Today’s Big Story

Fewer Americans Read for Pleasure

‘Deeply concerning’: Over the last 20 years, those who read for enjoyment has seen a considerable decline

As a kid, I was never much of a reader. But then sometime in my teens, I discovered how much I loved getting lost in books—the way your mind works in tandem with the author, filling in all the details and how deeply you could connect with the characters. And maybe it’s because I’m a writer myself, but I think we need to read. And the world needs to readers now more than ever—because regular readers are more informed, less stressed and more empathetic than those who don't read. That’s been scientifically proven. Books provide a specific type of insight; a life-guiding wisdom that helps you ask or answer life’s big questions.

But fewer Americans than ever before are reading for pleasure, according to a new study released this week—declining 40% in the past two decades. Only 16% of Americans age 15 and over read for leisure every day in 2023, according to a study from researchers at the University of Florida and University College London that was published Wednesday in the journal iScience, compared with 28% of Americans in 2003.

According to the Washington Post, the new findings come as Americans’ attention spans and print book sales are in decline, and artificial intelligence technology is aiming to summarize knowledge as quickly as possible. “It’s significant, and it’s deeply concerning,” said research director Jill Sonke. Researchers found significant drops in leisure reading from Black Americans, those in rural areas and those with lower income levels or educational attainments. Women were also more likely to read for pleasure than men. According to Sonke, leisure reading is linked to greater health outcomes such as reduced stress and anxiety. “When we lose one of the simplest tools in our public health toolkit, it’s a serious loss.”

But the researchers also noted some more promising findings, including that reading with children did not change over the last 20 years. (Thank you Harry Potter!) However, reading with children was a lot less common than reading for pleasure, which is concerning given that this activity is tied to early literacy development, academic success and family bonding.

The Redistricting Fight Continues

Newsom signs California redistricting measures in response to Texas bill

California's Democratic-controlled Legislature passed bills Thursday setting up a high-profile special election this fall, when voters will decide whether to approve the party's plan to gerrymander California's congressional map. The legislation is in direct response to Texas’ Republican-controlled House passing a new congressional map at the urging of President Donald Trump, and the consequences of both could prove pivotal in the 2026 midterms and 2028 presidential election.

Democratic voters historically loathe partisan redistricting. A Politico-UC Berkeley Citrin Center survey found that 70% of Democrats believe gerrymandering is “never acceptable,” but a strong majority of voters across the country think California Democrats should “fight back” and create more favorable House districts if Texas Republicans do.

"This is not something six weeks ago that I ever imagined that I'd be doing,” Newsom said ahead of signing the bills. “We’re neutralizing what occurred, and we’re giving the American people a fair chance, because when all things are equal, we’re all playing by the same rules.” If voters approve their plan, the proposed California map could allow Democrats to win up to five more seats in 2026. But Republicans have been strident in their pushback, too. James Gallagher, the Republican leader in the Assembly, told NBC News, “You move forward fighting fire with fire, what happens? You burn it all down.”

This New Hypersonic Jet Will Hit Mach 5

By 2031, it could be flying from London to New York in an hour

This is cool … it will take off like a conventional aircraft, but transition into a hydrogen-fueled rocket. After the NASA space shuttle was retired in 2011, it seemed like space planes might become relics of the past. But they are on a comeback. The latest design, funded from the European Space Agency, will start flying by 2031 if all goes according to plan. Dubbed Invictus, it can operate like an orbital space plane or simply a hypersonic private jet that can zoom you from New York to London in just one hour.

According to Robb Report, U.K. consulting firm Frazer-Nash will lead the project, which will use technology developed by Reaction Engines Ltd., a private firm launched in 1989 that previously designed a space plane called Skylon. That, in turn, was based on a 1982 concept called the Horizontal Take-Off and Landing (HOTOL) space plane. Last year, Reaction Engines ran into financial difficulties and went out of business. But it goes to show that you can't keep a good technology down.

The aircraft is capable of reaching speeds of Mach 5 (3,386 mph). Combining aspects of jet and rocket propulsion, the engine pulls oxygen out of the air at lower atmospheric levels to reduce the need to carry propellant, resulting in a much lighter, more efficient aircraft. In space, it will be fueled by liquid hydrogen. One of the main challenges of operating a hypersonic vehicle is that the outer surface of the aircraft and the air entering the engines become extremely hot at high speeds, due to shock heating and surface friction. Invictus plans to incorporate the “pre-cooler” technology which chills superheated air in a fraction of a second—and has already been successfully tested on conventional jet engines.

A Weekend Pairing

‘Long Story Short‘ + a Hard Cider

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