Meet The New Millipede Species Named After Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift has received numerous music awards and even an Emmy. Now, the popular American singer-songwriter can add an unusual achievement to her growing list of accolades — a new millipede species named after her. The Nannaria swiftae (N. swiftae) is one of 17 new twisted-claw millipede species recently identified by Dr. Derek Hennen and his team at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia....

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First All-Private Astronaut Team Welcomed Aboard The ISS

On April 9, 2022, four civilians made history as the first all-private "astronaut" team to reach the International Space Station (ISS). Former NASA astronaut Michael López-Alegría and three first-time fliers, Mark Pathy, Larry Connor, and Eytan Stibbe — who each paid $55 million for the trip — will spend eight days on the orbiting science laboratory. They are scheduled to return to Earth aboard SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule on April 19, 2022....

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The Russia-Ukraine Conflict Enters Its Seventh Week

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....

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Ketanji Brown Jackson Makes Supreme Court History

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....

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Kansas Zoo's Fugitive Flamingo Has Been Spotted In Texas

A flamingo on the "run" from a Wichita, Kansas, zoo for 17 years was recently spotted in Texas. No. 492 and its buddy, No. 347, escaped from the Sedgwick County Zoo in 2005. While No. 347 has disappeared since, No. 492, nicknamed Pink Floyd by Texas officials, has been a frequent visitor to the Lone Star State. The famous fugitive's latest sighting, posted online on March 28, 2022, by the Texas Coastal Fisheries Division, is making headlines worldwide....

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Stan, The World's Most Expensive T. Rex Fossil, Has A New Home

In 2020, Stan, one of the world's largest and most complete Tyrannosaurus Rex (T. rex) skeletons, was auctioned for a record $27.5 million ($31.8 million with fees and costs). The precious fossil, bought by an anonymous private buyer, led many paleontologists to fret that the T. rex was lost to science forever. As it turns out, they had nothing to worry about....

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"CODA" Star Troy Kotsur Becomes The First Deaf Man To Win An Oscar

On March 27, 2022, Troy Kotsur became the first Deaf male actor to win an Oscar. The 53-year-old, who won Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Frank Rossi in "CODA," is only the second Deaf actor to attain the prestigious award. In 1987, Marlee Matlin took home the Best Actress award for her role as Sarah in the movie "Children of a Lesser God."...

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Two New Species Of Glass Frogs Discovered In Ecuador

The Southern Tropical Andes, which comprises areas of Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia, is one of the world's most biodiverse regions — especially when it comes to amphibians. The area is home to about 980 amphibian species, including over half of the 150-known glass frog species. Now, two new members of the tiny frogs have joined this ever-growing list....

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Smile! It’s Almost April Fools’ Day

For pranksters, there is no better holiday than April Fools' Day. Celebrated annually on April 1, it is the only day of the year when fun, harmless hoaxes go unpunished. The mischievous holiday has murky origins. Some believe it started in 1582 when France transitioned from the Julian calendar — which began the year around April 1 — to the currently used Gregorian calendar. Those unaware, or unwilling, to accept the date change were pranked. Others think the holiday started as a cheerful way to mark the start of spring....

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Remembering Madeleine Albright, America's First Female Secretary Of State

Dr. Madeleine Jana Korbel Albright, the first female US Secretary of State, passed away on March 23, 2022. A statement released by her family revealed that the 84-year-old had been suffering from cancer. The highest-ranking woman in the history of the American government at the time of her appointment, Dr. Albright played a crucial role in shaping US foreign policy in the 1990s....

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Powerful Tornado Causes Widespread Damage In New Orleans

The residents of New Orleans can't seem to catch a break from natural disasters. Just over a year after being battered by Hurricane Ida, the beautiful city has been hit by a powerful tornado. The twister, which boasted wind speeds of 160 mph, made landfall shortly before 8:00 pm local time on March 22, 2022....

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Saharan Dust Storm Casts Eerie Orange Glow Over Parts Of Europe

A massive plume of dust and sand from the Sahara Desert engulfed parts of Europe in mid-March. Storm Celia blew into Spain on March 14, 2022, turning the skies into an eerie rusty orange and covering the ground and vehicles with fine sand particles. The thick dust layer lingered for several days, causing officials to issue extremely poor air quality ratings in the capital city of Madrid and across large parts of Spain's southeast coast....

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Rogue Rocket Carves A New Crater On The Moon

A school-bus-sized object, which has been orbiting in space at about 5,600 miles per hour since 2014, crashed-landed on the Moon on March 4, 2022. The 40-foot-long, 3,000-kilogram piece of space debris is believed to have carved a massive — 60 to 100-feet-wide — hole near the Hertzsprung Crater on the Moon's far side. However, since the exact impact location is unknown, it may take NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter a few months to identify and image the new crater....

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Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

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....

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Rainbows Smile Too!

Mention rainbows, and the image that comes to mind is that of a beautiful translucent arc of bright colors bending towards the horizon. But in a recent image captured by Italian astrophotographer Marcella Giulia Pace and shared by NASA on March 11, 2022, the rainbow is turned around — making it appear like it is smiling! Magical as it sounds, the reason for the stunning phenomenon, called a circumzenithal arc, is rooted in science....

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Get Ready To Celebrate Holi, India's Festival Of Colors!

Holi, the joyous festival of colors, is one of India's most anticipated events. Though a predominantly Hindu festival, it transcends all religious barriers and is observed by people of all faiths. The fun holiday's date is determined by the Hindu lunar calendar. It will be observed on March 18 this year....

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Unique Ways People Are Helping Support Ukraine

Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which began on February 24, 2022, is showing no signs of ending. While the brave Ukrainians have thus far succeeded in keeping the Russian army from taking over major cities like Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Mariupol, the war is taking a toll on the Eastern European nation. Thousands of residential buildings, cemeteries and even hospitals have been razed by Russian airstrikes. Over two million Ukrainians have fled to neighboring countries, and as many as 4,000 soldiers and civilians are believed to have perished....

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MIT Engineers Create A Lightweight Material That Is Stronger Than Steel

A new material created by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) researchers is being hailed as revolutionary. 2DPA-1 is as light as plastic and two times stronger than steel. Unlike currently available polymers, it can conduct electricity and block gas. The scientists believe 2DPA-1 can help lower our carbon footprint and perhaps even reduce the rampant use of disposable plastics....

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Daylight Saving Time Starts On March 13

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....

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How Pi Day Became America's Biggest Math Holiday

A holiday associated with a math constant may not seem very exciting. But Pi ("π") Day, observed annually in the US on March 14 (3/14), is an exception. That's because the celebrations may start with math activities centered around pi — the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter, widely recognized as 3.14. But they inevitably end with a slice or two of delicious pie!...

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Three American Athletes Looking To Leave Their Mark At The 2022 Winter Paralympics

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....

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Children’s Hand and Footprints Found In Tibet May Be The World's Oldest Cave Art

A neatly-laid out sequence of five handprints and five footprints found near the village of Quesang in Tibet is being hailed as the world's oldest human art. The fossilized indentations were etched on travertine — pliable limestone formed by deposits from natural springs that harden over time. Based on the dimensions, the researchers believe the footprints belonged to a seven-year-old, while the handprints were those of a 12-year-old....

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Mini Boat Launched By New Hampshire Students Turns Up 8,000 Miles Away In Norway

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....

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