Posts tagged with "Discovery"

UNDERCOVER UNDERAGE on DISCOVERY+

ID’S UNDERCOVER UNDERAGE RETURNS FOR A SECOND SEASON WITH ROO POWELL TAKING DANGEROUS CHILD PREDATORS OFF THE STREETS.

– Season 2 of UNDERCOVER UNDERAGE premieres on Monday, May 1 at 9/8c on ID –

Every day, countless minors are exploited, groomed, and abused in person and online. Enter Roo Powell and her team at the nonprofit SOSA (Safe from Online Sex Abuse), who work in tandem with law enforcement to apprehend child predators by becoming the targets. After a successful first season resulting in four convictions of sexual predators, ID shows SOSA multiplying that number in Season 2 of UNDERCOVER UNDERAGE as the SOSA team relocates to embed with the sheriff’s office in Canadian County, Oklahoma and deploys three new underage decoys. As the team launches the fictitious online accounts for a 15, 14 and even a 12-year-old persona, it’s a race against the clock to identify the ACMs (adults contacting minors) and build a case against the alleged predators to enable law enforcement to make an arrest before the perpetrators can victimize other children. With 16 arrests featured this season, the pressure is palpable over the course of eight explosive and intense all-new episodes. Season 2 of UNDERCOVER UNDERAGE premieres on Monday, May 1 at 9/8c on ID, streaming the same day on discovery+.

Returning this season alongside Roo are social media lead Shelby Chikazawa and photographer and visuals lead Matt Monath. New to this season is SOSA’s director of communications, Jordan Pérez, as well as various team members in support roles for research and evidence. The entire team works directly in conjunction with Canadian County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) led by Major Adam Flowers, who oversees its ICAC (Internet Crimes Against Children) Task Force, and Sheriff Chris West. Multiple adult decoys are deployed this season with Roo’s guidance including the 12-year-old “Abby,” 14-year-old “Mackenzie,” and 15-year-old “Skylar.” As these young women engage with the ACMs online via their decoy personas, Roo guides them as they process and absorb the impact of the lewd actions and disturbing words intended for actual minors.

Building off the tremendous work of last season, Roo and the team at SOSA continue to carefully craft back stories, social media profiles and photos to help the fictitious decoys transform into teens and tweens and together they work to engage with the alleged online predators to identify them for law enforcement. Once the ACMs engage with the underage decoys, the team communicates with the ACMs via texts, calls and even distressing video chats to gather pieces of information about their real identities. Every adult that contacts the teenage decoys is distinctly told from the outset that they are speaking to an underage girl and is given the opportunity to cease communication at any point. For those who choose to proceed with explicit exchanges with a supposed minor, the team mobilizes quickly to put a name to the offender. Then, once the team at SOSA has enough information for a positive identification, they turn over their findings to law enforcement to make the arrest and get an alleged predator off the streets.

Follow ID social on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube for exclusive videos, articles and conversations with Roo Powell and the SOSA team. Engage on social using #UndercoverUnderage.

About Roo Powell

Roo Powell is an award-winning writer, child advocate and founder of SOSA, a nonprofit raising awareness and combating online child sex abuse and exploitation. Her writing and work reflect her passion and advocacy for human rights, covering sex trafficking, poverty, race relations, and child wellness.

She has been featured as a writer, speaker and advocate in/at SXSW, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, FOX News, Good Morning America, CNN Philippines, The Tamron Hall Show, The Independent, Dr. Phil, Nightline, BuzzFeed, NewsNation, The Daily Beast, Huffington Post, Parents, and various other news outlets.

Alongside her day-to-day work at SOSA, Roo serves as an advisor to Spectrum Labs, a venture-backed AI company that keeps over 1 billion+ users safe online through text and audio moderation.

About SOSA

SOSA is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that combats online sex abuse and exploitation in collaboration with, and consultation from, law enforcement. Using a variety of tactics — including studying offenders’ language and stratagem — SOSA identifies pockets of the internet where offenders target minors and reports information to various Internet Crimes Against Children task forces throughout the United States.

SOSA supports abuse survivors, spearheads child abuse prevention initiatives, advocates for better and broader online safety, provides empathy-led education to young people, helps build technology that makes online platforms safer and signal boosts the work of other organizations that strive to make a difference for kids all over the world.

About INVESTIGATION DISCOVERY (ID)

Investigation Discovery (ID) is the leading crime network on television, delivering the highest-quality programming to approximately 80 million U.S. households. Viewers can enjoy their favorite shows anytime, anywhere on discovery+, the definitive non-fiction, real-life subscription streaming service. ID’s true-crime programming is also available via the network’s aggregated TV Everywhere offering, IDGO, where fans can access thousands of episodes from the Discovery family of networks. For exclusive web content and bonus material, fans can follow ID on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook or check out the network’s true crime blog, CrimeFeed. Investigation Discovery is owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, a leading global media and entertainment company available in more than 220 countries and territories and 50 languages whose portfolio also includes Discovery Channel, discovery+, CNN, DC, Eurosport, HBO, HBO Max, Food Network, OWN, Investigation Discovery, TLC, Magnolia Network, TNT, TBS, truTV, Travel Channel, MotorTrend, Animal Planet, Science Channel, Warner Bros. Pictures, New Line Cinema, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Turner Classic Movies and others.

Watch trailer HERE.

NEW OBESITY STUDY

From the creators of these global stories, The Breast Forces Study, The Backpack Study and Text Neck Study.

A New Study publishing in Surgical Technology International correlates belly fat per waist circumference and defines spine forces, by the pound.

In the America, more than two-thirds of adults (220 million-plus) are overweight or obese, and childhood obesity affects 13.7 million children. As of 2016, 1.9 billion adults were overweight or obese globally. People now know that obesity is bad for their health.

