Wheelin' and dealin'

After landing his first #1 hit playing Get Back with the Beatles, Billy Preston wasn’t nearly done. In ’73, he released Will it Go Round in Circles, which quickly climbed to #1. It also made for a wicked performance on The Midnight Special 😉

We’d probably never ask questions like “will it go round in circles?” if the wheel hadn’t been invented. Its origins have long been a mystery, but engineers recently ran a computer simulation to examine how the wheel might’ve come to be.

Won’t be spinning our wheels about that anymore ;)

(Love nostalgia? Play today’s trivia below for a chance to win a $25 Amazon eGift Card!)

IN THE NEWS

States suing to prevent 23andMe from selling user data

The attorneys-general of 27 states and Washington D.C. are suing 23andMe in a Missouri bankruptcy court to prevent the beleaguered company from selling the highly sensitive personal data of its users.

23andMe was given a $6 billion valuation when it launched its IPO in 2021, but declared bankruptcy in March of this year. Last month, it announced Regeneron Pharmaceuticals had offered to purchase it for $256 million.

Between 2021 and Nov. 2024, 23andMe’s stock fell 98%. Along the way in 2023, it suffered a security breach that exposed the genetic data of 6.9 million users, was sued, and then paid $30 million to settle.

That data breach has done no favors for the company as it now faces intense Congressional scrutiny over the fate of its users’ data when the business sells, and the 27 attorneys-general aren’t prepared to take any chances.

“This isn’t just data—it’s your DNA. It’s personal, permanent, and deeply private,” Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield said in a statement. “People did not submit their personal data to 23andMe thinking their genetic blueprint would later be sold off... We’re standing up in court to make sure Oregonians—and millions of others—keep the right to control their own genetic information.”

FEASTING FRIDAYS

Tips and tricks for travel feasting

Somebody Feed Phil has been running for 8 years strong, and Phil Rosenthal has no intention of slowing down his travels and enjoyment of global cuisine.

He spoke with Food & Wine ahead of the magazine’s big annual event in Aspen this summer, sharing his best pointers for how to go about picking and choosing where and what to eat when travelling.

Most tend to seek out recommendations when travelling, which is a good way to zero in on target feast locations. However, Phil says it’s important to cross-reference recommendations, rather than taking the word of just one source. If a place is beloved unanimously, it’s probably worth checking out and waiting in line to do so.

However, he also emphasizes the importance of making room for serendipity. As the saying goes, life is what happens while you were busy making plans.

“This is something that I have taken to heart in my own personal life when I travel,” Rosenthal says. “Yes, have the key reservations for the places you don't want to miss, but leave room in your schedule—just like we do on the show—for serendipity, for stuff to happen when you're there.”

“And you'll often see that in the show, where we suddenly get a tip from someone on the street maybe, or we're just passing something and go in. I love doing that. And sometimes those are the most wonderful finds.”

You can read on here for more of Mr. Rosenthal’s pointers.

SCIENCE

Scientists develop upgrade for brain clot removal

According to the World Health Organization, 15 million people suffer an ischemic stroke every year, 87% of which are caused by a blood clot in a brain artery, resulting in the death of 2 million neurons for every minute the brain is deprived of oxygen.

Currently, the best available technology for removing a blood clot in the brain only works half the time, and completely fails about 15% of the time.

To solve this, Stanford engineers developed a clot-removing device that acts somewhat like a drill, but leverages specific techniques that shrink the clot into a dense ball before sucking it out of the artery.

Called the “milli-spinner thrombectomy,” it’s a revolutionary tool its developers say is considerably safer and more effective than traditional clot-removal techniques.

“What’s unique about the milli-spinner is that it applies compression and shear forces to shrink the entire clot, dramatically reducing the volume without causing rupture,” said Renee Zhao, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering and the study’s senior author.

Zhao hopes to have clinical trials for the device underway soon, saying “we’re working to bring this into clinical settings, where it could significantly boost the success rate of thrombectomy procedures and save patients’ lives.”

TRAVEL

The rise of agritourism

The smashing success of Paramount’s Yellowstone probably should have been a hint when it came to the next big travel trend known as agritourism.

There’s something nostalgic about homesteading, even for those who’ve never lived or even been on a farm, and with the help of shows like Yellowstone and the explosive popularity of homesteading influencers on social media, luxury agritourism has grown into a multi-billion dollar industry, and is expected to be valued at nearly $200 billion by 2032.

Family farms around the world have caught on to the demand, and are retrofitting their properties to double as farmsteads and luxury resorts. Visitors can retreat to farms or ranches that go on as far as the eye can see, participate in the day-to-day nurturing of the land and livestock, and take in their idyllic surroundings as they fully immerse themselves in life off the grid.

Some say the trend has grown immensely more popular partly in response to life during the pandemic, when the whole world was working from home. There may be a psychological thing going on where people still yearn for faraway places, but are still operating on an involuntary default setting of being most comfortable being at home and working—a homestead checks all the boxes.

ENTERTAINMENT

The Schwartz Awakens

38 years later, and after several years of speculation that a sequel would actually be made, Mel Brooks unceremoniously published what may be the greatest teaser trailer in cinematic history for Spaceballs 2: The Schwartz Awakens.

"After 40 years, we asked, 'What do the fans want?' he says at the end of the teaser, which you can watch here. "But instead, we're making this movie…May the Schwartz be with you."

Brooks officially announced Spaceballs 2 was in development last year, but plenty of fans were understandably incredulous. 37 years combing through the sand will do that to a person.

Perhaps even more exciting than the sequel actually happening is who will appear in it. Bill Pullman will reprise his role as Lone Star, Brooks will return as the wise and beloved Yogurt, and—wait for it—Rick Moranis appears to be confirmed to once again assume the role of Dark Helmet.

Moranis abruptly retired from acting in the early 2000s and has largely kept to himself since. Temptation looks to have had its way with Lord Helmet, though, and the down-side of the Schwartz will once again be wielded when the film is released in 2027.

STAKE TRIVIA

Come on down!

Sometimes you watched because it was all that was on TV, sometimes you watched because the show was actually that good—either way, you probably spent a ton of time watching game shows back in the ’70s 😎 

Have you ever wanted to be a contestant? Now’s your chance! Test your knowledge of classic game shows with today’s trivia! Complete the game and earn a shot at a $25 Amazon eGift Card ;)

Winner will be announced on Monday afternoon. Keep an eye on your inbox!*

Have a great weekend Staker!

Today’s issue written by Michael Cowan, Joey Cowan, and Maureen Norman.


*SEE FULL STAKE TRIVIA CONTEST RULES HERE.