An Ignoble Experiment: The 7: Another mass killing in California; the FDA’s new coronavirus vaccine plan; Oscar nomination predictions; and more

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Good morning. It's Tuesday, Jan. 24, and The Post has a new climate advice column. First up, some tips on how to stop wasting energy at home. Now let's get to the news.

There was another mass killing in California yesterday.

What happened? Seven people were killed and one critically injured in two related shootings at plant nurseries around Half Moon Bay, a small coastal town south of San Francisco, police said.
The investigation: A 67-year-old man was arrested. He is believed to have worked at one of the sites.
The bigger picture: This was California's second mass killing in three days, following a shooting in Monterey Park on Saturday. An 11th victim died yesterday.

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Four more Oath Keepers were found guilty of a rare charge over Jan. 6.

The details: The far-right group members were convicted of seditious conspiracy yesterday for plotting to keep President Donald Trump in power by force.
Why it matters: The convictions underscore the government's case that the 2021 Capitol attack was not a protest gone wrong, but a planned assault on democracy.
What else to know: The man photographed with his feet on a desk in then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office during the attack was also convicted yesterday.

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A former top FBI official was accused of working for a Russian he investigated.

What to know: Charles McGonigal, an ex-spy hunter, was also charged yesterday with taking secret payments of more than $225,000 while overseeing highly sensitive cases.
Why it matters: The allegations could undercut efforts to ramp up economic sanctions on wealthy Russians after the invasion of Ukraine.

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The FDA wants to switch to an annual coronavirus vaccine.

Why? Going forward, only one dose a year should be enough to protect most people from the worst of the virus, the FDA said yesterday. The agency will talk about the proposed change at a meeting Thursday.
How it would work: The agency would choose an annual strain for the shots and have the vaccine ready for a fall campaign, like it does with the flu.

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The Doomsday Clock will be updated today.

What is it? A metaphorical "clock" that has been used for more than 70 years to track the level of risk from existential threats, from nuclear weapons to climate change.
Where it stands: The clock, updated annually, has sat at 100 seconds to midnight — the symbolic hour of apocalypse — since 2020. This will be the first update since the war in Ukraine revived fears of a nuclear disaster.

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We'll find out this year's Oscar nominees this morning.

The details: The list will be announced at 8:30 a.m. Eastern. Check here for updates. The Academy Awards are on March 12, with late-night comedian Jimmy Kimmel hosting.
Our predictions: "The Fabelmans" and "The Banshees of Inisherin" look like best picture front-runners.

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The Earth's inner core seems to be spinning more slowly.

What does this mean? Scientists don't know, so this new finding is causing a lot of debate. But it's not a sign of the end times — the same thing apparently started happening in the late 1960s, too.
Why this matters: The core is a superheated ball of iron at the center of the Earth. Geologists believe it influences some of the most fundamental parts of our planet, like the magnetic field.

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You're all caught up. See you tomorrow.

But before you go … what to make this week: Try one of our eight best pudding recipes, including chocolate, lemon and butterscotch.