Notre Dame Cathedral Reopens After Fire Repairs
On April 15, 2019, the Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral–one of the world’s most famous churches–was partially destroyed by a fire. Five years and nearly $1 billion later, the 800-year-old World Heritage Site will reopen to the public this month. Here, btw takes a closer look at what it took to restore the landmark and what […]
Remembering 9/11
On September 11, 2001, millions of Americans were going about their business on a regular Tuesday. That morning fourteen members of the terrorist group al-Qaeda hijacked four passenger jets. The terrorists deliberately crashed two of the planes into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City causing the buildings to collapse. […]
Hemen Bekele Wins TIME’s Kid of the Year for 2024
TIME has named Hemen Bekele TIME’s Kid of the Year for 2024 for inventing a skin-cancer fighting bar of soap. Bekele is a 10th grader from Fairfax, Virginia. Bekele’s passion for skin cancer research traces back to his early years in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, before his family moved to the United States. In Ethiopia, Bekele […]
Major League Baseball Recognizes the Negro Leagues’ Achievements
In May 2024, Major League Baseball added the statistics of African American baseball players who played in the Negro Leagues to its official database. Read on to learn why the Negro Leagues were founded and why it is important to recognize the players’ accomplishments. The National Negro League Is Founded During the American Civil […]
The Paris 2024 Olympic Goal: Gender Parity
On Sunday, August 11, 2024, the Summer Olympics in Paris ended. The Games showed the best athletes in the world competing against each other, striving to win for themselves and their country. They were also the most inclusive Olympics yet for women. Planning for Parity In 2020 the International Olympic Committee (IOC) set a goal […]
Remembering the 80th Anniversary of the Normandy Invasion
On June 6, 1944, the soldiers of the Allied Forces landed on the beaches of Normandy, France. The day of the invasion is known as D-Day. The invasion was a key turning point in World War II. The Allies landed in German occupied France, opening up a new front in the war against Nazi Germany. […]
Historic Graduate Presents Diploma to Granddaughter
On a June day in 1965, Ronald Yancey became the first African American to graduate from the Georgia Institute of Technology (commonly known as Georgia Tech) in Atlanta, Georgia. Yancey returned to the 2024 Georgia Tech graduation ceremony to present his granddaughter, Deanna Yancey, with her diploma. Both earned degrees in electrical engineering. Deanna earned […]
Endurance Runner Completes Charity Run Across Africa
Russ Cook, a 27-year-old endurance runner, was unhappy and needed a project to help others and improve his outlook. Russ decided to run the length of Africa. His adventure began on April 22, 2023, at the southern tip of South Africa. He took a western route, finishing at the northern part of Africa in Tunisia. […]
Growth and Challenges for World’s Busiest Airports
A growing number of passengers, especially international passengers, are keeping airports around the world busy. In fact, the total number of people who traveled by airplane in 2023 increased by 27 percent from 2022. A Return to Pre-Pandemic Air Traffic The international travel and tourism market is driving the aviation industry’s recovery from the COVID-19 […]
Earth Day 2024: “Planet vs. Plastics”
Did you know that more plastic has been produced in the last ten years than in the entire twentieth century? It can take up to 1,000 years for plastics to break down. Even after that, tiny particles called microplastics remain in the soil, groundwater, and climate. Educating people is one goal of the annual Earth […]