US Women’s Highlights in the Paris Olympics

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US Women’s Highlights in the Paris Olympics

By: Jessica A. Dennehy

The latest edition of the Olympic Games has dazzled in the City of Lights, Paris, where the world’s finest athletes have come together to flaunt their hard-earned skills and talents. In a close-knit race for the most gold medals, the United States of America  and the People’s Republic of China tied,  each snagging an impressive sum of 40. Meanwhile, the Americans topped the charts in total medal counts, amassing a grand total of 126 medals. 

Of such contributions, American female athletes were responsible for bringing home 67 of these medals, including 26 golds. Their role in securing more than half of America’s total medal count reinforced that the Americans didn’t merely come to “play.” In fact, if American women were considered a separate nation, they would have ranked third overall in the Olympic Games, only behind the United States (126 medals) and China (91 medals). This astonishing achievement was highlighted by the Olympic organizers, who hailed Paris 2024 as “the first gender-equal Olympics.”

Certain U.S. teams truly stood out at the Summer Olympics this year, with the U.S. Women’s Rugby Sevens Team earning the country’s first-ever medal in the sport,  securing a bronze.  Another “football” medal was also earned by the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team, who took home their first gold since 2012, marking their fifth win in less than 30 years. The U.S. Women’s Basketball Team also took gold, defending their winning streak and achieving their  eight consecutive victory. They did this while also defeating the French on their own home turf. Pivoting from net to natatorium, the U.S. Women’s 4×100 medley relay team not only won gold, but also broke the world record.

On a more individual note, the accumulation of medals in various individual athletic events is also remarkable. Swimmer Victoria “Torri” Huske took home five medals—three  gold and two silver—making her the top medalist in all of Team USA for these Olympics games. While this article is not solely dedicated to singing the phrases of the Team USA Women’s Swim Team, it’s also worth noting that swimmers Gretchen Walsh, Katie Ledecky, and Regan Smith, as well as gymnast Simone Biles, each won four medals in the process of breaking multiple Olympic records.

Katie Ledecky, already the most decorated U.S. female Olympian of all time, was able to further extend her record by winning her ninth Olympic gold and 14th overall medal. In a similar fashion, Simone Biles, now the most decorated U.S. Olympic gymnast,  added four additional Olympic medals to her career total, raising the amount to a whopping 11 total. Biles also played a pivotal role in helping win the team women’s all-around gymnastics finals while also securing gold for herself in the individual women’s all-around gymnastic finals. Diana Taurasi, a longtime Team USA basketball star, scored  her sixth gold medal, becoming the first basketball player ever  to achieve the milestone. Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone also set the world record in the 400m run for the fifth time, surpassing her own record she set back from the Olympic trials a month prior. She now holds the three fastest 400m times in history and six out of the ten fastest times ever in the event. Additionally, McLaughlin-Levrone earned a secondary gold through her contribution to the women’s 4×400 relay team, bringing her total to four Olympic gold medals.

Team USA Dominates the Rest of the World…Again

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Team USA Dominates the Rest of the World…Again

By Will Stark

I love the United States stereotype. According to the rest of the world, Americans are loud, obnoxious, and narcissistic. I call that patriotism. And honestly, they’re just haters. It’s not difficult to imagine why, seeing as we smoked everyone else in the Olympics.

Team USA had an incredible performance in Paris this summer. They destroyed the medal count, with an astonishing 126 medals. Runner-ups China and Japan were only able to snag 91 and 45 medals respectively. Even by individual athletes, the United States dominated, with 11 athletes getting at least 3 medals. Across the podiums of various and diverse sports, the Stars and Stripes could be spotted. There’s a lot of ground to cover in a recap of our excellence, but I’ll stick to a few highlights.

As one of the oldest sports in the Olympics, swimming has always garnered a significant amount of attention from the public and, as usual, the Americans won, with a significant margin of 10 medals. Individually, our athletes had an outstanding performance as well. Among the most notable is Katie Ledecky, who this summer in Paris became the most decorated female athlete, not just in swimming, the USA, or even the world. She is now the most decorated female athlete of all time. She holds claim to a whopping fourteen medals, nine of which are gold. The best part is, she’s not done yet. Ledecky says she still hopes to compete in Los Angeles in 2028. Other outstanding athletes include Torri Huske and Gretchen Walsh who placed first and second respectively in the 100m Butterfly, as well as Kate Douglass who medaled in the 200m Breaststroke and 200m Medley. If this wasn’t enough to cement United States swimming dominance, there was also a video posted of the Olympic team singing Carly Rae Jepson’s “Call Me Maybe” on YouTube. Take a look.

The United States was also very successful in gymnastics, where Team USA took its obvious place atop the podium. The team was led by gymnastic powerhouse Simone Biles, and with her on the mat were Jade Carrey, Hezly Rivera, Jordan Chiles, and Sunisa Lee. After winning gold as the greatest all around team, Simone Biles took gold in all around individual gymnast and vault, as well as silver in the floor routine. Suni Lee also was able to earn a bronze in the all around individuals. Jordan Chiles also won a bronze, but it was stripped from her based on a technicality which made her claim invalid. Stupid rules. The Men’s Gymnastics team also put forth a strong showing, breaking a sixteen year medal drought with a bronze medal in the all around team that consisted of Asher Hong, Paul Juda, Brody Malone, Stephen Nedoroscik, and Frederick Richard. Stephen Nedoroscik, the USA pommel horse hero, scored a bronze in his event, despite having to do it without looking. Nedoroscik has strabismus, a rare condition that forces extreme crossing of the eyes. Overall, both teams put forth an appropriately jaw-dropping performance.

The Olympics is probably the only time most of us watch track and field, but when we do, it’s very popular. You’re definitely sick of hearing this, but yeah, the USA smoked everyone (except the men’s 4×100 relay, shhhh). Both the mens’ and womens’ teams put forth fantastic showings on both sides. The most familiar names are likely Sha’Carri Richardson, Noah Lyles, Gabby Thomas, Rai Benjamin, Ryan Crouser, and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone. Sha’Carri Richardson, arguably the team’s fastest sprinter, won gold in the women’s 4x100m relay. She was the favorite to win the 100m finals, however, finished second to Julien Alfred. The only reason I bring this up is because it was genuinely inspiring.

 Julien Alfred is one of the four athletes from the delegation of Saint Lucia, a small island nation in a chain near Barbados. On August 3rd, in the women’s 100m finals, Alfred became the first to win a medal for her country. Just think about the context here. She is about as much of an underdog as you can get, running against Sha’Carri Richardson, a powerhouse in track with a World Championship under her belt, running for the track titan that is the United States. Not only was this Saint Lucia’s first medal, it was the first and only gold medal ever, in any event, for both men and women. I, personally, cannot wait to tell my kids that I saw this race live when the sports movie about Julien Alfred comes out.

Noah Lyles is arguably now a household name. He is now the fastest man in the world, after winning gold in the 100m dash. He also placed third in his usual event, the 200m. After all of Team USA’s awesomeness, this should seem somewhat subpar. Well, the thing is, Noah Lyles ran the third fastest 200m at the Olympics with COVID-19. I’ll never be able to call in sick for anything ever again. Noah Lyles is a really interesting character. He paints his nails and runs with a lucky Yu-Gi-Oh card. The craziest part is, he may not be the fastest American. Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill has famously claimed to be faster than Noah Lyles, although with Tyreek Hill’s 10.19 second personal record in the 100m dash, he wouldn’t have been able to qualify for the final medal race. Draw your own conclusions.

Other notable athletes include Rai Benjamin with a gold in the 400m. Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, America’s star hurdler, delivered with a gold medal in the 400m hurdles and a world record, which she has shattered six times. Gabby Thomas, a Harvard graduate, grabbed an incredible three gold medals, each in a wide range of distances, which is impressive in and of itself. She collected them like Pokémon cards, medaling in the 200m, 4×100, and 4×400. I haven’t forgotten about the field events either. Shot Put thrower Ryan Crouser is an absolute giant in the sport, winning an unprecedented three gold medals in the past three Olympic Games, the first of his sport to accomplish such a feat.

Over the summer, the USA was able to impose some much needed humility onto the rest of the world. Although this was the case, the Olympics are a chance for unity, camaraderie, and peace. They are a spectacle the whole world can enjoy and root for. They truly are special. Or something like that. All I know is that the broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight, were very, very gallantly streaming.