Obesity, or the fat content of the belly, is associated with inflammation, diabetes, hypertension, heart conditions, metabolic syndrome, and back pain. Adipose tissue is linked to an increased risk of and aggressiveness of cancer.

Our study sought to assess the forces that belly fat exerts on the spine with an increase in waist circumference. Using data from the Dallas Heart Study, Grundy et al. calculated belly fat mass according to waist circumference by ethnicity and sex. Using a finite element analysis, our study specifically placed the abdominal fat masses into position in the abdomen. Then, we calculated the levered forces seen by the spine.

For women, the magnitude of forces generated by abdominal fat to the lumbar spine ranged between 5 to 170 pounds of force in our measurements. By the standard set by the American Heart Association, abdominal obesity in women starts at a thirty-five-inch waist circumference.

For men, the magnitude of forces generated by abdominal fat to the lumbar spine ranged between 3 to 120 pounds of force in our measurements. According to the American Heart Association, abdominal obesity in men begins at a waist circumference of forty inches.

You have to imagine what it feels like to lift this much weight to put these numbers in perspective. The magnitude of these forces is significant. If you are a man with a thirty-eight-inch waist, the excess fat in your abdominal area is equivalent to having nearly thirty pounds of pressure on your spine. For women, a thirty-six-inch waist is close to having forty-eight pounds of pressure on her spine. Imagine walking around all day carrying dumbbells that weighed nearly fifty pounds. That would be equivalent to carrying a large bag of dry dog food, six gallons of water, two cinder blocks, or, as the chart shows, a twin mattress. Not only would it be exhausting but carrying those weights would also cause significant wear and tear on your back.

Your spine is designed to carry your body’s weight. When you are overweight, your spine must assimilate the burden, which may lead to damage. The lower back is most vulnerable to the effects of obesity. In addition, abdominal fat interferes with good posture. Excess weight around the middle can alter the natural curve of the spine. The weight presses on the shock-absorbing discs between vertebrae, which can cause them to become dehydrated, herniated or pinched, or create pressure on nerves that travel through the central canal. In addition, carrying extra weight can strain the muscles and ligaments that support you’re back, and you know what that means, pain.

A literature review shows that fat cells comport an essential variety of metabolic influences. Our waist circumference is related to our metabolic health risks. Abdominal fat is a critical player in health problems. The fat around the abdominal organs, called visceral fat, is more disease-causing than the fat under the skin, called subcutaneous fat, that a person can pinch by hand. This visceral fat is linked to metabolic disturbances, increased cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes. The visceral fat leads to an apple-shaped abdomen, while the subcutaneous fat leads to a pear-shaped body.

Fat itself is considered an endocrine organ that is biologically active. Abdominal fat cells disrupt the balance of the body’s normal hormones. Fat cells play a role in inflammation, secrete tumor necrosis factors and interleukin-6, increasing heart disease risk. Furthermore, fat cells blunt the body’s sensitivity to insulin and propagate high blood pressure. Data suggests that adipose tissue has been linked to increased risk and aggressiveness of carcinoma.

Regular physical exercise can help one to lose belly fat. A moderate-intensity physical activity for 30 minutes per day shifts body weight and diminishes belly fat. Proper nutrition and food choices also help.

This paper helps people plan the stress forces seen by the spine as related to the abdominal size. Obesity is then a better-defined factor in the calculus of back pain. The link to abdominal circumference is predictable and relatable to the general public.

Giovanni Battista Tiepolo Drawing Rediscovered

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An important Old Master Drawing by one of the greatest decorative painters of the eighteenth century, the Italian artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo (1696-1770), has been discovered in a country house in England. The work was found by the famous literary family, the Sitwells while clearing out the family seat of more than 300 years, Weston Hall in Northamptonshire.

Speaking about the find, Henrietta Sitwell, one of the current generations of the Sitwells, said: “The drawing was purchased by my great uncle Osbert Sitwell in the great Henry Oppenheimer sale at Christies in 1936. No one seemed to know where it was, or even give it a second thought until one day last year when we were sorting through the many attics of Weston. We found it wrapped in bubble wrap, leaning against the wall. As I peeled back the wrapping, I instantly recognized it as something special (having studied history of art at university). This Tiepolo drawing is one of many exciting discoveries made in the attics of Weston Hall and it was thrilling to think that such a captivating and important work of art by such a revered Old Master was just lying there gathering dust over the years”.

The work features Punchinello, the hook-nosed, humpbacked clowns who were one of the stock characters taken from the Commedia dell’ Arte, an early form of professional theater, which began in Italy in the 16th century and became popular across Europe.

The character fascinated Tiepolo and he returned to the subject throughout his long career, depicting them gluttonous, preparing food, overeating, drinking, passing out from inebriation and suffering the digestive consequences of excessive consumption. They were inspired by the Venerdì Gnocolar, a tradition in Verona on the last Friday of Carnival, where gnocchi, wine and polenta is given out to the crowds in the main square by ‘Papà del Gnoco’.

Joe Robinson, Head of House Sales and Private Collections, said: “The re-discovery of the work by Tiepolo has probably been the most important find of the auction and we are delighted to be offering it for sale for the first time in over 80 yrs. Walking through the attics was like uncovering an Egyptian tomb, with wonderful things emerging from layers of dust. It is so rare for a collection with such history and breadth to come to the market and I feel privileged to be involved in the unveiling of a true piece of forgotten history”.

The work will be offered in the two day sale titled Weston Hall and the Sitwells: A Family Legacy at Dreweatts on Tuesday 16th and Wednesday 17th November, 2021. It has been given a conservative estimate of £150,000-£250,000 but due to the popularity of Tiepolo’s Punchinello works and the global interest in Tiepolo as an artist, it is expected to far exceed this.

Bike4Tourism × Cycle the World

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Bike4Tourism Invites Would-Be Travelers to Cycle the World, Virtually

Seeking a Global Community to Bike Together While Apart and Share Images of Each Other’s Routes

Missing international travel? Wishing you could host some out-of-town friends to show them your most beautiful locations? Then Bike4Tourism has an inspiring global event tailor-made for you this Memorial Day weekend, on Sunday, May 30th.

Bike4Tourism aims to promote healthy living and sustainable tourism. The goal of the event is to have as many participants as possible, in every country, riding bikes and sharing photographs to the global community of the most beautiful places near their homes.

In sharing each other’s images, cyclists will virtually visit cities, countries and continents, without need for a passport — just a helmet and the will to discover or rediscover the places that surround us and show them to others.

Organizers are hoping for more than 115,000 participants around the world to break the current record. Proceeds will support environmental conservation charities and aid tourism businesses in financial need following Covid-19 travel restrictions.

It’s hoped that participants are left with even more desire to travel, sustainably, with a huge selection of photos of beautiful places from which to choose their next journey.

All are welcome to participate, and free tickets will be made available for children to encourage family bike rides. Early bird tickets are available from April 20th. For more information, visit Bike 4 Tourism, and Facebook.

HOT ROD POWER TOUR AND DRAG WEEK

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MOTORTREND ANNOUNCES 2021 DATES AND LOCATIONS FOR HOT ROD POWER TOUR
AND HOT ROD DRAG WEEK: AUGUST 23-27 and SEPTEMBER 12-17.

6,000+ total performance and street cars will roll through the Midwest. Registration and further event details will be available in April 2021.

Mark your calendars! Two of MOTORTREND’s premier annual events are returning in 2021: the world’s largest traveling car show HOT ROD Power Tour (Monday, Aug. 23 through Friday, Aug. 27) and the fastest streetcar competition in America HOT ROD Drag Week (Sunday, Sept. 12 through Friday, Sept. 17). Both events combined boast upwards of 6,000 participating vehicles.

“This year we are more excited than ever to host two of our signature annual events in HOT ROD Power Tour and HOT ROD Drag Week,” said HOT ROD’s Editor-in-Chief John McGann. “These events exemplify the core of what we do – and we wouldn’t be able to make it happen without our amazing participants. I am grateful and looking forward to a great year ahead.”

Celebrating 27 years in 2021, the legendary HOT ROD Power Tour Driven by Continental Tire will once again roll through the heartland of hot rod culture as it returns to five cities in the Midwest beginning Monday, Aug. 23 through Friday, Aug. 27, 2021. More than just a traveling car show, HOT ROD Power Tour is widely considered to be the finest high-end hot rod–based automotive tour in the world, bringing together more than 5,000 vehicles. Classic cars and hot rods travel city to city while performance car lovers and HOT ROD editors and photographers follow alongside the tour, all cruising through small town America like one big family reunion road trip. Participants can join for one day, two days, or be a HOT ROD Power Tour long hauler and join for all five days.

HOT ROD POWER TOUR 2021 SCHEDULE

KICKOFF / Day 1:Monday, Aug. 23 – Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio
Day 2:Tuesday, Aug. 24 – Montgomery County Fairgrounds, Dayton, Ohio
Day 3:Wednesday, Aug. 25 – Lucas Oil Raceway, Indianapolis
Day 4:Thursday, Aug. 26 – World Wide Technology Raceway, St. Louis
Day 5:Friday, Aug. 27 – State Farm Center, Champaign, Ill.

MOTORTREND also announces a return to four classic Midwest tracks for the 17th annual HOT ROD Drag Week presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive, when the “Fastest Street Car in America” will be crowned beginning Sunday, Sept. 12 through Friday, Sept. 17, 2021. The world’s toughest competition to find the ultimate street-legal drag car, HOT ROD Drag Week puts competitors to a grueling test over five days of action-packed drag racing, requiring racers to drive their vehicles on a specified route from city to city, upward of 1,000 miles, while securing the quickest possible elapsed time across the five days. During the competition, drivers provide photographic evidence to prove they have adhered to the prescribed route. Some of the nation’s top racers participate annually, including past champions Tom Bailey and Dave Schroeder.

HOT ROD DRAG WEEK 2021 SCHEDULE

Registration, Tech Day, and Test ‘n’ Tune: Sunday, Sept. 12 – US 131 Motorsports Park in Martin, Mich.
Racing Day 1: Monday, Sept. 13 – US 131 Motorsports Park in Martin, Mich.
Racing Day 2: Tuesday, Sept. 14 – Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio
Racing Day 3: Wednesday, Sept. 15 – Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis
Racing Day 4: Thursday, Sept. 16 – Byron Dragway in Byron, Ill.
Racing Day 5: Friday, Sept. 17 – US 131 Motorsports Park in Martin, Mich.

FOLLOW BOTH EVENTS

For more information, follow HOT ROD Power Tour and HOT ROD Drag Week at this website; Facebook, Twitter, Instagram.

HEALTH AND SAFETY PRECAUTIONS OVERVIEW

All stops will adhere to federal, state and local health and safety guidelines related to COVID-19 and follow a plan approved by local health departments.

About HOT ROD

HOT ROD has been the most recognized brand in the world of high-performance cars since the iconic American magazine was founded in 1948. Today, the authoritative HOT ROD media footprint connects with more than 5 million individuals per month. The HOT ROD Network includes HOTROD; the two largest events of their kind, HOT ROD Power Tour and HOT ROD Drag Week; plus Roadkill and HOT ROD Garage shows on the MotorTrend App, the world’s only auto-dedicated subscription video-on-demand service.

About MotorTrend Group
MotorTrend Group is the largest automotive media company in the world, bringing together Discovery’s fast-growing MotorTrend TV and a vast automotive digital, direct-to-consumer, social, and live event portfolio, including MOTORTREND, HOT ROD, ROADKILL, AUTOMOBILE, and more than 20 other industry-leading brands. With a monthly audience of 26 million across web, TV, and print, and 110 million social followers, culminating in 1.3 billion monthly impressions across all platforms, the company encompasses television’s #1 network for automotive superfans, a leading automotive YouTube Channel, and the MotorTrend App, the only auto-dedicated subscription video-on-demand service. MotorTrend serves to embrace, entertain, and empower the motoring world.

UVA Breast Cancer Discovery

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University of Virginia Cancer Center researchers have identified a gene responsible for the spread of triple-negative breast cancer to other parts of the body – a process called metastasis – and developed a potential way to stop it.

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive form of breast cancer that accounts for 40,000 deaths in the United States annually. The majority of these deaths result from resistance to chemotherapy and subsequent aggressive metastases. So UVA researchers asked: What causes a primary tumor to become metastatic? This is an important question in cancer biology because patients with metastatic tumors have the highest death rate.

UVA’s Sanchita Bhatnagar, PhD, and her team found that the breast cancer oncogene TRIM37 not only causes the cancer to spread but also makes it resistant to chemotherapy. A new approach she and her colleagues have developed could possibly address both, the researchers hope.

“Despite metastasis being the key reason for failure of cancer therapies, it remains poorly understood. We do not clearly understand what drives the metastatic growth in patients,” said Bhatnagar, who was the first to identify TRIM37 as a breast cancer oncogene. “In general, several genes are altered during tumorigenesis. However, whether targeting the same genes will prevent metastatic transition remains to be addressed.”

Promising research from Bhatnagar’s team shows that targeting TRIM37 prevents metastatic lesions in mouse models. Those findings form the foundation of her lab’s current work exploring the role of TRIM37 in racial disparities in triple negative breast cancer. Incidence of the disease is disproportionately higher in African-American women compared with other races, with a 5-year survival rate in African-American patients of only 14% compared with 36% in non-African-American women.

Targeting Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Bhatnagar and UVA’s Jogender Tushir-Singh, PhD, have developed a new approach to stop the effects of TRIM37 and, hopefully, prevent or significantly delay the spread of triple-negative breast cancer. This could also lower the disease’s defenses against chemotherapy.

Blocking the gene could benefit approximately 80% of triple negative breast cancer patients, the researchers estimate.

Bhatnagar and Tushir-Singh’s approach uses nanoparticles – microscopic balls of fat – to deliver treatment to block TRIM37. These nanoparticles are paired with specially engineered antibodies that bind to the cancerous cells but not to healthy cells. “As soon as the antibody finds the triple negative breast cancer cell, it binds to the receptor and is taken up by the cell,” explained Tushir-Singh, of UVA’s Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics.

“It is a kiss of death,” Bhatnagar said, “that selectively reduces the expression of TRIM37 in cancer cells and prevents the spread.”

The approach could be used to deliver targeted treatments for many other cancers as well, the researchers report. “That would not only get the treatment where it needs to be but, hopefully, help prevent unwanted side effects. Besides preventing metastases, it adds selectivity,” Bhatnagar said.

“A problem in the field is, how will you give [a nanoparticle treatment] to the patients? Most of these nanoparticles are cleared by the liver, so they never have a chance to really do their job,” she said. “In this study, researchers bypassed this issue by delivering nanoparticles by nasal route, increasing the rate of uptake in the lungs – one of the most common metastatic target sites in TNBC patients.”

The development of the new approach is in its early stages, but tests with lab mice have offered encouraging indications. “The lungs showed dramatic reduction in metastatic lesions after the treatment in comparison to the mice that received no treatment,” Bhatnagar said.

Next Steps

To verify that TRIM37 targeting might offer a potential treatment approach, Bhatnagar teamed up with Tushir-Singh, her husband, to test it in the lab. “And we find that our targeted nanoparticles significantly reduce metastatic lesions in the lungs of spontaneous metastatic murine [mouse] models – both immune compromised and immune sufficient,” she said. “This is an important proof-of-concept much needed for the bench-to-clinic transition of these important findings.”

Clinically, most women in the early stages of breast cancer are treated with surgery, followed by radiation or chemotherapy. However, metastasis remains a challenging medical problem. Bhatnagar’s research offers a potential way to target a driver of metastasis that she hopes will prevent or slow metastatic progression and improve overall survival.

Much more work needs to be done, but Bhatnagar’s research is being noticed by pharmaceutical companies interested in exploring the approach’s potential. “This is a delivery platform, not only for targeting our protein of interest but for many other chemotherapeutic drugs that can be packaged into the nanoparticles and selectively delivered,” Bhatnagar said.

Findings Published

The researchers have published their findings in the scientific journal Cancer Research. The research team consisted of Piotr Przanowski, Song Lou, Rachisan Djiake Tihagam, Tanmoy Mondal, Caroline Conlan, Gururaj Shivange, Ilyas Saltani, Chandrajeet Singh, Kun Xing, Benjamin B. Morris, Marty W. Mayo, Luis Teixeira, Jacqueline Lehmann-Che, Jogender Tushir-Singh and Sanchita Bhatnagar.

Bhatnagar, a Hartwell Investigator, is supported by the Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research Breakthrough Award (BC170197P1, BC190343P1) and Metavivor Translational Research Award. A provisional patent has been filed for the molecularly targeted nanoparticle design engineered by the Bhatnagar and Tushir-Singh laboratories.

To keep up with the latest medical research news from UVA, subscribe to the Making of Medicine blog.

Challenger: The Final Flight

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By Cassandra Yany

On Wednesday, Netflix released “Challenger: The Final Flight,” a four-episode docuseries about the tragic explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger.

The doc was directed by Daniel Junge and Steven Leckart, and executive produced by JJ Abrams and Glenn Zipper. It provides a complete look at the events leading up to the takeoff and includes interviews with family members of the seven astronauts who died in the explosion.

According to CNN, the series uses archival footage and home videos, along with interviews from officials and crew members to shed light on the poor decision-making and systemic failures that led up to the disaster, as well as the aftermath that followed.

Challenger took off from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral on January 28, 1986. Just 73 seconds after it launched, the shuttle began breaking apart, due to malfunctioning O-rings in the rocket boosters, which hardened as the temperature decreased. NASA had reportedly known about this damaged hardware for months prior, according to Vanity Fair.

The purpose of mission STS-51-L was to deploy a satellite to study the approaching Halley’s Comet, but it had been delayed multiple times because of technical difficulties.

The crew was one of NASA’s most diverse to date, as reported by the New York Post. One of the astronauts was a teacher, so school children across the country watched in class as the shuttle went down, engulfed by a huge, ominous cloud of smoke. The explosion devastated the nation, especially all of the young children who had watched it live.

Nearly thirty-five years later, we remember the passengers who lost their lives on that dreadful day:

Christa McAuliffe

Christa McAuliffe was a teacher at Concord High School in New Hampshire who learned of the Teacher in Space Project— NASA’s plan to fly an educator into space. NASA had hoped that this would help increase public interest in the space shuttle program.

Along with 11,000 others, McAuliffe applied in 1984 to be the first teacher to communicate with students from space. She was chosen as one of two finalists from New Hampshire, then was selected to be part of the STS-51-L crew by a Review Panel in Washington, D.C.

McAuliffe took a year off from teaching to train for the space shuttle mission. While in orbit, she was planning to conduct experiments in chromatography, hydroponics, magnetism and Newton’s laws. She also would have taught two 15-minute classes— one providing a tour of the spacecraft, the other about the benefits of space travel— which would have been broadcasted to students on closed-circuit TV.

The nationwide excitement of having McAuliffe in space was a significant reason why the explosion had such a lasting impact on the country, and was especially upsetting for young students who watched the takeoff or extensive coverage in class.

Gregory Jarvis

Gregory Jarvis was an engineer for Hughes Aircraft who served as Payload Specialist 2 on Challenger. In 1984, he was one of two employees from the company that were selected for the Space Shuttle program.

Jarvis was originally supposed to make his shuttle flight in April 1985, but was rescheduled to early January 1986, then rescheduled again, landing him a spot on the STS-51-L crew. From space, he planned to conduct experiments on the effects of weightlessness on fluids.

Dick Scobee

Dick Scobee earned his pilot wings in 1966 and served as a combat aviator in the Vietnam War, for which he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal.

After the war, Scobee graduated from the USAF Aerospace Research Pilot School and became an Air Force test pilot. He was the commander on Challenger and died a lieutenant colonel.

Judith Resnik

After graduating from Carnegie Mellon, Judith Resnik worked as a design engineer in missile and radar projects at RCA (Radio Corporation of America). There, she performed circuit design for the missile and surface radar division. She later developed electronics and software for NASA’s sounding rocket and telemetry systems programs.

Resnik qualified as a professional aircraft pilot in 1977 and was recruited into the NASA Astronaut Corps in 1978. She was one of six women selected for the program out of 8,000 applicants. At NASA, and piloted the Northrop T-38 Talon, trained intensely, conducted research, and developed different systems and software.

Resnik served as a mission specialist on the maiden voyage of Discovery in 1984 for her first space flight from August to September. During this flight, she operated a shuttle’s robotic arm (which she created), and deployed and conducted experiments on a solar array wing to determine if there was a way to generate additional electric power during missions. She was the second American woman in space and the first Jewish woman in space.

Resnik was a mission specialist on Challenger. After the explosion, further examination of the cockpit shows that her Personal Egress Air Pack was activated, indicating that she may have been alive after the cockpit separated from the vehicle to activate it. Her body was the first to be recovered from the crash by Navy divers.

Ellison Onizuka

Ellison Onizuka served as a flight test engineer and test pilot for the U.S. Air Force in the early 1970s. After attending the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School from 1974 to 1975, he became a squadron flight test engineer there and worked as a manager for engineering support in the training resources division.

In 1978, Onizuka was selected for the astronaut program and later worked in the experimentation team, orbiter test team, and launch support screw for the STS-1 and STS-2. At NASA he also worked on the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory test and revision software team.

Onizzuka’s first space mission was one year before the Challenger explosion, on the mission STS-51-C on the shuttle Discovery. This was the first space shuttle mission for the Department of Defense, and he became the first Asian American to reach space.

Onizuka was a mission specialist aboard Challenger. Similar to Resnik, it is speculated that he could have been alive when the cockpit separated from the vehicle because his Personal Egress Air Pack was also activated. When he died, he held the position of lieutenant colonel, but was later promoted to the rank of colonel.

Ronald McNair

Ronald McNair received his Ph.D. in Physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1976 and became nationally recognized for his work in laser physics. After graduation, he worked as a staff physicist at the Hugh Research Lab in Malibu, CA.

McNair was one of the ten thousand applicants to be selected in 1978 for the NASA astronaut program. He became the second African American astronaut in 1984 when he flew as a mission specialist for STS-41-B on Challenger from Feb. 3-11.

