Ripped from the Headlines: December 2023: This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for December 2–December 8, 2023

Scientists think penguins' habit of taking thousands of naps a day is an adaptation to their environment. A new study shows that the birds fall asleep over and over again, for a few seconds at a time, a behavior that's helped them survive in conditions of constant interruptions. The naps mostly occur in the penguins' nests, their brains cycling between sleeping and walking up to 600 times per hour. Researchers think they developed the habit to suit their crowded, noisy environment.

A recent salmonella outbreak was caused by pre-cut cantaloupe, according to public health officials. At least 117 people have been sickened by the bacteria, which has been traced to Malichita and Rudy brand cantaloupes. The CDC is advising consumers to avoid fruit cups containing the orange melon. The cantaloupe gets its name from Cantalupo, a summer estate in Italy where they were first grown in Europe after being introduced from Armenia.

A growing number of doctors are choosing not to focus on their patients' weight, saying it can result in mistaken diagnoses. For years, weight and BMI have been major indicators of health, but research shows that too much attention on body size can lead doctors to miss health problems and diseases. Some physicians are making their practices "weight-neutral," providing the same care to patients no matter their weight. The Greek root of diagnosis means "knowing thoroughly."

George Santos was expelled from Congress. It's only the sixth time in U.S. history that a congressional representative has been kicked out. The vote to oust the New York congressman passed on bipartisan lines, with nearly half of his Republican colleagues voting for removal. The decision came two weeks after a 56-page ethics report accused Santos of misconduct including money laundering and stealing campaign donations. Expel has a Latin root that means "drive out."

Several companies say they will soon be able to use nuclear fusion as a source of electricity. Startups including the Seattle business Helion have attracted millions of dollars of investment in the clean energy source. The technology, which has been attempted for years, requires lightweight atoms to be stuck together, fusing into particles that weigh less than the original elements, with energy created from the missing mass. Proponents hope that fusion will replace fossil fuels.

The world's largest iceberg is on the move for the first time after being stuck in place for about 30 years. Iceberg A23a, which is nearly as large as the Hawaiian island of Oahu, is floating near the Antarctic Peninsula, south of South America. The enormous chunk of ice, at least 1,000 feet thick, calved in 1986 when it broke off from the Filchner Ice Shelf. Iceberg comes from the Dutch ijsberg, or "ice mountain."

Two federal courts ruled that former president Trump is not immune from criminal or civil liability for the January 6 attack on the Capitol. The decisions specified that Trump is not protected from being sued by police officers who were injured in the riot, and that his position does not shield him from prosecution for election subversion. The Latin root of immune is immunis, "not paying a share."

A small study found that brain implants helped people recover faster following traumatic injuries. After five patients who had been disabled by accidents had electrodes surgically inserted in their heads, each of them performed better on cognitive tests. The embedded electrodes stimulated their brains, leaving them with improved focus and attention. Implant comes from the French implanter, "to insert."

A biotech company announced that it has cleared the first hurdle to have a longevity drug approved for use in pet dogs. Pending review by the FDA, the canine life-extending drug could be available by 2026. So far, the company is promising one extra year of life, although this hasn't been scientifically proven. The average lifespan of a dog is between 10 and 13 years, although large breeds have shorter lives. The Latin root of longevity is longaevus, "of great age."

Some of the world's largest oil companies pledged to slash more than 80 percent of methane emissions by 2030. Exxon Mobil, Saudi Aramco, and other giants of the fossil fuel industry made the promise at the UN Climate Change Conference in Dubai. The move is intended to limit discharge of the polluting gas during drilling. Methane is blamed for over half of human-caused warming, and the oil and gas industry is responsible for 14% of the colorless, odorless gas in the atmosphere.

The lineup for the College Football Playoffs was announced on December 3. Michigan, Washington, Texas, and Alabama will be competing for a spot in the national championship game in Houston on January 8. Alabama and Michigan will face off in the Rose Bowl semifinal, with Texas and Washington meeting up in the Sugar Bowl, both scheduled for January 1. The exclusion of the Florida State Seminoles from the playoffs came as a surprise to many.

The Oxford University Press 2023 word of the year is the slang term rizz, which is short for charisma. The word is considered to be Gen Z lingo, defined as "style, charm, or attractiveness," and it originated in online gaming argot. Actor Tom Holland is credited with taking rizz viral earlier this year when he told an interviewer, "I have no rizz whatsoever. I have limited rizz." Slang was originally defined as "the language of tramps and thieves."