Hantavirus, Ebola, and new strains of COVID — you’ve definitely heard it. Every time a new disease outbreak makes headlines, social media quickly fills with predictions that another COVID-19-style pandemic is right around the corner. But another pandemic on that scale is less likely than people think. ​That doesn’t necessarily mean future outbreaks won’t happen. They absolutely will, no matter what, and for years to come. However, the world is far more prepared than it was in 2019. Scientists can identify new viruses faster, governments have pandemic response plans in place, and vaccine technology has advanced in just a few…

May is coming to a close which means the U.S. The Supreme Court is entering one of the busiest and most observed periods of its term. In the coming weeks, the Court is expected to release several major decisions that could shape national debates on immigration, privacy, civil rights, and presidential power for years to come. Here are five Supreme Court cases Americans should keep an eye on before the justices conclude their term this summer: 1. Birthright Citizenship One of the most closely watched cases involves President Donald Trump’s attempt to restrict birthright citizenship through executive action. At the…

Abbott Elementary’s Quinta Brunson is developing a ‘Betty Boop’ movie and will star in the lead role. However, some critics call this a “race swap” since Betty Boop has historically been portrayed as a white woman. But the character’s origins and influences include significant contributions from Black artists, making Brunson a fitting choice for the role. Created in 1930 by Max Fleischer, the character quickly became a symbol of liberation during the depression era and one of the most iconic figures in 20th-century pop culture. Although Helen Kane is widely speculated to have inspired Betty Boop, her performances were directly…

As summer quickly approaches and the travel season begins to pick up, tensions in the Middle East continue to rise, leaving many Americans worrying about something much closer to home: gas prices. Analysts have warned that the ongoing global conflict could push oil prices higher and bring gas prices closer to $5 a gallon in some parts of the United States. In cities such as White Plains, New York, prices range from $4.69 to $4.99 per gallon; the state average is now around $4.37, where a year ago it was about three dollars, with an all-time high being a little…