McNair later served as a mission specialist for STS-51-L. During this flight, he had planned to record the saxophone solo for a song he had worked on with composer Jean-Michel Jarre for his upcoming album Rendez-Vous. This would have been the first original piece of music to be recorded in space.

McNair was also supposed to participate in Jarre’s Rendez-Vous Houston concert through a live feed from Challenger. To honor McNair, Jarre dedicated the last song on the album to him and subtitled it “Ron’s Piece.”

Michael J. Smith

Michael J. Smith served in the Vietnam War, then attended U.S. naval Test Pilot School. After graduation, he was assigned to the Strike Aircraft Test Directorate at NAS Patuxent River in Maryland, where he worked on the A-6E TRAM and Cruise missile guidance systems. In 1976, later returned to NTPS for 18 months as an instructor.

Smith was selected for the astronaut program in May 1980, in which he served as a commander in the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory, the Deputy Chief of Aircraft Operations, the Technical Assistant to the Director, and the Flights Operations Directorate.

Smith was the pilot for Challenger, and was set to pilot another mission the following fall. His voice was the last heard on the flight deck tape recorder with his final words being “Uh oh.”

All seven passengers were awarded with the Congressional Space Medal of Honor in 2004.

The Dead Files Returns

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Former NYPD homicide detective Steve DiSchiavi and physical medium Amy Allan are back on the case with a brand-new season of Travel Channel’s hit series, “The Dead Files,” premiering on Thursday, July 11 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. In each of the 10 one-hour episodes, the duo joins forces to help frightened property owners suffering from unexplained and dangerous paranormal activity. From their unique viewpoints, DiSchiavi and Allan work to uncover the truth behind their clients’ startling claims – and ultimately decide if it’s safe for them to stay.

In every hair-raising episode, DiSchiavi and Allan first investigate each case separately. Utilizing his detective skills, DiSchiavi interviews witnesses and experts, and researches the history and facts behind each location. Allan, a physical medium who sees and communicates with the dead, assesses the property to identify what underlying entities reside there. Keeping their findings hidden from each other, the team avoids all contact with one another – coming together only at the very end to reveal their shocking discoveries to the property owners, and each other. In each episode’s intense conclusion, the team will determine if there’s a way for the clients to stay and fight, or if it’s best for them to leave.

“I’ve seen a lot of things throughout my career, but the cases this season shock even me,” said DiSchiavi. “These families need our help, and for many, we’re their last hope. Amy and I are determined to bring them the answers they need to move forward.”

“I never know what I’m going to encounter when I go into these places, and it can be terrifying,” added Allan. “But providing much-needed information for these homeowners, and giving them the tools to overcome these hauntings once and for all, is the ultimate payoff.”

In the season opener, DiSchiavi and Allan investigate a frightened woman’s claims that decades of paranormal activity in her Tonawanda, New York, the home has now become dangerously violent. During their separate investigations, DiSchiavi uncovers the story of a twisted teenager who poisoned several children, while Allan’s walk reveals a dark entity focused on tormenting the living.

Upcoming episodes:

“Demon Seed” – Premieres Thursday, July 18 at 10 p.m. ET/PT

Steve DiSchiavi and Amy Allan travel to Gatesville, Texas, where a couple is being tormented by demonic entities hellbent on destroying their home and their grandchildren. During their separate investigations, DiSchiavi uncovers the dark and sordid history of a boys’ reformatory turned female prison, while Allan encounters a vicious serpent-like entity that is set on contaminating the souls of all who inhabit the property.

“The Watchers” – Premieres Thursday, July 25 at 10 p.m. ET/PT

Steve DiSchiavi and Amy Allan travel to Blue Springs, Missouri, where a mother fears for the safety of her children as unseen forces torment them on a daily basis. During their separate investigations, DiSchiavi discovers the property was the scene of a gruesome murder-suicide in the 1960s, while Allan encounters the spirit of a dead man who has a deep resentment towards women and children.

“Not My Child” – Premieres Thursday, August 1 at 10 p.m. ET/PT

Steve DiSchiavi and Amy Allan travel to Jefferson City, Missouri, where a family has had to abandon their new home in order to escape the intense paranormal activity inside of it. Even worse, they’re worried their young daughter has been possessed by one of the dark entities tormenting them.

Check out “The Dead Files” on TravelChannel.com for more, including special show extras, behind-the-scenes photos, and exclusive videos. Follow @TravelChannel and #DeadFiles on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram for additional content and updates. Follow the team on Twitter: @stevedischiavi and @amyallantdf and on Instagram: @stevedischiavi and@amyallantdf.

“The Dead Files” is produced by Painless Entertainment for Travel Channel. For Painless Entertainment, the executive producer is Rob Rosen. For Travel Channel, the executive producer is Victoria Chiaro Snyder, Matthew Butler is the general manager and Henry Schleiff is group president of Investigation Discovery, Travel Channel, American Heroes Channel, and Destination America.

Say Yes to the Prom

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TLC’s SAY YES TO THE PROM Will Make Prom Dreams Come True and Empower Deserving High School Students Nationwide

In partnership with Macy’s, the 2019 SAY YES TO THE PROM Tour Kicks Off in Silver Spring, MD, with Stops in Knoxville, TN, Los Angeles, CA, Denver, CO, and New York, NY

TLC’s SAY YES TO THE PROM initiative is back for the eighth consecutive year and kicking off the 2019 prom season alongside returning retail partner Macy’s to help 1,000 underserved and deserving students across the country find the perfect prom look. Travelling to five different cities, SAY YES TO THE PROM will create the ultimate prom “shopping” experience, complete with one-on-one style sessions with Monte Durham of TLC’s SAY YES TO THE DRESS: ATLANTA to help the students find the perfect dress, tuxedo and accessories.

