When a friend introduced me to the work of a theoretical physicist named Dr. Chanda Hsu Prescod-Weinstein, I had no idea what a "theoretical physicist" was. Whatever the work of theoretical physicists, I didn't imagine that there was one in our country who would say to a group of grad students at MIT, "Do not be afraid to be black, whatever that means to you. Do not be afraid to be black scientists. Do not be afraid to be black and simultaneously successful, whatever field you choose. For each individual, that may require creating something new and spectacular. Do not capitulate to the fear that you are not up to this glorious task."

The Yemeni president's chief of staff, Ahmed Awadh bin Mubarak, has been kidnapped by gunmen in the capital Sana'a amidst discussions over the country's new constitution, The Guardian reports.

According to NBC, authorities have shut down a mall in Melbourne, Florida after a gunman opened fire inside, injuring at least two people. Police say the shooter is "contained" and they currently have control of the situation.

Mexican officials announced yesterday the detention of Felipe Rodríguez Salgado, who they allege is the leader of the criminal group that killed 43 students and burned their bodies three months ago, the New York Times reports.

Newsfeed Neil deGrasse Tyson Explains the Meaning of Life to a 6 ¾-Year-Old | TKTK CNN's Jim Clancy Resigns After Twitter Rant About Israeli Propaganda | Defamer NBC Exec: Rape Accusers Not a Problem Until They Reach "Critical Mass"

A precocious 6 (and three quarters!)-year-old named Jack got a chance to ask astronomical badass and Cosmos host Neil deGrasse Tyson a question at Boston's Wilbur Theatre last night, and he cut right to the chase. Yo, Neil, he asked, "What's the meaning of life?"

The Supreme Court agreed on Friday to decide whether the Constitution allows individual states to ban gay marriage. The decision comes three months after the court refused to hear appeals from seven states where statewide bans on same-sex marriage had been invalidated.

An anti-Charlie Hebdo protest in Karachi, Pakistan turned violent on Thursday when four people, including two journalists, were shot outside the French Consulate. The New York Times reports that it's not clear if the victims were wounded by protestors or police.

As part of a settlement with the college, the NCAA announced on Friday that it will restore 111 wins to Penn State and former head coach Joe Paterno. The wins, which were stripped following the Jerry Sandusky sex scandal, will make Paterno the winningest coach in Division I college football history.

The New York Times Magazine has a fantastic story up today about a male model named Brad Kroenig, who has been a muse and (platonic) companion to legendary fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld for over a decade. The story follows Kroenig, pictured above, and Lagerfeld to a runway show in Dubai, and provides us with utterly incredible Lagerfeld quotes and anecdotes along the way.

Lindsay McNamara was arrested last month after she walked up to the booth in the lobby of the Framingham, Ma. police station and threw uncooked pieces of sausage and bacon from a Dunkin' Donuts box.

America has money. Which is better than not having money. But all of the money in America is going to the rich. This is our basic problem.

A Seattle suburb has "banned cheese" in advance of Sunday's NFC Championship game between the Seattle Seahawks and the Green Bay Packers. In response to this assault on food, one man bravely spoke out: "They should never ban cheese." Amen, brother.

Hi, whores. If it is or about to be rush week at your school, you've no doubt received upwards of 9,000 freaking annoying emails from your sorority's recruitment chair lately, some of which are rude, like this one extolling the virtues of Spanx posted to Jezebel this morning. We would like to read them.

A teen dressed in a white lab coat allegedly convinced employees at a Florida hospital that he was a doctor for a full month before a suspicious patient alerted authorities.

The relationship between John Kerry, the Secretary of State of the United States of America, and Francois Hollande, the president of France, has been on the rocks since Kerry stood up Hollande at the Je Suis Charlie rally in Paris last weekend. But in a grandly Richard-Curtisian gesture, Kerry flew to Paris today to make things right. This deeply intimate hug is their touching reunion.

Don't forget: Gawker is trying out a new publishing system where we post less often to the front page. Read about the change here. Happening elsewhere: Newsfeed "Wow," Shouts Man Trying to Fuck a Mailbox at the Mall | Defamer Kaley Cuoco Is Still Not a Feminist, But She Feels Like She Has It All | Justice The Streets of San Francisco Are Covered in Human Shit

Earlier this week, Duke University announced that it would allow a weekly three-minute long Muslim call to prayer to be broadcast from its campus chapel tower. Now they have reversed that decision, proving that Duke University's primary values are intolerance and fear.

On Thursday, the folks over at the New York Times Weekend Arts section proposed an interesting question: if Paddington is the little Peruvian bear in boots who has come to represent London, which character in history would be the best and most model representative of New York City?

A 45-year-old British man pleaded guilty to indecent exposure and abusive behavior after he was caught drunkenly making sexual advances toward "a postbox in the middle of a shopping arcade."