The U.S. That Trump Envisions — Where Women are Punished for Seeking Abortions — is Already a Reality
In perhaps his most controversial outburst yet, presidential hopeful Donald Trump said Wednesday that women who seek abortions should face some kind of criminal punishment. Pro-lifers denounced his remarks and Trump later backpedaled his statement. But as MSNBC reports, women in states across the country are already being prosecuted for seeking abortions. [MSNBC]
Notorious B.I.G. May Make a Return as a Hologram
A Biggie Smalls hologram is in the works, according to the late rapper’s widow, Faith Evans. While Evans says that she doesn’t know to what extent she’ll perform with it, she told a radio show that she wants to debut it in the first video for a Notorious B.I.G. duets album she’s working on called “The King and I.” [Entertainment Weekly]
How New York City Gets Its Water
Ever wonder where your drinking water comes from? A colorful report by the New York Times tracks the journey water takes from its beginning in the Catskill/Delaware watershed through an 92-mile-long aqueduct that goes 1,100 feet underground. Robot buoys collect measurements and after samples are taken, and the water is treated, it goes through the city’s 6,800-mile-long network of pipes. It’s hard to imagine how much goes into getting water to come out of your faucet. [NYT]
Doctors Performed First-Ever Liver Transplant Between HIV-positive Patients
Doctors at John Hopkins were able to transplant a liver and kidney from a dead woman who had HIV into two different HIV positive people who were desperately in need of the organs. The ban on using potential organ donors with HIV was repealed in 2013, but this was the first time the policy change was put into practice. Both patients are doing well. [LA Times]
Who Is God?
National Geographic Channel tries to answer the question that’s been puzzling mankind since the beginning of time: “Who Is God?” and “How will the world end?” The new series, narrated by Morgan Freeman premieres Sunday, April 3, at 9 p.m. on the National Geographic Channel, and talks to people all over the world to answer “some of life’s biggest questions.” [The Daily Beast]
‘The Wire’ Reunion Is Finally Happening … In a Pixar Film?
Stringer Bell and Jimmy McNulty will finally meet again! As East London “gangster sea lions” in Disney Pixar’s sequel to "Finding Nemo"? That’s correct, "Wire" fans. According to The Independent, Idris Elba and Dominic West are on board for "Finding Dory," set for release in June. Yeah, it’s a long way from West Baltimore, but we’ll take it. [The Independent]
Meryl Streep Made Kramer vs. Kramer a Better Movie
The story of how Meryl Streep powered through a broken heart to make Kramer vs. Kramer a way better movie than it would’ve been — and put up with Dustin Hoffman being a total nut — does the impossible: It makes us love Meryl even more than we already did. [Vanity Fair]
Unicorns (Sort Of) Once Existed Among Humans
One-horned creatures did roam the earth the same time as people — though the animals weren’t quite as lovely as the storybook version of a unicorn. Scientists in Russia have determined that Elasmotherium sibiricum, a type of rhinoceros also known as the “Siberian unicorn” lived much longer than previously thought — with a set of remains dating back a mere 29,000 years ago — meaning the 15-foot-long animals were around while people were. [NY Post]
This is Patrick, the World’s Oldest and Biggest Wombat
Excuse me, hello, hi. Stop whatever unimportant thing you were doing and spend the rest of the day imagining what it would be like to push Patrick, the world’s chubbiest, cuddliest, and oldest wombat, in a wheelbarrow. He’s about 30 years old, so here’s hoping he’s having a good Saturn return. [Atlas Obscura]
“Nude” Shoes from Christian Louboutin Will Match Diversity of Skin Tones
Nude shoes have long been limited to a pinkish beige tone that matches the skin tone of only a small segment of the world’s population, but designer Christian Louboutin is challenging that norm. One of his staffers noted that beige was not the color of her skin, and Louboutin decided to create five new shoe tones. But they’re not cheap — the luxury flats will run from $675 or $875. [Quartz]
The column was compiled by DNAinfo reporters Emily Frost, Carolina Pichardo, Irene Plagianos, Shaye Weaver, Camille Bautista, Jeanmarie Evelly, Rachel Holliday Smith, Gwynne Hogan, Noah Hurowitz and Danielle Tcholakian.
