This Week in Words: Current Events Vocabulary for July 1–July 7, 2023

The Supreme Court ruled against policies at Harvard and the University of North Carolina that considered the race of applicants, among other factors, when admitting a new class of students. The 6-3 decision effectively ends affirmative action in U.S. higher education. Colleges have used the policy for decades, favoring applicants from disadvantaged groups as one way of reducing long standing racial inequality on campuses.

More than a third of young women in the U.S. are at risk for iron-deficiency anemia, according to a new study. Two decades of data on nearly 3,500 people showed that 39 percent of 12- to 21-year-old girls and women have low iron levels, which can cause a reduction in the normal number of healthy red blood cells. The condition, which can be reversed by eating foods high in iron, causes fatigue and memory problems. The Latin root of anemia is anaimos, "bloodless."

Scientists have deduced that a sharp change in the position of the earth's axis was caused by human activity. The theoretical pole around which the planet rotates shifted suddenly about 20 years ago, moving first south and then east. Research has shown that the change in the axis resulted from melting polar ice, which contained enough mass that its loss re-distributed that mass around the globe, essentially tilting the earth into a slightly different rotation.

An exhibit at London's Victoria and Albert Museum examines the way the term diva has evolved since its beginnings in 19th-century opera houses. The show's curator says it's a word that is universally understood — both to mean "operatic superstar" and "iconic singer or movie star." The exhibit features photos of both, from Italian soprano Giulia Grisi to Cher to Janelle Monae and Marilyn Monroe, all wearing elaborate, sparkling gowns. Diva means "goddess" in Latin.

Police in Hong Kong are offering cash rewards for information about political exiles. Authorities there will pay up to a million Hong Kong dollars, about $127,000, for details about eight people who were forced out of the country during a crackdown on speech criticizing the Chinese government. The activists, who now live abroad in various countries, had to flee amid accusations of collusion and subversion. The Latin root of exile is exul, "banished person."

Simone Biles, the four-time Olympic gold medalist, will return to gymnastics competition this summer. Biles took a break from competing in the sport after the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, when she withdrew from events including vault and uneven bars (though she did win a bronze medal in the balance beam final). Gymnastics goes back to the Greek gymnastikos, "fond of or skilled in bodily exercise," from gymnazein, "to exercise or train."

An international aid group will provide a new vaccine to developing countries, in an effort to prevent a global polio resurgence. The shot, which is similar to one used in the U.S., will replace an older vaccine that uses a live virus. Health experts believe the new formulation will help eliminate the disease, which currently spreads in places without modern sanitation. Polio, short for poliomyelitis, "inflammation of the marrow," is very infectious and can cause paralysis.

Health experts warn that fireworks aren't good for air quality. In areas with existing pollution from wildfire smoke, pyrotechnics can make the situation even worse. The Fourth of July is already the most polluted day of the year in some places; as they explode in the sky with breathtaking colors, fireworks emit harmful pollutants. Experts advise watching the sparkling displays from far away and being aware of the air quality. Pyrotechnic has a Greek root meaning "fire art."

Under a California reparations proposal, some Black residents could receive more than $1 million. The plan, which must be approved by lawmakers, attempts to address ongoing racial discrimination caused by the legacy of slavery, including unequal treatment by police and policies that have made it harder for Black people to buy houses and access health care. For Black Californians over 50, reparations could be $1.2 million. The root of reparations means "repair."

New research shows that naturally-occuring static electricity physically pulls ticks onto animals, including humans. In a laboratory, scientists mimicked the typical electric field of a mammal, observing how the tiny blood-sucking insects defied gravity, moving up toward the static electricity. Knowing why ticks are drawn toward people might help researchers develop new ways for us to avoid the miniature parasites in the future.

A California man who meant to give $150 to an online Bangladeshi charity made a typo and accidentally donated $15,000. After he realized he had inadvertently typed zeroes from his credit card number into the donation box, the man received a refund. He felt terrible about taking back what the charity thought was an extremely generous donation, so he rallied friends and acquaintances to chip in. With his help, the fund pulled in more than $120,000 to help exacerbate hunger in Bangladesh.