A woman from Sacramento and her boyfriend were driving on a highway when she lost control of her car, getting involved in a car crash. Both of them were knocked unconscious and they were transported to the hospital. Although none of them suffered any major injuries, the doctors insisted to give them a CT just to make sure.

An Unexpected Diagnosis

This is when the doctors discovered that the woman, Aimee Green, had a brain tumor. This tumor was as large as an index finger and it had been growing in the woman’s brain for more than a year. Amazingly, the car crash was the one that lead to this discovery. Although the woman mentioned she was devastated, the car crash might have just saved her life, in a surprising turn of events.

The tumor was growing near the right ear of the patient. The doctors mentioned that the tumor is a benign one and it is scientifically called a choroid plexus papilloma. This type of tumor is mostly found in children, but the woman developed it as well. The papilloma is known for increasing the production of cerebrospinal fluid, which increases the pressure in the skull and brain. Doctors mentioned that the increased pressure can cause the tumor to rupture, thus becoming deadly.

The Woman’s Symptoms

Aimee Green stated that she suffered from seizures and sever migraines but never got tested. Now it appears that the brain tumor was the cause of the problems. The bad news is that the woman is a student and an operation to remove the tumor might lead to memory loss. With the help of her teachers now she might be able to graduate early and return to the hospital to remove the tumor.

The woman mentioned that the car crash was “truly a blessing” because it helped doctors discover the brain tumor in time. If the tumor had ruptured, her life would have been in danger. Now, she hopes that she manages to graduate so that she can have the tumor removed safely.

A Seaside High School teacher accidentally fired a gun inside the classroom injuring three students Tuesday. The teacher was identified as Dennis Alexander, a reserve police officer for the Sand City Police Department and a Seaside councilman.

The incident reportedly occurred at 1:20 p.m. local time when Alexander was conducting Administration of Justice class and teaching students about gun safety. It was during this time when the professor fired a single shot from a semi-automatic handgun into the ceiling, media sources report. Most of the students attending the class were between 16 and 17 years old.

Chief of the Seaside Police Department, Abdul Pridgen, said that Alexander was pointing the handgun at the ceiling when he accidentally fired it. Shrapnel from the bullet ricochet from the ceiling and pieces of concrete fell to the ground, injuring three students. A 17-year-old boy was hit in the neck by debris or a piece of shrapnel after it ricocheted from the ceiling, according to Pridgen. The teen was not injured and classes reportedly resumed after the incident.

Alexander reportedly apologized to the class for mistakenly firing his gun, however, school authorities did not follow up to check the student’s well-being, according to media sources.

The professor was temporarily suspended as the police investigate the incident.

“The safety of your student is always our top priority, and we will continue to remain vigilant in our effort to keep them safe while they are under our care,” the Superintendent’s Office wrote in a letter to the students’ parents.

The incident took place amid a time of intense debate over whether to arm teachers in the wake of the Valentine’s Day shooting that left 17 dead and another 17 injured.

According to the father of the 17-year-old who was injured, said that Alexander wanted to make sure the firearm was not loaded when it went off. The professor was reportedly using the gun as a prop to show how to safely disarm someone.

Image Source: MaxPixel

 

Renowned physicist and one of the brightest stars of science, Stephen Hawking, has sadly passed away at the age of 76. He was one of the biggest sources of inspiration for an entire world, shaping modern cosmology with his insights and teaching us that anything is possible just as long as you don’t give up.

His family confirmed the sad news through an official statement released on Wednesday morning. He reportedly died in his home in Cambridge, surrounded by his loving family.

His three children, Robert, Lucy, and Tim, are reportedly extremely sad and thanked everyone for their kind words.  His three children survive him, from his first marriage to Jane Wilde.

Apart from being a huge inspiration for millions, for his fellow scientists, Hawking was a man with a wicked sense of humor and a very bright personality. His amazing intellect and his illness made him a symbol.

The man in his special chair and the iconic robotic voice which was usually cracking jokes will forever be remembered.

