Animals We Once Thought Were Extinct, Were Alive By Penelope Baxter

When we think there are no more animals of a species, we consider them extinct. A great way to find out whether a creature is extinct is with the ICUN Red list, which marks the animal’s conservation status. But sometimes, animals aren’t actually extinct. We just haven't seen them for a very long time. This is a list of 15 animals that we presumed were extinct, but aren’t. 

The Australian Night Parrot

These little cuties disappeared from all records in 1912, and scientists presumed them extinct due to the foxes and cats on the island. Settlers brought them to Australia when they arrived, and they just turned loose. For 78 years we never had a second thought of the bird, and then we found one. Well, not find one alive. Someone in Queensland Australia found one dead on the side of the road. This may not sound huge, but it is important. It means these parrots were still alive. Naturalist John Young spent 15 years looking for the elusive avian, and was awarded in 2013 for photographing a live one. But in March of 2019 the evidence was questioned and the Australian Wildlife Conservancy removed the records. The Australian night parrot is presumed to be alive and is classified as Endangered despite having an unknown population. 

Coelacanth

Yes, that annoying as heck, weather-specific Animal Crossing New Horizons fish was presumed extinct. The Coelacanth was known as a living fossil, as it was alive alongside the dinosaurs. This made scientists assume that it went extinct as well. But it didn’t. In 1938 an individual was caught in the Indian Ocean near South Africa. Then again in 1998 near Indonesia. Scientists figured it out because they saw one for purchase at a market stall. After DNA testing, they confirmed it was a Coelacanth, and they are big. Six-feet long and 200 pounds, to be exact, was around how large each specimen was. 

New Guinea Big-Eared Bat

This is a quite interesting story. In 1890, a specimen of the New Guinea big-eared bat was found. In 1914 it was named,  and then never seen again for over a century. Students at the University of Queensland were studying the effect of logging on microbats. Microbats are bats like these bats and the brown eared bats. The students were collecting species until they found one they didn’t recognize. After comparing it to museum specimens, it was confirmed to be a female New Guinea big-eared bat two years later. Scientists were thrilled at this discovery, but rarely any more have been found. It is currently critically endangered.

Cuban Solenodon

Solenodons are venomous, shrew-like mammals that live on Caribbean islands. There are two species of Solenodon, these solenodons, and Hispaniolan solenodons. Cuban solenodons were declared extinct in 1970, but were rediscovered four years later. Cuban solenodons only live on the island of Cuba, and both species are at risk of extinction due to invasive Asian mongooses. 

Terror Skink

The terror skink was first discovered in 1867 when a fossilized skeleton was unearthed. Scientists presumed it was extinct until 1993. In 1993, one was spotted in New Caledonia. There were soon more and more sightings; one in 2000, then one in 2003, another in 2009, again in 2013, and the most recent sighting was in 2018. The reason there are not as many sightings is because the terror skink is thought to only live on two islands of New Caledonia, the island’s size together being 0.35 square miles. 

Fernandina Island Tortoise

 Believed to be extinct for 100 years, only recently was the Fernandina Island Tortoise rediscovered. In 2019, a 50 year old female tortoise was discovered and was then taken to live in the Galapagos National Park Tortoise Center. Even greater news is that it is believed that there are two more tortoises on the island. 

Takahe

These New Zealand ground birds were first discovered by the Maori people and were hunted by them. Europeans on the other hand took 50 years after they arrived. And this is an easy to find bird. It is quite colorful, with its beak being bright red and having a white tail. They are hard to miss in deep swamps. After a specimen was collected in 1898, they seemed to disappear. Most people thought all the dogs and cats ate them, but one was found 50 years later. 

Gracilidris Ants

Quite a blast from the past, this little one. They were first discovered in a piece of amber that dated back 15 million years. Most scientists presumed the little insect was far dead, and it was immediately pronounced extinct. But in 2006, the most peculiar thing occurred. In South America, one was found. It turns out they are still alive and well. The reason we didn’t find one for so long is because they burrow deep underground, and only come out during the night. And they are tiny. Less than a centimeter long. 

Bermuda Petrel

When Europeans got to Bermuda, they deemed it the island of demons because of the loud avians. Europeans did also play a role in their extinction. They brought the usual dogs and cats, which did most of the dirty work. And the explorers ate the eggs. Great teamwork. But this did end-up making them quote un quote “extinct” in 1620. Thankfully though, over 300 years later 10 nesting pairs were discovered in southern Bermuda. There are an estimated 250 left, but it is everything compared to some animals. 

Cross River Gorilla

How could we lose a gorilla, you may be wondering. Well it is quite stupid really. They were found in 1904, then weren’t looked for again and people were like, “Guess they are gone now!” But a group was rediscovered in 1987, with photographic evidence backing it up in 2009. 

Attenborough’s Long Beaked Echidna

If you don’t know what an echidna is, it is the other, less popular, monotreme. The hedgehog one. It is also what Knuckles from Sonic the Hedgehog is based off of. This little critter was first discovered in 1961, and wasn’t seen since. Until incredibly recently. In November 2023, one was caught on camera in the Cyclops Mountains of Indonesia. Indonesia! That is incredibly far from Australia, where all other monotremes are found. 

Victorian Grassland Earless Dragon

Another Australian creature rediscovered in 2023. It was considered critically endangered in 1960, with the last sighting being in 1969, and being officially called extinct in 2019. But just 4 years later they reappeared, and now we have 16 in the Melbourne Zoo with a breeding program all set up. 

Chacoan Peccary

A peccary for those who don’t know is basically a large pig. And shockingly enough, it was only known from fossil records for the longest time. But in 1971 one was found in Argentina! But, we didn’t. Native cultures had known for a long time that it was still around. And Western science didn’t. So is that really a rediscovery? 

Wallece’s Giant Bee

And boy is it big. 4 times larger than a European honey bee. It was thought to not even be around for 38 years until 2019 when a female was recorded. The species is at risk for actual extinction though if palm oil production keeps up.

Antioquia Brushfinch

When a birder was on his way to his Sunday mass in 2018, he was shocked to see this little bird. The antioquia brushfinch was thought to be extinct for 50 years, and so it immediately hit newspapers. 

There are some creatures that we hope are alive, even though they most likely are extinct. These our the honorable mentions:

Megalodon

The Megaledon was the largest shark ever to live. It ate whales, and other large creatures. Its closest relative is the great white, and it lived during the time of the dinosaurs. Yes you read that right. Dinosaurs. Why do we think that this prehistoric creature is still alive today? Well, it is a popular conspiracy theory. But it is highly unlikely that it still roams the Earth today. 

