Catch up on all the news you might have missed with our handy summary of the week’s top stories.
We're pleased to bring you "While You Were Out"—Verily's quick takes on the happenings of this week.
A 20-year-old gunman opened fire at shoppers in an Indiana mall on Sunday, killing three people and injuring at least two more. But just 15 seconds into his rampage, he was stopped by an armed bystander who shot and killed him. Local police chief Jim Ison said the bystander's actions were "nothing short of heroic."
Authorities are still looking for a motive for the alleged shooter, who emerged from a bathroom at Greenwood Mall Park to fire off 24 rounds of ammunition minutes before the mall closed. In his possession were two rifles, a pistol, and more than 100 rounds of ammunition.
Before he could continue firing, though, he was stopped by Elisjsha Dicken, a 22-year-old with a 9-millimeter handgun he carried legally under Indiana's constitutional carry law. Dicken fired at the assailant from 30 yards away, hitting the gunman eight times.
"Many more people would have died last night if not for a responsible, armed citizen that took action very quickly within the first two minutes of this shooting," Ison said.
Victims have been identified as 30-year-old Victor Gomez and a married couple, 56-year-old Pedro Piñeda and 37-year-old Rosa Mirian Rivera de Piñeda. A 12-year-old girl was among those injured.
"I grieve for these senseless killings," Greenwood Mayor Mark Myers said, "and I ache for the scars that are left behind the victims and on our community." —Madeline Fry Schultz
The Monarch butterfly was officially named an endangered species Thursday by the International Union for Conservation of Nature following years of habitat destruction and rising temperatures which have taken a toll on the Monarch butterflies population.
The species numbers have dropped between 22 and 72 percent over the last decade. Monarchs in the western United States are in particular danger, having declined an estimated 99.9 percent from as many as 10 million butterflies in the 1980s to less than 2,000 in 2021.
Monarchs are not the only butterflies in danger of extinction, however. As climate changes make regions unfriendly to butterflies, a majority of 450 species across 11 Western states are dropping in numbers, according to a recent study.
"It is difficult to watch monarch butterflies and their extraordinary migration teeter on the edge of collapse, but there are signs of hope," said Anna Walker, an entomologist at the New Mexico BioPark Society who led the butterfly assessment.
With some effort, Monarchs could come back from the brink. "People recognize the monarch," Walker said. "People love the monarch. So that gives us an opportunity to do the outreach and get people on board."—Gabriella Patti
Even Stranger Things can't keep Netflix's woes at bay. In the last quarter, the streaming giant lost nearly a million subscribers, continuing a downward trend for the platform that recently announced it is responding to sinking viewership by cracking down on password-sharing.
For the first time, Netflix has lost subscribers for two quarters in a row, spelling trouble for the streaming service as it battles for viewers with competitors such as HBO, Hulu, and Disney+. On top of that, Netflix stock has lost "about two-thirds of its value since the start of the year."
Still, Netflix lost fewer subscribers than expected, according to company leadership. "We're talking about losing 1 million instead of losing 2 million, so our excitement is tempered by the less-bad results," chairman and co-chief executive Reed Hastings said. "But really, we're set up very well for the next year."
Early next year, Netflix will roll out a cheaper, ad-supported version of its service to appeal to a greater number of subscribers. "Like most of our new initiatives, our intention is to roll it out, listen and learn, and iterate quickly to improve the offering," a Netflix shareholder letter said. "So, our advertising business in a few years will likely look quite different than what it looks like on day one." —MFS
Across the world this week, countries have been experiencing recording breaking temperatures and dangerous heat waves, which climate experts have been attributing to human-induced climate change.
The UK declared a national emergency this week as it experienced record-breaking temperatures—the highest measurement at 104.5° F (40.3° C), shattering the national temperature record for Britain by 2.9° F (1.6° C). All-time highs were also set in Scotland and Wales, and there have been reports of melting airplane runways and domestic travel delays.
Record-breaking temperatures have also been set across central Europe, including in parts of Germany, Denmark, and southern Scandinavia. The high temperatures have led to over a thousand deaths in Europe alone. Areas of Italy and Greece have experienced extreme droughts and wildfires.