 

A Brief History of Stephen Hawking

 

At the age of 21, back in 1963, doctors diagnosed him with motor neuron disease. Initially, his life expectancy was of two years, but Hawking defied medicine and survived for over fifty more years.  

 

“It wouldn’t be much of a Universe if it wasn’t home to the people you love” 

 

Stephen Hawking’s health issue made him realize that he was enjoying life more with the cloud of death over his head. So, he began studying more and more and set his primary goal to be the complete understanding of the universe.

After achieving numerous distinction and becoming one of the most important figures of the science world, Hawking released his famous A Brief History of Time. This would later turn him into a worldwide superstar, in 1988. 

His most recent advice was for humanity to start looking for other planets to relocate to. His idea was shared by many others, including billionaire Elon Musk.

 

Image source: Flickr 

Tesla and SpaceX founder, Elon Musk, is once again proving that an idea can go a long way as long as you stick to it. One of his other endeavors, The Boring Company, has received a written permit for preliminary preparation and excavation for a potential Hyperloop transportation system in Washington DC. The line would link Washington DC to New York, with stops at Philadelphia and Baltimore.

The total trip time between DC and New York would be a mere 29 minutes, something which would no doubt revolutionize transportation. Imagine ending your shift in Washington DC and going back to your home in New Jersey on the same day.

The permit is reportedly for a spot at 53 New York Avenue NE, located next to a McDonald’s and near the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

According to a Boring Company spokesperson, if a Hyperloop were to be constructed at the New York Avenue location, it could become a station “ as part of the Hyperloop network of ultra-high-speed main lines and slower city ‘loops’ “.

However, the project is still in its early stages and the bigger picture is yet to be fully explored, according to DC Mayor Muriel E. Bowser’s chief of staff, John Falcicchio.

Elon Musk already has clearance from the White House and the state of Maryland to start preparing the Hyperloop site.

Back in July of last year, Musk tweeted that he had received verbal approval from the government to build an underground Hyperloop network along the East coast. While there weren’t any formal agreements in place at the time of the tweet, it has since been confirmed that The Boring company has had positive conversations with the White House over the Hyperloop network.

Just received verbal govt approval for The Boring Company to build an underground NY-Phil-Balt-DC Hyperloop. NY-DC in 29 mins.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 20, 2017

Image Source: Flickr

The U.S. State Department system has applied strict “do not travel” advisories in five Mexican states this Wednesday. This warning would put Sinaloa, Colima, Michoacan, and Guerrero in the same category was war-torn countries such as Syria, Somalia, and Yemen.

According to the statement, the states in question are known hotspots of drug cartel activity, either maintaining constant trafficking routes or cultivating a large number of drug-crops.

Tamaulipas is situated on the U.S. border while Sinaloa, Colima, Michoacan, and Guererro are on the Pacific Coast. The State Department has a history of discouraging US citizens from traveling to certain areas of those states, however, this is the first time the countries were given a level 4 warning, which is the highest level of potential dangers.

Mexico in its entirety currently has a level 2 rating, which means that Americans are advised to be extra cautious due to high criminality rates. Besides issuing the strict advisories, Wednesday saw the State Department give 11 other Mexican states a level 3 warning, meaning that American citizens should “reconsider” traveling to those areas. Half of Mexico currently has level 3 or 4 warnings.

The states where Americans should reconsider travel include the State of Mexico, Mexico’s most heavily populated state, Jalisco, the Puerto Vallarta resorts and Chapala and Ajijic, where expat communities reside.

However, the U.S. travel advisory department has said that there is “no restriction on U.S. government employees for stays in… Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta, Chapala, and Ajijic,”

States, where level 3 warnings apply, are mostly in the northern part of Mexico, including the border states of Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo Leon, and Sonora. In addition, Durango, Zacatecas, and San Luis Potosi currently are marked with level 3 warnings.

As of yet, Mexico’s federal tourism department has not commented on the new advisories.

Image Source: WikipediaCommons

A recent study looked at the child mortality rates of 20 wealthy nations and revealed that infants born in the United States are less likely to survive within their first year.

