Any day now, an old Soviet spacecraft will crash-land on Earth

Summary

Apple News Today: Detailed Summary of May 9, 2025 Episode

Hosted by Shemita Basu

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1. Graduation Season and the Job Market

As graduation season reaches its peak, Shemita Basu opens the episode by highlighting that this year's graduating class is expected to be the largest in history. With millions of young individuals entering the workforce, optimism about job prospects remains high.

Survey Insights: Rachel Barber, a money and economy reporter at USA Today, discusses a recent survey conducted by Monster and Harris Poll, which surveyed over 1,000 recent and soon-to-be graduates. The findings reveal significant optimism among graduates regarding their job prospects:

• 83% believe they will secure employment shortly after graduation.
• 37% anticipate finding a job within four to six months.
• Only 5% expect it to take a year or longer ([00:51]).

Qualifications and Overconfidence: Barber notes that most graduates feel adequately qualified for entry-level roles, with 20% even considering themselves overqualified ([01:15]).

Economic Backing: The graduates' confidence aligns with recent economic reports showing strong job numbers in April, a stable unemployment rate, and slight growth in average hourly earnings. However, nearly half of the surveyed graduates express skepticism about securing positions at their preferred companies ([01:23]).

Deal Breakers for Employment: Several factors deter graduates from accepting certain job offers:

• Competitive Salary and Benefits: Nearly half insist on competitive compensation packages ([01:23]).
• Pay Transparency and Work Structure: Graduates are advocating for greater transparency in salaries and are largely opposed to rigid work-from-office mandates. 60% view in-office requirements as outdated ([02:12]).

Barber emphasizes the shift towards valuing work-life balance:

"More than half said that they won't work somewhere that doesn't provide that. So kind of the conventional wisdom that the first few years of your career are for grinding and putting in overtime to get a promotion. They're not really in agreement with that." ([02:26])

Expert Advice on Job Hunting: Barber consulted with career experts who advise graduates to remain patient during their job searches. Companies are extending their hiring processes, often involving multiple interview rounds, writing tests, and informal meetings to assess team compatibility. This extended process is due to the abundance of qualified applicants, allowing companies to take their time without the pressure to hire immediately ([02:49]).

Career Aspirations: Among the surveyed graduates:

• 25% intend to pursue careers in business.
• 15% are interested in careers related to artificial intelligence ([03:25]).

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2. The Election of the First American Pope

In a historic moment, the Vatican has elected Robert Prevost as the new Pope, taking the name Pope Leo XIV. This marks the first time an American has been chosen to lead the Catholic Church.

Papal Inauguration: Pope Leo XIV addressed the global Catholic community with heartfelt emotion:

"La pace sia contuti voi." ([04:34]) Translation: "May peace be with you all."

Background and Selection: Joshua McElwee, Reuters' Vatican correspondent, provides insight into Pope Leo's unexpected selection. Despite being relatively unknown and having only served at the Vatican for two years, Prevost's extensive missionary work in Peru and his compassionate approach towards refugees likely influenced his election ([04:34]).

Political Reactions: President Donald Trump lauded Pope Leo's selection as a significant honor for the United States. This endorsement follows Trump’s controversial tweet featuring an AI-generated image of himself as pope, which was met with backlash from religious leaders. The relationship between Pope Leo and President Trump is anticipated to be complex, especially on social issues. Pope Leo is perceived as aligning with Pope Francis on social justice causes, particularly regarding refugees and migrant rights ([04:45]).

Potential Policy Directions: Experts suggest that Pope Leo XIV may continue to support Pope Francis's progressive stances, including criticism of the Trump administration's immigration policies and other life issues. However, there remains uncertainty regarding his positions on topics like sexuality. While Pope Francis has taken more lenient stances, such as allowing blessings for gay couples, Leo XIV's future policies remain to be seen ([06:09]).

Local Reactions: A lighthearted moment emerged when rumors about Pope Leo being a Chicago Cubs fan were quickly dispelled by his brother, clarifying that he is, in fact, a White Sox supporter ([07:03]).

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3. Soviet-Era Spacecraft Set to Crash-Land on Earth

An old Soviet spacecraft, initially launched to Venus over five decades ago, is projected to re-enter Earth's atmosphere and crash-land. This event has reignited concerns about space debris and its potential impact on our planet.

Spacecraft Details: Shortly after its launch, the spacecraft inadvertently became trapped in Earth's orbit. Designed to withstand Venus's denser atmosphere, there's a possibility that parts of it may survive re-entry and reach the Earth's surface intact ([07:24]).

Risk Assessment: Harvard astronomers explain that the probability of the spacecraft striking a person is extremely low, primarily because approximately 70% of Earth is covered by water, increasing the chances of an oceanic landing ([08:49]).

