An emperor penguin took a trip Down Under. Editor’s warning: gun violence.

Happening in the World: An emperor penguin was found walking on a beach in Australia—notably 1,200 miles from Antarctica. Emperor penguins are known to move around, relocating to raise their children and find food, but this typically centers around the location of glaciers. As glaciers have eroded in Antarctica, penguins have sought new breeding grounds, but they typically stay close to their old homes. Dr. Dee Boersma, a biology professor and penguin specialist, says that this is the furthest north she has ever seen an emperor penguin. (NYT)

Happening in the US: A federal judge in Texas struck down a new plan proposed by the Biden administration that would help undocumented spouses of American citizens obtain U.S. citizenship. The initiative, called “Keeping Families Together,” would have allowed married undocumented immigrants who have lived in the United States for over ten years to gain a green card without leaving the country. Generally, those who have entered the United States illegally must leave the country to complete the green card process, which can take years. The Texas judge, and those of other Republican-led states, claimed said the effort created costs for their states but was a draw for migrants, Biden did not have the authority to create the program. (NYT)

Happening in NYC: Thursday on the Upper West Side, a man shot a person twice and proceeded to flee into the subway station on 72nd and Central Park West. The victim, who is in stable condition after being hospitalized, was reportedly the suspect’s ex-boss. In the search for the gunman, police shut down the electrical power to the station and told passengers to get on the floor and keep their heads down, then proceeded to evacuate the train about twenty minutes later. After the event, both uptown and downtown C train service was suspended, and then faced severe delays. Despite investigation, the suspect has still not been found. (NYT)

Happening in Our Community: Material (Mis)Identities: Art, Genes and Ethics, a discussion between speakers Lucy Kim, MFA, and Paul Vanouse, MFA, and Rachel Adams, PhD, will consider how genetically incorporated art can challenge existing social constructs, like the formation of racial identity. Lucy Kim, Associate Professor in Art and Painting, will discuss a unique process she created to use melanin from genetically-modified bacteria to develop images, while Paul Vanouse, Professor of Art, will discuss his interactive biomedia installation in which extracted DNA samples “run” through gel electrophoresis to examine the racial identity of his multi-racial family’s Jamaican descent. The event will be held online at 12 pm. 

Penguins via Flickr