Ripped from the Headlines: May 2026: This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for May 17–May 23, 2026

Researchers found evidence of Neanderthals drilling a cavity out of a tooth. Among many Paleolithic fossils excavated from Chagyrskaya Cave in Siberia was a molar with a large, deep hole in its center. Archaeologists could see the concave space was carved using a stone tool, most likely to clean decay out of the tooth. The Latin root of cavity is cavus, "hollow."

A three-day Long Island Rail Road worker strike resulted in chaotic rush hour commutes for thousands of people on May 18 and 19. More than 200,000 commuters rely on the rail service daily; these travelers faced limited numbers of shuttle buses, detours, and gridlocked traffic as they attempted to get to their jobs. The rail workers' union and transit officials reached an undisclosed agreement Monday night, and service resumed late on Tuesday.

Recent research points to the discovery of a new species of dinosaur, the largest ever found in Southeast Asia. The colossal specimen was identified from fossils unearthed in Thailand. Researchers believe it was a long-necked herbivore that weighed about 30 tons and measured 90 feet long. Though later sauropods were even more gargantuan, the new species was huge for the Early Cretaceous period. Colossal is from the Greek kolossos, "gigantic statue."

For the first time since the televised international music extravaganza began in 1956, Bulgaria won the Eurovision Song Contest. "Bangaranga," a catchy, dance-pop anthem by the performer Dara, beat out songs from 24 other countries. The event was a typically chaotic, over-the-top spectacle, with expensive stage productions and flashy costumes, watched by an estimated 120 million viewers.

Two Americans were arrested at a Japanese zoo after they entered Punch the monkey's enclosure. The young macaque, who gained social media attention after he was rejected by his mother and photographed with a stuffed animal, was unharmed. Also known as snow monkeys, Japanese macaques are the country's only native monkey species. The interlopers were allegedly performing a publicity stunt involving cryptocurrency when one of them scaled a protective safety fence.

Clashes between Sri Lankan farmers and elephants are intensifying. The conflict has existed for years, but it's grown more extreme amid fertilizer shortages caused by the war in Iran. The pachyderms wreak havoc on rice farms, trampling and eating crops planted on land that was once theirs to roam freely. Farmers, who are spending more but harvesting less, are desperate to defend their crops. Pachyderm comes from Greek roots pakhys, "thick," and derma, "skin."

A New York Magazine writer is being scrutinized after he was accused of plagiarism. Three recent stories by Ross Barkan contained lines that were similar to published work by other authors, without quotations or attribution. At least two of the allegedly plagiarized pieces contained the same 30 words in a row as in the original work. Barkan defended the copied lines, saying he included hyperlinks to earlier articles. The Latin root of plagiarism means "kidnapper."

A Chicago museum’s Knight Rider replica car, which hasn't gone anywhere in years, received a $50 New York City speeding ticket in the mail. The car is a duplicate of KITT, the black Trans Am that was a vital prop in the popular 1980s TV show. It hasn't moved from its display for over a decade, and museum officials aren't sure why they got the ticket, which came with a camera photo showing a black car with a California KNIGHT license plate identical to the museum's replica.

The University of Chicago announced it will waive tuition for students whose families make less than $250,000 a year. Allowing these undergraduates to forgo paying a total of nearly $300,000 will make college more affordable — and for those with family incomes under $125,000, all fees, housing, and meal costs will also be waived. It's one of the most generous financial aid programs in the United States.

Iraq has started restoration work on the ancient Ziggurat of Ur to preserve it from damage caused by wind and sand erosion. The massive, flat-topped structure is more than 4,000 years old, and it's one of the best-preserved Mesopotamian buildings that exists today. Originally standing an estimated 98 feet tall, the ziggurat was dedicated to Nanna, the moon god. The Assyrian root of ziggurat is zaqaru, "to be high."