Ripped from the Headlines: March 2025: This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for March 9–March 15, 2025

Two Italian men were convicted of smuggling a rare species of cactus out of Chile. The judge imposed extra fines to cover the cost of restoring the plants' ecosystems. The spiky succulents are in high demand, some selling for $10,000 or more. Uprooting the cacti from their desert environment threatens not just the plants, but also the insects that depend on nectar from their flowers. Cactus is from the Greek kaktos, or "spiky Spanish artichokes."

The private space company SpaceX experienced its second catastrophic failure in seven weeks when its Starship rocket exploded over Florida. The mishap occurred minutes after the spacecraft launched, sending debris flying and prompting the FAA to divert dozens of airline flights. Catastrophic is from catastrophe, originally "reversal of what is expected," from Greek roots meaning "overturn or turn down."

A new study suggests that while people believe they're good at interpreting the body language cues of their dogs, most actually misunderstand these subtle signals. Dogs give hints about their emotions, such as yawning or licking their lips when they're stressed. Researchers found that humans focus on the context rather than the clues provided by the dogs, assuming, for example, excitement at the sight of a leash even if the dogs are giving cues pointing toward anxiety or fear.

Experts say a Trump administration plan to readmit Russian diplomats raises the risk of espionage. According to former U.S. diplomats, Russia is certain to send spies along with legitimate diplomacy officials. The Kremlin has increased espionage operations against Western countries in recent years, and since 2000, more than 100 Russian diplomats have been expelled by the U.S. for spying. The French espion, "a spy," is the source of espionage.

Researchers have developed a genetically modified banana that doesn't turn brown. As part of an effort to cut down on food waste, scientists are using technology to edit out the gene in the bananas that produces the enzyme which gradually discolors ripe fruit. The genetically modified bananas are less likely to bruise during shipping, and they can even remain yellow for twelve hours after being peeled.

A promising new treatment may cure or prevent one in twenty cases of hypertension. British doctors developed "targeted thermal therapy" to burn away nodules that lead salt to build up in the body, one of the causes of high blood pressure. This form of hypertension can be difficult to treat and often doesn't respond to medication. High blood pressure is dangerous because it can result in heart attack or stroke. The Latin roots of hypertension mean "over stretched."

A California man was charged with grand theft after allegedly stealing $25,000 worth of Lego products from Target stores in six counties. The arrest was the latest in a string of recent Lego larceny cases. The alleged burglar is accused of simply piling the toys into a shopping cart, loading them into his car, and driving away. Lego theft is more and more common because rare and limited edition Lego sets sell on the secondary market for up to seven times more than their original price.

Wildlife researchers have recently observed male narwhals using their long ivory tusks to hit, nudge, or otherwise disturb fish, but experts disagree about what the behavior means. While female narwhals are successful hunters despite lacking tusks, some scientists think that these particular males have learned to use their tusks as hunting tools. Others are convinced that the Arctic marine mammals are simply being playful.

In an interview on March 9, President Trump didn't rule out the possibility of a recession. The White House has imposed steep tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China, leading many economists to worry about an economic decline as consumer prices increase. When asked about the possibility of a sharp drop in spending, Trump said, "It takes a little time, but I think it should be great for us." Recession derives from the Latin recessionem, "a going back."

Instead of marching in the streets, a growing number of climate activists are turning to sabotage. Some groups of environmentalists believe that peaceful protests haven't done enough to reverse fossil fuel emissions and slow global warming. They are increasingly turning to actions like deliberately disrupting gas pipelines, drilling holes in SUV tires, and starting fires at cement plants. Sabotage is from the French saboter, meaning "walk noisily."

After winning a Liberal Party leadership race on March 9, Mark Carney will succeed Justin Trudeau as Canada's next prime minister. Trudeau, who held the position for more than nine years, delivered an emotional farewell speech. His successor, who echoed Trudeau's defiance against recent U.S. tariffs, will hold the office at least until October's general election. The Latin root of succeed is succedere, meaning "come after."

The U.S. special envoy for hostage affairs, Adam Boehler, said that the militant group Hamas had agreed to a five-to-ten-year truce with Israel. Boehler is the first U.S. official to hold talks with Hamas since 1997. Despite Boehler's assurance that Hamas was fully committed to stop fighting, the two sides remained deadlocked over details at ceasefire talks this week in Qatar. Truce shares the Old English root treow, "faith, truth," with the word true.