Space Junk Concerns: The impending crash highlights the broader issue of space debris. Unlike most satellites that burn up upon re-entry, this Soviet spacecraft may contribute to environmental concerns if it disintegrates:

• In 2024, around 1,000 satellites re-entered Earth's atmosphere, averaging three per day.
• Projections suggest that by 2035, this number could rise to 50 re-entries daily, exacerbating space pollution ([08:49]).

Environmental Implications: Eric Rostin, an environmental writer for Bloomberg, warns of the potential impact on the ozone layer:

"When you start burning up all that aluminum and copper and lithium at the top of the atmosphere, it turns out it might start to have some effects we do not want." ([08:49])

These materials could deplete the ozone layer, which safeguards life on Earth by blocking harmful ultraviolet radiation. Additionally, rising space debris could indirectly influence weather patterns.

Industry Growth and Future Risks: Companies like Amazon and SpaceX have significantly increased the number of satellites in orbit. SpaceX alone has launched over 7,000 satellites, with plans to scale up to 42,000 in the future. This surge raises concerns about stratospheric pollution, as rocket emissions and satellite particles could reverse progress made in ozone layer recovery and potentially alter weather systems ([09:19]).

Ongoing Research and Mitigation Efforts: Scientists advocate for proactive measures to monitor and mitigate the effects of space debris. The European Space Agency plans to launch a mission in 2027 to track a satellite's final descent and analyze the remnants before they impact Earth ([10:03]).

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4. Additional News Highlights

White House Personnel Changes:

• Jeanine Pirro: President Trump has appointed Fox News host and former prosecutor Jeanine Pirro as the interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, a pivotal role within the Justice Department. This appointment follows the withdrawal of Ed Martin's nomination due to Republican opposition. Pirro is known for her longstanding support of Trump and her vocal stance on election fraud claims from 2020 ([10:21]).

• FEMA Leadership: Cameron Hamilton, head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), was dismissed shortly after expressing opposition to congressional suggestions to eliminate FEMA. His termination occurs amid Trump administration proposals to significantly reduce FEMA's budget, just weeks before the hurricane season begins ([10:21]).

Urban Land Subsidence: New research reveals that the land beneath the 28 most populous U.S. cities is experiencing subsidence, affecting approximately 34 million residents. Contrary to common belief that subsidence primarily affects coastal cities, many of the impacted cities are inland. For instance, Houston is sinking rapidly due to extensive groundwater, oil, and gas extraction activities. The causes of subsidence vary regionally, highlighting the diverse challenges urban areas face regarding land stability ([10:21]).

Mother's Day Special Story: In Fort Worth, Texas, a heartwarming story emerged where a mother shares her son's graduation announcement from Texas Christian University. Kyle Fields reflects on his close relationship with his mother, highlighting the importance of family support during his academic journey:

"One of my favorite memories from it is being able to sit in the living room and knock out our homework together. I mean, there was plenty of nights where up till 10, 11 o'clock she's reading or I'm writing an essay. That kind of thing definitely brought us closer." ([12:48])

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Conclusion

Shemita Basu wraps up the episode by wishing listeners a special Mother's Day, sharing a personal anecdote, and teasing the next episode featuring an interview with Pulitzer Prize winner Madeline Barron. The episode offers a comprehensive overview of significant events, from the optimistic job market for graduates and the historic election of an American pope to the environmental implications of space debris and noteworthy political appointments.

For more stories and in-depth coverage, listeners are encouraged to access the Apple News app.

Transcript

[Shemita Basu]

Good morning, it's Friday, May 9th. I'm Shemita Basu. This is Apple News today. On today's show, for the first time an American Pope, a Soviet era spacecraft is expected to come crashing down to earth and why many non coastal cities are sinking. But first, we are in the height of graduation season. In fact, this year's graduating class is expected to be the largest in history and millions of young people will be entering the workforce for the first time in the next few weeks. A recent survey found many are pretty optimistic about finding a job.

[Rachel Barber]

83% said that they think it'll happen shortly after graduation. 37% predict that it'll happen within four to six months and only 5% said that they think it'll take them a year or longer.

[Shemita Basu]

Rachel Barber is a money and economy reporter at USA Today. She told us about this survey from the job site Monster and Harris poll. It checked in with more than 1000 recent and soon to be grads.

[Rachel Barber]

Most feel confident that they're qualified for an entry level role and 20% even said that they feel overqualified for an entry level position.

[Shemita Basu]

Their confidence in the job market has been backed up by recent economic reports. Job numbers were strong in April, beating expectations. The unemployment rate held steady and average hourly earnings grew slightly. But the graduates surveyed were far less confident that they'll be able to find jobs at the companies they want to work for. Nearly half said they didn't think it was likely. For some, there were a few potential deal breakers about entering the workforce. Nearly half of the students said that they won't take a job that doesn't have a competitive salary and benefits. Barber says young job seekers are leading the way on pay transparency, pushing executives to publish details like in office expectations and salaries, a requirement in some but not all states. Nearly 60% of grads think work from office requirements are outdated.

