🌎 Spying in Secret

Denmark demands answers amid covert US operation in Greenland

This one is straight out of a spy thriller. Denmark’s foreign minister summoned the top US diplomat in Copenhagen after reports surfaced that three Americans linked to President Trump were running covert influence campaigns in Greenland.

What’s going on?

According to Danish officials, the unnamed Americans have been collecting intelligence and making connections to chip away at Greenlanders’ trust in Denmark.

• Danish security forces allege the Americans made lists of Greenlanders who are for and against Trump.

• Additionally, the Americans reportedly sought to win over local business leaders and politicians to help sway public opinion.

In response, the US State Department pushed back, saying it “does not control or direct the actions of private citizens” and reaffirmed strong ties with Denmark and Greenland.

As of writing, it’s unclear if the operatives were freelancing or taking cues from Trump, although the president previously floated the idea of annexing the semi-autonomous Danish territory in 2019.

Once is coincidence, twice is a pattern: Earlier this year, the Danish foreign minister summoned the acting US ambassador after reports surfaced that American intelligence agencies were carrying out similar operations.

Why try to sway the people?

In short, building goodwill with Greenlanders could help the US secure strategic positioning and tap into the island’s geopolitical importance. Hypothetically, if the US were to control the territory:

• Its strategic position in the Arctic Circle would be key in helping the US counter China and Russia, as its position is crucial for missile defense.

• Its vast untapped resources, including gas, oil, and rare earth minerals, which are critical for advanced electronics, renewable energy, and military tech, could create a wealth of opportunities.

While the US already operates Thule Air Base in Greenland and has access to some of its assets, greater influence in the area would further solidify the US's position at the top of the geopolitical scale.

What do Greenlanders think? A January opinion poll (see here) found Greenlanders aren’t keen on becoming part of the US, as 85% opposed the idea. However, 56% supported breaking away from Denmark, which has governed the territory in some form since the 1700s.

Stanford says AI is taking entry-level jobs

I think we all had a hunch it was leaning this way. A recently released Stanford study showed that the rise of generative AI has contributed to a significant decline in entry-level job opportunities.

How big is AI’s impact?

Using payroll data from ADP, the largest US payroll provider, Stanford researchers found there's been a 16% drop in job openings for young professionals since 2022.

• The most affected industries were those that were more susceptible to automation, like software development and customer service.

The findings match other data showing that young men are finding it increasingly hard to break into traditionally male-dominated industries like finance and marketing.

Electronic employees

These trends arrive as AI continues to automate work that entry-level employees used to handle, reshaping industries across the board. According to data from Clarify Capital:

• Nearly 1 in 6 executives have already replaced their entry-level jobs with AI, and 86% plan to in the future.

• 1 in 12 executives has stopped hiring for entry-level positions, citing the increasing use and advancement of AI.

Looking ahead: The decline in young workers is sparking worries about a leadership gap in the future, as retiring executives may not have enough young professionals ready to step up and fill senior roles.

Flawless Starship test flight marks a big win for SpaceX

It seems the world’s biggest rocket finally played nice with physics. After a string of high-profile failures, from explosions to costly delays, SpaceX’s 10th Starship test flight was a huge success, scoring key momentum for the company.

Trial & Error

On Tuesday, the largest and most powerful rocket ever built launched from Starbase, Texas—and despite several delays—went up to space and back. Watch the full test flight here.

For the first time, SpaceX “appeared to achieve all of their test objectives” and is “back on track” after three straight failed Starship tests earlier this year, an expert told the NYT.

• The rocket lifted off, deployed eight mock Starlink satellites, and flawlessly completed critical maneuvers, including in-space engine relighting and heat-shield testing.

• Both the booster and Starship stages achieved controlled splashdowns, a key step forward in SpaceX’s reusable rocket program.

The successful flight gives some positive momentum to both SpaceX and NASA as they prepare for the Artemis III mission, which aims to land two astronauts on the moon in late 2027 (see overview).

What else does SpaceX have in the works? The test flight comes just after SpaceX launched the US Space Force’s secretive X-37B, an experimental uncrewed spaceplane. Apparently, providing reusable, cost-effective space travel and colonizing Mars isn’t enough for Elon Musk.

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Doctors complete first pig lung transplant in history

Scientists proved pigs can fly, well, into human lungs. Doctors in China successfully transplanted a pig lung into a human for the first time, marking a medical breakthrough that may pave the way for future animal-human transplants.

How did they do it?

First, researchers at Clonorgan Biotechnology used CRISPR technology to genetically modify a pig’s left lung, disabling three pig genes and adding three human genes to reduce the chances of rejection.

The edited lung was then transferred into a 39-year-old brain-dead man, with the family’s consent. What happened next made history:

• The artificial lung successfully supplied his blood with oxygen and removed carbon dioxide, remaining functional for nine days in total.

• However, signs of immune rejection and tissue damage appeared on days three and nine.

Eventually, after the main scientific goals were achieved, the experiment ended at the family's request. Researchers hope that continued work on pig-to-human transplants may reduce the chances of organ rejection, since even human lung transplants can fail within hours.

Looking ahead: The findings add to a growing body of research that explores the potential of xenotransplantation and could help cut exhaustive wait times for other vital organs, including kidneys, hearts, and livers.

You can now DM your friends on Spotify

Finally, a way to judge your friends’ music taste in real time. Earlier this week, Spotify announced it will be rolling out its new direct messaging feature, allowing users to share music, podcasts, and audiobooks directly within the app.

Direct music messaging

Available now in select markets, the feature lets users 16 and up access it on their mobile devices, regardless if they’re Free or Premium subscribers. Under the new layout:

• Users can tap the share icon in the Now Playing view to send Brazilian phonk whatever is blasting through their earbuds to their friends.

• Shared content is stored in a dedicated Messages inbox, which you can find by clicking the profile picture in the top-left corner of the app.

For those worried about privacy, anyone can reject message requests, block other users, or opt out of Messages entirely. Spotify also said the feature is protected by industry-standard encryption and that the company will scan for harmful content.

It comes at a convenient time: The feature comes at a time when Spotify wants to keep users on the app for longer, as it reported lackluster ad revenue last quarter. After all, having its nearly 700 million users more engaged will certainly help with negotiating for favorable ad rates.

Catch up on this week’s weird news

 > Researchers found that across 94 species of primates—from lemurs to humans—those with longer thumbs generally have larger brains.

 > Cracker Barrel announced it will revert to its traditional "Old Timer" logo after widespread backlash and a $100 million plunge in stock value.

 > The first human case of a flesh-eating parasite, named the “New World Screwworm,” has been found in the US, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.

 > Belgium leads the world in most calories per person with nearly 4,000 consumed per day; the US ranks third with over 3,800, per a new chart by Visual Capitalist.

 > Viewers of this year’s Stanley Cup Finals saw an ad for gambling services every 13 seconds, mostly on embedded jerseys, rinkside ads, and commercials.