Ripped from the Headlines: January 2026: This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for January 10–January 16, 2026

A new study showed that some dogs can learn new words just by listening in on people's conversations. Researchers instructed couples to chat about a dog toy while their dog sat nearby and eavesdropped. Later, dogs in the "super-learner" category were able to identify that specific toy by name and find it in another room, separate from their owners. Eavesdrop comes from eaves, the overhang of a roof — and a potential spot for lurking around and eavesdropping.

When two planes were diverted to the village of Gander, Newfoundland, stranding 300 passengers, it evoked memories of September 11, 2001, for locals. After terrorist attacks in the U.S. grounded flights that day, 6,500 travelers were marooned in Gander. Residents offered beds to sleep in, hot meals, and rides to the airport the next day. Bad weather caused this week's diversions, but they still brought back that day for many — and again locals pitched in, volunteering rides to hotels.

Fans of sixth-tier, non-league soccer team Macclesfield FC were jubilant after their historic FA Cup win. The team beat last year's winners, Crystal Palace, with a score of 2 to 1. Macclesfield's victory shocked the English soccer world — it was the first time in 117 years that a club outside the national leagues defeated the reigning champions. The upset provoked an elated outpouring of joy from supporters. Jubilant is from a Latin root meaning "to shout for joy."

Figure skating insiders say the U.S. team is the best they've seen in years. Women's figure skating has a particularly good chance of taking home a gold medal for the first time in two decades, according to experts who describe it as the most dominant team in recent memory. Fans can see these figure skaters nonpareil compete at next month's Winter Olympics in Italy. In Old French, nonpareil means "unequalled," from non, "not," and pareil, "equal."

Good Hang with Amy Poehler won the first-ever Golden Globe award for best podcast. Poehler, who starred in Parks and Recreation, launched the downloadable broadcast 10 months ago. Weekly episodes feature interviews with comedians, actors, and public figures such as former first lady Michelle Obama. The word podcast was coined in 2004, from iPod and broadcast.

In national ratings of fourth-grade reading proficiency, Mississippi ranks in the top 10 states. Just 13 years ago, it was number 49. Educators across the U.S. are studying how the state managed to transform its schools and improve the reading ability of its elementary and middle school students. Mississippi teachers say the approach has been a mix of raising academic standards and holding each school accountable for meeting those goals, as well as state funding for preschool education.

State and local leaders in fire-prone areas of the U.S. are using a variety of tactics to convince residents to safeguard their homes against wildfires. Experts have found that regulations alone don't inspire enough people to take protective measures. Adding incentives like grant money to fireproof homes and visual aids that show how to "harden" property against fire has had more success. These methods help to defend not just individual houses, but entire communities from fire damage.

When the Gordie Howe International Bridge opens in early 2026, it will be the only link between Michigan and Canada that people can traverse on foot or riding a bicycle. Construction on the bridge began in 2018. It's the first new international crossing to be built between the U.S. and Canada in decades. Traverse is from the Latin transversare, "to cross or throw across."

A medical emergency forced NASA to truncate its mission on the International Space Station. One of the four crew members needed medical care, and the team had to cut its trip short by one month. The ailing astronaut wasn't named to protect their privacy, but a NASA spokesperson said they were "doing fine." The Latin root of truncate is truncatus, "cut off."

A New Mexico conservation plan promises to protect land with desert views that inspired the painter Georgia O'Keeffe. These breathtaking vistas include a grassland and desert landscape with glimpses of sandstone bluffs and the Cerro Pedernal mesa. The iconic 20th-century artist captured much of this stunning scenery in her famous paintings, including My Front Yard, Summer, 1941. The Latin root of vista is videre, "to see."