Ivory-Billed Woodpecker 

The largest woodpecker in history, with a two foot wingspan. And still, probably, alive. There have been many sightings of it after its extinction. Bobby Harrison has searched for the bird, even after being called extinct for the second time in 2021. In 2020, he got a video of one. He has searched for the bird everyday in Arkansas for 2020 years in 2023. And scientists have a recording of a call that was confirmed to be an ivory bill's. There has been a lot of documentation, and it is one of the believed creatures to bounce back. 

Thylacine

The most popular extinct creature predicted to come back. It is also known as the Tasmanian Tiger. Their range extended from New Guinea, Australia, and Tasmania. The reason they weren’t in New Guinea and Australia is because they were forced out by dingos. Settlers brought dogs over that evolved into dingos. The dingos never got Tasmania though, and the species thrived. Until Europeans came and killed them all out of fear for their sheep. Again, great job Europeans. There have been many sightings, though a lot turn out to be foxes infected with mange, a disease. And then there is Colossal. Colossal is a company that is trying to revive and create their own thylacine. They are doing this so that Tasmania’s food chain can be back in balance, as the Tasmanian Tiger was the apex predator. So, this has the most hope of all. 

But there is something important to note in every one of these back from the dead animals. They are still at risk. Yes they may be alive, but how many are there? There could be as many as a million, or as little as 500. All these creatures need help, and it is important that they are still around. We don’t want any repeats of the thylacine. And then there are creatures that are at risk to be completely wiped out. Vaquitas tonkin snub-nosed monkeys, Chinese pangolins, all of these creatures are at high risk of extinction. Vaquitas have only 6 left. 6. We don’t want to lose anymore animals, and so try to support them. 

Sources: BBC Wildlife, AZ Animals, Garden & Gun.

Ransomware by Ky Dingman

Ransomware is a type of malware that infects your computer with the intent to harm it but unlike other pieces of malicious code this one has a strategy to profit from their attack. If you get infected with this type of malware it will most likely start messing with your computer moving files, tabs and other stuff around.  It will also probably delete your core files and encrypt them. In some way they will tell you to pay a certain amount of money if you pay that amount of money they will stop messing with your device and restore all your files. It also might threaten to leak your files usually with big companies. 

Impacts on Companies

There are many huge companies that have been affected by ransomware. For example on November 21, 2024 Blue Yonder the software company that runs many big companies like Walmart, Apple, Starbucks, Walgreens and many more got attacked by a fairly new ransomware called Termite Ransomware. When Blue Yonder got attacked the people behind the code were asking for around $40 million dollars to stop messing around with the computer. They had gotten a hold of 680 GB of files and storage and had over 200,000 files with insurance information and records. They were threatening to release this to the public and leak all the information. It is still unknown if they had paid the money or not.

How to protect yourself

You should not be very worried about ransomware since it mostly goes for big companies so they can have more profit from their attacks. Especially if you have one computer that you just use for nothing other than gaming, schoolwork,  or other random stuff. If you're working in a big business or medium sized business or any business in general you should always be skeptical on what you're downloading or clicking on. To stay safe from ransomware you should also download an antivirus program such as CrowdStrike which detects malware in general. 

Neurological Reason Behind Delayed Phase Preference by Tara Gopalan

Have you ever wondered why you can’t manage to get up in the morning? Many just assume teenagers are staying up too late or being lazy, but there’s actually a neurological reason behind your skewed sleep schedule! It turns out that teenage brains are vastly different from child brains, and you’re changing faster than you know. 

As kids grow up, their sleep patterns change. Young babies need periodical naps, small children have early bedtimes, and now, you can’t get up at 6:00 A.M. no matter how hard you try. This is called delayed phase preference: A shift in your brain that sets your biological clock apart from everyone else. Delayed phase preference isn't well-studied by scientists, so we don’t know much about it. To address this, the National Institute of Medicine conducted a study on 183 sixth-grade boys and 275 sixth-grade girls, making them complete questionnaires every morning and evening. Their stage of puberty, school environment, and birth order were also taken into account. They found a significant difference in delayed phase preference development between boys and girls. 

Delayed Phase Preference happens because of changes in our circadian rhythms. This could of course be because of changing social demands and academics, but many teenagers express that they can’t sleep early even if they have the time. The likely cause is instead because of puberty. Puberty causes a shift in the hormones that are released in your brain, including an increased production of estrogen, testosterone, and melatonin. As kids get older, melatonin has a delayed release in their brains, leading to daytime sleepiness. When examined by physicians, daytime sleepiness was shown to be prolonged because of melatonin lingering in the body instead of becoming inactive immediately after waking up. 

For the past couple decades, teens complaining about sleepiness was attributed to increased workload and irresponsibility with sleep schedules. However, these new studies show that it’s not entirely the teen’s fault. School, work, and afterschool activities tire out teens more and more as they get to higher grades. It’s a well-known scientific fact that sleep deprivation doesn’t resolve itself - it builds up. Our current method of handling sleepy teens is to wake them up and scold them for staying up so late, but schedules aren’t tailored to their needs. Teens need accommodations in their schedules if they are expected to be fully awake in the morning. Instead of assigning blame, let’s listen to science - there’s a neurological reason behind delayed phase preference, and the only thing we can do is be understanding and accommodating. 

https://schoolstarttime.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/carskadon-et-al-association-between-puberty-and-delayed-phase-preference.pdf

Pure Plastic by Jack Puts

Some people like enjoying nature, maybe go to the beach, swim in the ocean, or enjoy a nice walk through the woods. You’re taking a swim in the ocean, but then you notice that you’ve found out that the fish that you're looking at isn’t a fish, it's actually a candy wrapper, or the shiny rock that you just found is a water bottle! 

That scenario is in fact possible because according to, “What Happens to Plastic in the Ocean | The Mystery of Missing Plastic | ENDEVR Documentary” on Youtube.com there is a possible MOUNTAIN of plastic increasing over time. And according to Google.com  by 2050 the plastic in the ocean will outweigh all of the fish in the ocean. Fish could also attempt to eat the ocean’s plastic, killing many fish that way similar to how the endangered species known as the Sea Turtles sometimes consume plastic bags which they mistake for their common prey, jellyfish. Also according to Google.com, “Litter, improperly discarded waste, significantly harms the environment by causing pollution, harming wildlife, and impacting public health. It can contaminate soil, water, and air, and negatively affect ecosystems and the overall quality of life.” This shows that plastic plastic in the ocean and in other environments can be very harmful and even dangerous. So remember to not litter!  

How Growing Your Own Food Could Save You Thousands by Liam Scheeler

Photo By: Kitchen Gardens

Introduction

It’s true - many vegetable growers report saving hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars by growing your own food. For example, you can get a tomato carton at the store for the price of a seed packet, while you can harvest ten or more cartons for the price of that seed packet. Growing your own food is a huge example financial efficiency, and here’s how:

How Much Do You Actually Save?

