Why Even Monkeys Are Better at Power-Sharing Than MAGA Politicians
Plus: Revolutionary fertility treatments, wildlife thriving against odds, and a dog in California who needs your help
During my first coffee this morning, I searched for stories that would brighten your day. That sounds easier than it is in practice. After hunting for positive news for a few months, I know better where to find stories that inspire and give hope, but every day I'm surprised by the dominance of dark news. That's partly a reflection of reality: we live in a world where too many countries are led by men (hardly any need for gender inclusive language in this case) who either don't care or aren't capable of improving the welfare of their people.
The prevalence of dark news is also driven by the competition between news outlets for more clicks and likes, as negative news tends to sell better than positive news. So you may argue that we're all to blame for each click we give on a negative news story.
To combat negativity and foster optimism, it's really helpful to share this newsletter with your followers on Substack Notes. The best support is subscribing to help independent journalism that refuses to surrender to despair.
Every morning, I find stories for you that offer hope and inspiration. Stories that show human ingenuity, kindness, and nature's resilience continue to surprise us in wonderful ways.
In today's Daybreak Notes & Beans, you'll read how scientists are rewriting the rules about leadership in the animal kingdom and learn about jaguars thriving against all odds after disaster. We'll explore medical breakthroughs that prevent devastating diseases, uncover 12,000-year-old secrets frozen in ice, and witness the formation of new worlds around distant stars.
I found stories about connection triumphing over isolation, luxury returning to New York, and auctions that celebrate both scientific wonder and artistic legacy. Plus, there's a tale about a dog in California that needs your help.
This is why I write this newsletter: to capture the quieter victories and breakthrough moments that restore faith in what's possible when humans care deeply about progress, discovery, and each other.
The Leadership Myth That Science Just Debunked
New research examining 121 primate species has overturned decades of assumptions about male dominance in the animal kingdom. Scientists discovered that in 70% of primate populations, neither sex dominates the other. I was surprised to learn that females outrank males in 13% of species compared to just 17% where males dominate.
The study found that male dominance occurs primarily in species where males are significantly larger and possess natural weapons, such as large canine teeth. Female dominance emerges in species where females are scarce, partners are monogamous, and physical differences between sexes are minimal.
Bonobos, our closest relatives alongside chimpanzees, live in female-dominated societies where females form coalitions to overcome the physical advantages of males. Ring-tailed lemurs also buck the "alpha male" stereotype. Females control access to food and mating decisions.
This research suggests humans align more closely with the 70% of species showing no clear dominance pattern. We lack natural weapons. We don't show extreme size differences between sexes. We have varied mating systems.
The findings challenge popular narratives about "natural" hierarchies. They suggest cooperation may be more fundamental to primate societies than previously thought. Looking at current American politics, this research is fascinating. The MAGA approach worships dominance and employs strongman tactics, but even our closest animal relatives demonstrate that cooperation usually prevails. I believe we'd be better off copying the 70% of primate species that figured out power-sharing instead of power-grabbing.
Jaguars Transform Disaster into Opportunity
After devastating wildfires scorched the Brazilian Pantanal in 2020, researchers expected to find an ecological catastrophe. Instead, they discovered a wonderful surprise: the world's densest jaguar population had not only survived but grown significantly as displaced cats sought refuge in this unique wetland sanctuary.
The 36,700-acre site, accessible only by boat and five hours from the nearest town, became a natural climate refuge. Jaguars here are unusual; they primarily eat fish and caimans rather than land mammals. They tolerate each other's presence far better than jaguars elsewhere.
By using camera traps, experts learned that jaguar activity initially declined after the fires, but then the population rebounded dramatically within a year. Resident jaguars maintained their territories while newcomers arrived from fire-affected areas. The abundance of aquatic prey meant reduced competition for resources.
This research is crucial for conservation planning, as the impacts of climate change are intensifying. Protected areas, such as this wetland sanctuary, may increasingly serve as critical refuges for wildlife during environmental disasters.
The Fight Against Hunger Shows Promise
Despite global challenges, agricultural progress holds promise in the fight against hunger. New data indicate that global crop yields have increased by a factor of three over the past six decades. Cereal production has reached impressive levels across most regions.
