Here are seven stories from the "Nightly News" team that caught our attention as we get ready for tonight's broadcast.
1. Jimmy Fallon and Jon Hamm Photobomb Tourists
On “The Tonight Show” Monday, Jimmy Fallon and “Mad Men” star Jon Hamm photobombed unsuspecting tourists posing for photos at Top of the Rock, the observation deck at Rockefeller Center in New York. The visitors had no idea that Fallon and Hamm were behind them during the photo ops, but we doubt they’re complaining.
2. Will Crowdsourcing Images Locate Missing Plane?
An earth-imagery company is using crowdsourcing to search for the missing Malaysia Airlines 777 aircraft. By using satellites to snap photos of the Gulf of Thailand, DigitalGlobe, based in Longmont, Colo., has created a way for people to tag those images via their crowdsourcing platform, Tomnod.
3. Chinese Raw Materials Found in US Weaponry
The U.S. Defense Department has confirmed that Chinese materials are present in major U.S. weaponry, including Boeing Co's B-1B bomber and certain Lockheed Martin Corp F-16 fighters, raising concerns about reliance on foreign suppliers that could leave the U.S. military vulnerable. Now the U.S. Government Accountability Office is expected to brief Congress about Chinese specialty metals on U.S. weapons systems in April, and the U.S. Justice Department is investigating import and export procedures.
4. Steamy Love Letter from Ernest Hemingway to Marlene Dietrich For Sale
Intimate correspondence from Ernest Hemingway to Hollywood icon Marlene Dietrich in 1955 is set to be auctioned next week. In the racy letter, the author addresses the star as “Kraut” and imagines her “drunk and naked.” The two never became lovers, and Hemingway once called them “victims of un-synchronized passion.” The letter is expected to fetch up to $50,000.
5. International Space Station Crew Returns to Earth
Three astronauts have returned home after a 166-day mission on the ISS, including American astronaut Mike Hopkins. After a bumpy re-entry due to less-than-ideal weather conditions, they landed safely on snowy ground in Kazakhstan. NASA released a dramatic photo album of their homecoming earlier today.
6. Techy Toilet Paper at SXSW
Toilet paper giant Cottonelle hosted a “Refresh Lounge” at the SXSW tech conference, causing some to wonder how toilet paper fits in the tech world. According to the Atlantic, marketers think that Americans want companies that are “innovating and game changing,” whether they are in the tech realm or not. Enter “Safe Flush Technology: Cottonelle Wipes.”
7. Apple Pushes Record Companies for Exclusive iTunes Releases
As Apple scrambles to remain competitive in the digital music landscape, company executives are now pressuring record companies to give them exclusives through iTunes, according to the Los Angeles Times. As on-demand music competitors like Spotify provide users music for free, if Apple were to land a few exclusive releases it could help boost a stagnant digital music sales bottom line.