In 1996, Jan Scheuermann, a successful businesswoman and mother of two, began to notice her legs were not quite moving along with the rest of her body. A visit to the doctor revealed that she suffered from spinocerebellar degeneration, a rare genetic disease where the brain gradually loses connection to body muscles. By 2003, Jan had lost all ability to control her limbs and was paralyzed from the neck down....

It's time to tuck away those black and blues that you have been donning all winter and get some green on! That's because Tuesday March 17th is St. Patrick's Day, which means that those not sporting the color will have to endure painful pinches! Of course this fun holiday is also about searching for four-leaf clovers and leprechauns that can lead you to gold. So how did the death anniversary of a once obscure saint who was not even Irish by birth, result in all these fun traditions? Read on....

It sounds like the plot from a National Treasure movie, but this time, the discovery of an ancient city in Central America is real! On February 25th, researchers emerged from La Mosquitia, a very remote jungle area of Honduras, with some incredible news. They had been able to locate the mythical “White City,” rumors of which have persisted since the 16th Century....

Researchers have long suspected that hippos evolved from a family of plant-eating, semi-aquatic mammals called anthracotheres. The ancient animals that roamed freely all the way from North America to Asia inhabited Earth about 40 million years ago. However, scientists could never verify the theory since the only fossils of ancient hippos discovered thus far, dated back just 15 million years. Now thanks to Fabrice Lihoreau, there is finally some proof....

Pi Day that is celebrated on March 14th (3.14) annually, is always a significant occasion even for people that are not particularly fond of math. That's because while celebrations may begin with a discussion of the symbol, they invariably end with consuming different variations of Pi's yummy namesake - pie! However, this year promises to be even more special. That's because, for the first time and last time this century, the day will fall on 3/14/15, which happen to be the first five digits of Pi!...

Fifty years ago, on Sunday, March 7th, 1965, six hundred civil rights activists gathered at the Brown Chapel AME Church in Selma, Alabama to start a peaceful 54-mile trek to the state capitol in Montgomery. The activists were upset at the wrongful death of Marion resident Jimmy Lee Jackson and the denial of their constitutional right to vote and planned to take their cause directly to Alabama Governor George Wallace....

On Sunday, March 8th, thousands of people made their way to Tokyo's Mt. Takao to observe a unique tradition - watching practitioners of the Shugendo religion walk across a path of smoldering embers....

Every year, high school seniors across the country prank their teachers and principals. Some pranks are funny, others borderline cruel, but few are as heartwarming as the recent one pulled by the students of North High School in Kansas....

The idea of riding a bike almost 4,000 miles across the country seems like an impossible task for most, but not for Elizabeth Case and Rachel Woods-Robinson. That's because these young scientists have a mission. They want to educate middle school students about physics and renewable energy and also encourage young girls to pursue careers in science....

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While every dog owner knows that their pooch can discern their moods perfectly, scientists have always been a little skeptical. Now thanks to some researchers at the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna, Austria, we finally have some tangible evidence....

It all began innocently enough. On Thursday, February 26th, 21-year-old Scottish singer Caitlin McNeil posed a simple question along with a photo of a dress on the social media website, Tumblr. It said, “Guys, please help me - is this dress white and gold, or blue and black?”...

With winter drawing to a close, at least according to the calendar, it is time for North Americans to "spring forward." This means that on Sunday March 8th, most residents will move their clocks ahead by an hour. Known as Daylight Saving Time, this age-old ritual dates all the way back to World War I....

While whiteboards are great tools for educators and other speakers to use when explaining a concept, they can be distracting. That's because instead of paying attention to the speaker, the audience is often busy jotting down what's on the board before it is erased. Now, thanks to the ingenious Equil Smartmarker, the notes can be digitally captured and transmitted to a smart device, enabling the audience to focus their full attention to what's being said....

February is usually not a busy time for New York's Letchworth State Park. However, this year the park has been inundated with visitors trying to get a glimpse of its new albeit temporary attractions - an ice volcano and two frozen waterfalls....

Asian countries like China, Thailand, and Vietnam are teeming with ancient statues of Buddha. Some are famous for their size, others because they are carved from solid gold and precious stones. However, very few can lay claim to being the final resting place of a 1,200-year-old mummified monk....

Seadragons may sound like mythical creatures from a fairy tale, but these tiny fish that are close cousins of seahorses and pipefish do exist. Found in the coastal waters off southern and western Australia, the gorgeous creatures that feed off tiny crustaceans, plankton, and larval fishes, do not have teeth or a stomach. They therefore, have to eat constantly and are always scouring the oceans in search of prey....

For over two decades, marine biologists have been listening to the songs from a whale that resides in the North Pacific. However, they have never heard a fellow mammal responding. That's because, unlike most whales that croon at a frequency of 15-20 hertz, this one sings at high pitched 52 hertz. As a result, this poor animal has never had a friend and, therefore, become known as the "world's loneliest whale!"...

Though the 2015 winter has been brutal for many East Coast cities in the United States, few have had it as bad as Boston. The city was bombarded by an astounding 7.5 feet of snow, caused by four blizzards that rammed through the area in just three weeks. With spring still a few weeks away, the foul weather is not expected to let up anytime soon. While the dreary prospects would be enough to dampen the spirits of most, hardy Bostonians have opted to embrace the excess white fluff and enjoy it in some unusual ways....

Most artists have a favorite material they like to work with. For 28-year-old Kristen Alyce, it happens to be trash. The eco-conscious designer uses her incredible talent to transform garbage like empty drink bottles and Skittles wrappers into glamorous outfits that sell for thousands of dollars....

Those of you that have suffered from dry eyes, severe allergies or experienced an infection know how difficult it is to apply eye drops. The most annoying part is that even after you have managed to administer the medicine, most of it streams out with the first blink. In fact, that is the reason doctors always recommend multiple applications. Now, some researchers have come up with a stick-on nanowafer that will alleviate the aggravation and also help heal faster....

When Italy's Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD, it buried not only the city of Pompeii, but also the nearby resort town of Herculaneum. In 1752, an excavation team discovered a large number of papyrus scrolls inside an entombed Herculaneum villa. Though the exterior of the scrolls that were rolled up for storage are carbonized and resemble pieces of charred wood, the interior is remarkably well preserved....

Though there are numerous dog shows held all around the country, none is as prestigious as the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. Now in its 139th year, the "Super Bowl" of the canine world, is America's oldest dog show. This year's event which was held at New York City's Madison Square Garden from February 17-18th attracted 3,000 hopeful pooches representing over 190 dog breeds....

Like most Asian countries, China has numerous festivals. However none is celebrated with as much enthusiasm as the Lunar New Year or Spring Festival, which begins on Thursday, February 19th. The age-old tradition that will usher in the year 4713, was started to celebrate the advent of spring. Today it is the longest and the most significant of all Chinese festivals....