Meteor showers, which happen when our planet traverses through debris streams left behind by passing comets, are a fairly common occurrence. While the tiny rocks usually burn up when they collide with our atmosphere, resulting in what we call "shooting stars," every so often one manages to survive the impact and land on Earth. That is precisely what appears to have happened in Costa Rica recently....

Teachers don't just educate students — they also act as counselors, problem-solvers, and in some cases, even social workers to help kids in need. Yet, these incredible individuals, who inspire kids to dream big and help them reach their potential, are often unappreciated and overlooked. To change that, since 2014, the Varkey Foundation — established to improve standards of education and raise the status and capacity of teachers worldwide — has been honoring the world's "real superheroes" with an annual $1 million Global Teacher Prize. This year's award, presented in a star-studded ceremony hosted by Hollywood actor Hugh Jackman in Dubai, UAE on March 24, 2019, went to Peter Tabichi from Kenya, Africa....

Comic book lovers, or anyone who enjoys free things, will be pleased to know that Saturday, May 4, 2019, is Free Comic Book Day. This means that you and your friends can walk into any one of the 2300+ participating vendors worldwide and obtain a copy of one, or more, of the 51 graphic novels that have been specially published for the event, without paying a cent....

While rain on Earth is associated with water, precipitation on the Sun comes as giant clumps of plasma, or supercharged gas, which drizzle down from the star's atmosphere on to its surface. Though coronal rain has been observed on numerous occasions, its source, which researchers believed would help them better understand how the Sun's outer atmosphere, or corona, gets so hot, had never been discovered. Now, thanks to Emily Mason, a graduate student at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., the mystery has finally been solved....

Finding a rare or unusual coin in the spare change you receive from your local grocery store, gas station, or restaurant may sound a little far-fetched and even absurd. However, don't rule out the possibility, at least until the over one million collectible coins given to retailers across the country by US coin dealers in honor of the 96th National Coin Week (April 21, 2019 to April 27, 2019), have been discovered. Called the Great American Coin Hunt, this first-of-its-kind treasure hunt is designed to inspire a new generation of kids and adults to start coin collections of their own....

On Monday, April 22, 2019, corporations worldwide will encourage employees to celebrate Earth Day by participating in activities like neighborhood or beach clean-ups, planting trees, or biking/walking to work. While the one-day enthusiasm to care for our planet certainly helps, to make a real difference, companies have to incorporate sustainability into their everyday operations. Here are a few businesses that are making an impact beyond Earth Day....

No visit to the beautiful city of Paris, France is complete without a visit to the Notre Dame de Paris or, as it is commonly called, Notre Dame. The medieval cathedral, built over 180 years — from 1163 to 1345— is one of the world's most stunning examples of Gothic architecture. Unfortunately, on April 15, 2019, the 850-year-old monument, which is visited by over 13 million people annually, was engulfed in a massive blaze that caused widespread damage to the iconic structure....

Easter, which falls on April 21, 2019 this year, is the oldest and most important of all Christian festivals. Many adults commemorate the holiday, which celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ, with prayers and by fasting for 40 days prior to the event. However, for most American kids Easter is all about feasting on delicious food, enjoying springtime parades, and, best of all, participating in neighborhood egg hunts. But while these traditions are a norm in the US and other countries, such as the United Kingdom and Canada, not every country observes the occasion by looking for candy-filled eggs. Here are a handful of fun rituals that you may be tempted to incorporate into your own Easter celebrations this year....

Researchers have long known that the ancestors of the mighty whales were nimble, four-legged creatures that were comfortable both on land and in the sea. However, given that the only evidence of the early mammals had been found in present-day Pakistan, India, and parts of Africa, scientists were unsure of how the mammals had dispersed to the Western Hemisphere. Now, thanks to the aptly-named Peregocetus pacificus (P.pacificus), or "traveling whale that reached the Pacific," paleontologists finally have an answer to this all-important migration mystery....

Looking for a fun Earth Day activity? You may want to try plogging, or picking up litter while jogging. Odd as it may sound, the new "sport" is becoming extremely popular with runners worldwide, many of whom are posting images of themselves and friends holding bags of trash on social media....

While even the mention of a shark swimming close to shore is enough to send residents scurrying for cover, the "WasteShark" is being welcomed with open arms. The brainchild of South African entrepreneur Richard Hardiman, the aquatic drone is designed to devour all floating debris, including plastic and other non-biodegradable trash, that has accumulated along coastal waters, before it drifts out to sea....

