You’re reading Significant Digits, a daily digest of the numbers tucked inside the news.
A high of 4 degrees Fahrenheit
Daily Martian weather reports are now being made public thanks to equipment on NASA’s InSight lander. One recent day on Mars, for example, saw a high of 4 degrees Fahrenheit a low of -138 degrees. But it’s the windchill that really gets you. [Gizmodo]
18 minutes 49 seconds
According to a report by the security firm CrowdStrike, no one hacks faster than Russia’s hackers. Russian hackers moved from “initial intrusion” to expanded access in an average of 18 minutes and 49 seconds, according to the analysis of 30,000 attempted computer breaches. North Korean hackers came in second, though some two hours behind. Chinese hackers took some four hours. [Wired]
1,290-pound robotic lander
Israeli scientists will launch the first privately funded mission to the moon this week, called Beresheet — a 1,290-pound robotic lander powered by SpaceX Falcon 9 rockets. The mission is meant to measure the moon’s magnetic field as well as deposit a cache of digital files that include the Bible, Israel’s national anthem and memories of a Holocaust survivor. [The Guardian]
$250 million lawsuit
Nicholas Sandmann, the teenager who appeared in a viral video in a Make America Great Again hat staring down a Native American activist at the Lincoln Memorial, is suing the Washington Post for $250 million, claiming that the paper “wrongfully targeted and bullied” him. That also happens to be the amount that Jeff Bezos paid to buy the Post in 2013. The Post says it will mount “a vigorous defense.” [Reuters]
$6 million raised
Within just over a day after announcing his 2020 presidential candidacy, Bernie Sanders raised $6 million from more than 225,000 donors, according to his campaign. This biggest comparable number was from Kamala Harris, whose campaign said it raised $1.5 million in the first 24 hours. [The New York Times]
$340 plates
Queensland, Australia, is now offering customized license plates featuring emoji — 6JL🚗😎👍. And they’re a steal at the equivalent of $340 U.S. [BBC]
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From ABC News: