Last week was busy not only in the world but college life too. Last week was midterms and it’s the week before spring break- it’s a busy time of the year! However, much more happened in the world besides swim suit sales and the Trump Administration.
1. NASA’s Juno Spacecraft Reaches Jupiter
Juno was initially launched in 2011 and cost over $1.1 billion. Juno is powered by three solar arrays and can reach speeds up to 165,000 mph. Within its time, Juno is the first aircraft in a decade to orbit Jupiter. Until February 2018, Juno will orbit Jupiter over 30 times. Juno has traveled over 1.8 billion miles over the past five years. Juno was launched to better understand the formation and evolution of Jupiter. NASA hopes to answer major questions such as, “does Jupiter have a solid core?” and “how does Jupiter produce its large magnetic fields?” Jupiter is so massive that it is twice the size of all the other planets combined, so there is a lot to still learn about the planet. However, we have yet to see Jupiter because dense, swirling clouds blanket the planet.
2. Yellow Fever is All Over Brazil’s Larger Cities
Yellow Fever had its’ first major outbreaks in America’s in the 18th and 19th centuries. In 2018, Brazil is experiencing its’ first major outbreak in decades in major cities like Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. This is the country’s first urban epidemic since 1942. So far there have only been 237 deaths, but if the virus continues to the slums and inner cities, the death rate will rocket. The yellow fever mosquito, A. aegypti, is also a significant transmitter of the Zika virus. It breeds in drinking water barrels, and street garbage puddles hide in the dark corners of houses and often bites several humans before laying eggs. With 23 million people in Brazil, it is becoming challenging for health officials to vaccinate people. Brazilians are beginning to panic and are shooting, clubbing, and poisoning monkeys in the hope of slowing the spread of the disease.
3. Women Making History in Texas
A significant number of women are running for office in Texas, which could change the course of women in politics for generations to come. Currently, there are only six women U.S. governors, and only 39 have only served as governor in history. Congress is less than 20 percent women, however, over 500 women across the nation are running for some office. Texas is facing significant “firsts.” For governor, Lupe Valdez is running. She is a four-term sheriff in Dallas County. She would break barriers by being the first openly gay governor in Texas and the first Latino governor in Texas.
No Latina has ever served in Texas’ Congress, but the state is 40 percent Latina. This could all change with the county judge, Veronica Escobar campaign. She would be the second Democrat to win the seat, with Beto O’Rourke (who is now running for Senate against Ted Cruz).
In a different congressional race is Gina Ortiz Jones. Jones could make history as the first lesbian, first Iraq veteran, and as a first-generation Filipino-American to represent Texas in the U.S. House of Representatives. She also is the first person to leave the Trump administration and run for the opposite party. She formerly served under President Obama for the U.S. Trade Representatives.
Now you are all caught up! It already has been a crazy year with school and world news, but it is important to keep up-to-date with the world around us!