Good news is in the air! So far, this spring is eventful with hopeful announcements and positive stories all around.  With a flourishing entertainment industry, sports victories and advancements in science, good news can be found all around us.

The 97th Academy Awards presented Zoe Saldaña with her first Oscar, making her the first actor of Dominican descent to receive one.  She won best supporting actress for her work in Emilia Pérez.  As a daughter of immigrants, she hoped to inspire others.  Not only did she hope her role as a Hispanic lawyer would inspire many, she hoped that winning an Oscar would inspire people around the globe. 

“I am the first American of Dominican origin to accept an Academy Award. And I know I will not be the last,” said Saldaña in her acceptance speech.

In addition to the entertainment industry, sports this month have been nothing short of amazing.  From St. John’s basketball comeback to surprise March Madness underdog wins and Cinderella stories, college basketball has featured some extraordinary teams this year.  

For the first time since 2000, St. John’s Red Storm basketball has won the Big East NCAA tournament and reclaimed its title as “New York’s Team.”  Many believe this resurgence is due to a recent change in team leadership, because since March 2023, the Johnnies have been led by head coach Rick Pitino.  This year, they made it into the March Madness tournament for the first time since 2019. Unfortunately, they lost to Arkansas on March 22 with a score of 75-66.

“St. John’s basketball team went from being overlooked and underperforming to a powerhouse with purpose and a comeback story fueled by grit, heart, and the right leadership,” said freshman Stella Mei.

This month, scientists made a breakthrough in artificial energy production.  Artificial photosynthesis is a system that mimics how photosynthesis occurs naturally in plants.  A main component of it is electron transfer, which refers to the movement of electrons throughout the process. This month researchers studied how perylene bisimide can make these electrons move more efficiently to produce energy in a more efficient way.

“After learning about the potential of artificial photosynthesis, the fact that humankind is advanced enough to mimic the process of photosynthesis in a lab to produce energy is awesome and it is a clean energy source which is important in a time where our world is hurting from climate change,” said freshman Grace Stone.

This energy development wasn’t the only major scientific breakthrough, though. Only a few nanometers in size, gold nanoparticles are, as they sound, microscopic particles of gold that have been found to help treat cancer.  According to researchers at Waseda University in Japan, gold nanoparticles are propitious at bringing drugs to tumors anywhere in the body.  The researchers used an approach called “Activation Imaging,” that lets scientists use gamma rays to see how gold nanoparticles work in the body. The nanoparticles were successful when tested in mice.  The outcome of this research gives hope for precise and less painful cancer treatment for patients.

“The use of gold nanoparticles to treat cancer in mice is exciting for the medical research community.  As someone who is interested in research, I find this to be promising and I am excited to hear more,” said freshman Kamila Drozdowicz. 

So far, science, sports, and movies have all brought good news this spring.  Now, a March Madness champion has been crowned, scientific advancement will continue to break through in the fields of energy and medicine, and actors and artists will continue to break records and inspire millions. Though the daily news can often be depressing or anxiety-inducing, it is important to always remember the good.