Say you can grow 25 plants from the seeds in your veggie. Chili peppers cost about a dollar each at the store. Each pepper plant produces 30, which means you’ll harvest 750. Those 750 cost you $0, while it would cost you $750 from the grocery store. You just saved $750 dollars by growing pepper plants. Mind-blowing, huh?

If you grew several types of veggies this way, just imagine how much money you would be saving overall.

How Do You Do It?

It’s true, the more you do for the plant, the more you’ll harvest. Many ways to achieve this would get pricey, saving you less, but if you get creative, you won’t have to spend any further than that two dollar seed packet. Here’s how:

• Fertilizer

Simmer fruit and veggie scraps from your kitchen for a liquid fertilizer.

Or, feed with leftover coffee. Coffee supports leaf growth.

• Frost Protection

Cover with an old cloth or half of an old plastic water bottle.

• Weed Control

Layer the ground around the plant to prevent weeds from growing around it. 

‘Havoc Beyond Wreaked’ Natural Disasters To Start Soaring By Liam Scheeler

New Expectations Set

On March 16, 2025, communities from Texas to Pennsylvania witnessed some of the worst thunderstorm squalls on record. What they thought was an “uncommonly powerful thunderstorm” might become a new normal. 

Last year, the earth faced its hottest year on record. Record-breaking hurricanes slammed the Gulf Coast, causing catastrophes in the southeast. One of the worst tornado seasons on record broke out. Some of the largest wildfires spread throughout Los Angeles. What we thought was a “bad weather season” might have actually just been the start of the new expectations for natural disasters. 

Natural Disasters Only To Get Worse

Predictions state that every year, temperatures and severe weather will climb a bit more than the previous year, and every year that goes by, the climb between the two will be more significant. No matter where you live, natural disasters will become more present and stronger. More heat means stronger hurricanes and longer tornado seasons. Hurricanes depend on warmth, and a warming ocean is just giving them what they want to get stronger. 

Foods Affected

A world with more disasters also could limit or at least worsen our food productions. Farms face damages from severe storms, and the crops can go under heat stress. Many crops fail to produce food when temperatures exceed 90 degrees F. For example, southern states now have to grow many vegetables (such as peas and onions) during the winter time because the regular growing season is becoming too hot for several crops. An off-season frost can kill farms in that area, also damaging food production. 

This winter, we faced a very poor orange season because the trees were stressed due to the poor and varying weather conditions.  

Money Loss 

Imagine you walk up from your basement to find your house torn apart by the tornado. Or to find your entire town in pieces from hurricanes. These are real things that happen all the time, and they’re only becoming more common. Up in the smoky mountains, the tail of North Carolina seems to be the last place you’d expect a hurricane tragedy, at over 300 miles from a coastline. However, last September, almost all 100,000+ residents from Asheville were devastated and nearly three hundred casualties reported. The area is not likely to recover anytime soon.

A similar story starts in South Carolina, where areas from Myrtle Beach to Savannah saw thirty inches of rain in a day. Keep in mind the hurricane made landfall 500 miles away in Florida. 

In 2013, the world's largest tornado broke out on the outskirts of Oklahoma city, nearly three miles wide. The city of Moore faced a scar from it that is still visible from above today. 

Photo By: Adam Orgler

The Strange Evolution Birds of Paradise: What Happened? - By Tara Gopalan

Birds come in all shapes and sizes, but perhaps some of the most stunning birds are the Birds-of-Paradise. Birds-of-paradise live exclusively in Papua New Guinea, the Indonesian islands, and northeastern Australia, making them hard to find and mysterious. In total, there are 39 different species that each have unique characteristics. Unlike other avians, their plumage is vibrant, large, and seemingly useless. These birds are well known for their strange dances and calls that put on a splendid show, loud enough to be heard by any predator- so why did they evolve to be like this if it has no evolutionary advantage? Well, it turns out that scientists have found the reason, and it’s not what you might expect. 

Birds-of-paradise certainly put on a show. Birds like the Superb Bird-of-Paradise use their beauty to put on extravagant shows for females, showcasing their iridescent blue feathers. Nicknamed the “psychedelic smiley face bird”, their routine can be described as beautiful yet haunting. They clear the forest floor until there’s only bare dirt, and then proceed to hop around in a calculated pattern, singing rhythmically. This whole routine is meant to impress female Superb-birds, who are certainly hard to please!  Although the females are usually brown and dull in color, they steal the show even more than males, making all the  decisions for them and effectively controlling their lives.  This is perfect, right? The males impress the females and the population continues. However, the male’s beauty can cause serious problems. 

With a bright blue belly, the male can be seen clearly at night and during the day, making it extremely difficult for them to hide from predators. This doesn’t just apply to Superb birds- take the Raggiana Bird of paradise or the Golden Pheasant for example. Their brightly colored plumage and insanely heavy feathers make it difficult to move, fly, or do anything except impress females. This is dangerous for their populations, especially since Birds-of-paradise live in such limited areas of the world. So why do they have these features? Surely, there’s better ways to put on a show. Well, it turns out that there’s no evolutionary reason for these features- they instead evolved because of the females.

If you’ve ever heard of Darwin’s theory of evolution, you know that it attributes new traits in a species to natural selection and mating selection. In natural selection, specific traits are passed on through an animal’s genes by survival of the fittest- whatever heightens their ability to fight stays and all other traits die out. Of course, birds of paradise don’t need to fight each other to survive. However, their dance routines are a form of survival- attracting a mate. So whichever traits the females preferred were passed on, and the birds who weren’t chosen simply died out and couldn’t continue their genes. This theory ties together with mating selection, where everything is up to the females. In the dense jungles where these birds live, there are a few predators, but there is also a lot of food and shelter. Since the danger level is low, females do not need males to protect them, so they can afford to be picky with their mating choices. The choice is now less about strength and more about how much the male impresses the female, which explains why looks are prioritized over safety.

In conclusion, the reason birds of paradise have such vibrant yet impractical plumage is due to generations of picky females and perfect living conditions. Although this may seem silly to us, the male birds still put all their energy into their performances! Birds of paradise are elusive and beautiful creatures from whom we still have a lot to learn. Maybe someday we can learn all their secrets, but until then, they will remain in the forests of Papua New Guinea, singing, flying, and dancing. 

https://www.birdsofparadiseproject.org/

https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/birds-paradise-beauty-kings/5th-grade/

Why Giraffes' Tongues are Blue by William Petersen

Giraffes are tall majestic creatures and are known for roaming the African plains. Giraffes are known for their tall necks and spots. However, there is one feature of the giraffe that not many people know. Their tongues are BLUE. But why are they blue? This is because of a couple of reasons, including the sun, holding items, and thick saliva.

