Good morning. This is 1% Better. Unbiased news and practical life advice that makes you a little better every day.

Today we're covering updates on the US-China AI race, how fertility has hit a worldwide low, and the benefits of creatine “spillover” for your brain.

Forwarded this email? Click here to join.

Trump administration officials outlined plans to accelerate US energy production for artificial intelligence infrastructure during a Silicon Valley summit Friday. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reported June marked the first federal budget surplus since 2015, driven by tariff revenues and spending cuts. Full interview here.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright emphasized natural gas will dominate AI power needs, citing Texas data showing wind and solar delivered only 8% during peak winter demand despite comprising 35% of capacity. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick announced Japan committed $550 billion to finance US infrastructure projects. White House AI policy here.

Officials set August 1st deadline for trade negotiations, warning automatic tariff increases follow unresolved deals. The administration projects AI infrastructure spending at $300 billion annually while targeting 2 terawatts of electricity capacity by 2040 to maintain competitive advantage over China.

The US-China AI race here.

U.S. fertility rates hit an all-time low in 2024 at 1.6 children per woman, federal data released Thursday shows. The CDC reported the rate fell from 1.621 in 2023, continuing a nearly two-decade decline below replacement level of 2.1 children per woman (More).

The rate matches western European countries and reflects delayed marriages and economic concerns about raising children. Despite Trump administration efforts including expanded IVF access and proposed "baby bonuses," experts say current policies don't address core issues like parental leave and childcare costs.

Total births increased 1% to 3.6 million babies in 2024, driven by immigration expanding the childbearing population rather than higher individual birth rates. Researchers expect continued declines as couples delay having children due to financial uncertainty and resource concerns. Evidence shows rates are dropping worldwide.

Professional wrestling legend Hulk Hogan died Thursday at age 71 from cardiac arrest at a Florida hospital, police and WWE confirmed. Clearwater authorities responded to a morning emergency call, with officials reporting no signs of foul play in the incident.

Hogan headlined the first WrestleMania in 1985 (video), drawing 1 million viewers on closed-circuit television and launching wrestling into mainstream culture. His match against Andre the Giant at WrestleMania III attracted 80,000 attendees, while their NBC rematch drew 33 million viewers.

The six-time WWF World Heavyweight Champion reinvented himself in 1996 as a villain with WCW's New World Order, helping the company beat WWE in ratings for 83 consecutive weeks. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005.

Hulk Hogan outside the ring (NYT).

Standard 5-gram doses saturate muscles effectively, but research revealed a game-changing truth: 10 grams creates a "spillover effect" that feeds your brain.

Dr. Rhonda Patrick’s Enhanced Protocol:

Traditional athletes stop at muscle saturation. Advanced performers understand: once muscles are full, excess creatine crosses the blood-brain barrier.

Studies comparing 4-gram vs 10-gram doses show dramatic differences in brain creatine levels over 8 weeks. The higher dose targets areas 5 grams can't reach.

The Science: Creatine fuels ATP production in brain cells, supporting cognitive function and bone health.

The Results: Enhanced mental clarity, improved decision-making under pressure, sustained energy for physical and cognitive performance. Her supplement stack here.

"Everyone's lifestyle is their competitor's opportunity." Alex Hormozi's brutal reality check on why most entrepreneurs never scale. While you're upgrading cars and apartments, competitors are living far below their means, saving cash for the next big jump. Hormozi made 3-4 major career leaps by deliberately going back to zero: when he sold Gym Launch, cash flow stopped completely, forcing him to rebuild from scratch. The principle: lifestyle inflation kills optionality. Every dollar spent on comfort is a dollar unavailable for the next opportunity, acquisition, or pivot (Video).

> Nvidia's $1B AI chips smuggled to China despite Trump export controls, black market thrives (More).

> Lutnick threatens TikTok shutdown unless China cedes U.S. control by September 17 divestiture deadline (More).

> FCC clears $8.4B Paramount-Skydance merger following Paramount's controversial $16M settlement with Trump lawsuit (More).

> Pogačar holds four-minute Tour de France lead as O'Connor wins Stage 18, Vingegaard fails to close gap (More).

> Union Pacific nears $200B Norfolk Southern merger creating first coast-to-coast railroad, prompting BNSF-CSX talks (More).

How to fix a bad haircut.

Easily bug-proof your campsite.

The Christmas in July trend.

Treasure hunters seek out storms.

How The Osbournes changed TV.