News from October 4–October 10, 2025

Each week, we scan the latest headlines to spot words in action. From major news stories to pop culture buzz, this feature highlights language as it’s unfolding. Stories about a cheesy champion, giant dinos for sale, and the passing of a beloved conservationist all contributed to the vocabulary from this week’s news.

animatronics

noun: technology that uses electronics to animate puppets or other figures

From the headlines: A theme park in Leonia, New Jersey, is closing and selling all of its life-size mechanical dinosaurs. The park, named Field Station: Dinosaurs, is selling thirty-one giant creatures, each built using animatronics to move its head or tail and snap its jaw fearsomely. A 75-foot apatosaurus costs $2,860, and a robotic T-rex whose short arms jerk up and down is $2,700.


apprehensive

adjective: in fear or dread of possible evil or harm

From the headlines: Scientists observing wolves’ reactions to sound discovered that human voices made the animals particularly apprehensive. Ecologists conducted the study in a Polish forest that’s home to fifteen protected wolf packs, playing recordings of barking dogs, bird songs, and calm human speech. The wolves were more than twice as likely to startle and retreat when they heard people, leading researchers to conclude that wolves remain wary of humans.


ecclesiastical

adjective: of or associated with a church

From the headlines: The largest Lutheran denomination in the U.S. has appointed its first Black presiding bishop. Yehiel Curry was chosen for the prominent ecclesiastical role leading the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. His predecessor, the Reverend Elizabeth Eaton, made history as the ELCA’s first woman to hold the position.


hybrid

adjective: consisting of elements not of the same kind or nature

From the headlines: The Danish government accused Russia of launching a “hybrid war” against Europe. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said that Russia was using a combination of political, economic, information, and military tactics in an attempt to undermine Denmark and other European countries. Experts consider the numerous unidentified drones that have entered Danish airspace over the past month to be an especially serious security risk. They said other methods have included cyberattacks and election interference.


listeria

noun: any of several bacteria of the genus Listeria that can contaminate food and make people sick

From the headlines: The U.S. Department of Agriculture issued a statement warning people not to eat food in certain subscription meal kits that might be contaminated with listeria. The meals were produced by a California company linked to an earlier outbreak of the dangerous bacteria and sold by Hello Fresh. USDA inspections found that some of the quick-frozen spinach in the meal kits tested positive for listeria.


monger

noun: someone who maintains an inventory of goods to be sold

From the headlines: For the first time ever, an American took home the gold medal in the French “Cheesemonger Olympics.” Emilia D’Albero, who sources and sells cheese in Philadelphia, emerged victorious at the prestigious Mondial du Fromage, a biennial competition between the world’s top mongers of fermented and aged dairy products.


per capita

adjective: by or for each individual person

From the headlines: According to new data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, every state saw a decline in per capita carbon dioxide emissions between 2005 and 2023. Nationwide, energy-related emissions dropped by 20 percent even as the population increased by 14 percent. On average, emissions per person fell 30 percent, with Maryland leading the trend, posting a 49 percent reduction in carbon dioxide output per capita.


primatologist

noun: someone who studies the order of mammals that includes monkeys and apes

From the headlines: The esteemed primatologist and conservationist Jane Goodall died at the age of 91. Goodall made groundbreaking discoveries about chimpanzees and other primates, starting with an expedition to Tanzania’s Gombe National Park in 1960. Throughout her life, she passionately advocated for animals and the protection of their habitats.


retroactive

adjective: affecting or operating with respect to past occurrences

From the headlines: The ongoing government shutdown has disrupted airport operations as air traffic controllers go without pay. Already facing staffing shortages, the Federal Aviation Administration is seeing more controllers call in sick, leading to increased delays. Although they’re required to keep working, a 2019 law ensures they’ll receive retroactive pay once the government reopens. Still, with no current income, some controllers are reportedly turning to temporary part-time work to make ends meet.


vibrant

adjective: (of colors) bright and striking

From the headlines: Scientists have figured out the chemical makeup behind the vibrant blue seen in Jackson Pollock’s famous painting Number 1A, 1948. By using lasers to examine small paint samples, researchers identified the precise molecular vibrations that revealed the pigment as manganese blue. While the red and yellow splatters on the nine-foot canvas had been analyzed long ago, the origin of its striking blue tones had long remained a mystery.

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