Good morning. It's Wednesday, March 3, and we're covering an accelerated vaccine timeline, insight into our early ancestors, and much more. Have feedback? Let us know at hello@join1440.com.

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NEED TO KNOW

Rivals Unite

President Joe Biden said yesterday the country will have enough vaccine supply by the end of May for all US adults, two months earlier than previously anticipated. He also said his administration would push for all teachers to have the option for at least a first dose by the end of March. 

The announcement followed news that pharmaceutical giant Merck will reportedly partner with historic rival Johnson & Johnson to produce the latter's single-shot COVID-19 vaccine. Merck facilities are expected to aid in both vaccine production as well as the critical step of filling vials without contamination.

The partnership will help Johnson & Johnson meet its quota of 100 million doses by July; the company has encountered challenges rapidly scaling production. Merck's two vaccine candidates were abandoned in January after failing to stimulate an immune response. 

Recent surveys show about 22% of people won't get vaccinated voluntarily, while another 22% are waiting to see how it's working. Former President Donald Trump and former first lady Melania Trump reportedly received vaccines in January.

The US has reported 516,608 total COVID-19 deaths, with 1,924 reported yesterday (see data). More than 52 million people have received their first vaccine dose.

In related news, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) said yesterday he would rescind the state's mask mandate and allow businesses to fully reopen.

The Life of Little Foot

A groundbreaking study has shed light on the life of Little Foot, one of the oldest and most complete hominin specimens ever discovered. The skull of the 3.7-million-year-old skeleton was painstakingly scanned at the United Kingdom's Diamond Light Source, whose X-ray light allows scientists to recreate high-resolution cross-sectional images—effectively allowing them to peer inside the specimen without destroying it. 

Among other details, the study suggests Little Foot experienced multiple periods of dietary stress or illness and was relatively old at the time of death. Features of the cranial structure are expected to provide a new understanding of the evolution of the human brain, particularly around thermal regulation. The specimen, which took two full decades to recover (read backstory), rivals the famous 3.2-million-year-old Lucy skeleton in importance. The latter is just 40% intact, while Little Foot has been more than 90% reconstructed. 

See where Little Foot (likely) sat in our evolutionary tree.

Wray Testifies

FBI Director Christopher Wray testified yesterday before the Senate Judiciary Committee, defending the agency's handling of intelligence in the lead-up to the Jan. 6 storming of the US Capitol. Wray asserted a Jan. 5 field office report warning of violence, which became widely publicized in the days following the attack, was quickly disseminated to security officials. Wray also framed the intelligence as raw and unverified at the time it was received. 

According to Wray, the bureau is treating the attack as an act of domestic terrorism, and has gathered more than 270,000 tips from the public. Roughly 300 people have been charged, with at least 280 people arrested. Wray also said no evidence has been found of undercover leftist protesters leading the protests—but was quick to emphasize the FBI classifies crimes based on types of extremism rather than political ideology.

Roughly 2,000 domestic terrorism cases were reportedly opened by the FBI in 2020, a number that has more than doubled since 2017.

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TRIPLE-DOUBLE

For all you basketball fanatics, you know a triple-double is no small achievement. But if you don't know the first thing about basketball, we've got a different breed of exceptional triple-doubles for you.

You see, Motley Fool cofounder Tom Gardner and his investment analysis team typically recommend one promising stock every month for members of the Stock Advisor service. Normally, Stock Advisor recommendations are nothing short of exceptional, with average returns of 600%. But every once in a while, Tom and his team will issue a rare "double down" report for a stock they feel deserves double the spotlight. These "double down" recommendations are where Motley Fool Stock Advisor members can see extraordinary returns, with past recommendations racking up over 10 times in returns.

And now, Tom Gardner's team brings us our favorite kind of triple-double. That is, three "double down" picks, all at once. Clean your glasses, rub your eyes, and pull your jaw off the floor. Sign up for The Motley Fool Stock Advisor and check them out today.

Returns as of 2/25/21

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IN THE KNOW

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture

> Bunny Wailer, three-time Grammy-winning reggae legend who founded The Wailers along with Bob Marley and Peter Tosh, dies at 73 (More) | Civil rights activist and former President Bill Clinton adviser Vernon Jordan dies at 85 (More)

> Six Dr. Seuss books, including “And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street,” will stop being published due to racist and insensitive imagery (More)

> The 2021 Primetime Emmy Awards set for Sept. 19, will air on CBS and Paramount Plus (More) | Rachel Lindsay, first Black star of “The Bachelorette,” says franchise should pause filming amid host Chris Harrison controversy (More)

Science & Technology

> China spent a record $378B on government-funded research and development in 2020, equaling 2.4% of gross domestic product; the US spent an estimated $134B, or roughly 0.7% of GDP (More)

> Microsoft introduces Microsoft Mesh, a mixed reality meeting platform using the company's HoloLens 2 headset; platform makes meeting attendees appear as holograms (More)

> Study shows cuttlefish are capable of passing the "marshmallow test," or delaying gratification; study also marks the first link between self-control and intelligence seen in animals beyond humans and chimpanzees (More)

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Business & Markets

Brought to you by The Ascent

> Target sees digital sales surge during pandemic, but shares down as retail giant announces $4B annual investment in online and in-store upgrades to accommodate increased sales (More)

> Delivery giant Instacart raises $265M at $39B valuation, as business soars amid pandemic (More)

> Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy announces new exchange-traded fund that will invest in the top 75 stocks based on positive social media sentiment; BUZZ will start trading Thursday (More)

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Politics & World Affairs

> The US and European Union announce coordinated sanctions against seven Russian officials and 14 entities over the poisoning and arrest of opposition leader Alexei Navalny; represents the Biden administration's first significant action toward Russia (More)

> White House withdraws Neera Tanden's nomination as director of the Office of Management and Budget; President Biden hints she'll serve in a different non-Senate confirmed role (More)

> At least 13 people dead after an overcrowded SUV collides with a tractor-trailer near the California-Mexico border; vehicle was carrying 25 people along a popular illegal border crossing route (More)

'DOUBLE-DOWN' ALUMNI

In partnership with The Motley Fool

Not many stocks are identified as "Double Down" picks by Tom Gardner. But there are certainly some notable alumni:
> Netflix, up 29,745%
> Amazon, up 1,679%
> Apple, up 2,225%

There are three stocks Tom believes are must-buys today. Sign up for The Motley Fool Stock Advisor and check them out.

Returns as of 2/25/21

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ETCETERA

Science says people really won't shut up.

Visualizing five decades of minimum wage.

Researchers find three new glow-in-the-dark sharks.

Plastic surgeon makes virtual court appearance while operating.

Explore the past year's best political photos.

Volvo is set to go all electric (and all online).

A fascinating map of the world's cell towers.

Kansas wrestling coach sent hundreds of bananas after state title wins.

Yard sale turns up 15th-century Chinese bowl worth $500K. 

Clickbait: It ain't spring until the cows are dancing.

Historybook: Inventor Alexander Graham Bell born (1847); "The Star-Spangled Banner" becomes the US national anthem (1931); HBD track and field great Jackie Joyner-Kersee (1962); Turkish Airlines flight crashes outside Paris, killing all 346 aboard (1974); RIP Sir Roger Bannister, first person to run a sub-four-minute mile (2018).

"It is better to look ahead and prepare than to look back and regret."

- Jackie Joyner-Kersee

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