🌎 Vibe Shift

Nepal becomes the first nation to elect a PM through Discord

Leave it to Gen Z, I guess. After a social media ban prompted weeks of youth-led violent protests, collapsing the Nepalese government, the nation elected its first-ever woman prime minister… all through the gaming app Discord.

How did we get here?

Protests erupted in Nepal last week after the government abruptly banned popular social media platforms, as deep frustrations over corruption, lack of political accountability, and economic hardships were already boiling over.

For many Gen Z Nepalese, censorship was the last straw, resulting in the nation’s worst political unrest in decades.

• The Supreme Court, the parliament building, government offices, police posts, politicians’ homes, shopping malls, and various private businesses were all set aflame (see photos) as protests turned deadly.

• The Health Ministry has now raised the death toll to 72, and at least 2,113 people have reportedly been injured in the clashes.

Amid the protests, the nation’s parliament was dissolved, and former communist Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli was stripped naked and chased into a river, eventually resigning.

With no obvious leader in place, the very technology the government tried to outlaw was used to select a new PM for the country.

How exactly does that happen?

Citizens used Discord, a gaming group chat platform, to hold virtual debates among “Youth Against Corruption,” a Discord server run by the activist group Hami Nepal, which was at the forefront of the protests.

• Through a series of “mini-elections”, Gen Z activists represented the public, working with Nepal’s military to nominate potential leaders.

• The server became increasingly consequential, with mainstream news outlets streaming talks and over 145,000 citizens regularly joining meetings with high-ranking officials to discuss the country’s future.

Eventually, 73-year-old Sushila Karki, formerly Nepal’s first woman Supreme Court Chief Justice, known for her integrity and anti-corruption stance, was appointed interim Prime Minister.

Looking forward: As officials work to set real elections, Karki faces big challenges in the form of policy details, institutional reform, and corruption at a time when scrutiny is at a record high.

The US might ban pharmaceutical TV ads

We may no longer have to sit through 10 minutes of side effects. President Trump signed a memo this week directing federal health agencies to crack down on direct-to-consumer drug advertisements on TV, social media, and websites, potentially ending the practice in the US.

Side effect spotlight

The Trump administration aims to keep pharmaceutical companies honest about their drugs by tightening a key loophole that was established nearly half a century ago:

• The crackdown focuses on “adequate provision,” a 1977 rule (see here) that lets drugmakers list some, not all, side effects.

The policy seeks to increase transparency in DTC drug ads by reversing that rule, reducing the risk of misleading consumers through downplayed risks and overstated benefits.

DTC drug ads are unusual: One reason Trump’s new memo is drawing attention is that the US is one of only two countries in the world (along with New Zealand) that allow prescription drug companies to advertise directly to consumers on TV.

Big Pharma spends a lot on ad money

For decades, the pharmaceutical industry has dumped billions into TV advertising, and that number is only increasing. In the last year alone:

• There was a 2% year-over-year increase in total drug ad spending, according to MediaRadar.

• Pharma companies spent $10.8 billion on US ads and are on pace to surpass that in 2025. Roughly half of that went toward national TV spots, according to eMarketer.

Big Pharma is in the pockets of media outlets: Drug advertisements accounted for nearly 25% of ad time from January through May of this year, generating over $2.7 billion for CBS, NBC, Fox, and ABC.

NASA finds the “clearest sign of life” on Mars

It’s either undeniable proof of alien life or… just a rock. NASA’s Perseverance rover has sampled a rock, named Cheyava Falls, that contains what scientists are calling the “clearest sign yet” of ancient life on Mars.

Clues in Martian mudstone

Around 200 million miles away, NASA’s Perseverance rover has been surveying an area known as the Jezero Crater (see map), which scientists believe was once a lake billions of years ago.

Last July, Perservance noticed something interesting:

• In a nearby rock formation called Sapphire Canyon (watch video), the rover noticed markings with small, dark speckles that resemble leopard spots or poppy seeds.

Why is this so intriguing? Analysis suggests the markings are from vivianite and greigite, minerals rich in iron, phosphate, and sulfide. On Earth, these compounds are typically only the byproduct of living organisms.

Is this proof of life on Mars?

Unfortunately, while the findings are very compelling, scientists are careful to say it’s proof of life. Researchers say there are non-biological explanations for many of the markings:

• The mineral deposits seen in the formation, like iron and phosphate, can form through abiotic chemical reactions.

• And, as advanced as the rover is, its instruments can only tell scientists so much from a distance.

To really test whether the markings and compounds are the result of life on Mars, the samples need to be returned to Earth, where scientists can analyze them using complex imaging technology.

So when will we know for sure? The mission to haul the rocks back to Earth for analysis has been delayed until at least the 2040s, thanks to projected costs reaching over $11 billion. For more information, read the full study here.