Current cereal yields are highest in the East Asia and Pacific regions at 4.9 tons per hectare. Latin America and the Caribbean follow at 4.1 tons. While Sub-Saharan Africa remains lower at 1.5 tons per hectare, yield growth has accelerated since the 1990s, doubling the previous growth rate.
The transformation resembles England's escape from the "Malthusian Trap" centuries ago. English farmers once produced only 0.6 tons of cereals per hectare. Today, they generate about ten times more food on the same land. This historical precedent shows that dramatic agricultural improvements are possible.
Our World in Data analysis demonstrates that undernourishment declined globally from 19% to 11% over the past quarter-century. Child stunting fell from 40% to 23%. These improvements occurred despite significant population growth.
Enhanced trade, climate-resilient crops, and continued yield improvements will be essential for achieving zero hunger by 2030. The foundation for success already exists through proven agricultural technologies and methods.
Witnessing the Birth of New Worlds
Astronomers have captured the earliest moments of rocky planet formation around a baby star remarkably similar to our own sun. Using NASA's Webb Space Telescope and European Southern Observatory equipment, scientists observed the young star HOPS-315 as solid particles began condensing in its surrounding gas disk.
The star, located 1,370 light-years away, is only 100,000 to 200,000 years old. That makes it a cosmic infant compared to our 4.6 billion-year-old Sun. Researchers detected silicon monoxide gas and crystalline silicate minerals, the same ingredients believed to be the first solid materials in our solar system.
This discovery shows "time zero" for planetary formation. It reveals processes that occurred in our own solar system more than 4.5 billion years ago. The action unfolds in a region comparable to the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, where leftover building blocks from planet formation still orbit today.
The research team could peer deep into the star's gas disk thanks to a fortuitous gap in the outer disk and the star's favorable orientation toward Earth. Previous studies had looked at older or younger systems, but never captured this crucial early stage of planet formation.
With a gas disk as massive as our early sun's, HOPS-315 could potentially develop eight planets over the next million years. This provides a glimpse into how planetary systems like ours form.
12,000 Years of History Frozen in Time
High in the French Alps, scientists have discovered the oldest known ice in Western Europe: a 40-meter ice core spanning 12,000 years of Earth's history. This frozen archive from Mont Blanc's Dôme du Goûter captures humanity's entire journey from hunter-gatherers to modern civilization.
The ice core contains microscopic deposits of dust, pollen, and atmospheric particles that reveal dramatic environmental changes. During the last Ice Age, dust levels were approximately eight times higher than they are today. This contradicts climate models that predicted only a doubling of dust levels.
Desert Research Institute scientists used specialized equipment to melt the ice layer by layer. They measured chemical signatures that tell stories of volcanic eruptions, changing forests, and Saharan dust storms. The phosphorus record shows vegetation changes over millennia, with concentrations rising as forests spread during warmer periods, then declining as agriculture and industry cleared land.
The glacier's location near the center of European civilization makes it especially valuable for understanding regional climate patterns. Unlike distant Arctic ice cores, this record captures local aerosol sources that stayed airborne for only days or weeks.
Medical Breakthrough Prevents Devastating Diseases
Eight healthy babies have been born in the UK using DNA from three people, marking a revolutionary advance in preventing inherited mitochondrial diseases. These conditions, passed from mother to child, can cause severe disability, organ failure, and death within days of birth.
The technique combines genetic material from two parents with healthy mitochondria from a donor woman. Children inherit approximately 99.9% of their DNA from their parents, with the remaining 0.1% coming from the mitochondrial donor. This tiny amount prevents devastating energy deficiencies that can starve organs of power.
Newcastle University researchers collaborated with 22 families, comprising four boys and four girls, including twins, as well as one ongoing pregnancy. All babies were born free of mitochondrial disease and are meeting normal developmental milestones.
The breakthrough offers hope to families who have watched multiple children die from these inherited conditions. About one in 5,000 babies are born with mitochondrial disease. Newcastle scientists anticipate demand for 20-30 babies annually using this method.
Parents who underwent the procedure expressed overwhelming gratitude. "After years of uncertainty, this treatment gave us hope, and then it gave us our baby," said one anonymous mother.
