The Paris 2024 Olympics will be one for the history books for American gymnastics. The USA men's and women's teams won a total of 10 medals. Their impressive haul included three gold, one silver, and six bronze medals....

Orcas, also known as killer whales, are the largest members of the dolphin family. The mammals hunt in pods of up to 40 individuals. They are known for their coordinated attacks on marine animals. But the whales rarely pose a threat to humans....

Tornadoes can strike the United States year-round, but they are most active from March to July. While they occur nationwide, a region known as "Tornado Alley" is the most susceptible to the twisters. This includes parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Indiana, Missouri, Iowa, and Ohio....

The Summer Olympics has traditionally featured 28 sports. But since 2020, host cities have been allowed to add up to six new sports to their Olympic program. The 2024 Summer Olympics, set to kick off in Paris, France, on July 26, will include four extra sports. They are breaking, surfing, skateboarding, and sport climbing....

Fossils found by a father-daughter team has led to the discovery of a new, massive species of ichthyosaur. The marine reptiles dominated the seas during the Triassic and Jurassic periods (251 to 145 million years ago). Often referred to as "fish-lizards," they shared physical similarities with dolphins and whales but were, in fact, members of the reptile family....

Renowned wildlife filmmaker and National Geographic Explorer Bertie Gregory is known for capturing rare and unforgettable moments in the animal kingdom. On April 11, 2024, Gregory once again made headlines with his unprecedented footage of a flock of baby penguins bravely diving off a 50-foot (15m) cliff for their first-ever swim in the icy Antarctic waters....

In the mid-1970s, Judith Hernstadt, an avid collector of 18th-century artifacts, bought a set of sketches from a New York antique dealer. One piece, depicting a scene from the Revolutionary War, particularly stood out to her....

The Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI) in Washington DC, is celebrating the birth of two adorable pygmy slow lorises. This is the first time the endangered primates have been born at the zoo. The twins are the first offspring of three-year-old Naga and two-year-old Pabu....

After years of reluctance, educational institutions across the United States are finally embracing competitive video gaming, commonly referred to as esports. Since 2018, over 8,600 high schools and about 175 colleges and universities have added esports as an extracurricular activity. And the numbers keep growing....

A new species of ragworm, likened to a living magic carpet, has been discovered in the methane seeps 30 miles (48 km) off the coast of Costa Rica. The rose-colored Pectinereis strickrotti (P. strickrotti) is one of 450 species found in the area since 2009. Forty-eight of them are new to science....

At around 1:30 a.m. ET on March 26, 2024, a massive container ship struck a crucial support column of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland. The impact of the 95,000-ton ship, called Dali, caused a large section of the bridge to collapse into the Patapsco River, plunging several cars into the water. The collision also shut down one of the busiest ports in the United States....

On April 8, 2024, millions of people across Central and North America will be treated to a spectacular total solar eclipse. The celestial event comes seven years after the "Great American Eclipse" of August 21, 2017 — the first total solar eclipse visible from coast to coast since June 8, 1918. For those who miss the April 2024 show, the next chance to see the spectacle will be August 12, 2045....

In most democratic countries, voters go to the polls on a single, predetermined day. However, that is not true in India. The world's largest democracy, with about 970 million registered voters, conducts its elections in seven stages over six weeks. Held every five years, the elections will occur from April 9, 2024, to June 1, 2024. The results will be announced on June 4, 2024....

Interest in women's college basketball has been rising steadily in the past few years. A large part of the sport's increasing popularity is attributed to Caitlin Clark. The 22-year-old point guard for the Iowa Hawkeyes is credited with bringing mainstream attention to a sport historically overshadowed by its men's counterpart....

The NCAA Division I men's and women's basketball championships, held annually in March, are among the most widely viewed collegiate sporting events in the United States. The popular tournaments turn even casual basketball watchers into die-hard fans of teams with whom they have no affiliation. Here is everything you need to know about "March Madness."...

India is home to numerous fun festivals. But few are as anticipated as Holi, the Festival of Colors. The Hindu holiday celebrates the start of spring and the victory of good over evil. The date of the event is determined by the lunar calendar and differs every year. In 2024, Holi will be observed on March 25....

Saint Patrick's Day, observed annually on March 17, is a global celebration of Irish culture. Here is a brief history of the man behind the popular holiday and some fun traditions associated with the commemoration....

Winter is almost over — at least when it comes to the clocks. On March 10, 2024, most Americans will mark the start of "Daylight Saving Time" (DST) by moving their clocks ahead an hour. The time change will result in a loss of sixty minutes of precious sleep or play time on Sunday. However, it will allow for longer days during the spring and summer months....

It is not unusual for visitors to find diamonds at the Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro, Arkansas. Park officials at the 37.5-acre (15.2 hectare) park register one to two gem discoveries almost weekly. But most stones weigh about a quarter carat. On January 11, 2024, French tourist Julien Navas defied the odds when he unearthed a massive 7.46-carat diamond....

To say that Madison Marsh is an overachiever is an understatement. The 22-year-old is an accomplished pilot with an undergraduate degree in astrophysics from the US Air Force Academy (USAFA). Now a Second Lieutenant in the US Air Force, Marsh is currently pursuing a master's degree in public policy at Harvard Kennedy School. Oh, and on January 14, 2024, she became the first active duty service member to be crowned Miss America!...

Move over, tennis! There is a new recreational sport in town — pickleball. In 2023, the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) deemed it the fastest-growing sport in America for the third consecutive year. They estimate that about 36.5 million people have played the game at least once in the year....

Martin Luther King Day, observed annually on the third Monday of January, celebrates the life and legacy of the American civil rights leader. The federal holiday is designated as a national day of service to encourage Americans to volunteer to improve their communities....

2023 was a remarkable year for dinosaur fossil finds. Paleontologists across the globe unearthed a myriad of well-preserved remains, providing new insights into the ancient giants that roamed Earth millions of years ago. Here is a short list of some of the amazing and important finds made in 2023....

With Christmas less than a week away, many people worldwide are getting into the festive spirit. For those living in the United States, this means baking and decorating Christmas cookies, buying gifts for loved ones, and binge-watching holiday classics like Elf and Home Alone....