The Philosophy Behind Schedules

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The Philosophy Behind Schedules

By Jessica Park

Schedules.  The slip of paper or digital chart that dictates whether you’ll spend time with your friends or not.   Now that we’re in high school, we are finally allowed to have a semblance of control over what we learn.  High school courses are, evidently, very different from elementary and middle school ones.  Here, you could choose only the minimum number of classes with 6.5 credits, or, on the other side of the spectrum, take APs and double science with absolutely no free periods except measly A-day clinics. The planning, the rigor, and the coursework are almost completely up to you as the student.  If you have all these choices,  are there classes you shouldn’t take? Maybe you’re missing some important ones? Or maybe, just maybe, you have way too many courses?  Well, this article exists to simplify the ‘logic’ of your schedule so that you can change it while you still can. 

To start, you have to know the minimum course requirements for school.  According to the 2024-2025 East Course Catalog (you should probably check that out), the minimum requirements for a Regents diploma are a minimum of 4 classes for English and social studies, 3 classes for math and science, 1 class for world languages, 1 health class, 4 PE classes, and, at least, 4 electives (including one art course).  Now, for those who want to get a Regents w/ Advanced Designation diploma,  there isn’t much change.   You have to take 3 world language classes and at least 2 electives.  For both diplomas, you need to pass your English Comprehensive Exam, a Regents math exam, a Regents global exam, a Regents science exam, and the 8th-grade world language exam.  The Advanced Designation diploma requires you to take 2 more math exams, 1 more science exam (it has to be biology) in Regents, and a Comprehensive language exam.  What I just said right now is the very simplified version, so if you want to speedrun school as fast as you can or win other possible credentials, go check out the handbook.

Now that the boring part’s over, we can go to the slightly more interesting part everyone probably came here for: courses.  I’ll be frank with you–you should take classes that either challenge you or allow you to dive deep into something that you enjoy, at least, classes that are under your control to take.  Some students enroll in classes because the difficulty stands out on their college applications, while others do it because they like the teacher. Some people fall into both categories. Of course, there’s a certain level to this.  Colleges love seeing hard classes, so if you’re going into a competitive major, even if it doesn’t require science or math, take AP classes about these subjects.  They’ll be more likely to accept your friend who has a 3.6 GPA taking AP Physics C or AP Chemistry than if you have a 4.0 GPA but are taking only business and personal law.   That’s not to say take the course if you don’t think you can accel at it.  If your AP exam grade falls below a 4 or you have a low score in classes, most colleges won’t care about it, and it’ll likely be more detrimental to your score than supporting it.  These courses are also often prerequisites to competitions and clubs that you can take in high school, so keep this in mind.  For example, if you want to run for the student council of New York, you have to take at least one business class, or if you want to participate in the chemistry olympiad, you have to have taken or are taking AP Chemistry.

Some may disagree with me here, but I believe free periods should be part of  your schedule unless you are certain you can still handle the school day and workload without them.  Without free periods, you won’t have a break from studying, and you may not have enough energy. Hypothetically, you could ask for permission to eat during class, but it’ll make it difficult to concentrate, especially if you’re taking a test or exam.  If the reason you don’t have a free period is because you’re taking redundant classes, drop them.  For example, some kids who attend the Gifted Math Program unnecessarily take math classes during the school day.  If you are certaion you need the class to succeed but understand that you won’t have a free period, consider taking it during the summer instead.  There’s so much you could do during a free period, like homework or practice.  No one is going to chase you down with a machete if you don’t take a free period, otherwise, I’d be a hypocrite, but you have to keep this in mind at least and see if there are any other available options before making a schedule that has no frees in it.

In the end, what you want to do with your schedule is completely up to you.  These are just recommendations that I believe make sense from what classes I took during my  freshman year.  I don’t know who you are or what circumstances you’re in, and I can’t decide your schedule for you.   The deadline for adding a class to your schedule is on September 13th, and you can drop a class until January 1st.  Until then, good luck!

Opinions on the Presidential Race Thus Far

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Opinions on the Presidential Race Thus Far

By: Will Stark and Hank Bartholomew

*The following is a fictional conversation between two citizens, each representing a member of a different party. This conversation attempts to display the major viewpoints of members of these parties regarding recent developments in the presidential race. The opinions expressed in this piece do not reflect actual beliefs of the authors*

Ok, so, where should we start?

