First came the earthquake. Now the floods | September 24, 2024

Summary

In this episode, KY Wire discusses the US Congress's race to pass a spending bill to avoid a shutdown, the devastating floods in Japan following January's earthquake, a new nanoparticle powder enhancing fingerprint detection in forensic science, and the announcement of new emojis by the Unicode Consortium. Additionally, a baby penguin named Pesto gains social media fame for his unusually large size.

Takeaways

• 🇺🇸 The US Congress faces a September 30th deadline to pass a spending bill to avoid a government shutdown.
• 🏛️ Failure to pass the spending bill could lead to non-essential federal functions ceasing and impacts on federal workers and military personnel.
• 🗓️ Speaker Mike Johnson proposed a temporary solution to fund the government until December 20th.
• 🌎 Japan's coastal region, previously hit by an earthquake in January, now suffers from severe flooding and landslides.
• 🌧️ Record-breaking rainfall has caused rivers to overflow, resulting in missing persons and fatalities.
• 🚑 The Japanese government has dispatched rescue teams to assist in recovery and damage assessment.
• 🕵️‍♂️ A new nanoparticle powder has been developed to enhance the detection of fingerprints in forensic science.
• 🔍 The innovative powder could potentially solve cold cases by detecting even fainter traces of fingerprints.
• 🎥 Scientific advances are also captured in the Nikon small world in motion competition, showcasing microscopic imagery.
• 📱 Eight new emojis, including an exhausted face and a fingerprint, have been approved by the Unicode Consortium.
• 🐧 A 9-month-old baby penguin named Pesto, weighing 50 lbs, is becoming a social media sensation.

Q & A

What is the significance of the September 30th deadline for the US Congress?

The US Congress needs to pass a spending bill by September 30th to avoid a government shutdown, as the government’s new funding year starts on October 1st.

What happens if Congress fails to pass the spending bill by the deadline?

If Congress doesn't pass the bill in time, the government will shut down, ceasing non-essential federal functions and potentially affecting millions of workers, military personnel, and services like national parks and nutrition assistance.

What solution did House Speaker Mike Johnson propose to avoid the government shutdown?

Mike Johnson proposed a temporary stopgap measure to fund the government until December 20th, instead of a full-year funding solution.

What natural disaster has recently affected Japan's coastal region, and how does it relate to the January earthquake?

The coastal region of Japan has been hit by treacherous flooding and landslides, which worsened due to embankments weakened by the massive earthquake that occurred in January.

How have local residents reacted to the recurring natural disasters in Japan's Noto region?

Residents are exhausted and shocked by the series of disasters, with some expressing feelings that the region might be 'cursed' due to the earthquake earlier in the year and now the severe flooding.

What is the significance of the new nanoparticle powder in forensic science?

The new nanoparticle powder helps detect fingerprints more effectively, even when traditional powders fail, potentially solving old crimes and detecting prints up to a month old.

What scientific technique did Dr. Bruno Velutini use to capture the award-winning video of fruit fly embryos?

Dr. Bruno Velutini used light sheet microscopy, a technique that allows scientists to record videos of live organisms under the microscope.

Which museum permanently holds the original set of emojis created in 1999?

The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York holds the original 176 emojis created in 1999 for its permanent collection.

What is unique about Pesto, the baby penguin featured in the CNN segment?

Pesto is a 9-month-old baby penguin that has become a social media sensation due to his size. He is already 3 feet tall, weighs 50 lbs, and eats twice as much as the average adult penguin.

What is the purpose of Coy Wire’s '#YourWordWednesday' segment?

'#YourWordWednesday' encourages viewers to submit unique vocabulary words, and the chosen word will be featured on the show, helping to expand viewers' vocabulary.