A report published in the journal, Health Affairs, concluded that the US still has problems in tackling child mortality. Researchers extrapolated data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Part of the study involved looking at child mortality rates between 1961 and 2010 in the US and other rich nations in the OECD, which consists of 35 countries. The program was founded with the sole purpose of improving social well-being and economic development across the world.

„The US is the most dangerous of wealthy democratic countries in the world for children,” said Dr. Ashish Thakrar, lead author of the study and an internal medicine resident at the Johns Hopkins Hospital and Health System in Baltimore.

According to Dr. Thakrar, both male and female children regardless of their age have been dying more often in the US than in other rich countries since the 1980s.

The study established several reasons for the mortality spike including automobile accidents and firearm assaults.

Researchers found that premature births and sudden infant death syndrome were some of the leading causes of death in the past ten years. More so, children born in the US were three times likelier to die from premature births and twice more likely to die from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Teenagers were another affected group, the researchers found. Teens from the US were twice as likely to die from automobile accidents and 82 times more likely to die from gun homicide than in other wealthy countries.

The other countries involved in the study include Australia, Canda, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, France, Austria, Iceland, Italy, Ireland, Japan, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, and Switzerland.

Image Source: Pixabay

California is cracking down on climate change as a new bill introduced on Wednesday would forbid the sale of any new cars or other vehicles that use fossil fuels in 2040. The state legislature was championed by California Assembly member, Phil Ting, as part of a new initiative called Clean Cars 2040. Under this new law, any passenger automobiles sold after January 1 2040 would have to be zero emissions. This would mean that all cars sold after this date will be battery-electric or hydrogen fuel cars.

“We’re at an inflection point: we’ve got to address the harmful emissions that cause climate change.” Said Ting.

The electrification of transportation is paramount in ensuring that not only the environment but the people remain healthy, he added.

This law would be added to an existent goal set by Governor, Jerry Brown, for 1.5 million zero-emission vehicles in California by 2025.  Ting states that California is doing nothing more than pursuing an idea that has been promoted by statesmen for years and that is the well-being of the environment and public health policies.

40 percent of California’s greenhouse emissions are caused by passenger vehicles that run on fossil fuels. The new law would supposedly disqualify any vehicle that is still powered by fossil fuels. However, there will be exceptions in place. For example, large commercial vehicles that weigh more than 10 thousand pounds would still be allowed to run on gas. New California residents who are moving from another state would also be exempt from the law, at least at the beginning.

While the new state legislation is still 22 years away, California already has an estimated 300 thousand electric vehicles registered, a good sign for Governor Brown’s 2021 prospects. In 2016 2.1 million cars were sold in California, and only 1.9 percent of them were zero-emission vehicles.

Image Source: Pexels

First Lady, Melania Trump, has reportedly ordered White House personnel to cut back a significant portion of a historic magnolia tree that was planted by President Andrew Jackson in the 1800s.

The eponymous magnolia was added by President Andrew Jackson to the south façade of the White House in honor of his late wife, Rachel Jackson. According to Trump’s spokeswoman, Stephanie Grisham, the first lady weighed all possible options for maintaining the Jackson Magnolia and the decision was made out of safety concerns. Melania Trump reviewed an analysis by the United States National Arboretum and consulted with White House staff for the best possible outcome.

According to Grisham, the first lady was “concerned about the safety of visitors and members of the press who are often standing in front of the tree during Marine One lifts,”

The tree is just one of three others located on the west side of the White House. Several White House documents noted the Jackson Magnolia to be architecturally compromised and are currently relying on its artificial support.

Grisham states that a significant portion of the tree will be removed later this week, however wood and seedling from the magnolia will be preserved for the future.

Media obtained documents also claim that the Jackson Magnolia would have been cut down years ago had it not been for its historic importance. They also say all efforts at the moment are aimed at the tree’s survival as White House officials believe the Jackson Magnolia will eventually fail.