Additionally, 100 million Americans in the lower 48 states were under heat alerts this week amid temperature readings in the triple digits, and multiple locations have set temperature records. —GP
"You wanna take mine or yours?" is a classic question to ask in a relationship if you're trying to decide whose car to take out for a date. But use that question as an Instagram caption talking about private jets, and it can come off as more than a little tone-deaf.
Kylie Jenner is in hot water for bragging about her and boyfriend Travis Scott's private jets. According to some internet sleuths, Jenner has used her private plane to take a flight as short as three minutes, with other flights running less than 15 minutes long. These flights, Mic reports, "would have amounted to 40-minute car rides."
Onlookers dubbed Jenner a "climate criminal," with one commenting, "Why do I have to limit my meat consumption and use paper straws while the 1 percent gets to pump tons of carbon into the atmosphere for a day trip to Palm Springs?"
No amount of paper straw usage is likely to make up for Jenner's jet-setting. Mic notes, "A private jet like 'Kylie Air,' which Jenner bought for $72.8 million right before the pandemic hit, can emit over two tons of CO2 and is five to 14 times more polluting than a commercial plane." —MFS
In an effort to cut ties with Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling, the Major League Quidditch has announced a name change, swapping in "Quadball" for "Quidditch." Additionally, U.S. Quidditch has changed its name to U.S. Quadball, and the International Quidditch Association plans to change its name as well.
The sport, which has expanded to 40 countries and nearly 600 teams, changed its names in part because the sports organizations don't own the "quidditch" trademark and also to separate themselves from J.K. Rowling, who came under fire for supporting Maya Forstater, a tax specialist who'd lost her job at the London-based Center for Global Development after her tweets were deemed transphobic.
Rowling since doubled down on her support, penning an essay explaining her stand, explaining that "her charitable trust in Scotland supports projects for female prisoners and for survivors of domestic and sexual abuse, and replacing the legal definition of sex with gender will affect the care given to these women. She also worries about children's safety, since biological females can become prey to men who, under pending legislation in Scotland, may enter female restrooms by simply claiming they are a woman. Rowling revealed she is a survivor of sexual assault, influencing her desire to prioritize safety for biological women." —GP
On Monday, the Navy announced that Lt. Amanda Lee would be the first woman demonstration pilot for the Blue Angels, the world's second-oldest aerobatic team.
While hundreds of women have flown with the Blue Angels over the years, Lt. Lee is the first to fly a twin-engine, carrier-capable, multirole fighter aircraft as part of the demonstration team.
"We had an overwhelming number of applicants from all over the globe this year," said Capt. Brian Kesselring, the squadron's commanding officer and flight leader. "We look forward to training our fantastic new team members, passing on the torch, and watching the incredible things this team will accomplish in 2023."
Lee, a member of the "Gladiators" of Strike Fighter Squadron 106, enlisted in the Navy in 2007. Blue Angel aviators are required to be "carrier-qualified with approximately 1,250 tactical jet flight hours by September 30 of the year applying." Additionally, they should have completed "an operational fleet tour along with advanced flight training with an average or greater composite score."
The Blue Angels have been around for over 70 years and have performed for over 450 million onlookers. —GP
In case you missed it, Lindsey Weishar wrote an article for Verily about Florence + the Machine's song "Free" and its accompanying music video. Weishar used the song to contextualize the topic of the anxiety that many live with on a day-to-day basis.
Be sure to read Lindsey's article and check out the 'Free' music video below.
Catch up on all the news you might have missed with our handy summary of the week’s top stories.
Catch up on all the news you might have missed with our handy summary of the week’s top stories.
Catch up on all the news you might have missed with our handy summary of the week’s top stories.
Catch up on all the news you might have missed with our handy summary of the week’s top stories.
Catch up on all the news you might have missed with our handy summary of the week’s top stories.
Catch up on all the news you might have missed with our handy summary of the week’s top stories.
Catch up on all the news you might have missed with our handy summary of the week’s top stories.
Catch up on all the news you might have missed with our handy summary of the week’s top stories.