This UK-pioneered technique is legal in only a few countries, making these births particularly meaningful for medical progress.
The Science of Connection Beats Loneliness
While studies show that over 80% of US adults experience loneliness, research has found effective practical solutions. The most effective remedy costs nothing and is available to everyone: reaching out to friends and family members on a daily basis.
Harvard researchers found that 75% of adults want more community activities and accessible public spaces, such as parks and playgrounds. Political and community leaders who promote connection as core community values ranked high among desired solutions.
Successful interventions include social prescribing programs that connect isolated individuals with community activities. Technology tools help people find local groups matching their interests. The key is moving beyond social media toward face-to-face interactions that build lasting relationships.
Americans ranked family connections as their strongest source of belonging (65%), followed by friendships (53%) and neighborhoods (20%). Workplace connections (17%) and social media (16%) provided much less of a sense of community than expected.
I was surprised to learn that young adults between 18 and 34 showed the highest loneliness rates, but they also responded best to intervention programs. The research suggests that loneliness, like other health risks, can be addressed through targeted public health approaches. Community programs that encourage healthy behaviors, such as exercise classes and cooking groups, improve physical well-being while reducing isolation.
Luxury Returns to New York
After an eight-year closure and a $1 billion renovation, the iconic Waldorf Astoria New York has reopened with a completely transformed identity. The legendary property, which originally opened in 1931, now features 375 hotel rooms and 372 private residences. That is a dramatic reduction from its previous 1,400 rooms.
The redesign aims to strike a balance between the hotel's historic charm and the introduction of modern technology, while also offering significantly larger accommodations. Rooms now start at 475 square feet, with most being substantially larger.
The hotel's signature restaurant, Lex Yard, is led by Chef Michael Anthony and serves seasonal contemporary American cuisine in a two-story space. The restaurant's name honors both the hotel's Lexington Avenue location and the historic Track 61 train depot beneath the building.
Room rates start at around $1,100-$ 1,800 per night, positioning the property firmly in the luxury segment.
I'm not the one to judge this renovation, but I would love to hear what American readers of this newsletter have to say. While the Waldorf Astoria's transformation brings a new level of luxury and intimacy to Manhattan's hospitality scene, I recall at least one local wondering if the steep room rates and exclusive residences risk making this iconic property less accessible to the broader public. The shift reflects ongoing debates about affordability and the character of New York's neighborhoods as the city balances historic preservation with modern luxury.
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Record-Breaking Auctions Celebrate Science and Art
The largest piece of Mars ever found on Earth sold for $5.3 million at Sotheby's, but a young dinosaur skeleton stole the show at $30.5 million. The 54-pound Martian meteorite, discovered in Niger's Sahara Desert in 2023, accounts for nearly 7% of all Martian material currently on our planet.
The meteorite, named NWA 16788, traveled 140 million miles after being blasted off Mars by an asteroid impact. Only 400 Martian meteorites exist among the 77,000 officially recognized meteorites found on Earth, making this discovery extraordinarily rare.
The dinosaur skeleton drew even more enthusiasm. The juvenile Ceratosaurus nasicornis, measuring over 6 feet tall and 11 feet long, sparked bidding wars among six collectors. Dating back 150 million years, it's one of only four known skeletons of this species and the only juvenile specimen.
In a separate auction, a rare 1931 oil portrait of Mahatma Gandhi by British artist Clare Leighton sold for $204,648, which is triple its estimated value. The painting is believed to be the only oil portrait Gandhi ever sat for. It was painted during his 1931 visit to London for the Round Table Conference.
A Dog's Journey to Safety
Chuco, a 3-year-old pit bull, has been found safe after being caught up in immigration enforcement at a Home Depot in Barstow. When his owner was arrested and later deported, a friend rescued the dog from the scene, but housing complications led to Chuco being surrendered to LA County's animal control system.
Animal advocates mobilized to locate Chuco after learning he'd been taken to an undisclosed shelter. Using detective work and networking among shelter volunteers, they tracked him to the Baldwin Park facility, where he's now available for adoption.
