Large Hadron Collider to unlock secrets of the universe, celebs face backlash for transphobic comments, and more trending topics
Here’s a look at trending topics for today, July 5.
CERN
A decade ago, the Large Hadron Collider, Earth’s most powerful particle accelerator, proved the existence of an subatomic particle called the Higgs boson — thought to be a fundamental building block of the universe dating back to the big bang billions of years ago.
Now, physicists at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) on the Swiss-French border are restarting the collider with the aim of understanding more about the Higgs boson, other subatomic particles and the mysteries of dark matter — an invisible and elusive substance that can’t be seen because it doesn’t absorb, reflect or emit any light.
Consisting of a ring 27 kilometers (16.7 miles) in circumference, the Large Hadron Collider — located deep underneath the Alps — is made of superconducting magnets chilled to ‑271.3°C (-456 F), which is colder than outer space.
Find out more about it here:
Shuterstock/Getty Images
Macy Gray and Bette Midler face backlash for comments criticized as transphobic.
Macy Gray, Bette Midler
Both Macy Gray and Better Midler are being accused of being transphobic.
Gray, best known for her 1999 hit song “I Try,” seemed to anticipate the backlash during an appearance that aired Monday on Fox Nation’s “Piers Morgan Uncensored.”
“I will say this and everyone’s gonna hate me but as a woman, just because you go change your (body) parts, doesn’t make you a woman, sorry,” Gray said after Morgan brought up the issue of trans athletes in sports.
“Right, you feel that?,” Morgan responded.
“I know that for a fact,” Gray replied.
Read more about what they said here:
Jack Dempsey – freelancer, FR42408 AP
CTE
Former NFL Pro Bowl wide receiver Demaryius Thomas is the latest in a growing list of football players diagnosed with CTE.
His family said Tuesday that researchers found that Thomas, who died in December at age 33, suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy. The four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver was dealing with depression, anxiety and other CTE symptoms at the time of his death.
CTE, a degenerative brain disease which can only be diagnosed posthumously, has been found in hundreds of former NFL players as well as semi-pro and high school soccer players. Hall of Fame linebacker Junior Seau had CTE when he died in 2012 of a gunshot wound to the chest.
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