Betty White passing inspires support of animal welfare: After the passing of Betty White on Dec. 31, her lifelong legacy of supporting animals inspired fans to create “The Betty While Challenge” on Twitter. White was a comedic actress publicly known for her animal advocacy work. White served as a supporter of the Los Angeles Zoo and the Humane Society and received numerous honors for her service on behalf of animals. The Betty White Challenge encourages people to donate and assist animal shelters on Jan. 17th, 2022 which would have been White’s 100th birthday.
Significance: Animal shelters all over the nation have received numerous donations. Online donations collected through Facebook and Instagram raised 12.7 million dollars. Non-profit animal welfare organizations earmarked donations towards animals in need. On Twitter, thousands used the #BettyWhiteChallenge to spread the word honoring White’s legacy.
Undersea volcano erupts near an island in the Pacific Ocean: The underwater volcanic eruption near Tonga caused a tsunami creating a 300 mile wide volcanic mushroom cloud and significant damage to the undersea cable connecting Tonga’s communication system with the outside world. The nation of Tonga is a set of islands that are in proximity to New Zealand. Experts say it was likely the biggest of its kind in 30 years.
Significance: The damage caused the only undersea cable that connected Tonga to the rest of the world to be severed. This loss of connection cut off the Tonga residents from satellite service and access to the internet. The underwater eruption created a sonic boom that was heard from 6,000 miles away in Alaska and produced lava ash that filled the sky. The Tongan eruption and tsunami has killed 3 people to date. Satellite images show ash reaching 24 miles into the atmosphere and the uninhabited Hunga-Tonga-Hunga-Ha’apai island completely destroyed.