Giraffe tongues tend to be a darker color, including dark blues, purples, and black. One reason is because of the sunlight in Africa. Africa is on and close to the equator. This means it gets the most amount of direct sunlight year-round. This makes it hard for giraffes to grab leaves with their tongues without getting lots of burns. However, dark colors naturally absorb sunlight, making it easier for them to grab the leaves off the trees without getting burns on their tongues and having them dry out.

Also, Giraffes have a “prehensile” or grabby tongue, as stated in “What's the Color of a Giraffe's Tongue? Here's Why It Looks That Way.” by Kori Williams. The tongues are made to be able to flex many times a day, due to them needing to grab leaves off of tall trees. Imagine trying to reach your tongue up all the time, just to eat!

In addition, they need to hold leaves in their tongues when they eat because of how tall the trees are around them. Their tongues are also used to navigate around the plains where they need to find acacia trees. Their tongues have many uses, but that does not affect their color.

Finally, giraffes have thick saliva that affects the color of their tongue a little. It is supposed to help with thorns so they don’t poke into the giraffe's tongue and hurt them. It also makes the leaves stick to their tongues a little better when they grab them off of trees.

A Brief History of Medicine (from FREE-VECTORS.NET) By Penelope Baxter

A lot of humans take medicine, vaccines, and pills for granted. But not so long ago, they did not exist. We will go through 5 most taken-for-granted medicines and cures and a bit of history about them. 

1. Band-Aids

The company Johnson & Johnson manufactures this product. It started when a cotton supplier for Johnson & Johnson's wife kept cutting herself. But in those days even a papercut could lead to infection. So, the supplier partnered with Johnson & Johnson to create a special type of bandage. It was a 18 x 3 strip of Band-Aid. The idea was to cut off what you needed. This became very popular, and soon it was sold in 1 x 3 in little boxes. You might have heard the jingle. It's along the lines of: “Stuck on Band-Aid Brand ‘cause..” Fun fact, this jingle was written by Barry Manilow. You also might have seen that it is “Band-Aid Brand” instead of Band-Aid.  Johnson & Johnson really wants to push that it is a brand, and not to become commonplace words like “Popsicle” and “Q-Tip”. Unfortunately, it is. 

2. Penicillin

Penicillin was discovered by Alexander Fleming in 1928. He was growing Staphylococcus in his lab when he left on a vacation to Paris from Russia. When he came back, a mold was growing on his petri dishes. The mold kept the Staphylococcus from growing out and around. Fleming studied it more over another few months. He soon patented it as penicillin. The first use of penicillin was in 1943 when Albert Alexander was shot. The story usually has it that Albert Alexander pricked his finger on a rose and got infected. But according to his daughter, Sheila LeBlanc, it turns out that Alexander had been shot and got the staph infection. If you’re wondering about how they got enough mold (90 gallons), the answer is from a cantaloupe. Charles Fletcher had his assistant go to the store and buy the moldiest cantaloupe there. And it worked. 

3. Surgery 

Surgery is a long concept over thousands of years. In this section we will go from bleeding and cupping to now. Starting with bleeding and cupping, this treatment involves the four humours. If you don’t know about this theory of medicine, this is the basic idea. You have four bodily substances, phlegm, blood, black bile, and yellow bile. The amount of it you have determines your medical condition. Bleeding and cupping is when you take a knife, cut someone opposite of their pain, and bleed them. That is it. And we believed this would work for, and this is crazy, 2,000 years. Next up is amputation. This is just taking a knife and fully slicing off a leg or something. Eventually we evolved to surgery. But in this case, there is no sleeping gas. Instead you do it quickly with the patient still conscious. We then got to adding the sleeping gas. Fun fact, for a long time it was taboo to work on the heart. In fact, the first heart surgery was done with a pump that did the heart's job while we sliced it open. 

We hope you learned something today about the cures and medicine we all take for granted. 

Sources:

“Sawbones: A Marital Tour of Misguided Medicine” Podcast by Justin and Sydnee McElroy, “Wow in the World” by Guy Raz and Mindy Thomas, The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green, 

Pigeons: A History of a Very Cool Bird by Penelope Baxter

When you hear the word pigeon, you probably think of a pest. A pooping city bird that steals your fries. But it turns out that pigeons are all that. In this article, your mind will be changed about the rock dove. 

Starting with the first point. Doves are pigeons, and pigeons are doves. Yes, those pretty white wedding birds are pigeons. Why do we like these, and not the humble city pigeon? To prove this point, it is time to bring in taxonomy, or the categorization of organisms. It goes in the order Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, and Spesies. All doves and pigeons belong to the family Columbidae. And, if we love doves so much we have them at weddings, why not pigeons? 

For the second point, there are multiple species of pigeons. The species you probably think of is the rock dove or common pigeon. You’ve also probably also heard of the extinct passenger pigeon. And the dodo was the largest member of the family Columbidae. But, some other pretty pigeons are the Jacobson pigeon, Victoria Crowned pigeons, and bleeding heart doves. Victoria Crowned pigeons don't even look like pigeons. You’d think they are peacocks. But they are pigeons, and they eat poop. And, people will breed pigeons, as well as pigeon beauty pageants. 

Point number 3. A history. Pigeons go way back. Back when we were primarily farmers, and the internet was not a concept. Originally, pigeons had roost and nested on rocky cliff faces. And humans were storing their grain in barns. Pigeons would fly away to eat the grain, and eventually humans realized that they always knew where it was and how to get back home. So they domesticated pigeons, or kept them as pets. Which means ancient humans wanted them around. They were used as messengers, and slept in dovecotes. But then, phones and other more efficient messaging came along, and pigeons were forgotten. Cities were built, and the pigeons came too, thinking they were still of use. We have erased this, and hate them now. They just want to be with us and survive. As a side note, it is estimated that all pigeons you see are feral. All their ancestors were domesticated, and now that they are released, they are feral. 

Point number 4. Not just pigeon breeders like pigeons. Nikola Tesla said about a pigeon: “I loved that pigeon as a man loves a woman, and she loved me. As long as I had her, there was a purpose to my life.” Charles Darwin loved pigeons, and they helped him understand how evolution worked. 