I’m not sure, there’s just so much that has happened since school let out. I started this summer with incredibly low expectations, but now they’re sky-high.

It’s true, this has seriously been a roller-coaster of a race. I mean, who said politics was supposed to be boring?

Couldn’t agree more. But for me, at least, things couldn’t have started out much worse. That first debate was a nightmare.

That definitely had an impact. Prior to the debate, the race was pretty neck-and-neck, and after, Trump was surging in the polls and everything. It just seemed like everyone wanted him back. Either way, it was definitely a victory for the Trump Campaign.

It was, but I can’t help but wonder if maybe people overreacted. Biden has had a stutter his entire life, and while his memory did appear shaky, his record over the last three and a half years has been incredible.

Regardless of what Biden has done or plans to do, he really didn’t sell himself in the debate. He appeared to stumble over his words, forget what he was saying, and overall seemed less confident or assertive than Donald Trump.

I guess that is true. But I’d argue that it wasn’t Trump’s brilliance that won the debate as much as Biden’s struggles. And you have to admit Biden was able to fire a few shots back. He slammed Trump for being a convicted felon.

Good points. Good thing voters have short memories for legal blither-blather. Valid points were also made against Biden, reminding the public that Biden’s border has more holes than Swiss cheese, and his term recorded extremely high amounts of undocumented immigrants. 

I can’t argue with that, although I doubt as many of these immigrants are criminals as Trump would lead you to believe. But no matter how you spin it, his handling of the border undoubtedly lost Biden more than a few voters. But let’s move on. Because this July, something truly shocking happened.

Oh boy, shocking is a mild way to put it. On July 13th, a gunman opened fire on Donald Trump giving remarks to his supporters at a lively rally in Pennsylvania, punching a hole in Trump’s ear and killing an innocent bystander. Luckily, the situation was secured and no further damage was done. I mean, just when you thought that Trump was locked for the White House, this happens.

It was a dark day for the U.S., and I’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who wasn’t horrified by the news. For the Trump campaign, perhaps the only good thing to come out of this act of terror was a massive boost in the polls. But at the same time, many on the far-right spread conspiracy theories about the shooting, arguing it was an attempt by the Biden administration to knock out their biggest competitor. These kinds of statements only led to more conflict, anger, fear, and confusion.

Well, no one really knows what happened. The whole situation is shrouded in mystery. It also didn’t help Biden’s case when he reportedly told donors that it was “time to put Trump in a bullseye.” Plus, it’s really cool to have a President who survived a freaking assassination attempt.

You may have a point. But yeah, it’s mistakes like what Biden said, as well as mounting pressure within his own party, that led to Joe Biden’s decision to drop out of the race. But I don’t agree with the Trumpians that this was a decision of cowardice. Joe Biden loved his country, and recognizing that he was hurting his own party’s chances of defeating Donald Trump, a man he genuinely believed was a threat to the nation, he dropped out of the race.

You’re right, I have to agree with you. Whether Trump is really a threat to democracy or not, choosing your party’s agenda, as well as the fate of your nation, over yourself is a noble thing to do.

Not only noble, but also strategic. Immediately after Biden dropped out, his incumbent Vice President, Kamala Harris, became the forerunner for the nomination.

Before we talk about that, I just want everyone here to step back and look at the race so far. We started out with two old men vying for office, pretty boring, all that jazz. In less than 3 months, one of them takes a huge metaphorical hit in the polls, another takes a literal bullet to the head, and then a couple days later, one drops out and is replaced with a newer candidate. Like, this historic race has been so exciting. Then enter Kamala Harris. This new development is VERY bad news for Trump. He spent months and millions of dollars perfecting this campaign as a weapon against Biden, and then there’s no more Biden.

For sure. Harris brought new energy and life to the Democratic campaign, raising a record breaking 200 million dollars in her first two weeks. She led her party through a great DNC, and the momentum has not slowed.

This was really scary for the Trump Campaign. However, with some quick pivoting, the campaign was able to find some quick ammunition against Kamala, namely fracking and immigration. One thing was for certain however, both parties, as well as the public, were itching to see how the two would do facing off in a debate.