Over the years, NASA has successfully deployed several rovers, landers, and orbiters to Mars. While the science laboratories continue to provide invaluable data about the Red Planet, their limited, or zero — as is the case with landers — mobility, restricts the space exploration vehicles to areas close to the original landing site. To obtain a more comprehensive view of Mars, the US Space Agency plans to send a fully-autonomous miniature test helicopter with the Mars 2020 rover, scheduled for launch in July 2020....

On March 10, 2019, eight-year-old Tanitoluwa "Tani" Adewumi defeated 73 young competitors to win the New York State Scholastic Chess Championship in his age category — kindergarten to third grade — with five wins and one draw. While the achievement is remarkable in itself, what is even more so is that the youngster, who was homeless at the time, began learning the game less than a year ago....

For pranksters and joke lovers, there is no better day than April 1. Often called April Fools' Day, it is the one day of the year when light-hearted tricks are not only expected but also welcomed by all. Some believe the fun holiday began in 1582 when the world transitioned from the Julian calendar, which celebrated the New Year on the last week of March, to the current Gregorian calendar. Those unaware of the change, or refusing to accept the January 1 start date, were often mocked and had jokes played on them on or around the old New Year. Others speculate the holiday began as a joyful way to welcome spring....

Swimming in water temperatures of 41 degrees F and below, with air temperatures between 6.8 degrees F to -4 degrees F, wearing just a swimsuit, cap, and goggles, may sound foolhardy to some. But that is precisely what 400 athletes from 33 countries had to endure in the 3rd biennial International Ice Swimming Championships, held in Murmansk, Russia from March 14, 2019 to March 17, 2019....

When a university intern stumbled upon a seven-foot fish washed up on the beach at the University of Santa Barbara's (UCSB) Coal Oil Point Reserve on February 19, 2019, scientists assumed it was the mola mola sunfish. One of the world's heaviest known bony fishes, the species, found in tropical and temperate waters around the globe, is common in the Santa Barbara Channel....

Need a reason to smile? Then you will be happy to know that today, March 20, 2019, is not just the first day of spring, but also the International Day of Happiness. Established by The United Nations (UN) in 2012, it is meant to remind us that happiness is an essential human goal and right. This year's theme, Happier Together, encourages people worldwide to focus on what we have in common, rather than what divides us....

What better way to welcome spring than by dousing yourself and your friends with vibrant colored powder? That is the essence of the popular Indian festival of Holi. Observed annually on the last full moon day of the Hindu lunar month, Phalguna, this year, the fun event will be celebrated on March 21, 2019....

Few festivals transcend across different ages and cultures as St. Patrick's Day does. Celebrated annually on March 17, the Irish holiday is filled with fun traditions that seem to appeal to people across the globe. For those wondering about the clergyman, whose death anniversary the world celebrates with such abandon, and the origin of some of the fun customs, here is a brief history....

In early February 2019, 51-year-old Rainer Schimpf and his team set out to film South Africa's famous Sardine Run off the coast of Point Elizabeth. The annual migration of billions of Sardinops sagax, more commonly known as South African pilchards or sardines, is a big draw for predators, especially the Cape gannet, a beautiful, cream-colored seabird, and the common dolphin. The two species work together to herd the large group of fish and separate them into smaller shoals known as bait balls, which are then scooped up by not just the birds and the dolphins, but also other hunters such as copper sharks and Bryde's whales....

On Friday, March 15, 2019, hundreds of thousands of kids from over 80 countries, including the United States, Germany, and Malaysia, will skip school and take to the streets. However, the worldwide strike is not a protest against excessive homework or long school hours. It is a plea to government officials and business leaders to take immediate action against climate change....

Ever since the US shuttle program ended in 2011, astronauts - both American and those from other nations - have been dependent on the Russian Soyuz spacecraft to go to and from the International Space Station (ISS). The reliance, which costs NASA $70 million for each trip, is expensive and also leaves astronauts in danger of being stranded in the event of a like the one experienced in October 2018. Now, thanks to SpaceX's successful Crew Dragon test mission, astronauts may soon have an alternate, more affordable, mode of transportation to the ISS....

A holiday associated with a math concept may not seem that exciting, especially for those not fond of the subject. However, America's Pi (“π”) Day – observed annually on March 14 (3/14) to honor the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter, widely recognized as 3.14 – is an exception. That's because the celebrations don't just include fun math activities, but also a slice, or two, of yummy pie!...

When a falling liquid droplet hits a surface, like a raindrop hitting pavement, it either flattens and spreads out evenly, or produces a sharp-edged splash. Now, a team of Chinese researchers has created a surface which allows the descending liquid to rebound and swirl around like a graceful dancer....