THE DOWNINGTOWN REPORT AAARRROOOUUUNNNDDD TTTHHHEEE WWWOOORRRLLLDDD China’s New Maglev Train can hit 620 kph Recently, China has showcased its prototype of the new Maglev train that can reach speeds upto about 620kph (385mph). Maglev trains, also known as Magnetic Levitation trains, are land transportation vehicles that levitate above the tracks using electromagnetic attraction or repulsion. These vehicles are used among the public in China, Japan, and South Korea. This particular prototype, about 69 feet long, uses high temperature superconducting to make it appear as though the train is floating on the magnetized tracks. Professor He Chaun, who worked on the prototype stated that he believes that the Maglev train can be utilized in about three to ten years. Pope Appoints First Woman to the Synod of Bishops Recently, the Pope has appointed the first woman, Sister Nathalie Becquart as undersecretary to the Synod of Bishops, which is an advisory committee to the Pope. This change reflects the Pope’s desire "for a greater participation of women in the process of discernment and decision-making in the church” according to Cardinal Mario Grech, the body’s secretary-general. Recently there has been more participation of women in the church with 6 women appointed last year to oversee finances and last month’s change to allow women to administer communion and serve at the altar.

Amazon CEO, Jeff Bezos steps down BBBUUUSSSIIINNNEEESSSSSS Jeff Bezos, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Amazon recently announced his plan to step down from CEO and will soon be replaced by Andy Jassy. However, Bezos will still be involved in the company’s future and will remain as an executive chair. He stated that he wants to invest more time to work on his newspaper The Washington Post and his spaceflight company Blue Origin. Ever since the talk of Bezos retiring his position of CEO, the obvious choices were between Jeff Wilke and Andy Jassy, both of whom have been part of Amazon from the beginning. However, with Wilke announcing his retirement, the position fell to Jassy. As Tom Alberg, a longtime Amazon director and investor said, “Andy has lived his whole life in that culture, and that culture is so strong,” Space X’s First ever Civilian Flight Crew? Jared Isaacman, an American businessman is funding a space trip in the SpaceX Crew Dragon Capsule. The crew could be the first ever orbital flight crew of all non-astronauts. Isaacman has announced that his mission Inspiration4 will be a multi day trip, orbiting around Earth. He plans to launch Inspiration4 towards the end of 2021. There will be four crew members including Isaacman along with an ambassador from St. Jude Children Research Hospital, a member from the public, and a winner from a contest limited to Isaacman’s ecommerce platform, Shift4Shop. Along with conducting this monumental trip, Isaacman wants to use this opportunity to support research on childhood cancer and pledges to donate $100 million dollars to St. Jude. BBBLLLAAACCCKKK HHHIIISSSTTTOOORRRYYY MMMOOONNNTTTHHH February marks the month-long recognition of Black figures and their role in American history. The origins of Black History Month date back to 1915. Harvard historian Carter G. Woodson and Minister Jesse E. Moorland founded The Association for the Study of Negro Life and History. Their organization focused on finding and promoting achievements made by Black Americans and other people of African descent. This group sponsored a national Negro History week in 1926 during the second week of February. In the decades following this, mayors of cities across the country started issuing annual proclamations recognizing Negro History Week. Owing to the help of the 1960s Civil Rights Movement and a growing consciousness of black identity, Negro History Week evolved into Black History Month on numerous college campuses.38th US President Gerald Ford officially recognized Black History Month in 1976, he stated that we need to “seize the opportunity to honor the too- often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history."

