Today, December 12, marks the first day of Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights. Since the eight-day celebration begins at the 25th day of Kislev, the ninth month on the Hebrew calendar, its exact date varies from late November to the end of December....

Milan-based sushi chef Yujia Hu is making headlines with his innovative “shoe-shi” creations. The intricate works of art that resemble popular sneakers are made using strands of black seaweed called nori, sashimi, rice, and any other edible ingredients needed to recreate the streetwear it is being modeled after....

A week before the December 2 season-opening race of the 2017 FIA Formula E Championship, Techeetah team driver Jean-Éric Vergne got behind the wheel for an unusual challenge. The French driver, who placed fifth at the 2016 FIA championship, tested his driving skills against the world’s fastest land animal – the cheetah. And, unlike the Michael Phelps race against a shark earlier this year, this one did not rely on a CGI animated replica....

While Black Friday and Cyber Monday help kickstart the holiday shopping season, #GivingTuesday, which will be observed on November 28, attempts to galvanize the season of giving. Now in its sixth year, the charitable day uses the power of social media to encourage organizations and individuals to donate funds or resources to worthy causes. Created by the team at the Belfer Center for Innovation & Social Impact at New York City’s 92nd Street Y, its mission is to bring positive change to communities through giving....

From December 4 through 10, tens of millions of people from over 180 countries will participate in the Hour of Code Challenge. Now in its fifth year, the event aimed to introduce the world of computer science to anyone from ages 4 to 104, is organized by Seattle-based nonprofit, Code.org....

Since 2015, members of the Incredible Science Machine have been mesmerizing fans with their complex chain reactions using tens of thousands of dominoes and props. This year was no exception. On March 23, the team set into motion their latest spell-binding creation that culminated in the toppling of a massive centerpiece comprising 76,017 dominoes....

After providing the world with spectacular close-up images of Pluto and its icy moons in the summer of 2015, NASA’s New Horizons is zipping off into uncharted territory a billion miles away. On January 1, 2019, the spacecraft will fly past the most remote world ever explored by mankind. Dubbed (486958) 2014 MU69, the small frozen object that lies in the Kuiper Belt may help scientists reveal the origins of our solar system. To mark this historic event, the US Space Agency is asking the public to help find a nickname that is easier to remember than the elaborated moniker assigned by researchers....

While a wild cat chasing down prey sounds perfectly reasonable, one who sprints to fetch sticks might seem a little bizarre. However, that is precisely what Serabie, a rescued adult lioness at the Emoya Big Cat Sanctuary in South Africa’s Limpopo province, loves to do....

On September 28, 2017, LEGO fans of all ages finally got the chance to visit the massive 82,000 square-feet, 100-feet high, LEGO house aka “Home of The Brick.” Located in the iconic toy’s hometown of Billund, Denmark, the impressive structure, that has been in the works since 2014, is the brainchild of Danish architect Bjarke Ingels. Its exterior, resembling 21 gigantic LEGO blocks, is covered in colorful tiles giving the illusion that the entire building is made of the popular bricks. A 2X4 keystone brick placed on top welcomes visitors flying into Billund Airport with light beams from its eight knobs....

On October 20, British adventurer Tom Morgan soared over South Africa seated in a camp chair strapped to 100 helium balloons. During the two-hour flight, the balloonist covered 16 miles and reached heights of up to 8,000 feet. Though the daredevil later called the experience “unbelievably cool,” he did admit feeling “somewhere between terrified and elated” during the flight....

No Halloween is complete without a peek at American sculptor and artist Ray Villafane’s masterpieces. Since 2015, the two-time winner of Food Network’s Outrageous Pumpkins has been impressing visitors to Carefree, Arizona’s Enchanted Pumpkin Garden with his extraordinary 3-D pumpkin sculptures. This year was no exception....

Halloween dog parades are a common sight across the US during this time of the year. However, none are as elaborate, or as competitive, as the one held in New York City’s Tompkins Square Park. The largest event of its kind, the annual parade attracts over 300 dogs and their proud owners, who often work hard and spend exorbitant sums of money to create unique costumes to win their pets the coveted “Best in Show” title. This year’s competition, which took place on Saturday, October 21, was no exception....

Earlier this year, National Geographic released a list of the world’s 21 most beautiful beaches. High among them, especially for sea-shell lovers, is Shell Beach. Located in the Shark Bay World Heritage Area in Western Australia, it is home to a 37-mile (60 km) stretch of white cockle shells....

Festivals, most associated with religion, are an essential part of the Indian culture. There is rarely a week that goes by without some celebration. However, few are as widely observed as Diwali. Also known as Deepavali (row of lights), the joyous five-day ritual is the biggest and most anticipated of all Indian celebrations....

Wildlife filmmakers know to expect the unexpected when observing animals in their natural habitat. For a PBS Nature film crew trying to stealthily capture footage of Arctic foxes in the freezing Arctic tundra that meant losing a hidden camera to the curious animals....

October is pumpkin month in the US. For most people, this means devouring the various pumpkin-filled treats or visiting pumpkin patches to pick out the perfect gourd to carve for Halloween. However, for some, it means the chance to showcase their giant produce at pumpkin weigh-offs. Though there are numerous such contests held across the country, the “Super Bowl” takes place annually at Half Moon Bay, CA, aka “The World Pumpkin Capital.”...

Aston Martin, the maker of James Bond’s preferred cars, may soon have another offering for the British secret service agent – a luxury submarine. However, this underwater craft is not reserved exclusively for Bond, but available to anyone that can afford its hefty $4 million cost....

This past weekend, over a million San Francisco Bay Area residents flocked to the city’s waterfront to watch the impressive airshows staged by the Blue Angels, the US Navy’s flight demonstration squadron that comprises aviators from both the Navy and the Marines. They were not disappointed....

While reducing plastic waste is something most consumer wish to do, it is not an easy goal to achieve. That’s because the cheap, versatile, and durable material is found in almost every household item – from dinnerware to drink bottles to even food wrappers. Now, an Indonesian-based startup has come up with a delicious and nutritious solution to help reduce our dependence on this environmental hazard....

In late September, Gregory Breton and his team were returning to their campsite after spending seven long hours scouting the hot, dusty, Moroccan Sahara for sand cats. Suddenly, just four kilometers away from their destination, they noticed three pairs of gleaming eyes. Upon getting closer, the researchers realized they had stumbled upon something that, to their knowledge, had never been encountered in the wild before — sand cat kittens!...

With their thick white-gray fur and black rings, snow leopards are often hard to see against the rugged mountains that they call home. However, a team of photographers that included Mike Birkhead, has managed to capture amazing footage of this elusive cat walking away unscathed, after tumbling off a steep cliff....

Earlier this year in June, a villager in Garissa County, Kenya stumbled upon a rare sight — two white giraffes! Having never seen anything like it before, he immediately ran over to inform the rangers at the nearby Hirola Conservation Center, established to protect the critically endangered hirola antelope. Cameras in hand, the troopers rushed to the area to capture the first-ever video of the extremely rare specimens, who fortunately, appeared to be in no hurry to leave....

Tired of having to choose between dark, milk, or white chocolate? Then you may want to try the pink-hued ruby. Created by Swiss chocolatier Barry Callebaut, the all-natural confection is the first new variety to come to market since Nestlé introduced the world to white chocolate in 1930....

Fans of fidget spinners, 2017’s must-have toy, spend copious amounts of time spinning the three-pronged device with a flick of their finger. That’s because the addictive toys can rotate on their own, for only a few minutes at the most. However, if a Japanese company has its way, users will be able to relax and watch the gadget whirl for over 12 minutes with just one flick....