[Rachel Barber]

I think since COVID we've seen that more graduates and more workers in general obviously want remote work and that's something that keeps popping up in the data.

[Shemita Basu]

The biggest deal breaker, they called out companies that don't value work life balance.

[Rachel Barber]

More than half said that they won't work somewhere that doesn't provide that. So kind of the conventional wisdom that the first few years of your career are for grinding and putting in overtime to get a promotion. They're not really in agreement with that. They want somewhere where they can clock out at 5pm or something where they don't even have to work until 5pm because they have flexible hours.

[Shemita Basu]

Barber also spoke to some career experts for tips on what graduates should expect as they start their job hunts. One of them told her grads should prepare to be patient.

[Rachel Barber]

Companies are taking longer and taking more time in the hiring process. So you're seeing four, five rounds of interviews these days and maybe a writing test and maybe they want you to come in for coffee to see if you gel well with the team. And the reasoning behind that, she said, is just because companies can, there's a lot of qualified applicants out there, and if they're not in a rush to hire someone immediately, there are people who will agree to do that.

[Shemita Basu]

Of the young people surveyed, nearly a quarter said they plan to pursue a career in business. 15% said they plan to pursue a career in AI. Now to the Vatican, where yesterday white smoke appeared signaling to the world's 1.4 billion Catholics that a new spiritual leader has been chosen. Robert Prevost, now Pope Leo xiv, was emotional as he addressed a jubilant crowd from the Vatican balcony. La pace sia contuti voi, he said. May peace be with you all. Leo is the first American ever selected to be pope, but in his first words to Followers yesterday, the 69 year old Chicago native spoke in Italian and Spanish, a language he picked up while spending most of his career in Peru. Joshua McElwee is Reuters Vatican correspondent and he's had a front row seat to this process over the past few weeks.

[Joshua McElwee]

He's not someone who a lot of people were looking at. He's only been at the Vatican for about two years. Before that, he was a missionary in Peru, McElwee said.

[Shemita Basu]

It's an interesting moment to choose an American pope.

[Joshua McElwee]

There might have been a sentiment now that with the role America is playing on the world stage and the divisive tenor of US President Donald Trump, that maybe it was the right time for an American pope to be at the helm of the Catholic Church and help it navigate and also respond to the American administration.

[Shemita Basu]

President Trump called Pope Leo's selection a great honor for the United States. That comes a few days after he tweeted an AI generated image of himself as pope, which evoked negative reactions from many religious leaders. And it's quite possible the American president and the new American pope won't see eye to eye on many social issues. Months ago, a social media account connected with then Cardinal Prevost criticized the Trump administration and Vice President J.D. vance, who is a Catholic, for their hardline stance on immigration. Leo is generally seen to be someone who was close to the previous Pope Francis and has made causes of social justice, especially for refugees. Of personal interest, people McElwee spoke to in Peru noted his down to earth manner and compassion for Venezuelan migrants.

[Joshua McElwee]

He brings with him clear preference for some of the priorities of Pope Francis, who criticized the Trump administration over its handling and deportation of migrants and on other life issues. And I think we can expect that in time the new Pope Leo XIV will also echo Pope Francis and make some of those same criticisms.

[Shemita Basu]

It's not clear exactly how Pope Leo might break from his predecessor on issues like sexuality. Pope Francis famously said homosexuality is a sin but not a crime, and he allowed for the blessing of gay couples. As for the new pope, we know little beyond 2012 comments he made critical of the media's positive portrayal of, quote, practices that are contrary to the gospel.

[Joshua McElwee]

I think initially you could expect that the new pope would uphold a lot of the traditional Catholic sexual doctrine, and then we could see if on social issues he pronounces a line that might fit in more in a progressive viewpoint.

[Shemita Basu]

So there's still a lot of unknowns for Chicagoans. Another big unknown is Pope Leo's baseball allegiances. A rumor quickly circulated on social media that the South Chicago native was a Cubs fan. His brother was quick to clear up the confusion on local WGN tv.

[Rachel Barber]

Clear up the thing about the Cubs and White Sox.

[Joshua McElwee]

Yeah, he was never, ever a Cubs fan, so I don't know where that came from. He was always a Sox fan.