I wouldn’t necessarily say the winner of this debate was as clear-cut as the one between Trump and Biden, but it’s hard to look at it through any lens other than a Kamala Harris victory. Her frequent needling of Trump evidently got under the former president’s skin, resulting in him erupting into tirades and rants about insignificant issues. While it wasn’t necessarily pretty, Harris got the job done.

Kamala certainly was better at rhetoric than Biden was. Trump however, was able to make some very important points, including bringing Kamala under fire for her changing policies. Also, I wouldn’t call Trump’s round-about way of answering questions tirades or rants, rather anecdotes or metaphors that allowed Trump to emphasize his points. Kamala isn’t exactly concise either, with most of her responses beginning with “Well, when I was a prosecutor…” or “Let’s look at the context…”. 

You raise some fair points. And I won’t claim that Harris had a perfect performance. But it’s hard to truly say that she did worse than Trump. Simply, there was nothing glaringly wrong enough to interfere with her overall message. Harris needed to put herself out to the American people as an alternative to Donald Trump, and she did just that.

And yeah, that brings us to the now. The race, in a way, seems to be back to where it started. Two candidates, tight polls, and battleground states to win. The only question now is, who will win?

TikTok Trend 
Disguised As Check Fraud 

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TikTok Trend 
Disguised As Check Fraud 

By: Saanvi Sharma 

This past weekend, a video went viral on TikTok, showing what appeared to be an easy way to get “free” money through a Chase Bank ATM glitch. The so-called “hack” involved writing yourself a check, depositing it, and immediately withdrawing a large sum of money. The video attracted many people, promising a quick and easy way to get rich. However, this so-called hack was nothing more than check fraud.

Here’s how the scam worked: people wrote a check for themselves for amounts they didn’t have in their accounts. Normally, when you deposit a check, the bank ensures you have sufficient funds before allowing withdrawals. However, the alleged “glitch” supposedly bypassed this process, allowing users to withdraw money instantly without waiting for the check to clear. As word of this spread across social media, many people attempted it, believing they’d found a loophole to get rich fast.

However, it didn’t take long for things to fall apart. The individuals who participated quickly realized that Chase, like any bank, has the ability to track all transactions. While some closed their accounts after withdrawing the money, thinking this would make them untraceable, they were wrong. Banks maintain detailed records, and the participants were soon identified. 

Chase Bank released a statement confirming the incident, saying: “We are aware of this situation and it has been addressed. Regardless of what you see online, depositing a fraudulent check and withdrawing the funds is fraud, plain and simple.” Those involved will be required to pay back the money they withdrew and face additional fines for their involvement in the scam. Some may even face jail time.

Many participants are now dealing with financial consequences, including debt, legal fees, and possible criminal charges. The fact that so many people posted about it on social media only made it easier for authorities to track those involved.

In conclusion, the Chase check “hack” is not only illegal but carries serious consequences. No matter how tempting or easy it may seem, not everything you see online is safe or legitimate. This incident serves as a reminder that shortcuts to wealth, especially those promoted on the internet, can lead to unwanted consequences that can affect you greatly, so it’s important to be smart with what you take in.

New Species of Titanosaur Found in Spain

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New Species of Titanosaur Found in Spain

By Jessica Park

Great news for dinosaur enthusiasts!  Paleontologists have recently announced the discovery of a new species of  titanosaur  in Spain.  The fossils were found at the Lo Hueco fossil site, located near  Cuenca, a mountainous town  in central Spain.  This discovery happened during an excavation for a high-speed train line between Madrid and Valencia.  During the construction, workers unexpectedly dug up ancient skeletons of various animals, including dinosaurs, crocodiles, and turtles.  The new dinosaur’s name, Qunkasaura pintiquiniestra, was inspired by the town of Cuenca, a Spanish painter named Antonio Saura, and Queen Pintiquiniestra, a character from a 16th-century book mentioned  in “Don Quixote,” a famous novel from the 1600s.  

