Ripped from the Headlines: May 2022: This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for May 28–June 3, 2022

New research shows that adventurous play can improve kids' mental health. More than 2,500 parents were questioned about how often their children played in ways that were "thrilling and exciting" and about their kids' moods and stress levels. The study found that children who do outdoor activities like climbing trees and riding bikes dealt with less anxiety and depression. Adventurous is from adventure, whose initial meaning, "danger," shifted to "exciting incident."

A new exhibit at the Orlando Museum of Art is being scrutinized by the FBI. The Bureau's Art Crime Team is investigating the authenticity of 25 paintings purportedly made by Jean-Michel Basquiat. One piece was painted on cardboard featuring a FedEx logo in a font the company didn't use until 1994, six years after Basquiat's death. This has called into question whether any works in the collection are genuine. The Greek root of authenticity means "genuine or original."

A team of paleontologists used a new method for measuring the metabolic rate of extinct animals and made a surprising discovery: dinosaurs started out warm-blooded, but many evolved to be cold-blooded. The research shows that some large, plant-eating dinosaurs, including Stegosaurus and Triceratops, eventually developed reptile-like metabolisms. These giant herbivores most likely regulated their body temperature the way lizards do, by migrating to warmer regions or lying in the sun.

While studying ancient salt crystals, scientists discovered tiny shapes inside them that they suspect are microorganisms. Geologists say this evidence of life has been preserved in the solid, symmetrical material, trapped within minuscule amounts of liquid from which the salt originally grew. If the results are confirmed, the microorganisms will have been alive for more than 800 million years. Crystal derives from the Greek kryos, "frost."

Researchers hope a new invention may prove useful for people who have trouble falling asleep — and also boost the benefits of deep sleep, including memory improvement and brain health. The experimental device, worn on the head like an electrode-covered bathing cap, sends pulses of electric current through the skull. The flow of electricity nudges the brain into the healing phase of deep sleep and keeps it there much longer than usual.

On May 30, a U.S. delegation made an unannounced visit to Taiwan. The group, led by Senator Tammy Duckworth, included representatives from her home state of Illinois. In a meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen, the contingent discussed "security, economic, and trade cooperation," according to a Taiwanese spokesperson. The Latin source of delegation is delegare, "to send as a representative," and its root, which means "law."

Faced with devastatingly high energy costs, a growing number of Hawaii residents are installing rooftop solar panels on their houses. After seeing electricity prices increase by over 30 percent in the past year, state officials have also announced plans to source most of Hawaii's energy from the sun rather than coal and oil. Energy has a Greek root, ergon, which means "work."

The Boston Celtics beat the Miami Heat in game seven of the NBA Eastern Conference playoffs, securing their spot in this week's finals against the Golden State Warriors. The last time the Celtics won the championship was 2008, when most of its current players were in elementary school. The team, led by first-year coach Ime Udoka, turned what began as a dreadful season to a triumph, as they head to the ultimate round. The Latin root of final is finis, "last."

In many parts of the U.S., Memorial Day is the traditional start of swimming pool and beach season. This year, most states face a dire shortage of lifeguards; in Austin, Texas, just one-third of 750 positions for the trained water rescuers have been filled, and the city has only been able to open half of its pools. In the 17th century, a lifeguard was a king's bodyguard, but by 1891 it was a person "paid to watch over bathers."

The annual Memorial Day parade returned to Washington, D.C. on May 30 after a two-year hiatus. James H. Harvey, a 98-year-old veteran, acted as grand marshal in the procession along Constitution Avenue. Harvey is one of the last living Tuskegee Airmen, the Black military aviators who fought in World War II. The event paid tribute to members of the armed forces who died serving the United States. The Latin root of memorial, memoria, means "memory."

Stargazers hoping for a brilliant meteor storm on the night of May 30 were disappointed. The breakup of a comet three decades ago had set up conditions for the rare event, with its shattered bits scheduled to burn up in the earth's atmosphere overnight. While astronomers had predicted up to 1,000 meteors per hour, the bright remnants of Comet SW-3 produced a more modest show of shooting stars in the dark sky. The Greek root of meteor means "thing high up."

An outbreak of hepatitis A last week that sickened at least 27 people in the U.S. and Canada has been linked to fresh produce. An FDA investigation traced the source of the virus to organic strawberries sold between March 5 and April 25. Hepatitis A can be spread through food that's been handled by an infected person who didn't properly wash their hands. The word produce was first used to mean "agricultural production" in the 18th century.

Colorado's Wild Animal Sanctuary is now home to 22 Asiatic black bears, after volunteers rescued them from a breeding farm in South Korea. Rescuers had found the animals, known as moon bears, being kept in small cages and fed dog food instead of their natural diet of grains and fresh produce. “To see them finally free and playing in grass for the first time was really rewarding,” said the sanctuary's director. Rescue is from an Old French word meaning "protect or set free."

Trinity College Dublin's historic Old Library is undergoing a much-needed restoration. The project, which started this spring, will last until at least 2026. The library has been in constant use since 1732, a record that will be broken for the first time when the building closes for three years during the renovation. An update is considered long overdue by preservationists, who say the $95 million overhaul will better protect the library and its books from dampness, pollution, and fire.

Economists report that U.S. consumers are spending less money on goods and more on services, in a reversal of trends over the past two years. The pandemic had changed the traditional summer pattern, in which people tend to purchase fewer items but spend more on travel, restaurant meals, and hotel stays. Experts say the current pivot to service spending reflects a wider return to normal.

Six years after their son's marriage, a couple in India are suing him and his wife because they haven't had a child. Sadhana and Sanjeev Ranjan Prasad say they funded a wedding, honeymoon, and luxury car for the pair and expect a grandchild in return. Their lawsuit states that if there's no baby within the next year, they will seek damages of $650,000. The Latin root of sue means "follow," and the legal sense came from the idea of "following up" in court.

The Ukrainian band Kalush Orchestra, winners of last month's Eurovision Song Contest, announced on May 30 that they had auctioned off the trophy they won at the competition. The prize, a glass microphone designed by a Swedish artist, was sold to the highest bidder along with a pink hat worn by the band's lead singer. Approximately $1.2 million will go to a charity benefiting the Ukrainian army. Trophy's earliest meaning was "an overwhelming victory."

A man attempted to vandalize the Mona Lisa on May 29 by smearing the painting with cake. The would-be vandal, a 36-year-old who disguised himself as an elderly woman in a wheelchair, urged Louvre visitors to "think of the earth" as he tried to break the portrait's protective glass with the creamy pastry. The man was taken to a police psychiatric unit; the Mona Lisa was unharmed. Vandalize comes from the Vandal tribe, which sacked Rome in 455.