Point number 5. There are famous pigeons too. We’ll showcase the story of Cher Ami. Cher Ami was a soldier. During World War II, multiple pigeons were enlisted in the army as messengers. Cher Ami was one of them, alongside other pigeons such as Mary, Paddy, and G.I. Joe. There was a group of Allies soldiers trapped, and the Allies were planning on bombing the place where the soldiers were being held. The soldiers had Cher Ami send a message. But the pigeon had to cross an active battlefield. The pigeon suffered many blows, as well as one through the chest, but they survived. Cher Ami got the letter to the Allies, and the soldiers were rescued and safe. 

Extra Pigeon Facts:

• Pigeons can count to 10.

• Pigeons can spell some words.

• Pigeons can tell the difference between a Mone painting and a Picasso painting.

• Pigeons are the only bird to produce milk. 

• People eat baby pigeons, called squab.

Nanobots Will Soon Be In Our Blood by Tara Gopalan

We’ve all seen movies or read books that show futuristic technology, like mind control or magic healing. Sadly, doctors don’t have this technology, and can’t use it to heal people. Or can they? What would you think if I told you that tiny pill-sized robots can do precise surgery from inside your body? Well, as of October 2024, that idea has been made into reality.

The human body is an extremely complex machine, so it’s hard for doctors and scientists to address problems when they arise. People with cancer are often diagnosed very late, which could cause them to die. Elderly people and babies who need vitamin supplements may not be able to swallow properly, making it impossible to treat them. Removing tumors from delicate areas like the brain and chest is extremely difficult, especially for those who have other health conditions. All these issues could be solved by a couple pill-sized robots, called nanobots. 

According to IFL Science, tiny robots are already being used on animals to recognise and remove cancer cells: they can travel through your blood and treat areas as needed. This technology is now being adapted to human needs and conditions, with cameras so that they can be controlled on the outside by scientists. So far, medical drug distribution hasn’t been very precise, and has caused harmful side effects to patients. These tiny robots can inject micro-doses into specific veins or tissues, making surgery and treatment much more effective. 

Scientists at Harvard Medical School theorize that in the future, these robots may be used not just for treatment, but as permanent functions of our bodies to monitor our health. With these advances, chronic illnesses can be diagnosed earlier, saving countless lives. If the robots were used in the creation of medicines, then many viruses like the common cold or Covid 19 could be stopped from spreading as easily. There will always be a new health condition or virus popping up in the world, but hopefully with nanobots, we can make the world a safer place to live in. 

To conclude, we still have a ways to go before these robots can be used on humans as a common practice. There’s a lot to consider and learn, but we are definitely making progress in the medical world. Of course, this doesn’t mean we should stop using conventional methods like  hand washing and sanitizer! Hopefully, when the technology is fully developed, it will be used for the greater good- not for manipulation like in the movies! 

Work Cited

“Nanobots Will Be Flowing Through Your Body by 2030.” NanoApps Medical, 13 October 2024, https://www.nanoappsmedical.com/nanobots-will-be-flowing-through-your-body-by-2030/. Accessed 21 October 2024.

Earth's Temporary Second Moon is Here by Finn Alves

On September 29th 2024, an asteroid entered Earth's atmosphere. This asteroid was caught in Earth's gravitational pull, creating a second Moon. This moon is going to orbit earth until it escapes Earth’s gravity in late November. This is Earth's second Moon, also known as a mini moon, and is named “PT5”.

This all seems really cool, which it is, but there is a catch. It appears really, really tiny, we need professional telescopes to be able to see it. Another event like this one occurred in 2022, its name was “NX1”, and there have  been even more instances of a second moon entering earth's atmosphere, like in 1981, but the 2022 moon and the 1981 moon were both actually NX1.

There isn't a huge amount of information about this second moon but this was the basics of what it is, how long until it leaves, and other occurrences like this one. If you get an opportunity to go and see it through a telescope you definitely should! NX1 won't return until 2051(27 years from now) and the current second moon, PT5 will comeback next in 2055(31 years from now) so if your 10 years old now and you miss the 2 month window this year, you'll have to try again when you in your 41 years old! So take a chance if you get it, it could be once in a lifetime!

Source: https://www.wearegreenbay.com/news/national/earths-2nd-moon-has-arrived-what-you-need-to-know

When Are These Seasonal Fruits In Season? by Liam Scheeler

This article will show you the best time of year to purchase your fruits and how to tell if those are ripe

Image Source: Unsplash

Apricots

Best in season: May - July (summer fruit)

Ripe test: High fragrance 

Cantaloupes

Best in season: June - September (summer fruit)

Ripe test: Firm, gives on flower & stem ends

Cherries

Best in season: Late May - August (summer fruit)

Ripe test: Easy decision by looks and feel 

Grapefruit

Best in season: September - May (winter fruit)

Ripe test: Softness - should feel soft

Honeydew

Best in season: June - September (summer fruit)

Ripe test: Rhind should be white or light yellow - don’t let the green ones fool you

Mango

Best in season: May - September (summer fruit)

Ripe test: Should feel slightly soft, avoid firm of overly soft ones

Nectarines

Best in season: June - Early September (summer fruit)

Ripe test: Should feel soft but not too soft, avoid firm-feeling fruits (same rule for peaches)

Oranges

Best in season: November - January (winter fruit) (Note: oranges can be sold at other times, despite this being the best season for them.)

Ripe test: Thinner, vibrantly colored skin 

Peaches

Best in season: June - Early September (summer fruit)

Ripe test: Should feel soft but not too soft, avoid firm-feeling fruits

Pomegranates

Best in season: Late September - Nov/Decemeber (fall fruit)

Ripe test: Easy to mark with fingernail 

Quince

Best in season: September - November (fall fruit)

Ripe test: Floral scent

Watermelon

Best in season: June - September (summer fruit)

Ripe test: Should have large yellow spot; deeply colored & fairly heavy for size

Note: Not all fruits are included due to availability to be

 sold at an ideal stage year-round.

How Farming Shapes Us: How We Have Evolved to Rely on Farming By William Petersen

You might think, “Oh, I don’t rely on farming that much.” But you might rely on it more than you think. There are many types of farming, including dairy, agricultural, cotton, trees, and so many more. All things trace back to farming. Here’s why.

Farming has had a significant impact on our lives, playing a crucial role in providing the essential materials that sustain us. It's fascinating how the process of farming has evolved, with the use of modern machines and innovative strategies, making production more efficient and rapid. Despite some people underestimating its significance, farming is essential for our everyday lives. Farmers work tirelessly to cultivate food ingredients and raise livestock, benefiting our nourishment and providing entertainment. This dedication and hard work contribute to the growth of new crops and the expansion of agricultural fields. Crops such as wheat and corn play a fundamental role in feeding both humans and animals, highlighting the invaluable contribution of farming to our society.

