On Apr. 8, a research team off the southern coast of New Zealand spotted and tagged an extremely rare dolphin species, known as Delphinus solarchroma, or the Flarefin dolphin. Marine biologists speculate that their migration patterns play a vital role in their skin’s unique ability to shift colors from a pale blue to a striking lavender. Scientists at the University of Auckland link this change in color to a decrease in water temperatures between the northern and southern parts of the country’s coastal climate. Flarefin dolphins are known for their elusive demeanor, making this discovery all the more important. As experts continue to track these dolphins, they hope to find a biological basis for their distinct coloring.

(Sources: National Geographic, NY Times)

— Julia Valencia, Opinion Editor

A man in Florida was found buried to his shoulders at a beach to protest recent harmful oceanic activity. The increasing use of AI has heavily affected aquatic life, causing populations of fish and marine flora to rapidly decrease. The man, Tony Smith, took a stand to help aquatic ecosystems. Smith’s neighbor, Shelby Richards, explained, “He was really worked up about it. He would stand outside the grocery store every day and yell about the dying fish.” Finally, Smith decided to take matters into his own hands and bury himself in the sand, refusing to leave until the government takes action. Officers attempted to negotiate with him, but were unsuccessful and eventually forcefully removed him from the beach.

(Sources: CNN, NPR)

— Siyona Singhal, Humor Editor

— Ivan Habib, Website Editor

On Apr. 1, 17-year-old Marcus DelGado-Firth was digging a three-meter-long trench for his latest YouTube vlog, “Surviving World War Three,” when his shovel struck a corroded iron box containing 67 gold coins. The Santa Clara Historical Society later identified the coins as Spanish colonial-era reales de a ocho dating to approximately 1723. DelGado-Firth described the discovery as “mind-blowingly lucky.” Since then, he has sparked a debate among the Santa Clara Assessor’s Office, the California State Lands Commission, and the National Park Service over the coins’ jurisdiction. Meanwhile, the coins remain in secure storage at the Santa Clara Historical Society pending assessment. Nevertheless, Firth has repeatedly stated his intention not to give up the coins and plans to keep filming and digging in his yard in search of more lost treasure.

(Sources: California Legal Review, Santa Clara Historical Society, and San Jose Times)

— Arnav Singhal, Sports Editor

On Apr. 10, the Arizona Superior Court found wrestling sensation Derek Dracovich guilty on 16 counts of betting-related charges. Prior to the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Championship on Mar. 6, Dracovich utilized betting sites such as Kalshi and Polymarket to earn over 650 thousand dollars on his own matches, for which he already knew the outcome. Due to both the novelty of prediction markets and pressure from the WWE, Arizona legal officials expedited Dracovich’s case and subsequent landmark ruling. Of Dracovich’s charges, ten were Class 1 misdemeanors and six were Class E felonies. In an interview, Arizona Judge Rodrick Coffey explained, “The Romans had a trojan horse; we have Polymarket and Kalshi. Sports betting isn’t new, but [these sites] are breeding grounds for corruption…we have to broaden our idea of what insider trading is, because that’s what this is.”

(Sources: InvestmentNews, The Judicial Branch of Arizona)

— Hayley Strahs, Editor in Chief