Vol. CXXIX, Issue 8

Parker Thompson, a second-year undergraduate studying applied and computational mathematics, Secretary of ASCIT, and a peer advocate, passed away on February 3, 2026. He was 19.

There is a chill passing through Caltech. Over the past year, the foundations of U.S. education, research, and democracy have been systematically targeted by the Trump administration.

All names and identifying details in this narrative have been altered to protect privacy. The scenes represent composite experiences and reflections from critical care shadowing, not specific individuals or cases. Dialogue is paraphrased and not verbatim.

This year’s Super Bowl kicked off on Sunday, February 8th, between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots. Over 100 million people watch the Super Bowl every year, which creates a fierce competition between companies to create the best ads they can for the most effective viewer impression.

In January 2011, several academics attended the “Mindshift Conference,” organized by Al Seckel (who has been accused of misrepresenting his credentials) and hosted by a financier and convicted sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein. The Nobel laureates include Professor Frances Arnold of Caltech and the late Murray Gell-Mann.

Tomodachi Life was released in Japan in 2013. A year later, it hit Western markets a month after being promoted by the Tomodachi Life Direct.

Thanks to a certain U.S. president, the new year has seen a curiously Canadian topic readmitted to the news cycle: Alberta separatism.

Oh gentle wind, Tell me so.

What would happen if all the trash humans have dumped into the ocean rained back onto land? The War Between the Land and the Sea considers what would happen if an underwater species suddenly revealed itself, fed up with the damage humans have inflicted on them through pollution and other actions at sea.

The sixth Grand Theft Auto game has been highly anticipated ever since it was announced in 2023, even winning the Most Anticipated Game at The Game Awards in 2025. It’s set to be published by Rockstar Games on Nov. 19, 2026 and is projected to earn hundreds of millions of dollars.