🌊 It's Not You... It's Your Degree

The diamond is…how big?

21 years ago to the day, a Harvard astronomer discovered a diamond that is unfathomably large. Whereas the largest diamond found on Earth was four inches long, this guy discovered a diamond roughly as long as the United States. The only downside is a logistical one: It’s located at the center of a white dwarf star 48 light years away. This guy really saw the carat and not the stick!

…anyone?

–Max and Max

KEY STORY

Education: Bad for Sex?

A study by The Economist found that highly educated Americans are significantly less sexually active than the general population

• Sexual activity among 18- to 35-year-old Americans has declined by up to 50% in the past 20 years

• The Economist analyzed CDC data tracking 10,000 Americans and found the decline correlates with education: The steepest decline was among those with graduate degrees, while those with bachelor's have sex 11% less often than those without

• One sociologist theorized that those who are focused on education “are more risk averse…and that seems to be expressed as having less sex”

Dig Deeper

• Sociologists have identified a number of factors driving the broader decline in sexual activity, including increased screen usage, higher rates of depression and anxiety, and more young adults living at home

• Another theories for why young college-educated Americans are having less sex is that they are more likely to work longer hours, marry later, and spend more time taking care of children, leaving less time for sex

KEY STORY

Ukraine Deal Negotiations Begin

President Trump and Defense Secretary Hegseth started to outline the parameters of a deal to end the war in Ukraine

• The war’s frontline has stagnated in recent months, with Russia controlling around 20% of Ukraine

• On Wednesday, Trump spoke with both Presidents. Zelensky and Putin. Trump said he had a “lengthy and highly productive phone call” with Putin and said they were on the same page about getting a deal done

• Also Wednesday, Secretary Hegseth told NATO that the US would no longer focus primarily on Europe; that Ukraine's goal to return to its pre-2014 borders is “unrealistic”; and that Ukraine won’t join NATO

Dig Deeper

• Amid the diplomacy, on Tuesday, Russia released an American schoolteacher held on drug possession charges since 2021. In exchange, the US released a Russian cryptocurrency kingpin convicted of laundering $4B for criminal organizations

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KEY STORY

Senate Confirms Gabbard

The Senate confirmed Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence (DNI). It was a 52-48 party line vote, with only Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) breaking from the Republicans to vote “no”

• Gabbard served as a Democratic Congresswoman for Hawaii from 2013 to 2021 before registering as a Republican during Trump’s campaign. She’ll oversee 18 Intelligence Community (IC) agencies and is responsible for informing and advising the president on intelligence matters and preparing his daily intelligence brief

• Unusually for the role, Gabbard does not have IC experience. Rather, she has been among the most prominent critics of the IC, which she has accused of spying on Americans and promoting war

• In selecting her, Trump is widely seen to have chosen someone who will shake up an intelligence apparatus that he frequently clashed with during his first term

Dig Deeper 

• Gabbard was among Trump’s most controversial picks, particularly due to her criticism of the IC and US policy toward Ukraine; past visits to Syria; and support of NSA leaker Edward Snowden

• However, she won over key Senate Republicans during confirmation hearings, including by supporting a surveillance program that she formerly sought to repeal but provides much of the IC’s intelligence

KEY STORY

Ye Gets Dropped

Kanye West (“Ye”) was dropped by his agency and sued after going on another anti-Jewish posting spree

• In recent years, Ye has repeatedly caused controversy with pro-Nazi and anti-Jewish statements. Most controversially, in 2022, Twitter banned him for praising Hitler, posting an image of a swastika blended with a star of David, and saying he wanted to go “death con 3 on Jewish people”

• On Sunday, Ye ran a Super Bowl ad that linked to a store selling swastika t-shirts. He also posted a series of inflammatory statements on X, including “I’m a Nazi” and “I love Hitler”

Dig Deeper

• In response to his posts, West was sued by a former Jewish employee and dropped by his talent agency

• The lawsuit filed by the former employee alleges that West texted his staff “I Am A Nazi,” and “Welcome to the first day of working for Hitler”

• Shopify also took Ye’s clothing company offline

RUNDOWN
Some Quick Stories for the Office

📈 The US recorded a 3% annualized inflation rate in January, higher than the 2.9% economists had expected

🇺🇸 The Associated Press was barred from an Oval Office event after keeping the Gulf of Mexico instead of the "Gulf of America" in its style guide

🇬🇧 A court granted Palestinian migrants the right to resettle in the UK under a program established  for Ukrainian refugees

📉 Tesla's stock has fallen 10% over five days since Chinese electric vehicle (EV) competitor BYD partnered with DeepSeek to produce autonomous vehicles

🇺🇸 Goldman Sachs and Deloitte became the latest companies to drop their DEI initiatives

COMMUNITY
What does Roca Nation think?

