Pizza Our Heart

You can say goodbye to those pesky, midnight cravings. This month, 24-hour pizza ATMs will be implemented in various businesses and colleges in 20 different states and Canada. The French company, called Paline, first launched their pizza ATM in August at Xavier University. The debut was successful, with many companies and colleges asking how to get one of their own. The machine works by storing pizza dough and eight different toppings in a refrigerated section of the machine. The pizza dough is partially baked and frozen for storage. Orders can be placed using a touch screen on the machine, which the machine then uses to specialize the pizza, move it to a convection oven, cook it, and place it in a cardboard box for the customer to take. And did we mention it all happens in under three minutes?

Women On Washington

A Women’s March on Washington, formed through an unorganized Facebook page, is rapidly gaining momentum. Their plan is to march on Washington on January 21 and challenge the new president’s administration. An expected 200,000 women will be participating. The major issues they are marching for are the Equal Rights Amendment, the pay gap, paid family leave, and violence against women. There have been 1,200 bus requests for January 21st compared to only 200 for inauguration Friday, indicating that the Women’s March on Washington very well may be more attended than Trump’s inauguration. This march is likely only the first major public demonstration after Trump’s inauguration.

A Real Icebreaker

Scientists say that a Delaware-sized chunk of an Antarctic ice shelf could break off this winter. The crack, which has grown over 50 miles since 2011, has grown by 11 miles this past month. Only 12 miles of ice is currently connecting it to the rest of the Antarctic Peninsula. Ice shelves, not to be mistaken for glaciers, are permanent floating sheets of ice that connect to a landmass. Ice shelves keep glaciers from flowing into the oceans. If this chunk, called Larsen C, breaks off, it could accelerate the breakup of the rest of the ice shelf. Then, because it wouldn’t be there to keep the glaciers from flowing into the ocean, the ocean levels could rise by four inches. Not to mention, the landscape of the Antarctic Peninsula would be significantly different. There have already been two ice-shelf breakups, both of which are near Larsen C, and all of which scientists are attributing to…wait for it…climate change.

“Trump Trigger”

And in a continuation of the weirdest election ever, there is now an app that helps trade stocks based on Trump’s tweets. The soon-to-be President Trump is not shy with his opinions, especially about large corporations and their business practices. Professional traders of the Trigger app have created models and algorithms to take Trump’s tweets in consideration when determining market turbulence and the future of aforementioned business stocks. The app calls it a “Trump Trigger.” When Trump tweets about a publicly traded company that users have included in their stock portfolio, the app sends those users an alert about it. It then gives the users an option to “buy,” “sell,” or “short” the stock. So, his tweets that most people just brush off may actually matter more than you might think. For example, Trump tweeted in December about Boeing, the manufacturer of the Air Force One plane and how the cost supposedly exceeds $4 billion. Boeing discredited the claim, but still, their stock went down temporarily by about one percent. Next time you trade stocks, Trump’s tweets are just another thing to take into consideration.

Kardashian Robbery Suspects Detained

Suspects have been detained in connection to Kim Kardashian’s armed robbery. A few days after Kardashian’s highly anticipated return to social media, news broke that 17 suspects were questioned on Monday about the theft of $10 million worth of the jewelry. Among the suspected, were brothers Gary and Michael Madar and Kardashian’s chauffeur, which indicates that the robbery was likely an inside job. There are reportedly three women among the group of suspects, and the ages of the 17 suspects range from 23 to 73.

“Yes, He Did”

After eight years in the White House, President Obama says goodbye. While he will always be remembered as the first African-American president, there are a additional moments in his presidency that are pretty significant. In 2009, President Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize, in 2010, he signed the infamous Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare) that helped 20 million Americans obtain health insurance, and just last year, Obama formed the world’s largest protected area by expanding a national marine monument in the Pacific Ocean. In his farewell speech, Obama recounted his 2008 election mantra “Yes we can” and after his successful presidency, Obama believed it was fitting to end his speech with “Yes we did.”

A Step Backwards For Women

“Russia just voted to decriminalize domestic violence” is a sentence we never thought we would hear. And yet, conservatives in Russia’s Parliament want to reduce domestic violence from a criminal offense to a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of only $500. Because that seems like a good idea. The stated reason? To protect the “right” for parents to hit their children. However, it will also protect husbands who abuse their wives. With women accounting for 74 percent of the country’s domestic violence victims, this is clearly a step back for women’s rights. This bill was approved by all but two members, one which choose to abstain from the vote, of Parliament on Wednesday.

A Presidential Bromance

“This also gives the Internet one last chance to talk about our bromance,” said President Barack Obama while awarding Vice-President Joe Biden with a surprise Medal of Freedom with distinction. Biden has been involved with politics his entire adult life, including getting elected to the Senate at the age of 29. He has been a champion for social justice, especially women’s rights. In Biden’s acceptance speech he remarks on his surprise, as well as how close the Biden and Obama families have gotten the past 8 years. The Internet is turning the picture of Joe receiving the medal into a meme one last time before they leave the office.

Cold-Blooded Killer

Mice are stone-cold killers. At least some mice are, thanks to Yale scientist Ivan de Araujo. Araujo and fellow scientists are not trying to create a monster. They are simply experimenting on mice to learn how larger brain networks function. Scientists utilized a technique called optogenetics that involves attaching a sensory device that pulses blue light and targets groups of neurons that control predatory hunting and killing. In doing so, scientists were able trigger a “killing instinct” in the mice. Afterwards, scientists conducted experiments that studied the mice’s bite force and muscle contractions. Scientists concluded that the mice’s bite force was significantly more powerful than usual, and the muscles were contracting more strongly.

Pop Culture Announcement

Memphis’s very own Sun Records is being turned into a TV show on CMT. The drama series will be based on Sam Phillips, played by Chad Michael Murray, and his struggle to found the music label. It tells the story of the very birth of rock ‘n roll in our hometown, so you can bet we’ll be tuning in Feb. 23.