You might think, “Maybe farming does provide us with ingredients, but companies turn them into the stuff we use, so you should probably be writing about them.” No. If all the farmers stopped farming and started turning materials into products, the supply chain would collapse. Farmers are crucial for keeping us happy and healthy throughout our lives, so that is why I am writing about them.

Another argument one could make is in terms of animal rights. Some farmers treat animals to get more products for more money, but end up abusing animals. There will always be abusive people, but the farmers who care for the animals, and whose goal is to help humanity, wouldn’t be violating rights. 

In conclusion, farming has shaped us and proven almost all of us wrong about the need for farms and farmers. Farmers work hard for little pay now. So next time you see a farm, think about what they do for you before you just shrug and pass by. 

The Life Of A Tropical Storm 🍥 By Liam Scheeler

Africa Rains

At the start of every cyclone, all you’ll find is some showers sweeping off the coast of Africa. 60-85% of the hurricanes you’ll encounter a season start at this very place and stage. 

Usually, small islands off the coast named the Cabo Verde are impacted by rains from these storms moving off the coast and into the ocean.

Traveling The MDR

After these thunderstorms move off the coast, weather companies notice these as ‘tropical waves’. Tropical waves are thunderstorms in the ocean that have potential to grow stronger as it moves farther westward. 

However, there are many factors that lead to the formation of this, and if it doesn’t follow all these rules, it will not form. 

Water Temperatures: the water  it is traveling across must be at least 78 degrees Fahrenheit.

Air Conditions: These thunderstorms will not organize if the air contains Saharan dust. This is why few hurricanes form in July, as Saharan dust is expanding across the MDR.

Frontal Systems: Iff a thunderstorm here interacts with a high pressure system, the thunderstorms will weaken and not form.

Wind Shear: If the storm runs into wind shear, this will weaken it significantly.

Storms can easily grow significantly traveling across the MDR. 

For example, Beryl, a late June major hurricane, was able to go from tropical wave status to a Category 5 hurricane just in the MDR. This process is called rapid intensification. We are seeing that now with Hurricane Helene in the Gulf Of Mexico.

A Path To Take

Once the hurricane comes near the Lesser Antilles, it has a decision.

It will either go north, resulting in a mostly ‘fish storm’ (a storm that spends its life out to sea).

However, sometimes the path can shift westward far after, and result in a potential Canadian threat.

The hurricane can also make landfall in the Lesser Antillies, continuing a western slide.

Unfortunately, these small islands often aren't big enough to significantly weaken the storm, and the storm may continue strengthening in the Caribbean. Now it has to make landfall. This will either take place on a Caribbean island, or it will go further into the Gulf Of Mexico.

Lastly, it could shift northwest and impact the Atlantic seaboard.

Pre-Landfall and Landfall

For the best understanding, lets use a hypothetical scenario: 

This storm takes the Caribbean path in September. Right now it is organized enough to be considered a named tropical storm as it passes the Lesser Antillies. The Caribbean waters are very warm at this time of year, and often share plenty of moisture. Now you've got a hurricane on your hands by the time  it approaches the Gulf Of Mexico. The heated, deep waters at this time are perfect for a hurricane to strengthen. The Category 2 hurricane is now going to reach major hurricane status, if nothing at the time is blocking it like the common conflict of wind shear, preventing much strength of the storm.

So, it makes landfall in Florida as a major hurricane.

A major hurricane is going to bring winds of 111+ MPH. A Cat 5 could even be 157+. For comparison, what you call a windy day is 20 MPH. 

The flooding gets even crazier. The storm surge, which is the amount of water getting pushed onto land, is 9-18 feet of water. An average house stands 20 feet high.

This causes 10s of billions of dollars in damage.

Aftermath

After the storm interacts with land, there will be no moisture for it to collect, causing it to quickly weaken. By the time it goes far inland, all that is left is rain and maybe some winds.

The areas affected by the storm lay in ruins. It's described like an EF 1 or 2 tornado has hit the space – but hundreds of miles wide.

If the storm's remnants were to precipitate in the rocky mountains areas in the fall months, sometimes this can cause heavy snow.

A Final Space Story: Ed Dwight Flies After 60 Years Of Waiting By Kale Cunningham

Edward Dwight is a 90-year-old man, one of the first African American test pilots in the United States Air Force, he’s a sculptor and a published author. In many ways, he’s a man of many faces. But now he has another title, a title that he wanted over 60 years ago; astronaut. 

High Flying

Dwight loved planes ever since he was a little boy. At the age of four, he would build little models of airplanes made out of orange crates in his backyard, and toss them into the air. He would watch in astonishment as they glided across the yard. He was born and raised in the racially segregated Kansas City, Kansas area in the 1930s. Dwight excelled at school, was gifted in mechanics, and was an avid reader. After completing high school, Dwight was unsure of what to do next. More than anything he wanted to be an Air Force pilot but at the current time, almost no black pilots were in the military. So he enrolled at the Kansas City Junior College and graduated with an Associate of Arts degree in engineering in 1953. By the time he graduated, some black pilots were enlisted in the Air Force, this gave Dwight enough to pursue his dream of flying and he enlisted into the military.

Dwight completed all of his training at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas, afterwards he was assigned to Williams Air Force Base, in Arizona. He took additional night classes studying Latian. Throughout 6 years Dwight earned the rank of captain in the Air Force and later participated in test piloting and aerospace research.

A Different Race In Space

*It was 1959, and at the time Massachusetts Senator John F. Kennedy was holding a meeting with some of the most influential civil rights leaders of the time; Dr. Martin Luther King, Whitney Young, Philip Randolph, and the Senator brothers; Bobby Kennedy. The men were discussing how to break down barriers of discrimination and racism in the United States. The story goes that Whitney Young of the National Urban League suggested putting a black astronaut into space. It seemed like a good path to pave in the long road of desegregating the country after all the Mercury 7 astronauts had just been announced and the United States was in a deadlock space race with the Soviet Union. NASA was receiving a tremendous amount of funding from Congress, some would say that NASA had a limitless budget. A black astronaut in space was green-lighted by John F. Kennedy in the summer of 1960 when his presidential campaign was ramping up. 

*There is no official historical record of this meeting therefore making it questionable.* 

A group of government employees went out searching for a black test pilot who would fit the requirements for spaceflight. After surveying and observing all of the top pilots in the military, they found one. Ed Dwight was offered the chance to become an astronaut, and he accepted. At first Dwight was overjoyed, he was going to be a part of history, and he was going to make a statement to a separated country that a different race could fly into the heavens. But Dwight never expected the media coverage and backlash he received. He was on the page of every newspaper, was interviewed several times a day, and made it onto magazine covers, his personal life was torn upside down by all of the death threats sent to his house. 