🧠 Yesterday’s Question: The winter doldrums are upon us. Any tricks for staying happy and energized until spring?

🧐 Today’s Question: If you could have chosen your name, what would you have picked?

Respond to this email with your answer!

POPCORN
Some Quick Stories for Happy Hour

🐯 Miracle Pee?: A Chinese zoo is selling tiger urine for $7 per bottle, claiming it cures everything from arthritis to muscle pain when mixed with white wine and ginger

🏒 Hockey, Eh?: Linguists have discovered American hockey players unconsciously develop fake Canadian accents that are Canadian enough to be noticeable, but not enough to be authentic

🥚 Egg Rations: Trader Joe's cracked down on egg purchases, limiting customers to one dozen per day across their 600 stores

🇺🇸 Trump: The Musical?: The Kennedy Center unanimously elected President Trump as chairman after Trump fired Biden board appointees and replaced them with his chief of staff and Second Lady Usha Vance

🎂 104th Birthday Behind Bars: A 104-year-old New York woman had her unusual birthday wish granted: Spending a day in jail

SPONSORED WRAP
Nature’s MDMA?

When Dutch explorers landed lost on the coast of South Africa in the 1600s, they encountered the San and Khoi peoples chewing on a dried plant known as kanna.

These indigenous communities, particularly hunter-gatherers like the San, relied on kanna for fatigue, mood, and healing and spiritual purposes. 

When men went out on hunting missions and into battle, they would turn to kanna for its ability to suppress thirst and hunger when resources were low. When men and women participated in shamanic healing rituals, they would sometimes use kanna to help traverse their spirit realms.

400+ years later, that plant has found a new purpose: Helping Westerners reduce their stress, boost their focus, and improve their mood.

The supplement, legal in the US and EU, has been gaining popularity as “nature’s MDMA.”

The leaf comes from a succulent plant native to southern South Africa known as “kougoed,” meaning “chewable things,” or “kanna.” Its effects lie in its alkaloids – naturally occurring compounds that are typically found in plants and can interact mimic or block neurotransmitters.

Common alkaloids found in plants include caffeine and nicotine. In kanna, mesembrine is considered the primary alkaloid, responsible for much of its psychoactive effects. Mesembrine acts as a light serotonin reuptake inhibitor, similar to some antidepressants. Levels of mesembrine are often used to evaluate the potency and quality of kanna extracts and products. However, kanna is an exceptionally complex plant, with over 113 known alkaloids, including mesembrenone, mesembrenol, and delta7mesembreone, which also contribute to its multifaceted effects.

Kanna – which can be eaten, drank, smoked, chewed, or snuffed – has been gaining popularity as a mild, natural supplement that can boost mood and reduce stress. Some people take it to work, like a strong coffee, others to relax. In Europe, the supplement has gained popularity as a drug replacement at raves and concerts.

Much remains unknown about kanna, which is an unregulated supplement, suggesting potential variability in product quality and efficacy. Therefore, it's crucial to test and know the precise amounts of alkaloids in kanna extracts and products to ensure safety and effectiveness.

One study published in the journal Molecules (2021) found that “‘Kanna’ functions as a ‘Chewable Cure’ to promote a sense of well-being”; another in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology (2016) found that in rats, it possesses “antidepressant properties without abuse liabilities.” However, research is ongoing, and some studies might present differing or inconclusive results.

Georgetown University’s James Giordano has described the leaf as a safer alternative to popular drugs: “You’re going to get euphoric, you’re going to feel really happy and really loving and really chill,” he’s said, adding that – when taken alone – “for reduction of anxiety, for mood stabilization, it’s a safe compound.”

Kanna isn't a miracle substance: Its health benefits aren't definitively proven, and consuming too much has the potential to cause anxiety or nausea. It's also important to note that mixing kanna with other drugs or medications could be dangerous, and one should consult healthcare providers for advice.

We learned about kanna when a reader of ours, Ryan Latreille, reached out to us about it a few months ago. Latreille's company, the Kanna Extract Company, is one of several in the market providing high-grade, sustainably produced kanna in forms like extract powders, capsules, chocolates, and drops.

We were curious about it, read the literature, and tried it ourselves. It’s since become a fixture in our office.

If you’re curious about kanna like we were, you can learn more here.

ROCA VIDEO
Inside the California Trans Cult Behind 4 Murders

ICYMI…

A radical transgender cult in California is reportedly behind four recent murders: Two in Pennsylvania, one in Vermont, and one in California. The name of the cult is the Zizians. This video investigates the Zizians, their history, and the spree of murders they're allegedly behind.

EDITOR’S NOTE
Final Thoughts

As always, thank you for reading The Current — which feels much more notable and important now that it’s italicized. We hope you have a great day, and we promise to not judge anyone who orders tiger urine in the next ten minutes. It’s going fast… or so we’ve heard.

–Max and Max