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We got lots of positive feedback on the human behavior studies we’ve been featuring recently. So here’s another one:

The Marshmallow Test (Walter Mischel, 1960s): This classic study in delayed gratification involved children being offered a choice between one marshmallow immediately or two marshmallows if they could wait for 15 minutes. Follow-up studies showed that children who delayed gratification tended to have better life outcomes, as measured by SAT scores, educational attainment, body mass index, and other life measures. It highlighted the importance of self-control and its impact on future success.

Science

The Most Violent Place in the Universe

A groundbreaking discovery in astronomy has unveiled what could possibly be the brightest entity in the cosmos: a quasar harboring a black hole at its core, devouring matter at an astonishing rate equivalent to consuming a sun per day.

A quasar is an intensely bright and energetic astronomical object powered by a supermassive black hole that are present at the center of some galaxies. This remarkable quasar outshines our sun by a staggering 500 trillion times, with its central black hole surpassing the mass of our sun by more than 17 billion times, as detailed by an Australian-led team in a report published in the journal Nature Astronomy.

Although appearing as a mere speck in astronomical images, scientists describe the quasar as a tumultuous and ferocious environment, with a swirling disk of luminous gas and celestial debris surrounding its black hole akin to a cosmic hurricane.

Lead author Christian Wolf of the Australian National University aptly characterizes this quasar as "the most violent place that we know in the universe."

Initially spotted by the European Southern Observatory during a sky survey in 1980, the object, named J0529-4351, was originally mistaken for a star until recent observations and analyses revealed its true nature as a quasar—the highly active and luminous nucleus of a galaxy.

Subsequent observations and sophisticated computer modeling have unveiled the quasar's voracious appetite, with estimates suggesting it engulfs the equivalent of 370 suns annually, roughly one per day. The team's analysis indicates a black hole mass ranging from 17 to 19 billion times that of our sun, underscoring the need for further observations to elucidate its growth trajectory.

Situated a staggering 12 billion light-years away, this quasar provides a glimpse into the early epochs of the universe, with its light having traveled a distance of approximately 5.8 trillion miles per year.

Sports

Messi-Mania: Major League Soccer’s Big Chance

Lionel Messi is the superstar of soccer and has created millions of fans. When he joined the professional American soccer club Inter Miami in 2023, he brought a lot of attention, and money, to Major League Soccer (MLS).

In the whirlwind of Lionel Messi's arrival in MLS, the anticipation was palpable, the stakes high, and the potential windfalls immense. As Messi's greatness stirred up excitement and ticket prices soared, MLS found itself riding the wave of "Messi-mania" into what would be a transformative year in 2023.

However, as the league looked towards capitalizing on this momentum in 2024, individual clubs quickly realized that securing a home game against Inter Miami, Messi's team, would be paramount. Yet, in a league with a flexible and imbalanced schedule, the guarantee of such a coveted matchup was far from assured.

Even before Messi set foot in Miami, rumors of his potential impact had club executives vying for the attention of the league office. With Messi's arrival, their advocacy reached new heights. Proposals ranged from hosting games in NFL stadiums to promises of spectacular shows, all aimed at securing a spot among the twelve teams scheduled to host Messi’s team during the 2024 regular season. The persistence of these executives in lobbying league officials was unprecedented.

Their motivation was clear: a game featuring the Greatest of All Time (GOAT) could substantially boost annual revenues for clubs, potentially by double-digit percentages. The economic impact of Messi alone was projected to be in the hundreds of millions of dollars across the league by the end of his contract in 2025. For some clubs, a single matchup with Miami promised more ticket income than 16 other home games combined.

However, the significance of the Messi games extends beyond mere financial gains. They represent a broader challenge that MLS faces in converting sports fans who may be indifferent to the league into avid supporters. Each game provides an opportunity to turn skeptics into believers, viewers into customers, and casual fans into lifelong supporters.

While some clubs have sought to capitalize solely on short-term profits by hiking prices, others have taken a more strategic approach. Creative ticketing schemes have been devised, and the winners of the scheduling lottery have framed their approach with a long-term perspective, recognizing the potential for lasting fan loyalty.

A prime example is the Los Angeles Galaxy, who opted to keep their opener against Miami at their soccer-specific stadium rather than moving it to larger venues. Furthermore, they implemented a strategy of selling only season ticket memberships and multi-game packages, ensuring that those eager to witness Messi in action also commit to attending additional matches.