According to Pedro Mocho, a paleontologist at the University of Lisbon, this dinosaur  is a type of titanosaur, a subgroup of  sauropods. Sauropods are easily recognized by their very long necks and tails, small heads, and large, thick legs that look like columns. These plant-eating giants were some of the largest animals to ever walk the Earth. Within this group, titanosauruses are the only sauropods that had armor-like structures called osteoderms on their skin. Osteoderms are bony plates or lumps that provide extra protection, similar to the way some modern reptiles like crocodiles have rough, bumpy skin.

 Qunkasaura pintiquiniestra stands out among other titanosaurs due to its bones. Its neck bones have  special bony projections that are not found in other dinosaurs. It also has a hook-shaped bone at the base of its spine. Curiously, its tail has a characteristic found in a group of titanosaurs from South America, suggesting a possible case of convergent evolution, where similar traits evolve in unrelated species.

Why is this discovery important? The discovery of Qunkasaura pintiquiniestra is significant because it adds to our understanding of dinosaur evolution in Europe during the Late Cretaceous period. At that time, Europe was made up of many small islands, creating an insular environment where dinosaurs often evolved to be smaller due to limited space and resources. Interestingly, Qunkasaura pintiquiniestra  was a medium to large-sized dinosaur, which is unusual for animals living in such confined areas. Researchers are currently exploring whether its ancestors came from Asia or North America. 

In addition, this discovery not only helps scientists learn more about Europe’s ancient ecosystems  70 to 75 million years ago, but it also challenges what we know about how dinosaurs evolved and adapted to their surroundings.  The presence of a large dinosaur in an environment where most animals were smaller due to isolation is surprising and suggests there is still much to learn. 

But what other secrets might still be hidden beneath the earth at Lo Hueco? Could there be even more unknown species waiting to be found? Researchers believe they may not only identify more species from the fossils already collected, but could also uncover more skeletons if further excavations take place. As Pedro Mocho put it, “We don’t know exactly how many bones we still have over there, but we still have some remains to collect.” This discovery not only highlights the rich prehistoric past of Europe but also shows that there is still so much to learn about the fascinating world of dinosaurs! Let’s keep an eye out for more updates as scientists continue their explorations  at Lo Hueco.

In De-fin-se of Sharks: How the Media Has Twisted the Story of These Fascinating but Vulnerable Fish

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In De-fin-se of Sharks: How the Media Has Twisted the Story of These Fascinating but Vulnerable Fish

By Sophia Byl

The thought of a creature with teeth coating its skin and eyeballs is a concept that’ll create some bone-chilling (tooth-chilling?) mental images. Some kind of fantastical goblin, perhaps? A mutant porcupine?  There’s no need to test the limits of your imagination and mental well-being in this case: whale sharks fit this description perfectly. Like all sharks, whale sharks have skin teeth known as “dermal denticles”; think serrated scales, shaped like arrowheads and aiding in the shark’s ability to swim quickly and quietly. The whale shark, which, contrary to its colossally fearful appearance, is actually a peaceful filter feeder, takes things a step further. Each of its eyeballs can have more than 3,000 tooth-like denticles, which serve to protect the shark’s eyes similarly to how our eyelids and eyelashes shield our eyes from harm. 

Sharks’ strange uses for teeth don’t stop with the whale shark, either. Just this past July, a new species of shark was discovered off the coasts of New Zealand: the roughback bristle shark, named for its oddly bristle-textured dermal denticles. Scientists determined that this shark was not only a new species, but the first species in an entirely new taxonomic family of sharks, with possibilities for many more species to be discovered in the future. 

Shark science is, as any branch of zoology, a constantly growing field with lots of research to be done. The big issue is the social stigma that sharks face now, thanks to movies and other media villainizing them with portrayals of bloodthirsty killers. People have sworn off going to the beach in fear of being dragged into the sea by a pair of hungry shark jaws, when statistically, you are more likely to die from a vending machine than a shark attack. (For the perpetually curious: most vending machine deaths are caused by an impatient customer rocking the machine back and forth and having it topple onto them, squishing them like a bug. There was one recorded case of a man tragically dying after his attempt to blow up the machine backfired, but was that really the machine’s fault, or his own? Your choice.)

Sharks are truly fascinating yet vulnerable creatures, and they play essential roles in many marine ecosystems. Without sharks, there are no beautiful coral reefs, none of those cute little marine creatures or colorful fish. Thankfully, there are many efforts dedicated towards raising shark awesomeness awareness. Shark Angels is one example of a shark conservation non-profit that aims to “turn fear into fascination” – they have volunteer opportunities for college students, so if marine biology is something you see in your future, Shark Angels has graphic design, journalism, and social media manager openings for you!