In partnership with Pacaso

Keep This Stock Ticker on Your Watchlist

They’re a private company, but Pacaso just reserved the Nasdaq ticker “$PCSO.”

No surprise the same firms that backed Uber, eBay, and Venmo already invested in Pacaso. What is unique is Pacaso is giving the same opportunity to everyday investors. And 10,000+ people have already joined them.

Created a former Zillow exec who sold his first venture for $120M, Pacaso brings co-ownership to the $1.3T vacation home industry.

They’ve generated $1B+ worth of luxury home transactions across 2,000+ owners. That’s good for more than $110M in gross profit since inception, including 41% YoY growth last year alone.

And you can join them today for just $2.90/share. But don’t wait too long. Invest in Pacaso before the opportunity ends September 18.

Invest While You Still Can

_{Paid advertisement for Pacaso’s Regulation A offering. Read the offering circular at invest.pacaso.com. Reserving a ticker symbol is not a guarantee that the company will go public. Listing on the NASDAQ is subject to approvals.}

Would you ride in a Zoox for free?

If you head to the strip you can find out for yourself. Zoox, Amazon’s self-driving division, officially opened its robotaxi service to the public in Las Vegas, marking its entry into the growing market for autonomous cabs.

How does it work?

Zoox is pretty different than most of its competitors. Its vehicles are “purpose‑built” autonomous electric vehicles, designed from the ground up for driverless operation, meaning there’s no steering wheel or pedals.

• Notably, passengers sit facing each other, offering a more intimate experience than other self‑driving cars.

• While Zoox waits for regulatory approvals, those who want to try out the service can request a ride for free using the Zoox app.

However, the service is currently only active on the Las Vegas strip, and pickup and drop‑off are limited to certain hotspots, like hotels and entertainment venues, with rides currently capped at around three miles.

Robotaxis are a competitive industry

The move firmly enters Zoox into the US robotaxi race, going up against established players like Waymo, Tesla, and other autonomous vehicle companies.

• Waymo, owned by Alphabet, already offers robotaxi rides in San Francisco, LA, and Phoenix, and is teaming with Uber in Austin and Atlanta.

• Meanwhile, Tesla launched a pilot program for its own robotaxis in Austin this June and started making early moves to expand to NYC last month.

While other players in the industry have a leg up, Zoox is aware of its position. The company is using the opportunity not to compete, but to collect rider feedback, refine the human‑vehicle interface, optimize pickup and drop‑off data, and gauge public opinion.

Looking forward: Zoox plans to expand to San Francisco next (where it has already been testing and building a waitlist), with other cities, including Austin and Miami, on the horizon.

Is your zodiac sign 2,000 years out of date?

Somewhere, an Aries just flipped a table. A recent report by the NYT claimed your zodiac sign is probably wrong, thanks to a few new astrological developments. But is that really true?

Your zodiac sign has expired

Whether you care about horoscopes or not, you probably at least know your zodiac sign. Created by the Babylonians 2,500 years ago, the 12 signs are based on the constellations at the time of your birth and are now used in astrology to keep people entertained determine personality characteristics.

However, what they saw then isn’t really what you’d see today.

For example, if your birthday is today (Sept. 16), you may think you’re a Virgo because that was the constellation behind the sun thousands of years ago. But this year, the sun is actually in Leo. Check yours here.

Why is that the case?

It’s for three reasons, according to an interactive report by the New York Times:

• Due to the Earth’s wobble (which shifts our view of the stars by about one degree every 72 years), the constellations are in a different spot than where they were around 2,000 years ago.

• Constellations vary widely in size. The sun, for example, spends only a week in front of Scorpio.

• Plus, there’s actually a 13th constellation, Ophiuchus, which the Babylonians essentially left out.

Because of these reasons, astrology lovers are wondering if their zodiac sign, which they probably have tattooed on their body, has been wrong for their whole life.

So, is it true? It depends. If you follow tropical astrology, which most of the US and Europe do, your sign is based on seasonal markers (like equinoxes and solstices), not on the current positions of constellations. Astrologers claim this nuance is important, and the NYT article simply rehashes old misunderstandings. Whatever the case, at least you can rely on tarot cards instead… right?

Catch up on this week’s weird news

 > Demon Slayer: Infinity Hunter slashed its way to a $70 million US box office debut, marking Sony’s biggest box office opening of the year and setting the record for the biggest anime film opening ever in North America.

 > The Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge in China’s Guizhou province is set to open later this month, soaring 2,050 feet above ground, which is taller than six Statues of Liberty stacked up.

 > Marine biologists found that octopuses generally use their four front arms for exploration and their back four arms for movement, according to a new study.

 > 85 million-year-old fossilized dinosaur eggs discovered by researchers in central China may give insight into the climate of the late Cretaceous period.

 > Gen Z drinkers are saying the “most refreshing” way to drink a beer is on ice, and some beer connoisseurs are actually defending the move.