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News on The Tiny Rock

Tuesday, November 12
US and Switzerland agree to slash tariffs
A deal to cut steep tariffs in exchange for long-term investment commitments.
1 source

The US and Switzerland have agreed to sharply reduce tariffs on Swiss imports, with Switzerland promising a large investment package in return. Swiss officials say the move should ease pressure on exporters after months of uncertainty.

Why it matters
Trade deals like this shape which industries thrive, which prices stay high or low, and how much leverage each side has in the next negotiation.
Key points
  • US tariffs on Swiss imports are being cut from a punishing level to a more standard rate.
  • Switzerland has agreed to invest heavily in the US over several years.
  • The deal still needs final approvals before it fully takes effect.
Watch next
  • How Swiss exporters actually adjust production and hiring once tariffs fall.
  • Whether other US trade partners push for similar concessions.
  • How domestic critics in both countries frame the deal in the next election cycle.
Perspectives
  • Swiss industry: Welcomes the deal as overdue relief after months of tariff uncertainty.
  • US trade officials: Cast the agreement as proof that tough tariffs create leverage at the bargaining table.
NASA’s Curiosity rover reaches new drilling milestone on Mars
A 44th drill hole in a puzzling rock region could refine theories about Mars’ past.
2 sources

NASA’s Curiosity rover has completed its 44th drill hole on Mars, this time in a ‘boxwork’ ridge network that has puzzled scientists. Samples will be analyzed to learn how water, minerals, and time shaped the surrounding rock.

Why it matters
Every new sample helps scientists refine their picture of whether Mars once had the conditions to support life — and what changed.
Key points
  • Curiosity drilled into a rock feature made of hard ridges surrounding softer material.
  • Onboard instruments will analyze the sample’s mineral makeup and chemistry.
  • The finding adds another datapoint to a decade-plus mission studying Mars’ habitability.
Watch next
  • Upcoming analysis results from Curiosity’s SAM and CheMin instruments.
  • How this ‘boxwork’ region compares with earlier drill sites in Gale Crater.
  • What these findings imply for future sample-return missions.
Perspectives
  • Planetary scientists: See the site as a natural laboratory for studying how fluids move through rock over millions of years.
  • Mission planners: Treat each successful drill as practice for more ambitious missions that may one day bring samples back to Earth.
Cuba battles mosquito-borne illnesses
Dengue and other viruses are straining a health system already under pressure.
1 source

Cuban authorities are fighting a wave of mosquito-borne illnesses, including dengue and chikungunya. Health officials report large numbers of workers out sick as fumigation teams move neighborhood to neighborhood.

Why it matters
Mosquito-borne diseases often expose gaps in public health systems — and can linger long after the headlines fade.
Key points
  • Officials warn that a significant share of the population has been affected.
  • Frequent power outages and strained infrastructure complicate mosquito control.
  • International observers link the outbreak to broader economic and supply challenges.
Watch next
  • Whether case counts fall after this wave of fumigation campaigns.
  • How Cuba balances tourism needs with public-health messaging.
  • Whether regional partners or NGOs step in with additional support.
Perspectives
  • Cuban health officials: Emphasize the pressure sanctions place on access to pesticides, fuel, and medical supplies.
  • Local residents: Report frustration about repeated outbreaks and uneven access to reliable prevention tools like nets and repellents.
AI’s messy copyright moment
Courts, creators, and training data collide as deals quietly reshape who gets paid.
1 source

Publishers, newsrooms, and artists are pushing for paid licensing while AI companies argue their models rely on fair use. Behind the scenes, private deals, opt-out tools, and watermarking experiments are redefining what ‘open’ training data means.

Why it matters
The way we resolve this fight will influence who can build powerful models — and who captures the value created by them.
Key points
  • Some large publishers have signed exclusive licensing agreements with AI labs.
  • Legal cases in multiple jurisdictions are likely to produce a patchwork of rules, not a single clear precedent.
  • Creators are exploring technical tools like watermarking and ‘do not train’ tags, with mixed adoption so far.
Watch next
  • Which court cases become early bellwethers for training-data rules.
  • Whether smaller creators can access the same licensing channels as big publishers.
  • How open-source model communities respond to new constraints.
Perspectives
  • Publishers: Argue that AI systems built on their archives should pay ongoing license fees, not one-off deals.
  • Startups & open-source advocates: Warn that overly strict rules could lock in advantages for a few large platforms.
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NASA Blue Marble view of Earth

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About Us

We started this project because our feeds trained us to react first and reflect later—if at all. That impulse is human, but it’s also hackable. Our newsletter is a counter-pattern: short, sourced, and bias-aware. You pick any topic; we surface the best context and invite you to slow down long enough to actually think.

Reflection isn’t about being “neutral.” It’s about consciously noticing how a story is framed, how your prior beliefs pull you, and which facts actually matter. That’s why every issue includes brief prompts—lightweight questions to help you check your assumptions without killing your momentum.

And because your judgments help our models improve, we believe you should share in the upside. When your contributions make the AI more useful, and that usefulness powers our API, you earn a cut. We call them Training Points—a simple way to reward the people who make the system smarter.

Our bet is simple: better information + conscious reflection + aligned incentives will make all of us harder to manipulate and quicker to learn.