Ripped from the Headlines: February 2024: This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for February 24–March 1, 2024

The Department of Justice says it has prevented four recent assassination attempts by foreign agents. Officials say that over the past 18 months, authoritarian governments have plotted to kill people on U.S. soil, including former national security advisor John Bolton and an Iranian-American writer. Regimes accused of targeting Americans include Iran and India. Assassination is from the Arabic hashīshīn, a Crusades-era sect famous for murdering opposition leaders.

U.S. officials are optimistic that a Gaza cease-fire agreement may be reached soon, according to national security advisor Jake Sullivan. Negotiators say they're close to a deal between Israel and Hamas fighters to pause all attacks in exchange for certain concessions. These are likely to include the release of Israeli hostages and increased aid for Gazans. Cease-fire began as a military command, from cease, or "stop," and its Latin root meaning "go slow or be idle."

A 1,100-pound bomb was detonated at sea after it was discovered in the back yard of a British house. More than 10,000 residents of Plymouth were evacuated before a military team transported the World War II-era munition to a nearby ferry ramp. It was then taken out to sea, where it exploded safely. The Latin root of detonate is detonare, "to thunder down."

Researchers have discovered a new colony of skywalker gibbons, an ape that is famous for singing duets. Before 44 new groups were found in Myanmar, scientists believed there were only about 200 of the gibbons in the world, all living in China. The tree-dwelling mammals are so fast that they're hard to spot, but researchers found them by listening for the sound of gibbon couples singing together. Duet is from the Italian duetto, "musical composition for two."

Chinese animal advocates who hope to curb the population of stray cats are moving some of the nearly-wild animals to a place known as Cat Island. It's a temporary stop for the feral cats, a safe spot for them to wait for an adoptive home. After being captured in Shanghai and neutered, the felines are moved to the island, where potential adopters can visit and choose one of the tamer cats as a pet. Feral is from the Latin fera bestia, "wild animal."

A fossil studied by scientists since 1931 was found to be a forgery. For years, the image of a strange reptile was believed to be 280 million years old, dating back to a time before the dinosaurs. When a researcher looked more closely at what she thought was preserved tissue, she realized it was black paint. While there may actually be a few old bones inside the painted rock, the reptile shape itself is definitely a fake. Forgery is from a root that means "to construct."

For the first time, adults whose skin is severely damaged by exposure to cold temperatures have an option other than amputation. The Food and Drug Administration approved a new medication that treats serious frostbite in adults. The slowed circulation caused by extreme cold eventually causes ice crystals to form beneath the skin, a condition that previously had no treatment other than removing affected fingers or toes.

The National Park Service is trying to save sequoias from extinction after California wildfires devastated them. For 1,000 years the giant trees have towered over the land where Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks are today. In two years, one-fifth of the redwoods were destroyed by fire. Scientists are using seeds and seedlings from other groves to boost the trees' hope for survival. Sequoia is likely named for the inventor of a written form of Cherokee language.

NASA is recruiting four crew members to test out its Mars simulator. They will be the latest cohort to live for a year in the 3-D printed facility at Johnson Space Center, which mimics the conditions a space crew would encounter if they were actually on Mars. Tasks in the simulator, known as Mars Dune Alpha, will include growing crops, operating robots, and dealing with some of the complications of life on another planet, like "communication delays and environmental stressors."

Using a deep-sea robot, researchers have discovered more than 100 previously unknown species. The underwater tool was exploring the waters of the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Chile when it found new types of organisms including lobsters, urchins, sea stars, corals, and sponges. The discovery highlights the oceans' remarkable biodiversity — and the importance of protecting it. The Latin species, "a particular type," derives from a root meaning "to observe."

A start-up in Kathmandu repurposes trash that's been left behind by climbers on Mount Everest. About a dozen entrepreneurial Nepali women use discarded climbing rope to make boxes, bowls, and table mats. The women have turned a traditional craft into a small business — and transformed waste into an economic opportunity. Start-up has existed since the 16th century, but it wasn't until the 1970s that it was first used to mean "brand new business."

Fans and players alike have conflicted feelings about Major League Baseball's new uniforms. The team outfits were designed by Nike to be more sustainable, quick-drying, and better-fitting than the old uniforms. However, many baseball players have commented that the pants are "papery" and "see-through," and "resemble paper-mache." The noun uniform, "clothes worn by one group," is from the Latin uniformis, "having only one form or shape."