Monday☕️

Earth Intelligence

28 Apr 2025 — 6 min read

Weekend Recap:

On Saturday, April 26, 2025, Pope Francis’ funeral Mass took place in St. Peter’s Square, led by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, with over 250,000 attendees, including international figures such as U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, following his death on April 21 at age 88 due to a stroke and heart failure. His body was displayed for public viewing in St. Peter’s Basilica from April 23-25, with the coffin sealed on April 25, before a procession to the Basilica of St. Mary Major for a private burial, a departure from tradition due to his personal connection to the site, attended by select groups. This marked the start of the Novemdiales, a nine-day mourning period from April 27 to May 4 with daily Masses, after which a conclave of 135 cardinal electors is expected to convene around May 5-10 in the Sistine Chapel to elect the next pope, determining the future leadership of the Catholic Church.
As of April 28, 2025, Oklahoma is continuing to experience severe flooding, particularly in central and southern regions, due to persistent heavy rainfall and storms. A Flash Flood Watch is in effect, with forecasts predicting several more inches of rain through early May, worsening conditions in already saturated areas. At least five deaths have been reported, all swept away by floodwaters. Counties like Atoka, Murray, and Pontotoc have seen extensive damage, with roads washed out, homes flooded, and businesses affected.

Economics & Markets:

Yesterday’s commodity market:

Yesterday’s crypto market:

Geopolitics & Military Activity:

Yesterday, April 27, 2025, U.S. Central Command (U.S. CENTCOM) provided an update on Operation Rough Rider, a 24/7 campaign launched on March 15 to target Yemen’s Houthi terrorist organization. The operation, driven by the goal of restoring freedom of navigation and reinforcing American deterrence, has involved over 800 precision strikes, resulting in hundreds of Houthi fighters killed, including senior missile and UAV officials. These strikes, supported by the Harry S. Truman and Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Groups, have destroyed critical Houthi infrastructure, including command-and-control facilities, air defense systems, advanced weapons manufacturing, and storage sites containing anti-ship ballistic and cruise missiles, drones, and uncrewed surface vessels. Notably, the destruction of Ras Isa Port’s fuel operations has disrupted the Houthis’ operational capacity and millions in revenue used for terrorist activities. U.S. CENTCOM reported a significant reduction in Houthi attacks, with ballistic missile launches down by 69% and drone attacks by 55%, underscoring the campaign’s impact on degrading Houthi effectiveness.

The campaign continues to target Houthi capabilities, with Iran’s ongoing support identified as a key enabler of their attacks on international shipping lanes. U.S. CENTCOM remains committed to escalating pressure until the Houthis cease impeding maritime security, though operational details are withheld for security reasons. Full statement link:

Environment & Weather:

Space:

Yesterday, April 27, 2025, at 11:54 AM Eastern Time, the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) launched the Tianlian 2-05 mission from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in China using a Long March 3B/E rocket. The mission, detailed by Next Spaceflight, deployed a geostationary relay satellite called Tianlian 2-05, built on the DFH-4 platform, a three-axis stabilized telecommunications design. This satellite will enhance China's data relay network, enabling real-time communication between spacecraft and ground stations from a geostationary orbit.

On Sunday, April 27, 2025, SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Base, Florida. The mission deployed 23 Starlink satellites, including 13 equipped with Direct to Cell capabilities, into low-Earth orbit as part of SpaceX's Starlink constellation, designed to provide global broadband internet. The first-stage booster, on its 12th flight, successfully separated and landed on the droneship Just Read the Instructions positioned in the Atlantic Ocean, marking another reusable rocket milestone. The satellites were released into their target orbit 65 minutes after liftoff.

Science & Technology:

Yesterday, April 27, 2025, Neuralink announced that Bradford G. Smith, a nonverbal individual with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), became the third human recipient of its brain-computer interface (BCI) implant. Smith, known on X as @ALScyborg, is the first ALS patient and the first nonverbal person to receive this technology. Neuralink’s BCI implant enables direct communication between the brain and external devices by interpreting neural signals, allowing Smith to type and communicate using only his thoughts. The technology involves a surgically implanted device that records and translates brain activity into digital commands, offering a lifeline for those with severe motor impairments like ALS, which progressively deteriorates muscle control. This milestone marks a significant step in Neuralink’s mission to restore autonomy to individuals with neurological conditions, building on prior implants in patients with other forms of paralysis.

Smith shared his experience on X, stating he is “typing this with my brain” and describing the implant as his primary communication tool, a transformative achievement for someone previously unable to speak. The announcement underscores Neuralink’s ongoing clinical trials, which aim to refine and expand the technology’s applications. Over time, this technology holds the potential to extend beyond disabled individuals, enabling non-disabled people to augment human capabilities through thought-driven technology command and control, potentially revolutionizing how humans interact with and manage technology in daily life.

Statistic:

Largest assets on Earth by market capitalization:

Gold: $22.316T
🇺🇸 Apple: $3.143T
🇺🇸 Microsoft: $2.913T
🇺🇸 NVIDIA: $2.708T
🇺🇸 Amazon: $2.005T
🇺🇸 Alphabet (Google): $1.953T
Bitcoin: $1.856T
Silver: $1.852T
🇸🇦 Saudi Aramco: $1.665T
🇺🇸 Meta Platforms: $1.345T
🇺🇸 Berkshire Hathaway: $1.146T
🇺🇸 Tesla: $917.81B
🇺🇸 Broadcom: $904.23B
🇹🇼 TSMC: $856.29B
🇺🇸 Eli Lilly: $794.30B
🇺🇸 Walmart: $768.33B
🇺🇸 JPMorgan Chase: $679.87B
🇺🇸 Visa: $647.58B
🇨🇳 Tencent: $564.40B
🇺🇸 SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust: $505.36B
🇺🇸 Mastercard: $488.18B
🇺🇸 Exxon Mobil: $469.85B
🇺🇸 Netflix: $468.77B
🇺🇸 Costco: $433.54B
🇺🇸 Oracle: $388.35B

History:

The papacy, meaning the office and authority of the pope as the supreme leader of the Catholic Church, spans nearly 2,000 years, beginning with St. Peter, traditionally the first pope, appointed by Jesus Christ around 30 AD, and continuing to Pope Francis, the 266th pope, who died on April 21, 2025. Early popes were chosen by Rome’s clergy and laity, often swayed by kings or emperors, causing disputes and rival popes. In 1059, Pope Nicholas II limited voting to the College of Cardinals, reducing external influence, though secular rulers retained power until the Middle Ages. At its medieval peak, popes like Gregory VII and Innocent III wielded vast authority, commanding armies, collecting taxes, and shaping European politics. The Reformation and rise of secular governments later diminished the pope’s political role, emphasizing spiritual leadership. Modern popes, like John Paul II and Francis, have guided 1.4 billion Catholics, addressing issues like poverty, peace, and climate change from the Vatican, an independent city-state.
Following Pope Francis’s death, the process to select the next pope begins with a vacant papacy period, managed by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who oversees Vatican operations and organizes the conclave. Within 15 to 20 days, 135 cardinals mostly appointed by Francis, will gather in the Sistine Chapel for secret voting. A two-thirds majority is required to elect the new pope, with ballots burned after each round—black smoke indicates no decision, white smoke signals a new pope.

Image of the day: