Claudine Gay Resigns, Hermoso's Testimony, Tomato Magic

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Centrist Chronicle
January 04, 2024

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Claudine Gay, who served as the President of Harvard University, tendered her resignation yesterday, bringing her tenure to an unexpectedly swift end. Her departure came amid a growing controversy surrounding allegations of plagiarism and criticism stemming from her recent testimony on campus antisemitism during a congressional hearing. This resignation marks a historic milestone as the shortest presidential term in the university's history.

The controversy surrounding Claudine Gay began when she participated in a House panel on December 5th, during which she appeared to offer ambiguous responses to inquiries regarding whether extreme antisemitism violated the university's student code of conduct. Subsequently, accusations surfaced that Gay had borrowed extensively from the work of other scholars in both her thesis and scholarly articles. It's worth noting that these allegations had been brought to Harvard's attention before her appearance at the congressional panel.

Initially, the university's board supported Claudine Gay following her testimony and the initial plagiarism allegations. An independent investigation was conducted, which concluded that while there was some duplicative language used, there was no evidence of serious misconduct on her part. However, her resignation followed the emergence of additional allegations, which were reported by the Washington Free Beacon on Monday.

It is noteworthy that Claudine Gay is the second of the three witnesses who testified during the December 5th hearing to step down from her position, following in the footsteps of Liz Magill from the University of Pennsylvania.


Jenni Hermoso, a prominent Spanish footballer, attended court on Tuesday to provide her testimony in the sexual harassment lawsuit involving the ex-president of Spain's football federation. This case emerged following an incident where the official allegedly kissed Hermoso on the lips during the Women's World Cup final celebrations in August.

In Madrid, Hermoso recounted her experience of the unexpected kiss from Luis Rubiales after Spain triumphed over England in the final, held in Sydney.

Post-testimony, Hermoso addressed the media, expressing her satisfaction with how the proceedings went. She acknowledged the legal process would continue and extended her gratitude for the widespread support she has received.


To endure varying environmental conditions, plants must employ adaptable strategies that are as dynamic as the fluctuating climates and situations they encounter. For instance, in response to dry conditions, plant roots synthesize a hydrophobic polymer known as suberin. This substance acts as a barrier, preventing water from ascending towards the leaves where it would rapidly evaporate. Without suberin, plants would suffer excessive water loss, akin to leaving a faucet open.

In certain plant species, suberin is generated by the endodermal cells that form the lining of root vessels. However, in other species, such as tomatoes, suberin production occurs in the exodermal cells, which are located just beneath the root's surface.

The function of exodermal suberin has been a mystery for some time. However, recent research conducted by the University of California, Davis, and published on January 2 in the journal Nature Plants, has shed light on its role. The study reveals that exodermal suberin performs similarly to endodermal suberin. It was found that without this component, tomato plants struggle more with water scarcity. This discovery is pivotal in guiding researchers to develop crops that are more resilient to drought conditions.