Although Dwight had experience with flying he was thrown into a loop before he could begin normal astronaut training, Dwight would attend pre-astronaut flight training. These sessions were taught by Chuck Yeager, the first man to break the speed of sound. But Yeager was not a friend of Dwight, the famed pilot was disgusted by the idea of a black man in space. The day before Dwight arrived for training, Yeager told all of the pilots to not speak to Dwight. Over several months, Yeager repeatedly attempted to make sure Dwight would fail his training. He could come up with near-impossible tasks that only Dwight would have to complete, to his instructor's dismay he passed anything that Yeager would throw at him. Everyone else was trying to get Dwight to fail as well, politicians and military officers attempted to remove him from the training. 

But there was one man who supported Dwight, President Kennedy made sure that the efforts to remove the first black astronaut were in vain. No one would dare question the president's decision. It seemed like Dwight would be selected for NASA after all. 

Grounded 

When Kennedy was assassinated in November 1963, the dream of the black astronaut in space seemed to die with him. Dwight lost his support, protection, and dream, it was clear that the new president Lyndon B. Johnson wanted nothing to do with him. Without support from the White House Dwight became discouraged, the angry politicians would kick him out to the curb any day now and his family was receiving so much threatening mail. So Dwight quit, resigned from the Air Force, and decided to pursue sculpting. He made his own Art Studio called Ed Dwight Studios, where he displays many of his fine art pieces. Dwight has created 129 memorial sculptures and over 18,000 gallery pieces. Even though he couldn’t go to space Dwight was happy to fulfill his career in sculpting. 

A Second Chance 

Dwight fulfilled his dream to go to space on May 19, 2024. He was 90 when the privately owned Blue Origin Aerospace company selected him for a suborbital spaceflight. When the rocket launched, he was reportedly laughing the whole time, "Fantastic! A life-changing experience. Everyone needs to do this!" he remarked. "I didn't know I needed this in my life, but now I need it in my life." The whole flight lasted about 10 minutes.  

But this may not be the end of spaceflight for Dwight however, "I want to go into orbit. I want to go around the Earth and see the whole Earth. That's what I want to do now." he said in an interview the next day. 

Well what can I say? After all, he reached space. 

Acknowledgements

I have loved writing for the PFMS times, but now I must say goodbye in my final article. I would like to thank my editors Mr. Cimino and Mr. Harper for fixing my many grammatical errors, I would like to thank my father Mr. Cunningham for publishing my articles, I would like to thank my friends and family for encouraging me to write what I love, and I would like to thank NASA and all of the other space programs that have given me something to write about. 

It's been an honor 

-Kale Cunningham :)

Sources: NPR, USA Today, CBS 

The Ocean’s Last Call: What plastic pollution is and why we must act now by Louisa Hudson

Introduction

One flap of a butterfly’s wings can cause a tornado on the other side of the earth; a phrase which means, “something small and seemingly harmless can cause a catastrophic event.” In this case, the butterfly is not a butterfly, it is a plastic bottle. And the tornado isn’t a tornado, but the end of the ocean, and thus, the world.

Pollution’s problem

Some people think that ocean pollution doesn’t affect us much. But it does. A lot. Let’s say that an ocean gets polluted with plastic. Fish eat that plastic. Maybe somebody then catches a poisoned fish. They sell it to a restaurant. A person asks for the fish and eats it. Even though you may not think plastic would last that long, it takes the plastic bags you buy from grocery stores 10-20 years to decompose. For some harder plastics, it can take thousands of years. And even then, it’s not really gone, it’s just really small. The ocean also feeds the rivers, and underground water sources, into a river. According to Newsella’s “Texas’ Gulf Coast is being battered by ‘nurdle’ pollution", the toxic chemicals that come from the plastics can seep out and pollute the water. The plastic also breaks down into microscopic pieces of plastic. Now every animal that drinks from that river is poisoned. The water flows for miles to a farm. It gets used to water the crops. The crops suck the chemicals up through their roots. They get sprinkled with a snow of microscopic poison. This goes on and on. One bottle doesn’t seem like much, but to the animals, it is the start of a pandemic.

Greenish-blue and microkillers

The ocean is a greenish-blue. Everyone knows that. But ‘blue’ only scrapes the surface. Almost everything about the ocean that is important is deeper down. Newsella’s “Texas’ Gulf Coast is being battered by "nurdle" pollution" shows you there is so much more down there than fish, coral, octopuses, and seaweed. There is death. Street name: plastic. Plastic harms the ocean in many ways. It absorbs dangerous chemicals, which many animals mistake for food. And if the chemicals don’t kill them first, the trash clogs and cuts their intestines. If the plastic is hard and cuts the inside, it can cause internal bleeding. Water and food can't flow if it is softer and clog the intestine. But what exactly happens to plastic? Microplastics can come from many different things. From fraying shirts, (yes, shirts), to water thrashing against bigger plastics. Microplastics are often no bigger than a red blood cell!

Disposing of Death

It’s obvious how horrible and dangerous plastic pollution is, but there are many ways that people can help eradicate it. You can take either direct or indirect action. Because, believe it or not, both are equally important. Direct action helps quickly. It can be anything from not using plastic grocery bags to organizing a thousand-person campaign. But there is an in-between! You can pick up litter before it goes into the ocean. Make sure to recycle any and all plastic you can. Or even making sure you use plastic substitutes. But how can indirect action possibly be as important as direct action? Indirect action can be a poster or a speech. A website or an article. Indirect action teaches people, you can’t fix something you don’t know is broken. Indirect action may not fix much, but it does tell other people that there is something to fix. Not everyone can solely take indirect action, but somewhere in the chain, somebody will. Overall, solutions to problems like this are complicated. But every journey starts with one step. No matter the size.

Conclusion

It might seem impossible, but the impossible is just a filler word for what hasn’t yet been achieved. A single flap of a butterfly’s wings might be able to create a tornado, but a single fire can light 100 torches. Let future generations see the oceans as they should be. Greenish-blue. Life in every corner. Together, we can stop ocean pollution. All we need is one person to be the fire. Be that fire, others will follow. 

Works Cited

https://newsela.com/view/ck9nool0707150iqje9z2bup4/?levelId=ck7ecxabu113u14p746o5nqtv.

Microbeads on a red blood cell, SEM. Photograph. Britannica ImageQuest, Encyclopædia Britannica, Nov 02 2020. quest.eb.com/images/132_3056045. Accessed 24 May 2024.

Everything You Need to Know About Ancylostoma Duodenale By Atlas Murray-Wright

What is Ancylostoma Duodenale?