Ever since the tree was planted in 1835, it became a backdrop of many White House events including Easter Egg Rolls and Marine One departures. The tree was so popular that even its seedlings were valued. During a trip to former Israeli president, Shimon Peres’ presidential residence, President Obama gifted a seedling from the magnolia to the Israeli people.

Image Source: Flickr

Mathew Petersen, a member of the Federal Election Commission and hopeful Trump pick for federal court, has withdrawn from consideration after struggling to answer basic legal questions.

Petersen was nominated by President Donald Trump for a seat on the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. While the president believed in Petersen to be a good pick for the position, the Senate Judiciary Committee thought otherwise. During the hearing, Petersen was asked a series of questions regarding his legal experience as well as potential judge responsibilities.

The Trump nominee struggled to answer Senator John Kennedy’s most basic questions about the rules of evidence and civil procedure. Kennedy, who is a member of the Judiciary Committee, asked Petersen if he ever tried a case, or if he knew what the “Dauber standard” is. Petersen was unable to answer both questions and more.  You can watch the segment for yourself.

MUST WATCH: Republican @SenJohnKennedy asks one of @realDonaldTrump’s US District Judge nominees basic questions of law & he can’t answer a single one. Hoo-boy. pic.twitter.com/fphQx2o1rc

— Sheldon Whitehouse (@SenWhitehouse) December 15, 2017

Later, Petersen wrote a letter to President Trump in which he announced his withdrawal as court nominee.

“I am not stranger to political realities, and I do not wish to be a continued distraction from the important work of your Administration and the Senate.” wrote Petersen.

In the letter, Petersen also told the president that he believed his twenty years of public service could have carried more weight at the hearing, but they were dismantled by his “two worst minutes on television”.

The Federal Election Commision member is the third Trump judicial nominee to withdraw in the last week, next to Brett Talley and Jeff Mateer.

During an interview on WWL-TV in Louisiana, Kennedy said that Peterson was a “decent guy” but not qualified for becoming a judge on the Committee. The senator was even called by Trump over the weekend to express his support for his work on the Judiciary Committee. More so, during his conversation with the president, Kennedy noted that Trump does not even interview his nominees but leaves the task to his staff. In addition, Trump told Kennedy that Petersen is a “really smart guy”.

Image Source: Flickr

The Keystone pipeline in South Dakota leaked five thousand barrels of oil, or about 210 thousand gallons, this Thursday. The leak prompted its owner, TransCanada Corp, to send cleanup crews on site. TransCanada said in a statement that the leak occurred southeast of Amherst in northeast South Dakota.

This was four days before the Public Commission in Nebraska was set to decide on TransCanada Corp’s proposed Keystone XL pipeline. The Keystone Pipeline is part of a 2,687-mile system that carries crude oil from Alberta to a number of locations in the U.S. such as Oklahoma and Illinois.

TransCanada Corp was forced to shut down its Keystone oil pipeline after the leak got out of hand and blackened the soil. “This is not a little spill from any perspective,” said Kim McIntosh, an environmental scientist with the South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

The scientist also said that no livestock or drinking water sources were affected as well as no farm buildings or houses within a mile from the incident.

The company saith in a statement that the South Dakota leak was detected at 6 a.m local times after they noticed a drop of pressure.

„TransCanada appreciates the collaborative support of local officials, emergency response personnel and commissioners in Marshall County,” the company said in its statement.

They also posted a photo of the incident on their Twitter account.

Image of Amherst incident taken earlier today by aerial patrol as part of our initial response. For more updates, visit https://t.co/8yWI1Oq2EM pic.twitter.com/uRNtYUdVjL

— TransCanada (@TransCanada) November 16, 2017

People who oppose TransCanada’s Keystone XL pipeline proposed to cancel it due to the spill. Brian Jorde, a lawyer representing Nebraska landowners, said that if the spill had happened somewhere along the proposed route in Nebraska, the effects would have been „devastating”.

The spill reportedly forced the company to shut down the pipeline from Hardisty, Alberta, to Cushing, Oklahoma, and to Wood River and Patoka in Illinois.

Image Source: StaticFlickr