Black-Figure of the Week : Cicely Tyson Actress Cicely Tyson, whose vibrant portrayals of influential African-American women in the dramatic arts of the 1970s smashed racial perceptions, propelling her to stardom and fame as an example of civil rights, died on 28 January 2021 at the age of ninety-six. Tyson refused to take acting projects that demeaned Black people and she used her voice to encourage other black actors to do the same. She criticized films and television that depicted its black characters as criminal, subservient, or immoral. Additionally, Tyson stated that these characters instead should portray Black people with dignity, no matter their circumstances. Some of her Prominent Films: Sounder (1972): In Depression-era Louisiana, after her sharecropper husband is incarcerated for stealing food, Rebecca (Cicely Tyson) must rescue her family from starvation. Earning an Oscar nomination for her role in this film, Tyson was praised for calibrating the determination and integrity of her character that has to navigate through a system weighted against her. It's a portrait of an enduring woman, of grace and of grit. The Autobiography of Miss Jane (1974): Based on the novel by Ernest J. Gaines, Tyson metamorphosed herself into the 110-year-old Jane Pittman. Set during 1960s Louisiana, Jane Pittman accepts an interview from a journalist and retells the story of her life as a former slave. Jane's liberation marks the trajectory of her life framed by the horrors of slavery through the height of the Civil Rights Movement. Roots (1977): A television mini-series based on the novel by Alex Haley, follows the life of Kunta Kinte. He and his family were abducted from their village in the Gambia and taken to the United States. Tyson plays Kinte’s mother, Binta. Although she did not play a major role in the project, her role was essential for laying the groundwork of the story, which helped to spotlight the real ugliness of slavery for every watcher. SSSCCCIIIEEENNNCCCEEE The Smallest Reptile UAE to Mars Found! In 2012, scientists from Madagascar On February 9th, the United Arab Emirate’s and Germany discovered two tiny (UAE) Hope orbiter will reach Mars, lizards on a Madagascar mountainside. making it the country’s first interplanetary Now, they classified the male and mission. Launched on July 20th of last year, female lizards in a new species called the Hope orbiter (Arabic: al-Amal) and its mission was designed and led by the Brookesia nana (nano-chameleon). Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre Known as the smallest in “11,500 known (MBRSC) in Dubai with the help of the species of reptiles,” the nano- Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space chameleons’ body is around 13.5mm Physics in Colorado, Arizona State with its length including the tail to be University and UC Berkeley. Emirate Mars different in males and females (22mm in Mission project director Omran Sharaf males and 29mm in females). However, hopes the probe will study weather cycles the chameleons are threatened by and the reasoning behind why the red disappearing rainforests and are on the planet is losing hydrogen by analyzing its verge of extinction. Therefore, scientists atmospheric layers, both of which are are recommending the reptiles are objectives that will be the country's listed in the International Union for contributions to a “knowledge-based economy.” The mission is expected to last Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) Red one full Martian year (687 Earth days) and List of Threatened Species while they the data will be shared to over 200 conduct further research on this institutions worldwide according to Sheikh fascinating species. Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Double Masking: Is It More Internet Ban in India: Protective What’s The Big Deal? As more COVID-19 variants that are After 18 months without high speed more contagious spread across the internet services, India has restored 4G world, scientists have also come up with mobile data services to Kashmir, a new recommendations on how to stay region that has revoked its rights safe: double masking. Although the having its own constitution and revoked Centers for Disease Control and citizens’s rights in land ownership and Prevention (CDC) in the US did not jobs in 2019. The ban, which was a total release specific guidelines on whether communication blackout, was one of double masking is required, Dr. Anthony the longest in democracy and left many Fauci quoted how it “just makes common without jobs, healthcare and education. sense.” As more research is being done It’s main objective: stop information on the variants from the UK and South about anti-India protests or joining Africa, scientists are weighing in their pakistan. Even more recently, Prime thoughts on the idea. Many agree that wearing a cloth mask over a surgical Minister Narendra Modi has also cut mask or investing in a KN95 or N95 is the internet near New Delhi (India’s worth it as the more layers there are, the capital) to stop the spread of farmers less particles reach your nose and protests in regards to new agriculture mouth. On the other hand, some officials laws, a movement that has also also believe the government should have attracted global attention after done a better job of manufacturing high Rihanna tweeted a news report and quality masks so Americans would not Greta Thunberg conveyed her opinions. need to “fend for themselves.” BBBUUUCCCCCCAAANNNEEEEEERRR'''SSS WWWIIINNN AAANNNDDD TTTHHHEEE WWWEEEEEEKKKNNNDDD'''SSS PPPEEERRRFFFOOORRRMMMAAANNNCCCEEE The Tampa Bay Buccaneers won this Sunday’s Super Bowl against the Kansas City Chiefs in a 31-9 sweep. Quarterback Tom Brady, who switched from the New England Patriots last year to the Buccaneers has now won his seventh Super Bowl and he is currently the oldest active player in the NFL. Chief’s quarterback, Patrick Mahomes was evidently not as protected as Brady was in the game. The Buccaneers took advantage of this. According to ESPN Stats & Data, they sacked Mahomes three times and forced him on 29 of his 56 drop- backs, the most in Super Bowl history. Mahomes spent the majority of the game scrambling behind the line of scrimmage from defenders. In order to accumulate just 270 yards, he threw two interceptions, no touchdowns, and needed 49 passes, most of them late in the game. In a statement later, he said, "We can't let this define us. We have to continue to get better going into next year and prepare ourselves to hopefully be in this game again. We knew it wasn't always going to be successful and we weren't going to be able to win 1,000 championships in a row. We knew we were going to go through times like this and adversity. I think the best thing about it is the guys we have the leadership ability to be even better next year.''

