Why'd it have to be snakes?

Good morning Staker! Here’s what’s cookin’ today: Economists expect no Fed cuts this year, want Fed to talk less; Is offloading information to our devices making us dumber; and Rush has a heartfelt message for their fans…🤘🏻

Let’s get into it!

Cognitive offloading is the process by which we rely on external tools or devices for memory storage instead of using our brains. Just like an external hard drive, these tools— notepads, Notes apps, camera rolls, and other tools—serve to document information we think we might need, but isn’t important enough to take up some of our brain’s limited storage.

Scientists say there are pros and cons to relying on cognitive offloading for memory storage.

On one hand, it conserves neurological resources; the brain itself burns tons of calories and could probably be doing more important things than remembering what time all of your meetings are three weeks from now.

On the other hand, research has found those who offload more information of this kind end up filling the vacant storage space with less important, mundane details, rather than using the newly available space for crucial information.

This “misprioritization” of information is an unintended consequence of trying to be efficient.

Other pros include facilitating a greater capacity for understanding intellectually. If you’re recording a lecture, you have more time to deeply reflect on it while listening in real time, whereas relying solely on the brain to both internalize and remember it at the same time is a tall order.

Overall, scientists are still working to pinpoint the optimal target for cognitive offloading, but concede that as technology becomes more advanced, it’s likely to play a bigger role in memory storage.

NASA’s X-59 jet drew two steps closer to its ultimate goal in recent weeks, breaking the sound barrier for the first time on June 5 at a speed of Mach 1.1 (713 mph), and then reaching Mach 1.4 on Friday (925 mph).

Its ultimate goal is to reverse government bans on supersonic air travel over land, which are in place due to the enormous combustion that travelling at such speeds causes; also known as a sonic boom.

NASA awarded Lockheed Martin a nearly $250 million contract around a decade ago to produce a supersonic jet that doesn’t produce a sonic boom when it penetrates the sound barrier.

The X-59 instead produces a sonic “thump” that NASA says will be much more palatable for civilians on the ground. They’ll certainly hear any aircraft flying over them at such speeds, but it won’t shatter windows or set car alarms off.

In the coming weeks and months, NASA will conduct a series of other tests, including ones that will measure the acoustic signature with pinpoint accuracy to determine the actual volume and intensity of the sonic “thump.”

Finally, it will be flown over participating communities at Mach speeds to study how the public experiences the sound of supersonic air travel without the sonic boom.

An 11-year-old boy named Charlie Orchard-Lisle, and his mother were walking along the beach near Suffolk, U.K., about 75 miles northeast of London, when he saw something strange sticking out of the water.

This was no shell or oddly-shaped rock, and somewhat resembled a heart, if it were as hardened as people sing about in sad songs.

In reality, what he found was the fully intact tooth of an ancient elephant-like creature known as an Anancus arvernensis.

The creature walked the earth between 2 and 8.5 million years ago, meaning the ancient remains of its upper left molar are at least two million years old, and probably closer to four million years old.

“We were walking along and, ten minutes before, my son Charlie was saying how much he loves elephants,” Charlie’s mom Eleanor told SWNS.

If you’ve ever been offered the opportunity to go for a nice, long, directionless walk on the beach for pleasure, perhaps this would be a good time to remind yourself that you never know what you might find in the process.

Rush just wrapped up their stay in Los Angeles, completing four nights at the famed Kia Forum—the same venue the band played their last show with Neil Peart on drums in August of 2015.

The Fifty Something reunion tour is just getting its North American leg underway, which will run through December before the band heads overseas early next year.

It will include dates in several major markets, including five sold out nights in their hometown of Toronto.

The LA setlists were different every night, mostly featuring overlap, but each night also featured a variety of tunes and a special performance of their entire 1981 seminal album, Moving Pictures.

The band also brought out Aimee Mann for a performance of the 1987 single, Time Stand Still, on its first night. Though she performed on the track’s studio recording, it was the first time she’d ever played live with the band.

It was also, of course, the first series of dates featuring Neil Peart’s successor on drums, Anika Nilles, who rose to the occasion, to say the least. Loren Gold has also been filling in on keyboards.

“Thank you for making this week so effin’ amazing!” Rush wrote on social media. “For embracing Anika, Loren so profoundly. Aimee Mann for joining us on 'Time Stand Still' in tribute to Neil. To you, our fans, Your steadfast support is what has made this a reality. Forever grateful!”

Not like the other

With each of today’s questions, one thing will be not like the others. That’s right, it’s time for another round of Odd Movie Out with today’s trivia! 😎