[Shemita Basu]

Any day now, a spacecraft that was sent by the Soviet Union to land on Venus over 50 years ago is expected to fall down to Earth and make a crash landing somewhere. According to ABC News, soon after it initially launched, parts of the spacecraft got trapped in Earth's orbit by mistake. And since it was built to survive the atmosphere of Venus, which is far denser than ours, it's possible it won't fully disintegrate as it streaks down through Earth's atmosphere. Which brings us to the next where could it land? And even more specifically, could it land on me or another human? One astronomer at Harvard told ABC News, the risk of it striking a person is very low. Another expert put it this way, to 70% of the Earth is water, so chances are fairly high it'll land in the ocean. The impending crash is once again raising attention to the problem of space junk in general. Most of it is stuff like satellites, which, unlike what's expected to happen with the Soviet craft, commonly burn up and vaporize as they hit Earth's atmosphere. In 2024, Bloomberg News reports there were about 1,000 satellite reentries roughly three per day. And by 2035, according to an estimate from the same Harvard astrophysicist there was, there could be as many as up to 50 satellites re entering the atmosphere every day. And that takes a toll. Eric Rostin writes about energy and the environment for Bloomberg.

[Eric Rostin]

When you start burning up all that aluminum and copper and lithium at the top of the atmosphere, it turns out it might start to have some effects we do not want. And that will come largely in the form of depleting the ozone layer, which is, of course, the layer of this oxygen gas ozone that blocks the sun's ultraviolet light and prevents it from harming living things on Earth.

[Shemita Basu]

Companies like Amazon and SpaceX have been filling up space with more and more satellites in recent years. SpaceX plays a particularly big role. When the company first started to send satellites into orbit around six years ago, there were fewer than 2,000 functional satellites total. Since then, SpaceX alone has sent more than 7,000, and the company has said in the past it hopes to have six times that amount in space someday. Research into stratospheric pollution is relatively new so far. Data from the past five years shows that things like rocket fuel and particles from satellites that re enter the atmosphere could potentially undo decades of progress repairing the ozone layer and possibly indirectly change the weather.

[Eric Rostin]

The scientists say this is concerning. It's not a crisis by any stretch yet. But what it requires is asking some questions and keeping an eye on the data and trying to be proactive about testing and about whether or not this could become a real problem that we don't want to see blossom.

[Shemita Basu]

Scientists will get more answers soon from the European Space Agency. It plans to launch a mission in 2027 that follows a satellite's final descent into the atmosphere and measure what exactly is left in before we let you go, a few other stories we're following. It was a day of hirings and firings at the White House. President Trump has selected Fox News host and former prosecutor Jeanine Pirro as the interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, one of the most important federal prosecutor's offices in the Justice Department. It comes as Trump pulled the nomination of Ed Martin, who faced backlash from key Republican senators in his nomination process. Pirro joins the ranks of other Fox News personalities who have been selected by Trump for prominent roles in his second term. Pirro, who's known the president for decades, was an outspoken voice repeating his false claims of election fraud in 2020. And as for firings, Cameron Hamilton, the head of FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, was fired just a day after he members of Congress that FEMA should not be eliminated, seeming to go against the stated goals of the Trump administration. His departure comes just three weeks before the start of the Atlantic hurricane season and as Congress considers a proposal from the Trump administration to dramatically cut FEMA's budget. In other climate related news, new research indicates that land beneath the 28 most populous cities in the US is shrinking, impacting areas with about 34 million people. The phenomenon called subsistence is normally a big concern with coastal cities, but many of the cities highlighted in the research are further inland. Reasons for the sinking vary from region to region, but Houston is the city sinking the fastest as Texas pumps a lot of groundwater, oil and gas and finally, this Sunday is Mother's Day. I've got really high expectations for my one year old. He should be able to cook me breakfast by now, right? Well, there's this really sweet story out of Fort Worth, Texas where a mother will actually share the graduation statement with her son at Texas Christian University. Brandy and Kyle Fields will both get diplomas over the weekend. Kyle reflected on the experience in a promotional video for the school.

[Kyle Fields]

One of my favorite memories from it is being able to sit in the living room and knock out our homework together. I mean, there was plenty of nights where up till 10, 11 o' clock she's reading or I'm writing an essay. That kind of thing definitely brought us closer.

[Shemita Basu]

Whatever you end up doing on Mother's Day, we hope it's a special day. It doesn't involve any homework. You can find all these stories and more in the Apple News app. And if you're already listening in the News app right now, our latest episode of In Conversation is queued up for you. Next this week, we're bringing you my interview with a recent Pulitzer Prize winner, Madeline Barron, the host of the podcast in the Dark and her team won for their massive investigation into the massacre of Iraqi civilians in Haditha in 2005.

[Madeline Barron]

The podcast really does both of these. It looks very closely at the actual killings. What happened that day? Who did what? What are the contradictions? What are the through lines? What can we determine happened that day? And then also, why was no one punished for this?

[Shemita Basu]

If you're listening in the podcast app, you can find that episode by searching for Apple News in Conversation. Enjoy your weekend and I'll be back with the news on.