Clothed in a glittery red blazer and surrounded by an all-black ensemble, the Weeknd (real name Abel Tesfaye) dazzled the Half-time show stage. He sang some of his biggest hits like “Starboy”, “The Hills”, and “I Feel It Coming”. Tesfaye moved to a room filled with retro bulb lights where he performed “Can’t Feel My Face” with his bandaged clone army moving around in helter-skelter fashion with the camera angles, creating a scene of glamourous disarray. The bandages are a recurring theme part of the aesthetic of his 2020 album After Hours. He told Variety that, “The significance of the entire head bandages is reflecting on the absurd culture of Hollywood celebrity and people manipulating themselves for superficial reasons to please and be validated”. He toned down the mood with a luminescent performance of “Save Your Tears” and his string dominant ballad “Earned It”. The Weeknd ended his nearly 15 minutes set with his chart-topping 80s inspired hit “Blinding Lights” where he once again brings out his clone army taking up all the area of the footballfield--sometimes dancing in-sync but other times dancing in total mayhem to the 80s synthwave beat drop. The Weeknd’s performance encaptured his grand vocal range and a sense of escapism.

WWWEEEEEEKKK IIINNN HHHIIISSSTTTOOORRRYYY The idea to start a hospital in the US (specifically in Pennsylvania) was first thought of by Dr. Thomas Bond and Benjamin Franklin “for the reception and cure of the sick people” (Penn Medicine). At the time, Philadelphia was one of the most heavily populated cities out of the others in the thirteen colonies. Franklin organized a petition to encourage the people to agree to set up a hospital. Though it met with some objections at first, the assembly eventually agreed, thinking that the task was impossible. Franklin was then able to fundraise more than enough money to start building and in February of 1752, the first temporary hospital was established on High Street (now known as Market Street). PPPOOOSSSIIITTTIIIVVVEEE NNNEEEWWWSSS Cycling has become one of the most popular outdoor activities since the start of the Pandemic. So much that near the start, bicycles were out of stock and the supply could not keep up with the demand. With this excitement around cycling, people are looking for new adventures to bike with. A new trail is being designed which will allow cyclists and hikers to travel 3,700 miles across America from coast to coast. This trail project, called The Great American Rail-Trail, is led by Rail-to-Trails Conservancy. The trail will run from Washington D.C. to Washington State’s coast. While 1,988 miles of the track has already been completed, the trail also aims to connect 145 pre existing trails. Once it is finally completed, it will serve a huge number of Americans since 50 million people already live within 80km of the trail. AAACCCTTTIIIVVVIIITTTIIIEEESSS

AABBOOUUTT TTHHEE WWRRIITTEERRSS Vibha Guru, AMahBi MaOllinaU, KryTstal MTichHomaE, a ndW ShanRthi BIhaTskaEr arRe alSl current juniors at Downingtown STEM Academy. They were inspired by recent current events to create an engaging newsletter to stimulate interest in the world around them among their community’s youth. By creating short, yet informative, articles and interactive puzzles about the various topics covered, they hope to inspire our community to learn further and connect the knowledge they gain from their classrooms to the real world.