Another lovely source for all things shark science is Jaida Elcock, a marine biology PhD candidate at the University of Washington’s School of Aquatic and Fisheries Science and a shark expert! She recently did a couple of collab videos with legendary science guy Hank Green over on his personal YouTube channel, in which they discussed both shark facts and hypotheticals (What if sharks had hands? Would we all be doomed?) Jaida’s YouTube and Instagram accounts are both @sofishtication_, so check her stuff out if you’d like to learn more about any sort of shark stuff.

NASA Has a Plan to Bring the Stranded Astronauts Home

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NASA Has a Plan to Bring the Stranded Astronauts Home

By Charlie Levin

Originally planned to be a ten-day long mission, it will now be over six months long. 

NASA’s plan was to send astronauts up for a trip to the International Space Station (ISS) on a Boeing Starliner in June 2024. That is what they did. What they didn’t do was bring them home. The spacecraft that brought them up to the ISS was deemed ready to fly them up safely. It wasn’t capable of flying them back, however,  according to NASA’s safety program. 

The Boeing Starliner flew back on its own just a few days ago, on Saturday, September 7th. According to space.com, NASA said that the astronauts would have been safe on the Starliner after it touched down, so the decision to keep them in space was out of an abundance of caution. Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, the astronauts partaking in the mission, will stay on the ISS until February of 2025. 

On the decision to keep them in space for a little longer than planned, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said this: “Spaceflight is risky, even at its safest and most routine. A test flight, by nature, is neither safe, nor routine. The decision to keep Butch and Suni aboard the International Space Station and bring Boeing’s Starliner home uncrewed is the result of our commitment to safety: our core value and our North Star.”

NASA does have a plan to bring the astronauts home eventually, though. A SpaceX Dragon spacecraft will bring them home in February, the astronauts tagging along for the departure of SpaceX’s Crew 9 mission.

Originally slated to have four astronauts, the Crew 9 mission will now only go up to the ISS with two, so there is room to bring Wilmore and Williams home. The Crew 9 mission is expected to launch as early as the end of the month and will return from the ISS in February with the stranded astronauts.

Inside Out 2 Review – Psychology Personified in  a Surprisingly Relatable Fashion

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Inside Out 2 Review – Psychology Personified in  a Surprisingly Relatable Fashion

By Sophia Byl

With the original Inside Out (2015) having earned nearly 100 awards, including an Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film in 2016, the sequel certainly had big shoes to fill. Those that had been so captivated by Riley’s emotional rollercoaster of a move and her five unique Emotions waited patiently, and even created trailers for a fanmade sequel, until nine long years later, Inside Out 2 was finally released on June 14th, 2024. This time, Riley is entering her freshman year in high school, and desperately wants to be seen as cool by the members of the school’s  varsity hockey team, the Firehawks. Complicating this process is, of course, puberty, and four new Emotions – Anxiety, Envy, Ennui, and Embarrassment – that the original five are less than ecstatic to meet. 

I was looking forward to seeing Inside Out 2 not only because it was a continuation of one of my favorite movies from elementary school, but because I was curious to see how Pixar was going to handle the touchy subject of teen mental health, especially Anxiety. Being the first new Emotion that was revealed in the teaser trailers, it was clear that Anxiety was going to be a major influence on the state of Riley’s mind throughout the film. What I wasn’t expecting was for Anxiety and the other three new Emotions to completely kick Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust out of Headquarters in order to fulfill Anxiety’s plan for “a new Riley”. 

The first Inside Out didn’t really have a clear antagonist, but in the sequel Anxiety proves to be a supremely well-written morally grey type of character. She genuinely believes that she is helping Riley by setting unrealistic expectations and putting incredible pressure on her to overperform at hockey, but as her methods slowly become less and less ethical, we watch Riley’s mindscape crumble under Anxiety’s controlling rule. This type of ethically ambiguous antagonist is a concept that fits Anxiety very well, since the emotion can feel like it is trying to help you be productive or satisfied when in reality it’s destroying you from the inside out. 

