Back to Articles News Back to Sections This Spring’s Solar Eclipse Leah Ally Volume 4 Issue 4 May 29, 2024 Image Provided by Elaine Ching On April 8th, an awe-inspiring phenomenon crossed a swath of the United States, captivating millions of Americans in hopes of experiencing it. Referred to as a total solar eclipse, this rare event occurs during a new moon phase when the sun is blocked by the moon, or in other words, the moon’s shadow falls on Earth. This spectacle reminds so many of the vastness of our universe and what makes our solar system special. While it may seem simple, there are numerous scientific, cultural, and spiritual significances surrounding this extraordinary phenomenon. As previously mentioned, a total eclipse occurs when the Moon completely covers the Sun, plunging an area referred to as “the path of totality” into darkness for a brief but special moment. The alignment of these celestial bodies creates a visual display with the sun’s corona shimmering around the edges of the Moon’s silhouette (Zeiler, 1). This allows scientists and astronomers to study the Sun’s outer atmosphere and to gather data on solar activity and magnetic fields. Regarding cultural perspectives, solar eclipses have been viewed as powerful omens, symbols of transformation, and cosmic events that bridge the earthly and celestial realms. Ancient civilizations often interpreted solar eclipses as signs of divine intervention, heralding changes in leadership, fortunes, and the world’s natural order. In modern times, solar eclipses continue to captivate our imagination, inspiring awe and wonder of the universe. For many belief systems, solar eclipses hold spiritual significance, symbolizing moments of introspection, renewal, and spiritual awakening (Whitcomb). The alignment of the Sun, Moon, and Earth during an eclipse is often seen as a potent symbol of unity, balance, and cosmic harmony. Some cultures view solar eclipses as opportunities for meditation, prayer, and connecting with the divine energies that permeate the universe. The April 8th total solar eclipse path occurred from about 2:27 p.m. to 3:35 p.m. Eastern time. The predicted path of the eclipse was from Mexico through the U.S. to the coast of Canada. Some states in the path of totality include Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine (Dixon, 1). This recent solar eclipse was compared to the 2017 “Great American Eclipse” with a path of totality that spanned from the Pacific to the Atlantic Coast and was the first to do so since 1918. Those who planned on viewing the eclipse had to take necessary actions to get the best views possible while staying safe. Foremost, acquiring eclipse glasses is mandatory. They have special filters that block out harmful ultraviolet and infrared radiation from the Sun, as well as intense visible light. These glasses protect your eyes from potential damage and allow someone to directly look at the sun safely. It is safe to say many viewers were looking to seize the phenomenon on camera, however intense light is extremely harmful even for a camera lens which is why special-purpose solar filters should be purchased to avoid irreversible damage. It is best to purchase ISO-certified-safe equipment to ensure reliable gear is used. Astronomers predict that a total solar eclipse will not occur until at least 2044, which explains the rarity of seeing such an event unfold. This year’s solar eclipse was bound to be the most viewed astronomical event in American history thus far. Whether witnessed or not, it is fascinating to learn about why certain events occur, especially cosmically; it is important to understand the many significances of an eclipse and what it means in a spiritual, cultural, and scientific context. Sources: Solar eclipse 2024 is next week: Everything you need to know ( freep.com ) Total Solar Eclipse 2024 US — Great American Eclipse 'Zeus made night from mid-day:' Terror and wonder in ancient accounts of solar eclipses | Space BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Science & Technology Back to Sections The Wonders of Poop By Cody Sung Volume 1 Issue 8 June 8, 2021 Image provided by the Canadian Digestive Health Association Poop is a brown substance with many wonders. Well, it smells, and human poop can contain diseases such as cholera (no wonder we flush it), and poop is disgusting, but poop has power, from being a way to track down certain animals to helping a colon infected with C.diff . Poop is not just a thing you flush, it’s an important biological substance that has been rejected by civilization. Dogs can smell a lot of things, and that nose can be put to good use to track down animals - using poop. For example, dogs can be trained to smell elephant poop with DNA. Whenever law enforcement finds elephant ivory tusks laying around, they can use the DNA from that and the surrounding poop to find poachers. Dogs can also do this for other endangered species, such as the pangolin. Poop can also help the environment. For example, cow poop in a pond with the correct nitrogen can allow algae to grow, because algae needs the correct nitrogen to make chlorophyll to photosynthesize. Another helpful thing poop does is it can make or break a nutrient cycle. For example, when phytoplankton die, their bodies and nutrients go down to the seafloor. Right whales eat the nutrients down there and bring them back up, and when they poop, all the nutrients are released and they allow for new phytoplankton to grow, and this can help other life in the ocean. Poop even has a major benefit for human health as a medicine to treat C.diff . When you take an antibiotic, bad bacteria in you are killed, but so are good bacteria. This hurts your microbiome, bacteria that’s inside you and doesn’t harm you. This causes you to be susceptible to C.diff , which is a bacterium that causes inflammation in your colon, accompanied by frequent diarrhea, fever, nausea, and more. It can be deadly. But a solution involves poop. If poop from a healthy person with a healthy microbiome is shot up the colon, the new, stronger microbiome can help get rid of C.diff , with this procedure being effective over 90% of the time. It’s called a fecal transplant, and it’s been used since the fourth century in China. Patients would be given fecal slurry, and it would be very effective. Poop capsules are made for this purpose. There’s even poop banks where a person can donate poop for money. Poop is something seen as gross (which is fair), but poop can be good for the environment in an ecosystem, and humanity. Poop is something to not take for granted, as it is an important part of our world, and it can do some very interesting things. The next time you see poop, think about the wonders of it. Sources used: Who Gives a Poop?: Surprising Science from One End to the Other - Heather L. Montgomery - Google Books SciCafe: The Power of Poop | AMNH OpenBiome What is C. diff? | CDC BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Polaris, Fiction Back to Sections Two Flowers By Victoria Niksa Volume 3 Issue 4 May 18, 2023 Image Provided by Elaine Ching “His eyes like a vorTeX- AHHHHHHHHHH” “CIRICE. IT HAS BEEN THE SAME ALBUM FOR THE PAST 2 HOURS!” Layla shouted as she dragged Cirice off her bed by her legs onto the cold, hard floor. Layla was Cirice’s childhood friend. They met in first grade and despite argument after argument, they were older now and more mature. “OH? YOU’RE MAD ABOUT THAT? HOW ABOUT WHEN YOU REWATCHED THAT SAME VIDEO FOR 10 MINUTES WITH THE SAME 6-SECOND AUDIO?” “OH, COME ON! I WAS SENDING IT TO FAY, YOU KNOW THAT!” Despite being older and more mature, they still argue over the dumbest things imaginable. People say that if you have different zodiac signs or almost nothing in common, you’ll clash with the other person and you guys can’t have fun. But Cirice and Layla were a perfect example of that being untrue. After a few minutes of bickering over absolutely nothing, the room held a long silence; until the two busted out laughing. “We are absolutely nuts. Fighting over nothing?” “It’s giving…” “Us in elementary school!” The two said in unison while wheezing with laughter. “Ok but I’m serious, I hear this album one more time I will burn all your CDs. Headphones exist too, you know!” “I’d use them if they didn’t give me a migraine every time I wore those dumb things.” “Ok, well please can you figure something out because I don’t wanna listen to songs about spirits in the form of heavy metal music again, please and thank you.” “Meh, yeah you’re welcome.” “Well, I did like that one at what I’m assuming is the beginning, the one in Spanish!” “Infestissumam? Layla… I hate to break it to you but that is in Latin!” “Oh…” “Yeah, you have quite a bit to learn. Also, once you find out the English translation you are probably going to hate it.” Whenever these two were together, chaos can unfold; and fast. The two girls are and have always been drama queens and sass lovers which to someone else who doesn’t know them would seem like a bad thing, but to these two and them only, it was something they could laugh about later. They can talk and talk for hours about the same subject whether or not it was interesting. Even if it was interesting for Layla and not for Cirice or vice versa, the other would be heavily invested regardless of the topic. The Next Day “Soo Ciri… How’s you and you know whoooo?” “Really? We can talk about any topic and you’re choosing him?” “Oh! I forgot… We have three to talk about now! Your pick, which boy do we talk about today?” “I regret telling you anything about this.” “Hmm…What were their names again? Ah, yes… Jacob, Ryder, and Liam!” “No way you remembered all that…” “Aww, and you think I don’t listen to you! Silly Ciri!” “Ugh, can we talk about Ghost instead?” “Yes! Once you tell me about your crushes~~” Layla doesn’t stop until she gets what she wants. She knows what she wants to know and when she wants to hear it. She’s just a little too impatient. “Ok, here, let’s make a deal. You can put on whatever songs you want. Ghost, Metallica, Nirvana, whatever. But you have to tell me about your crushes. Ok?” “Negotiation really is your middle name… ugh, fine I guess.” An Hour Later “Ok maybe I just set you up with someone, these boys suck! Ew, they’re so unromantic I can’t. It’s disgusting…” “I think you’re forgetting we’re in 8th grade…” “Tch, being in 8th grade doesn’t mean anything, if these boys aren’t at your feet, then leave!” Cirice was hoping one of her other friends would text her and get her out of this situation. She can’t even bear to listen to another word about how she deserves princess treatment from boys. She doesn’t like to think she deserves anything from anyone, especially not boys her age. She knows all she is to everyone else is, “The weird girl” or “The crazy one.” “Hello?! Are you even listening to me? I’m giving you valuable advice right now!” “Yes… sorry my mind is just all over the place…” “Sigh, well I guess I can just tell you everything later…” “Actually, there’s no need for that…” “Are you thinking what I’m thinking…?” “SLUMBER PARTY!!” The two shouted in unison. “Oh my gosh we should totally invite Alexis and Kassie!” “We should! It’s been so long since we’ve all hung out together!” “You text Alexis, I’ll text Kassie.” BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Editorial Back to Sections The Benefits of Reading and how phones are harmful By Manal Layachi Volume 1 Issue 3 December 16, 2020 Image provided by Pinterest People think about why reading is important, and they might think reading is boring, or that it will help them with nothing in life. That’s where they are wrong. There are a lot of benefits to reading a few pages a day. Reading books can help with mental stimulation. Studies have shown that having a sharp mind can slow or prevent Alzheimer’s and Dementia. Another benefit is stress reduction. When you are reading a story, you forget about what is happening in your personal life, and you step into a different world. Reading can also benefit your knowledge such as with learning new words and reading about things you’ve never heard of that might come in handy later in your life. When you read a book, you remember the characters, setting, and images. As a result, reading can improve your memory. Some other benefits that come with reading are stronger analytical skills, improved focus and concentration, better writing skills, and tranquility. Studies have shown that reading spiritual texts can lower blood pressure and help people dealing with disorders. Reading is good, but not many people take the opportunity to sit down and open a good book. Most people are on their phones or other technological devices. Phones are harmful in a lot of ways. For example, they give off radiation that is harmful to the nervous system. Also, using your phone too much can have a risk of giving cancer, and the light can damage your eyes. In my opinion, phones are helpful, but they cause harm to the brain, so it is better to read books. In conclusion, use your phone less, and read books because they help your knowledge get stronger. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Alliance By Eva Grace Martinez Volume 2 Issue 7 June 13, 2022 Image provided by the vapride.com Hello everyone! My name is Eva Martinez, and while I am an editor here at NORTH STAR, I am also president of Valley Stream North’s LBGT+ affinity group: The Alliance. The primary goal of The Alliance is to make North a safer space for all students by creating a safe space for its LGBT+ students. We have many events throughout the year, such as the Social Justice Summit and participating in the National Day of Silence. The Alliance meets every other Monday at 3:15, and I can honestly say it is one of the best clubs North has to offer! We discuss all topics pertaining to gender and sexuality, as well as current events we decide are relevant. If you like to discuss how who you are intersects with our school environment, The Alliance is the place for you. Additionally, The Alliance is…well… an alliance. We welcome anybody into our club if they are interested. If you are curious about The Alliance, you are absolutely welcome to join us for a meeting. We have a fairly open attendance policy and promise we won’t be upset if you only show up once! If you need more convincing to show up to a meeting, I can tell you that few other clubs have felt as impactful as The Alliance in my high school career. When I started in The Alliance, the club only had a handful of members, and our biggest event of the year was a trip to an all-Long Island GSA (Gay-Straight Alliance) conference. Now, we’ve held two Social Justice Summits where over 100 people tuned in to hear our voices. As the club grows in numbers, I cannot wait to see the wonderful rainbow-colored future our current members create! If you think that helping us paint the town rainbow sounds like the club for you, join the Alliance team, and help us brighten North’s future! BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles News Back to Sections The Taliban Takeover of Afghanistan: What Led Up to It and What Is Happening Now By Sahar Ali Volume 2 Issue 2 November 19, 2021 No Image available at this time AFGHANISTAN- On Saturday, May 1st, 2021, the Taliban started to take over Afghanistan, a country located in Central Asia. On Sunday, August 15th, 2021, the Taliban took over Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan. The country was finally taken over by the Taliban after twenty years of war with the United States. What Is the Taliban? The Taliban is a group of predominantly Pashtuns that are an Islamic fundamentalist group. They ruled Afghanistan previously from 1996 to 2001 until the U.S. invaded Afghanistan after the 9/11 attacks. In 2021, when the U.S. started to remove its troops from Afghanistan, the Taliban once again started to take over. The Afghani people have been trying to flee their home country ever since the Taliban took control because they do not want to experience the harsh rules the Taliban enforced when they previously had power. What Led Up to The Takeover After the attacks that occurred on 9/11, the United States went to war with Afghanistan to eradicate al-Qaeda, the group responsible for committing the horrendous acts on September 11th, 2001. The U.S. troops stayed in Afghanistan for 20 years (2001-2021) until President Biden announced the full withdrawal of troops. Then slowly, the Taliban started to take over parts of Afghanistan, trying to get closer and closer to the capital, Kabul. The U.S. and NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) trained the Afghan security forces for two decades and spent billions of dollars to equip them with weapons. Even then, the Afghan security forces could not prevent the Taliban from taking over. To make it worse, as the U.S. troops were pulling out of Afghanistan, the security forces started to weaken without support. Another factor that led up to the Taliban takeover was the corruption that took place in the Afghani government. The government did not provide the Afghani troops with enough supplies, food, or ammunition. As the Taliban started to take control over cities, there would be small battles between the Afghani forces and Taliban until the security forces surrendered. However, most cities were taken over by the Taliban without a fight. News About the President Ashraf Ghani, the president of Afghanistan, did not appear to take action to stop the Taliban from taking over more parts of Afghanistan. Instead, he released a few public statements regarding the Taliban and then fled the country. According to Ghani, he fled to prevent any further bloodshed. Ashraf Ghani fled to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and he is currently there. Afghani Citizens Ever since the Taliban took over Afghanistan, the citizens have been trying to flee the country because they are worried that the Taliban will enforce the same harshly interpreted Islamic laws that they enforced in 1996. Afghanis have been fleeing to nearby countries such as Pakistan and Iran. In addition, some people have fled to Turkey, the U.S., Germany, the UAE, and Qatar. There have also been some evacuations that took place. The women of Afghanistan are also concerned that the Taliban have taken over. When the Taliban was in power from 1996-2001, they enforced strict laws that greatly affected women. Women were not allowed to have jobs and girls were not allowed to go to school and get an education. If women wanted to leave the house, they would have to cover themselves up and go to the outside world. Sometimes we do not realize how lucky we are to be able to do certain things like going to school every day. What Is Happening Now When the Taliban took over Afghanistan, they also created a new government and now are currently ruling the country. Not only that, but the Taliban also went as far as changing the flag of Afghanistan. In addition, the U.S. has agreed to provide humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, however, the new rulers of Afghanistan, the Taliban, will not receive any political recognition from the United States. What Could Happen Next It is not clear what is going to happen next in Afghanistan, but the future does not look very bright. But there are some things that can be done. Currently, Afghanistan is in a very desperate situation, and they require a lot of foreign aid. The European Union (EU), which is a political and economic group that consists of 27 European nations, and the U.S. could give Afghanistan more foreign aid and loans to stabilize the economy of Afghanistan. Without aid, it could also cause more problems of illegal immigration to nearby countries. The United States and the European Union could act to prevent these problems from occurring. Afghanistan was a beautiful country before the fighting started. Let us hope that this conflict ends so that the Afghanistan that people used to know is restored to its original beauty. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Alone v.s. Lonely Annie Diep Volume 4 Issue 4 May 29, 2024 Image Provided by Annie Diep I find that people often confuse the word alone with lonely, and vice versa, or people tend to think they’re synonyms of one another. And although loneliness can be caused by being alone, these are not the same words. According to the Oxford Dictionary, the word alone means to have no one else present. Meanwhile, loneliness is characterized as a negative emotion that causes one to feel lonesome and secluded. This means that you can be at a party surrounded by people and yet still feel lonely and unwanted, or that you can be alone by yourself in your own room and yet still feel content and wanted. Being alone is a cause of loneliness, but not necessarily a synonym of loneliness. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles News Back to Sections California Wildfires Sahar Ali Volume 5 Issue 4 April 8, 2025 On January 7th, California’s powerful winds mixed with dry conditions created the perfect conditions for a wildfire to ignite around the Los Angeles area, specifically the Palisades and Eaton. The Palisades Fire ignited in the early morning of January 7th, as a brush fire according to NBC News. Eventually, the brush fire engulfed 23,448 acres of land and destroyed more than 5,000 buildings in its path (NBC News). Regardless of firefighters’ greatest efforts, the fires began to spread throughout the Los Angeles area; only hours after the Palisades Fire ignited, the Eaton Fire was set ablaze, covering 14,021 acres and damaged more than 10,000 structures according to NBC News. Unfortunately, Los Angeles County officials have confirmed that the fires took the lives of 29 people. The Los Angeles medical examiner’s office claims that the Eaton Fire caused least 17 deaths while the Palisades Fire caused the other 12 deaths; however, the medical examiner’s office asserted that it could take weeks to verify the identities of the victims. Recently, California’s department of forestry and fire protection announced that the Palisades and Eaton Fires have been contained completely, three weeks after the fires initially went ablaze. Even though the fires are no longer raging throughout Southern California, Los Angeles must rebuild its cities; however, the Los Angeles Times claims that the total economic loss and expected damage to be between $250 billion and $275 billion according to AccuWeather, a forecasting service. The cost of repercussions makes the natural disaster one of the worst in the history of the United States (Los Angeles Times). Yet, the initial cause of the fires remains unclear. However, drought-like conditions are one of the main factors as Southern California “has had less than 10% of average rainfall since Oct. 1” (NBC News). Mix these conditions with powerful offshore winds, and you have perfect conditions to start a fire. Daniel Swain, a climate scientist, brought attention to California’s weather in recent years that was highlighted by drought or heavy rainfall, both of which “are a key element of the fire weather gripping the region” (NBC News). Swain additionally asserts that even though the warming climate results in drier conditions, the constantly varying weather in the state creates a risk in the Southern California area. Climate change, an issue affecting the world severely, may be a factor for the fires, but it is unclear to say if the changes in the ever-changing environment played a vital role in the blaze. Recent studies find that climate change worsens already extreme conditions such as those that had started the fires in California (NPR). Human activity is also a factor that led to the Palisades and Eaton Fires as “there were no lightning storms at the time that would have sparked the fires” (NPR). UCLA’s director of the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, Alex Hall, claims that the “ignitions were undoubtedly due to human activity” (NPR). The Palisades and Eaton Fires have affected almost 200,000 people and many people lost their homes and business. There are multiple resources that we can use to support those in California. This website provides links to donation centers that are working to help those affected by the natural disaster. Through our donations, we can help Los Angeles build up the beautiful city it used to be, along with providing California residents with hope for the future. SOURCES: California wildfires: What we know about L.A.-area fires, what caused them, who is affected and more Estimated cost of fire damage balloons to more than $250 billion Los Angeles’ Palisades and Eaton wildfires are now fully contained Here's how climate change fueled the Los Angeles fires BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Entertainment & Media Back to Sections Wadsworth: An Introspective Dive By Alain Deen Volume 2 Issue 6 April 14, 2022 Image provided by Fortune "So, in summation…It was Mrs. Peacock in the kitchen with the dagger. Colonel Mustard in the Lounge with the revolver. Mrs. Scarlet in the library with the candlestick. Professor Plum in the hall with the revolver. Mrs. White in the ballroom with the rope. And Mr. Green in the billiard room with the lead pipe." Clue: The Movie (1985) quickly became a staple cult classic. The film is based on the famous Hasbro board game of the same name. In the board game, six characters are invited to an unusual and seemingly random dinner party in the 1950s. They are led to a mansion, where a number of murders occur. The purpose of the board game is to figure out who the murderer is, underscoring its traditional "whodunit" theme. However, it is worth noting that the butler, Wadsworth, is not included in the board game, but he is included in the film and the stage play. In terms of character analysis, Wadsworth does not hold much depth. However, it is worth noting that the character of Wadsworth is a culmination of years of intricate butlery, stereotypes, and other fictional prototypes. Let’s talk about it. In the board game, Wadsworth is not included as a character. In my opinion, this was done on purpose. Here is my take on the dilemma: Wadsworth is actually included in the game, but his figurine is invisible. I am just kidding. At any rate, my point is that Wadsworth serves as a metaphorical puppeteer in the board game. In other words, each player is their own Wadsworth. They manipulate each of the six characters (Colonel Mustard, Mrs. Peacock, Miss Scarlet, Mr. Green, and Professor Plum) throughout the game's duration in an attempt to frame each of them for murder. Whether it's through utilizing various weapons or locations in Boddy Manor to achieve this purpose, "Wadsworth" is the master puppeteer behind the game's drama. I played Wadsworth in Valley Stream North's recent production of Clue; it was a great experience, to say the least. I had a lot of fun with the character and delved deep into his twisted yet comedic mind. From playing Wadsworth, I gained more insight into the character himself, learning more about the intricacies attached to his puppeteering tendencies. My character served as the driving force for all the events throughout the show. He led the suspects through each and every scene, allowing for a smooth course of events leading up to the show's dramatic culmination. He permits each of the six suspects to enter the mansion, often introducing them to each other. Once they are all comfortable, he reveals the reason they are all there in the first place. "Ladies and gentlemen, my instructions are clear. It seems the six of you have one thing in common. You are all being blackmailed. For some considerable time, all of you have been paying what you can afford, and in some cases more than you can afford, to someone who threatens to expose you." This highlights Wadsworth's knowledgeable background throughout the course of the play. He was aware of most of the events before they occurred. In other words, he was always one step ahead. He also manipulated various events, highlighting his sly, conniving background. "He was Wadsworth, my Butler" "OHHHHH!" "I want to thank all of you for killing off my network of spies and informers, which you all did splendidly, by the way. Not to mention the added bonus of our evening together: I have each and every one of you on the hook for murder." By the end of the play, it is revealed that Wadsworth is actually Mr. Boddy, directly supporting the argument that Wadsworth serves as a puppeteer in every medium of the franchise. He was behind everything all along, highlighting his sly and conniving nature. Thus, it is worth noting that Wadsworth is representative of the audience. In a sense, the audience subliminally desires to manipulate the guests' actions, highlighting their deep alignment with Wadsworth's character arc. Wadsworth's character goes deeper than the surface, and that must be noted when conducting a character analysis. He really is more than just a butler. He simultaneously serves as the audience, the narrator, and the franchise's driving force, even if his likeness isn't 3D modeled on a miniature figurine. BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Prism Back to Sections Sienna Munro - Prism By Sienna Munro November 24, 2020 Volume 1 Issue 2