Episodes

60 Minutes Reports on “Elemental Crisis”, “The Knowledge” & “Banana Ball” on July 5 2026

by Ryan Gill · July 2, 2026

CBS News revisits three memorable stories this Sunday as 60 Minutes presents an encore edition featuring updated reports on critical minerals, one of the world’s toughest taxi tests, and the baseball sensation redefining America’s pastime.

Airing Sunday, July 5 from 7:00-8:00 p.m. ET/PT on CBS and streaming on Paramount+, the broadcast explores the growing geopolitical battle over rare earth minerals, the centuries-old tradition keeping London’s black cab drivers ahead of artificial intelligence, and the wildly entertaining phenomenon known as Banana Ball.

Elemental Crisis Examines America’s Push for Rare Earth Independence

The broadcast opens with a look at one of the most strategically important industries in the world: rare earth mining.

Correspondent Jon Wertheim travels to the Mojave Desert near the California-Nevada border, home to the only active rare earth mine in the United States. As competition between the United States and China continues to shape global trade and national security policy, these little-known minerals have become increasingly important.

Rare earth elements are essential components in a wide range of modern technologies. They are used to manufacture smartphones, electric vehicles, robotics, wind turbines and countless consumer electronics. Beyond civilian uses, they also play a vital role in military equipment, including fighter aircraft, drones, missile guidance systems and advanced radar technologies.

The report explores how China has established an overwhelming dominance over the global rare earth supply chain through decades of investment in mining, refining and processing. That dominance has raised concerns in Washington as tensions between the two countries have intensified.

Wertheim examines the American effort to rebuild domestic production by visiting the private mining company that has become central to that mission. Now partially owned by the federal government, the company is rapidly expanding its mining operations while also developing the processing facilities and magnet manufacturing capabilities needed to reduce America’s reliance on overseas suppliers.

The segment highlights both the economic and national security implications of rare earth production, illustrating why these critical minerals have become one of the newest battlegrounds in global competition.

The Knowledge Explores Why London’s Black Cab Drivers Still Outperform Technology

Anderson Cooper heads to the streets of London to investigate one of the world’s most demanding professional qualifications.

For more than 160 years, aspiring London black cab drivers have faced an extraordinary challenge known simply as “The Knowledge.” Rather than relying on GPS navigation, drivers must commit thousands of streets, landmarks and optimal routes across the British capital entirely to memory.

The qualification process has become legendary for its difficulty. Prospective cabbies spend years learning London’s intricate network of roads, studying every possible shortcut and mastering the fastest routes between countless destinations spread throughout the city.

Cooper rides through London’s historic streets and medieval alleyways to discover why this remarkable tradition continues to survive even as autonomous vehicle technology rapidly advances.

The report examines growing claims from technology companies that artificial intelligence-powered self-driving vehicles will eventually replace human drivers. Yet London’s licensed taxi operators remain confident that their unmatched understanding of the city’s complex street network provides something technology still struggles to replicate.

Beyond navigation itself, the story explores how The Knowledge has become part of London’s cultural identity, preserving a profession that continues to value human expertise in an increasingly automated world.

Banana Ball Brings a New Twist to America’s Favorite Pastime

The hour concludes with one of the most entertaining success stories in modern sports.

Correspondent Lesley Stahl travels to Savannah, Georgia, to meet the Savannah Bananas, the team behind the rapidly growing phenomenon known as Banana Ball.

What began as an unconventional experiment has evolved into a nationwide entertainment sensation that regularly fills Major League Baseball stadiums. The team’s approach combines baseball with music, comedy, audience participation and live performance, creating an experience unlike anything found in traditional professional sports.

Founded by the energetic and unconventional Jesse Cole, whose bright yellow suit has become as recognizable as the team’s uniforms, the Savannah Bananas have rewritten many of baseball’s traditional rules in an effort to keep fans constantly engaged.

Among Banana Ball’s unique features is a strict two-hour game limit, eliminating lengthy contests. Walks, bunts and mound visits have all been removed, while one of the sport’s most unusual rules allows spectators to record an out simply by catching a foul ball.

The entertainment extends far beyond the action on the field. Players dance, perform choreographed routines, execute backflips and lip-sync between plays, creating an atmosphere that resembles a live concert or circus as much as a baseball game.

Stahl speaks with Cole about the philosophy behind Banana Ball and explores how the organization has built an intensely loyal fan base by challenging long-held assumptions about what a baseball game can be.

An Encore Featuring Timely Stories

Although this edition of 60 Minutes is an encore presentation, each segment has been updated for this postseason broadcast.

From the strategic importance of rare earth minerals and the enduring value of human expertise in the age of artificial intelligence to the reinvention of one of America’s oldest sports, this week’s program revisits three stories that remain highly relevant.

60 Minutes airs Sunday, July 5, 2026, from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. ET/PT on CBS and streams on Paramount+.

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Ryan Gill

Ryan is a passionate follower of true crime television programs, reporting on and providing in-depth investigations on mysteries in the criminal world.

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