Each of these 1,000 deserving students will be treated to a full shopping day alongside Durham. Young ladies will receive the prom dress of their choice, as well as shoes from Nina, Blue by Betsey Johnson, Jewel Badgley Mischka and Adrianna Papell, all provided by Macy’s. To complete their prom ensembles, they will be able to frost themselves with Kendra Scott earrings, necklaces and bracelets. Young menwill be furnished with a complete tuxedo rental from Men’s Wearhouse. Stylists from Paul Mitchell Schools will help participants cultivate their personal prom style by providing hair and makeup consultations.

The SAY YES TO THE PROM tour will begin in February in Silver Spring, MD, and continue in March with stops in Knoxville, TN, Los Angeles, CA, Denver, CO, and ending in New York, NY. Each stop along the tour will feature an all-day “shopping” event to outfit participating students with the perfect head-to-toe prom ensemble. Beyond these local events, the specially designed line of SAY YES TO THE PROM dresses and accessories are currently available for purchase in Macy’s stores nationwide and online for the fourth consecutive year.

“What initially started as a prom dress donation drive and outreach event aimed at outfitting high school students with prom attire back in 2011, TLC’s SAY YES TO THE PROM has since evolved into a nationwide initiative. Entering its eighth consecutive year, this program stands by its mission – to give students across the country an unforgettable prom experience, along with educational and career-building opportunities beyond the prom that help prepare students for their futures,” said Adria Alpert Romm, Chief Human Resources and Global Diversity Officer, Discovery, Inc., and creator of SAY YES TO THE PROM.

“Macy’s is thrilled to partner with SAY YES TO THE PROM and help bring the magic of prom to these deserving students,” said Durand Guion, group vice president, Macy’s Fashion Office. “We know what a special moment this is, and we are incredibly thankful to our colleagues and customers for making these incredibly deserving prom wishes come true.”

Designed to go beyond the dress and tuxedo to prepare students for college and careers, this year’s SAY YES TO THE PROM will feature scholarship, internship and mentorship opportunities as part of educational and youth workforce partnerships with The Will and Jada Smith Family Foundation’s Careers in Entertainment initiative and The Emma Bowen Foundation. Students at each event also will meet and be paired with professional mentors from the fashion and media industries. These mentor-mentee relationships will extend beyond the event and offer students an ongoing connection to the professional world.

This year’s SAY YES TO THE PROM tour welcomes both new and returning national partners. In addition to a glittering selection of over 2,500 donated dresses from Macy’s, SAY YES TO THE PROM will be more impactful than ever before as a result of contributions from premier partners including Men’s Wearhouse, Kendra Scott, Nina, Blue by Betsey Johnson, Jewel Badgley Mischka, Adrianna Papelland Paul Mitchell Schools. AT&T® employee volunteers and members of Women in Cable Telecommunications (WICT) will serve as mentors and style guides for this year’s initiative. The Cable Center will return as a SAY YES TO THE PROM partner to host this year’s Denver event.

“Say Yes to the Prom holds a very special place in my heart,” said Jana Henthorn, president and CEO of The Cable Center, which first hosted the event in the spring of 2016. “It was at this event where we first met our brilliant intern, Monserrat “Monsi” Vasquez, who was a high school senior and her class valedictorian. Monsi was my mentee and after the event, she began working as an intern at The Cable Center. Monsi still works with us in our office and has been a stellar addition to our team. We are delighted to be working with Discovery again to host this truly fun celebration and one-of-a-kind opportunity for our local Denver student community!”

“Having Monte and the Say Yes to the Prom team back at The Cable Center is such an honor. Seeing Monte work with these young women and men is heartwarming,” said Diane Christman, SVP of development at The Cable Center. “At the Denver event, Monte knew every single one of the students by name, and we watched them all gain confidence under his expert tutelage. We can’t wait for Say Yes to the Dress to be back at The Cable Center and to be part of this fantastic community event.”

Dates and locations for the 2019 SAY YES TO THE PROM tour include:

February 26 in Silver Spring, MD
March 5 in Knoxville, TN
March 14 in Los Angeles, CA
March 19 in Denver, CO
March 28 in New York, NY

Also, as part of Macy’s partnership with Becca’s Closet, for each prom dress purchased on Saturday, March 30^th, Macy’s will donate one, up to 5,300 dresses, to a girl in need. Please visit our website to learn more about this year’s SAY YES TO THE PROM initiative and Becca’s Closet and follow #SYTTP on Twitter and Instagram.

About Discovery:

Discovery, Inc. (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) is a global leader in real life entertainment, serving a passionate audience of superfans around the world with content that inspires, informs and entertains. Discovery delivers over 8,000 hours of original programming each year and has category leadership across deeply loved content genres around the world. Available in 220 countries and territories and nearly 50 languages, Discovery is a platform innovator, reaching viewers on all screens, including TV Everywhere products such as the GO portfolio of apps; direct-to-consumer streaming services such as Eurosport Player and MotorTrend OnDemand; digital-first and social content from Group Nine Media and a strategic alliance with PGA TOUR to create the international home of golf. Discovery’s portfolio of premium brands includes Discovery Channel, HGTV, Food Network, TLC, Investigation Discovery, Travel Channel, MotorTrend, Animal Planet, and Science Channel, as well as OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network in the U.S., Discovery Kids in Latin America, and Eurosport, the leading provider of locally relevant, premium sports and Home of the Olympic Games across Europe. For more information, please visit our website and follow @DiscoveryIncTV across social platforms.