This approach, while common among clubs fortunate enough to host Messi, reflects a broader objective: to cultivate a new generation of supporters who will remain loyal to the club beyond the Messi era. As Tom Braun, COO of the Galaxy, succinctly puts it, the goal is to transition casual fans or admirers of opposing players into dedicated Galaxy supporters.

Entertainment

Microsoft Moves Away From Exclusives

It might surprise you to learn that in 2022 gaming was estimated to have reached a $347 billion industry. This is larger than the combined global theater box office about the same size global box office combined with the pay TV market. Microsoft, one of the big three of the console gaming industry is trying a new strategy.

Microsoft announced on Thursday its plans to launch four of its exclusive video games on rival gaming platforms. Phil Spencer, the leader of Microsoft's gaming sector, emphasized in a company announcement that this move does not signify a departure from Microsoft's core strategy regarding exclusive titles. However, this development indicates Microsoft's openness to enhancing its revenue streams by making games previously exclusive to its platforms accessible on other consoles.

The tech giant finalized its purchase of the renowned game publisher Activision Blizzard for upwards of $75 billion in October. Gaming contributed to 11% of Microsoft's revenue in the fiscal second quarter, marking a significant income source for the world's leading public company by market value. Microsoft's Game Pass service, boasting 34 million subscribers—a significant increase from 25 million two years prior—provides users access to a vast library of games. However, Microsoft's latest consoles, the Xbox Series X and Series S launched in 2020, have not reached the popularity levels of competitors like the Sony PlayStation 5 or the Nintendo Switch.

Spencer noted, "This is a pivotal moment for us to leverage the strengths of other platforms to expand our franchise reach, and we plan to do just that."

While Microsoft has chosen not to disclose the specific games to be released on competing consoles, Spencer clarified that neither the recently launched Starfield nor the anticipated Indiana Jones and the Great Circle would be among them. He mentioned that two of the games are "community-driven," and the other two are smaller projects not initially intended for exclusivity on Microsoft platforms.

Numerous Xbox enthusiasts voiced their discontent on social media platforms, theorizing that Microsoft might abandon efforts to secure exclusive titles for its console moving forward. They argued that the absence of unique content, unavailable on other platforms, could diminish the appeal of continuing investments in Xbox hardware and software.

Responding to the community's reaction and the speculation fueled by The Verge's coverage, Spencer assured on X (formerly Twitter), "We’re listening and we hear you. We are preparing a business update event for next week to share more about our vision for Xbox's future. Stay tuned."

Spencer shared his perspective on the industry's future, suggesting, "I believe that in the next five to ten years, the significance of hardware-exclusive games will increasingly diminish in the gaming industry."

World News

England’s First Intergenerational Care Village

Northwest England's first intergenerational care village, housing both older individuals and young children, recently celebrated its official opening with Belong, a not-for-profit dementia care operator. The Lord Mayor of Cheshire, Sheila Little, declared the village officially open, stressing its innovative approach to supporting older people in independent living.

Belong partnered with the national charity Ready Generations to integrate a day nursery into the facility. The nursery children actively engage in shared experiences with residents, including mealtimes, stories, arts and crafts, and exercise. The Lord Mayor praised the village's unique setup and expressed excitement about its growth.

Breaking away from traditional care environments, the state-of-the-art $24.5 million village features six 24-hour care households, 23 independent living apartments, and a children's nursery. The vibrant hub includes amenities like a bistro, hair salon, and exercise studio, creating a lively atmosphere for both residents and the local community. Belong Chester is the eighth village in the dementia specialist's group and the fourth in Cheshire County.

Similar intergenerational projects in the United States, such as the Intergenerational Learning Center in Seattle, have successfully brought together older adults and children for shared activities. Filmmaker Evan Briggs documented this experience in the film "Present Perfect," portraying the authentic journey of aging in America.

Mind Stretchers
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Yesterday’s Answer:
Yes. If Anne is married, then she is married and looking at George, who is unmarried. If Anne is unmarried, then Jack, who is married, is looking at her. Either way, the statement is correct.

This one was a tricky one. Debbie Ettinger gets today’s shout-out for getting most of the answer! She was correct in her answer that if Anne is unmarried, then Jack (married) would be looking at an unmarried Anne.

Be the first to send us the correct answer for today’s mind stretcher for a shout-out with the answer tomorrow. Just send us the answer and your name to [email protected]

If you have any uplifting stories and experience you might want to share, send those over to [email protected] for the chance to be featured.