Ancylostoma Duodenale is the scientific name for the Old Worm Hookworm. It gets its name from the fact that it is found almost only in old world countries ( in Africa, Asia, and Europe). The hookworm is one of the two species of hookworms that use humans as their hosts. The other species is Necator Americanus. Ancylostoma Duodenale gets nutrients from the blood of the host. That means it is officially categorized as a parasite. 

The Life Cycle of the Species

Ancylostoma Duodenale has three different stages in its life cycle:  Eggs, Larvae, and Adults. Eggs of hookworms need warm and moist conditions to survive. Although if it is too wet, they will die. Eggs will hatch, and the larva hookworms will emerge. Crawling into position (normally on a moist blade of grass), the larvae will wait until a host comes along. Hookworm larvae are especially adapted to enter the human body through pores. They can enter through any pore in the body, but they most commonly enter through the feet. When a person steps on a hookworm larva, the act of entering the body irritates the skin. The skin becomes itchy and irritated for a little bit. This can be called a “ground itch.”

Larva

Once in the circulatory system, the larva will make their way to the throat and lungs. They will then be coughed up by the unsuspecting human and swallowed into the digestive tract. Once in the digestive system, they carefully make their way to the lower intestines. This is where they get the second part of their name, Duodenale which means lower intestines. This will be their home for the rest of their life. 

Adults, and When the Problem Begins

Once embedded, the hookworm  becomes an adult. Now both eggs and larvae are not able to be seen by the naked eye, but adults are able to be seen, although they are so small that most people will never be able to spot one. They just look like very small wriggling maggots. Hookworms are equipped with an extremely sharp mouth which they use to cut into the intestinal wall, gorging themselves on the host's blood, they gain enough energy to begin reproducing. 

Reproducing 

Ancylostoma Duodenale is incapable of asexual reproduction. So if you only get one hookworm inside of you, it will eventually die and the problem will not escalate further. The problem comes when you get multiple. They reproduce at a very fast rate, pumping out eggs. These eggs exit in the hosts' feces. Then the cycle continues. 

Symptoms 

Depending on the size of infection, the symptoms can vary, but the most common symptoms are anemia, pica, a bloated stomach, wide eyes, a shuffling stance, and depending on the time someone got the infection, deformed limbs. The hookworms can deprive the body of a lot of blood which can be disastrous for most organs. When young children get large hookworm infections, they can grow up to be a lot smaller and not developing to full maturity. 

Prevention 

Hookworm cases can increase with a lack of proper sanitation. When a latrine is not properly taken care of it can easily become a health hazard. If there is no safe place to defecate, people resort to the woods. When their feces contain eggs, hookworm infections can easily spread. Thankfully, hookworm infections are easy to treat. A dosage of Thymol (depending on the size of the infection multiple dosages may be needed) which comes from ferns, can easily get rid of the parasites. Thymol is easy to get and cheap. Hookworm infections are now very rare in 1st and 2nd world countries.

Why Does this Matter?

The truth is, it doesn’t really matter. I can almost guarantee that nobody who reads this will ever get infected with hookworms. Sometimes learning about new things is intriguing. I know not everyone enjoys parasites (I’m squeamish at the sight of blood, I get you), but learning something new for the sake of the collection of knowledge is a worthwhile plight. 

Birds: There’s Still Time to Save Them by Emily Gilbert

You may think that birds aren’t endangered or are even being harmed. But the truth is that bird species are declining faster and faster. 

Birds are being harmed by people and nature. For example, light pollution harms birds during migration, especially the species that migrate at night. Light pollution makes it harder for birds to migrate because it blocks out the stars that birds need to navigate at night. 

Another example is window strikes; if a bird hits your window and flies away and seems fine you're wrong. Most birds die after hitting a window. You may think if one bird dies it’s no big deal, but this study shows that the bird population has decreased by 2.9 billion in the past fifty years in the USA. 

But what can we do? There are many things you can do to help. Some things you can do are: use decor on windows that birds can see, like window clings. You can also put up bird feeders and bird houses. You can place plants that look like a habitat away from windows. And remember, there's still time to save the birds. 

Starliner Ready To Fly...Finally by Kale Cunningham

One billion dollars has been poured into the Starliner project in the past ten years. The spacecraft, built by Boeing, one of the largest aircraft industry companies in the world, and operated by NASA is due to launch two astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) on May 6th. However, it's been a long road for Starliner to reach the launch pad. 

The Set Backs 

Starliner was selected by NASA in 2013 for its new Commercial Crew Program. At first, Boeing was overjoyed by their proposal being selected. The spacecraft was intended to be a low-cost, partially reusable space capsule that could carry a crew of 7 to the ISS. Boeing quickly got to work and within six years Boeing engineers were confident that the spacecraft was fit to carry humans into space. However, NASA had a list of regulations that Starliner would need to prove, not in a simulation but in space. Boeing would need to send Starliner on an unmanned flight test, to and back from ISS with as little error as possible. Despite this many of Boeing's top officials were confident that Starliner would perform well.

In December 2019, Starliner lifted off from Cape Canaveral Florida, and into the deep void of space. The launch was flawless, Starliner separated from the rocket perfectly and was operating normally. That's when the trouble started, the spacecraft’s Mission Elapsed Time (MET) clock was off by several minutes. This caused the spacecraft to fire its engines at the wrong time causing it to enter an entirely different orbit. The spacecraft no longer had enough fuel to reach the ISS. So the mission was called off early. When Starliner attempted to land on Earth, it came in at a steeper angle than it was supposed to, which caused it to land too fast. Afterward, NASA declared that Starliner would have to fly another unmanned mission to prove that was flightworthy. 

Heartbroken Boeing engineers brought the spacecraft back for inspection in early February 2020. They had just started fixing the spacecraft's computer bugs when COVID-19 came. This caused massive delays in the program. After two years of struggle, Boeing finally launched Starliner on its second flight in May 2022. The spacecraft performed all of the required expectations well. And docked with the ISS like it was supposed to, the landing was also uneventful. NASA then approved it for its first manned flight.  

The Flight

Starliner is due for launch on Monday, May 6. And this could be Boeing's chance to prove itself. This year, many of Boeing's airplanes have been breaking apart mid-flight. Although all the planes have landed safely, there have been no crashes yet. According to the FAA, around 200 737-9 MAX planes made by Boeing have been grounded this year. Boeing hopes that the Starliner mission will go well so that they can revive their recently smudged public image. Despite the buzz around Boeing’s reliability, NASA has complete confidence in Starliner. 

“We feel very safe and very comfortable when this spacecraft flies,” said Suni Williams, one of the astronauts flying onboard Starliner in a press conference earlier this week. “This is where we’re supposed to be.”

The launch is scheduled at 10:40 p.m. on Monday

Sources:

https://blogs.nasa.gov/commercialcrew/

https://www.faa.gov/