I hadn't realized that the human misery that ICE and the current political leadership in the US create extends to animals as well. Volunteer Rita Earl Blackwell, who helped locate Chuco, described the current shelter crisis as the worst she's seen in 15 years.
County shelters report a dramatic increase in owner surrenders, with Palmdale seeing twice as many dogs relinquished in June compared to the same month last year. Factors include post-pandemic pet abandonment (which I often read about but still find hard to imagine for anyone who loves their pets), rising veterinary costs, and increased immigration enforcement.
Despite these challenges, Chuco's compelling story and the advocacy efforts surrounding his case may help him find a permanent home. I hope that anyone reading this in the US can help.
Animal welfare organizations continue to work tirelessly to connect displaced pets with new families, transforming potential tragedies into stories of hope and new beginnings.
Finding Hope in Human Progress
Today, I've collected ten stories for you that are quite different from one another in theme and location. But when you read them all together, they connect in ways you might not expect at first glance.
These stories show that progress is possible, even in the dark times we're living through now, where hope seems to be a rare commodity. I shared stories of scientists preventing inherited diseases and conservationists bringing species back from the brink of extinction. Progress isn't just some chance encounter. It happens because individuals like you and me care about nature, scientific advancement, and humanity; basically, we care about each other.
I'm encouraged by the research on primate behavior that suggests cooperation may be more natural than dominance. I hope findings like this inspire our political leaders. The story about those eight healthy babies born free of devastating genetic diseases gives hope to parents worldwide dealing with mitochondrial disorders, affecting one in 5,000 babies.
Yes, we humans are responsible for climate manipulation, habitat loss, pollution, and animal extinctions. But nature has a way of fighting back, as you see with these jaguars thriving after a wildfire disaster. That doesn't mean we can continue misbehaving on this planet as we're doing. But it means that if we improve our act, nature becomes our partner in restoring the beauty of this planet. It has remarkable resilience.
What I do in sharing these stories isn't provide solutions for all the challenges we face. Many of the solutions I share are local, expensive, or not applicable worldwide. But I share them because each demonstrates that progress is possible in fields where you might not have expected it. When you get the right people, motivation, governance, and education. When you bring all that together and believe in a better future, so much becomes possible.
This is why I write this newsletter: to capture these moments of progress and possibility that too often get lost in the noise of daily news cycles. If these stories brightened your morning, please share them with others who need hope, and consider supporting independent journalism that focuses on positive news.
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Notes
Alpha males and primates: The Conversation, 'Alpha males are surprisingly rare among primates – new research'
Jaguars in wetland refuge: Science Daily, 'They fled the flames—now jaguars rule a wetland refuge'
Global hunger progress: Our World in Data, various reports on hunger and undernourishment
Planet formation discovery: AP News, 'Astronomers capture the birth of planets around a baby sun outside our solar system'
Alpine ice core: Science Daily, 'Frozen for 12,000 years, this Alpine ice core captures the rise of civilization'
Three-person DNA babies: AP News, BBC, NPR, 'Healthy babies born in Britain after scientists used DNA from three people'
Loneliness research: Multiple sources, including Harvard Graduate School of Education, American Psychiatric Association
Waldorf Astoria reopening: One Mile at a Time, 'Iconic Waldorf Astoria New York Reopens, After Eight Year Closure'
Auction results: AP News, 'Largest piece of Mars on Earth fetches $5.3 million at auction'
Gandhi portrait: Bonhams, Artsy, 'Rare Gandhi portrait sells for triple its low estimate at auction'
Chuco the dog: LA Times, 'Dog caught up in ICE raid where owner was seized is found'
"When you get the right people, motivation, governance, and education. When you bring all that together and believe in a better future, so much becomes possible."
Deeply moving selections this morning in Daybreak ❤ Eight healthy babies with gratitude to Newcastle University reasearchers, connection overcomes loneliness, equitable leadership in primates, and Chuco's story and rescue advocacy. Chuco will be safe by the end of the day. Thank you for sharing his story ☕
Love the collection of stories - especially the one with mitochondrial donor as my sister died of genetic disorder. An important medical breakthrough.
NYC room rates - no comment.
Poor Chuco and other pets. Hope they find good homes or get their parents back.