Despite Anxiety’s character being very well-fleshed out, I found her three sidekick Emotions falling a bit short of my hopes throughout the movie, specifically Envy. For such a cute design and interesting concept, Envy really only serves to hype up Anxiety’s plans and act generally envious of other peoples’ possessions and achievements. Ayo Edebiri really captures Envy’s enthusiasm and desperation through her voice acting, and the character’s lack of screen time and depth left me feeling slightly unsatisfied. Ennui and Embarrassment are given a similar treatment, with each of them only having a couple star character moments before returning to the background.

Also lurking in the background is the movie’s magical soundtrack, this time around having been composed by Andrea Datzman and conducted by Marshall Bowen. The original Inside Out’s score had been arranged by legendary Pixar composer Michael Giaccino (who had previously composed the wonderful soundtracks of Ratatouille, The Incredibles, and Coco), and while I was a little sad to see his pieces weren’t making a return in the sequel, I was pleasantly surprised when Inside Out 2 opened to a reprise of  the first movie’s classic theme “Bundle of Joy”.

Overall, I was extremely pleased that Pixar was willing to go to the lengths they did to emphasize the importance of mental health for today’s youth. Inside Out 2 was one of many films in the past couple years to depict a character having an anxiety attack, and while some showed a very distorted version of this event, Inside Out 2 displays it in a realistic yet jarring fashion. Lisa Damour, a clinical psychologist and consultant for Inside Out 2, explained in an interview with NPR that the panic attack was properly depicted as “an overwhelming experience that causes Riley to hyperventilate and disconnect from herself and the outside world,” and that the movie as a whole was “surprisingly accurate when it comes to explaining anxiety and puberty.” Hopefully with the release of this charming film that brings attention to real issues, more parents and children will be willing to have important conversations about mental health and wellbeing.

China Stops Foreigners from Adopting Chinese Orphans

The East Side News
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China Stops Foreigners from Adopting Chinese Orphans

By Jessica Park

For nearly 30 years, China sent tens of thousands of children overseas for adoption, largely due to its one-child policy, which led many families to abandon their babies. Now, China has announced that it will no longer allow most foreign adoptions, citing global trends. As China’s economy has grown, the government has allocated more resources to support orphans, leading to a slowdown in international adoptions. Additionally, fewer children are available for adoption due to lower birth rates, as officials work to reverse the country’s declining birth rates and prevent a demographic crisis. The  decision was officially confirmed with a brief statement from the foreign ministry on September 6, 2024.

Many American families, who had already been approved by both U.S. and Chinese authorities to adopt, were shocked by the news that they could no longer continue the process. At least six families shared their devastation, having spent months preparing for the arrival of their adopted children by modifying their homes and sending gifts. Courtney Moore, from Houston, mentioned that she and her husband had been sending packages to the orphanage in southern China where their future son was living, but communication stopped at the end of 2022, leaving them feeling hopeless. 

From 1979 to 2015, China implemented a strict one-child policy to reduce its population. When families were restricted to having only one child, many chose to keep male children, who are traditionally expected to be the main caregivers for their families, and gave up females for adoption. Since 1992, over 160,000 Chinese children have been adopted by families across the world, with 82,000–mostly girls  adopted in the United States, according to China’s Children International. 

Experts like Guo Wu, an associate professor of Chinese studies, believe China’s new policy on adoption reflects a growing sense of national pride and a shift in sentiment toward the United States. “This policy might fulfill that feeling that ‘we don’t need to send our kids to America,’” Wu said.  Peter Moller, co-founder of the Danish Korean Rights Group, supported China’s decision to end most foreign adoptions, noting concerns about abuse and neglect in international adoptions. He emphasized that international adoption can be challenging for both the children and their biological families.

China’s decision to end most international adoptions is not unique. Other countries, such as Denmark, Ethiopia, Russia, and Kazakhstan, have also limited or stopped foreign adoptions in recent years, often due to concerns about abuse, falsified documents, and lack of accountability.  While  China’s Foreign Ministry has informed the U.S. that it will not process new international adoptions, some exceptions may be made, such as those involving relatives. Meanwhile, many American families remain in a state of uncertainty, hoping for a change in policy that would allow them to complete their adoptions.

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