About TLC

Offering remarkable real-life stories without judgment, TLC shares everyday heart, humor, hope, and human connection with programming genres that include fascinating families, heartwarming transformations, and life’s milestone moments. TLC is a top 10 network across key female demos. TLC is a global brand available in more than 86 million homes in the US and 279 million households around the world. Viewers can enjoy their favorite shows anytime, anywhere through TLC GO – the network’s TVE offering featuring live and on demand access to complete seasons. A destination online, TLC.com offers in-depth fan sites and exclusive original video content. Fans can also interact with TLC on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat and Pinterest. TLC is part of Discovery (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK), reaching 3 billion cumulative viewers in more than 220 countries and territories to satisfy curiosity and captivate superfans with a portfolio of premium nonfiction, lifestyle, sports and kids content brands.

About Macy’s

Macy’s, the largest retail brand of Macy’s, Inc. (NYSE:M), delivers fashion and affordable luxury to customers at approximately 650 locations in 44 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam, as well as to customers in the U.S. and more than 100 international destinations through its leading online store. Via its stores, e-commerce site, mobile and social platforms, Macy’s offers distinctive assortments including the most desired family of exclusive and fashion brands for him, her and home. Macy’s is known for such epic events as Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks® and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade®, as well as spectacular fashion shows, culinary events, flower shows and celebrity appearances. Macy’s flagship stores — including Herald Square in New York City, Union Squarein San Francisco, State Street in Chicago, Dadeland in Miami and South Coast Plaza in southern California — are known internationally and are leading destinations for visitors. Building on a more than 150-year tradition, and with the collective support of customers and employees, Macy’s helps strengthen communities by supporting local and national charities giving more than $52 million each year, plus 153,000 hours of volunteer service, to help make a difference in the lives of our customers. For Macy’s media materials, including images and contacts, please visit our online pressroom.

About Men’s Wearhouse

Founded in 1973 and a subsidiary of Tailored Brands, Inc. (NYSE:TLRD), Men’s Wearhouse is the largest specialty retailer of men’s apparel and rental product in the U.S. with over 750 stores, including Men’s Wearhouse and Tux, nationwide. Men’s Wearhouse carries a full selection of suits, sport coats, slacks, formalwear, sportswear, outerwear, dress shirts, footwear and accessories in non-exclusive and exclusive merchandise brands such as Joseph Abboud, AWEARNESS Kenneth Cole, BLACK by Vera Wang, among others. Tuxedo and suit rentals are available at both Men’s Wearhouse and Tux stores, which also offers a limited selection of retail merchandise, and Men’s Wearhouse stores nationwide. For additional information on Men’s Wearhouse, please visit our website.

About Becca’s Closet

Becca’s Closet is a nonprofit organization that donates free formal dresses to high school girls who are unable to afford to purchase them for homecoming, military ball and prom. Becca’s Closet also awards scholarships to high school seniors who demonstrate dedication to serving their communities. Visit our website for more information.

About the Emma Bowen Foundation (EBF)

EBF connects the media, entertainment, and technology industries with a pipeline of talent and emerging leaders, and advocate for best practices in diverse hiring, retention and advancement. Founded in 1989, EBF has provided internships for over 1,300 students of color. Over 60% of alumni pursue careers in the media, entrainment, technology fields in roles ranging from account executives to engineers and on-air reporters, and include Emmy and Peabody award winners.

About The Cable Center
The Cable Center is an educational nonprofit organization serving the media and telecommunications industry. We tell the story of the cable industry, highlighting for the global community the significant contributions made to technology, society, and culture. We connect people and ideas to advance innovation. Based in Denver, Colorado, The Cable Center is the home of the Cable Hall of Fame, recognizing individuals for their outstanding contributions to the industry; the Barco Library, the world’s largest collection of cable-related information and resources; as well as the Community of Innovators with a focus on entrepreneurship. For more information visit us at our website, Twitter, and Facebook.

New Travel Channel Series ‘Legend Hunter’

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With an avid thirst for adventure and innate curiosity, wildlife biologist and explorer Pat Spain is leaving his lab to uncover answers to fascinating unsolved riddles, historic conundrums and mythic events in the new Travel Channel series “Legend Hunter.” Premiering Tuesday, January 8, 2019 at 10 p.m. ET/PT, the seven-episode series showcases Spain as he uses his scientific expertise and state-of-the-art technology to investigate infamous tales of murder, theft and unexplained events. He embarks on a hunt to recover a $20 million stolen Irish fortune, finds new evidence that could reveal the identity of Jack the Ripper and goes on a quest for a werewolf-like creature rumored to haunt the residents of Elkhorn, Wisconsin.

As the great nephew of Charles Fort – the “Prophet of the Unexplained” – Spain carries on the family legacy by questioning mainstream science and investigating things that science often writes off as impossible. Now, with “Legend Hunter,” he will consider unusual explanations of bizarre phenomena to crack open some of history’s most mind-boggling mysteries and crimes.

“As a scientist, I’ve spent my life investigating some of mankind’s greatest oddities, bizarre creatures and mythical beasts, tribal rituals and far flung places,” said Spain. “Now I get the chance to take on some of the world’s iconic mysteries. Who was Jack the Ripper? Who really killed Lizzie Borden’s parents? These are questions that have been burning in my mind since I was a child, and I’m going right to the source to try and find answers – with exclusive access to people, archives and crimes scenes. And we have some extraordinary results that I can’t wait to share with the world!”

In the series premiere, Spain reopens the infamous Lizzie Borden murder case to find out who really took an ax to her father and stepmother. He gains exclusive access to Lizzie’s home, belongings and previously sealed family documents. Spain starts his investigation from scratch, as though the crime happened yesterday. Then, using psychographic profiling and statistical theory, among other tools, he re-examines the original suspects. Spain reenacts what they supposedly were doing at the time of the murders, their ‘alibis’ and whether these accounts are actually plausible. Through his relentless digging, Spain unearths a surprising new suspect never before connected to the case!