donald Trump said during a town hall that at least six names are on his vice-president shortlist. The list includes Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem. (More)

Extra Credit

Watch: An old man handles a venomous snake in Australia.

The largest gold reserves by country.

Why some people have a better sense of direction.

A man died after being bitten by his pet Gila monster.