Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK) was one of America's most influential civil rights movement leaders. His life and achievements are celebrated annually on the third Monday of January. The federal holiday, which will be observed on January 16 this year, is designated as a National Day of Service. Americans are encouraged to spend the holiday volunteering to improve their communities....

On November 6, 2022, most North Americans will mark the end of Daylight Saving Time (DST) by moving the clocks back an hour. The simple action will help shift daylight back into the morning during the shorter winter days. It will also add an extra 60 minutes to the weekend!...

Queen Elizabeth II, the United Kingdom's longest-serving monarch, died at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on September 8, 2022. She was 96. Her historic 70-year reign spanned several wars, a pandemic, 15 British prime ministers, and 14 US Presidents! Her eldest son, Prince Charles, was sworn in as King of England on September 10, 2022....

On September 11, 2022, Americans will mark the 21st anniversary of the deadliest terrorist attacks in US history. The unprovoked act of violence was planned and executed by members of the Islamic extremist organization al-Qaeda. The tragedy resulted in the deaths of 2,977 innocent people and altered life as we knew it forever....

On Sunday, June 19, 2022, Americans will observe both Father's Day and Juneteenth, the nation's youngest federal holiday. Officially recognized in 2021, it commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. On this day in 1865, America's last enslaved people — a group in Texas — were notified that slavery had been made illegal and that they were free....

You may have heard your parents complain about the rising costs of everything from groceries to gas, clothes, electronics, and even cars. They are not wrong. From March 2021 to March 2022, consumer prices for food rose by 8.8 percent, while energy costs went up 32 percent. The rate of increase in prices over a given period of time is called inflation....

On May 12, 2022, an international team of astronomers led by scientists at the Harvard—Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics revealed the first image of a supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way. Researchers have known about the black hole, called Sagittarius A*, or Sgr A* (pronounced sadge-ay-star), since the 1970s. However, until now, its existence had only been deduced from its effect on surrounding stars and dust. The stunning picture is the first direct visual evidence of our galaxy's black hole....

May marks the start of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month in the United States. The month-long observation celebrates the achievements and contributions of AAPI communities in America. The broad term includes 50 ethnic groups that speak over 100 languages and have roots in more than 40 countries. They include those with connections to China, India, Japan, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Korea....

Your silent, expressionless pet goldfish may appear oblivious to you and its surroundings. But the aquatic vertebrates are smarter than they seem. Previous studies have shown that fish are quick learners, can retain information for up to five months, and even recognize their owner from a group of humans....

Russia's unprovoked attack on Ukraine, which began on February 24, 2022, shows no signs of abating. After being forced to withdraw from the northern cities of Kyiv, Chernihiv, and Sumy, the Russian army focused its military efforts on the port city of Mariupol in southeastern Ukraine. Their relentless bombardment has destroyed 80 percent of the city's infrastructure and killed as many as 10,000 civilians....

On April 7, 2022, the U.S. Senate voted 53-47 to confirm Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson as the 116th Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court. The 51-year-old is the first African American woman and only the sixth female to serve on the nation's highest court....

The search for famed polar explorer Ernest Shackleton's ship Endurance, which sank in 1915, is finally over. On March 9, 2022, the Endurance22 expedition team announced the wreck had been found in the Weddell Sea off the coast of Antarctica....

It's St. Patrick's Day! This means you can pinch anyone not wearing green, go on extensive searches for lucky, four-leaf clovers, and chase down leprechauns that lead to pots of gold. For those wondering how the death anniversary of an Irish clergyman grew into one of the world's most popular holidays, here is a brief history....

On March 13, 2022, most North Americans will mark the start of Daylight Saving Time (DST) by "springing forward" an hour. The clock manipulation will result in the loss of sixty minutes of precious sleep or leisure time on Sunday. However, it will allow residents to enjoy longer days during the upcoming spring and summer months....

The 2022 Paralympic Winter Games kicked off on March 4, 2022, with a memorable opening ceremony at Beijing's National Stadium. The nine-day sporting event, which ends on March 13, 2022, features roughly 564 athletes competing in 78 medal events across six different sports — alpine skiing, biathlon, cross-country skiing, sled hockey, snowboarding, and wheelchair curling. Here are three American athletes hoping to make Paralympic history....

When a group of Rye Junior High School students in New Hampshire set sail a roughly five-foot-long boat into the Atlantic in October 2020, they were not sure what to expect. While some were optimistic it would wash ashore in Europe, many believed the tiny vessel, called Rye Riptides, would get destroyed along the way. On February 1, 2022, the skeptics were proved wrong when the partially dismantled boat washed ashore 8,300 miles away on a small island near Dyrnes, Norway....

Celebrated every March, Women's History Month honors the often-overlooked contributions of women in history, society, and culture. This year's theme — "Women Providing Healing, Promoting Hope"— salutes both the brave frontline workers of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the countless women who have provided healing and hope throughout history....

On February 24, 2022, Russian forces unleashed a wave of attacks on neighboring Ukraine. Given that Russia had been gathering troops on Ukraine's border since October 2021, the full-scale invasion from the north, east, and south was not totally unexpected. However, American and European Union (EU) officials had hoped that the threat of economic sanctions would deter Russian President Vladimir Putin from taking this drastic action. To better understand how we got here, it is essential to know a little about the long, complicated relationship between the two countries....

Hotels often undergo makeovers. However, few can compete with the Icehotel in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden. Carved entirely from "snice" — a mix of snow and ice — the hotel is rebuilt annually, with each iteration more impressive than the previous version. The 32nd Icehotel, open to guests until April 17, 2022, is no exception....

Most 19-year-olds are still trying to perfect their driving skills. But Zara Rutherford had her eyes set a little higher. The British-Belgian teenager wanted to be the youngest woman to fly around the world solo. On January 22, 2022, Rutherford fulfilled her lifelong dream when she successfully landed her two-seat ultralight aircraft back at the Kortrijk-Wevelgem Airport in Belgium, where she had departed from 155 days ago....

The XXIV Winter Olympic Games officially kicked off with an opening ceremony at Beijing's National Stadium, aka " the Bird's Nest," on February 4, 2022. The two-hour, 20-minute extravaganza— which emphasized togetherness — was filled with spectacular performances and brilliant light and fireworks displays....

This year's first Grand Slam tennis tournament — the Australian Open — ended with historic wins for both the women's and men's singles champions. On January 29, 2022, 25-year-old Ashleigh Barty became the first Australian to clinch the women's singles title at a home grand slam in 44 years....

The Chinese, or Lunar, New Year, which falls on February 1 this year, is celebrated by over 2 billion people — about 20 percent of the world's population. Also known as the Spring New Year, the ancient festival lasts for two weeks and is observed with numerous fun customs and traditions. It is China's biggest holiday. With most businesses closed for at least seven days, hundreds of thousands of city workers head home to enjoy the festivities with their families....

Black History Month, celebrated every February, commemorates the many, often overlooked, contributions African Americans have made to society. American historian Dr. Carter G. Woodson came up with the idea in 1926 as a way to share his love for Black history with students. Today, African American History Month, as it is also called, is one of the most celebrated cultural heritage months on the American calendar....