Sonic Booms: “I am an aerospace engineer who studies space and defense systems, including hypersonic systems. These new systems pose an important challenge due to their maneuverability all along their trajectory. Because their flight paths can change as they travel, defending against these missiles requires tracking them throughout their flight.” They’re also fast. Like, unimaginably fast. The Conversation: China’s hypersonic missiles threaten US power in the Pacific – an aerospace engineer explains how the weapons work and the unique threats they pose.

+ Cable News Neglect: CNN’s numbers have been terrible since the Trump town hall. Last week, the network averaged just 429,000 total daily viewers. (That’s not even enough to bring down Twitter’s servers.)

+ Yellowstone Cold: Yellowstone baby bison put to death after visitor picks it up, leading herd to reject it. “The calf became separated from its mother when the herd crossed the Lamar River in northeastern Yellowstone on Saturday. The unidentified man pushed the struggling calf up from the river and onto a roadway, park officials said in a news release. Human interference with young wildlife can cause animals to shun their offspring. Park rangers tried repeatedly to reunite the calf with the herd but were unsuccessful.”

+ Call Me Maybe (Not): “Attorneys general across the U.S. joined in a lawsuit against a telecommunications company accused of making more than 7.5 billion robocalls to people on the national Do Not Call Registry.” Texts and calls have gotten worse than email spam ever was.

+ Joint Venture: “If confirmed, it would be the first time in US history that both of the Defense Department’s top leaders – the secretary of defense and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs – are African American.” Biden nominates Air Force Gen. C.Q. Brown as the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

+ Mall Ball: “It’s a well-timed match. Malls have been floundering for years with landlords struggling to figure out what to do with their empty storefronts. And one of the communities most desperate for space is pickleball players, whose sport has become extremely popular but who have few places to actually play.” Pickleball Is Taking Over Empty Bed Bath & Beyonds. (Kitchen rules still apply.)