The 2015 holiday season brought little cheer to the thousands of Southern California residents affected by a methane leak from an underground gas storage facility. Since late November, over 2,800 families from the Porter Ranch Community in Los Angeles have been forced to flee their homes to escape the adverse effects of the odorless gas. What's worse is that they have no idea when they will be able to return....

At the stroke of midnight on December 31, cities around the world welcomed the new year with elaborate fireworks shows. Here are some of 2016's most spectacular displays. So cuddle up with a warm blanket and a cup of hot chocolate and enjoy the shows!...

Two weeks ago, representatives from 196 countries arrived in Paris to resolve one of the world's most pressing problems — Climate change. On Saturday, December 12th, the group emerged victorious with the first-ever global accord in the fight against global warming — One that U.S. President Obama hailed as the "turning point for the world" and the "best chance to save the one planet we've got."...

The Suma Aqualife Park in Kobe, Japan is no stranger to turtle traffic. Every summer from May to September, hundreds of reptiles make their way to and from the nearby ocean. While most manage to cover the short distance safely, a handful get trapped inside the railway tracks that lie between the ocean and the popular park....

This is the time of the year when most people reach out to help those in need. For some, it means donating to a local food bank. For others in involves participating in clothing and toy drives. This year, two remarkable people have taken the season of giving to a new level with their simple but ingenious ideas....

Tomorrow, November 26th is Thanksgiving, one of the most popular holidays on the American calendar. Celebrated on the last Thursday of every November, the day commemorates the 1621 harvest reaped by the Plymouth Colony after a harsh winter. While food and family remain at the forefront of the celebrations, several new traditions have been introduced over the years. How did all these fun rituals begin? Read on . . ....

On Sunday, November 8th, Dallas resident Samuel Flores was on his way to breakfast when he noticed a Giant Pyrenees standing on the grassy pavement vigilantly watching over the lifeless body of another dog....

Since their formation in 2003, Anonymous, a loosely organized international group of hackers have conducted a series of well-orchestrated cyber attacks on corporations, governments, and individuals. Some of the crusades have been justified and necessary, while others have been viewed as vindictive. But few people have any reservations about their most recent undertaking - To bring down ISIS!...

Despite technological advances in fuel and engine efficiencies, vehicles remain high on the list of polluters. In the U.S alone, carbon emissions from gas-powered cars and other vehicles account for about 27% of our total greenhouse-gas output annually. The 'World Solar Challenge' hopes to change that some day with cars fueled by the biggest, cleanest, and cheapest, source of energy - The sun!...

On Friday, November 13th, residents of the beautiful city of Paris suffered through what will go down in history as one of the worst acts of violence in France since World War II. The orchestrated attacks were carried out by eight members of the extremist group ISIS at seven predetermined locations of the French capital. The targets that included restaurants, bars, a soccer stadium and concert theater were carefully selected to cause maximum damage....

On Wednesday, November 11th, Americans will celebrate Veterans Day. The special holiday is dedicated to the brave men and women of the armed forces who risk their lives on a daily basis to keep the rest of us safe and free. They include members of the US Army, Navy, Marine Corps, National Guard, Air Force, and the Coast Guard....

India is known for a myriad of colorful festivals. However, very few are as joyous as Diwali or Deepavali (row of lighted lamps). Also called the Festival of Lights, the ancient holiday that extends across many cultures and beliefs is celebrated for five days and is one of the most anticipated and eagerly awaited of all Indian celebrations....

While the U.S. is still debating about getting rid of the humble penny, Sweden is rapidly moving towards abolishing currency altogether. Though this may sound radical, it is a natural evolution in this digital society where a vast majority of transactions are already being conducted using credit or debit cards....

Though we always hear about how polluted our oceans, lakes and seas are, it is rare to witness the contamination without at least wading into the waters. However, such is not the case for the residents that live in the vicinity of Bangalore's largest body of water - Lake Bellandur. They get to both witness and experience the toxic effects of the pollution that spews out in the form of fluffy white foam, every single day of the year!...

In early October, researchers from Utah's Brigham Young University revealed the discovery of a new species of a giant pterosaur. The massive reptile is believed to have inhabited Earth over two hundred million years ago during the Triassic Period when most of the continents were combined in the giant C-shaped supercontinent known as Pangaea....

For most kids, the best thing about having a birthday is the party. Unfortunately, thousands of children both in the U.S.A and worldwide who live in homeless shelters or transitional facilities never get to experience the joy of celebrating the day they were born. But that is changing gradually at least in the U.S.A, thanks to Paige Chenault and her Birthday Party Project (BPP)....

What could be better than Halloween falling on a Saturday? How about an "extra" hour on Sunday? That will be the case for most North American residents because this weekend also marks the end of Daylight Saving Time (DST). This means that on Sunday, November 1st, residents will add an extra 60 minutes to their day by simply moving back the clocks....

Many U.S. cities host Halloween dog parades. However, few compare to the one held at New York City's Tompkins Square Park. The tremendously competitive event attracts over 300 pooches and their proud owners who fly in from all over the country and spend an inordinate amount of time and money crafting the perfect costumes. This year's event which took place on October 24th was even more special given it was the popular contest's 25th anniversary!...

In case you missed it, Wednesday was 'Back to the Future Day.' For those not familiar with the trilogy, in Back to the Future II, the film's protagonists Marty McFly and Doctor Brown travel 30 years in the future to the fictional city of Hill Valley, CA, to save McFly's yet-to-be born children. The date of their arrival, October 21st, 2015, has since been eagerly awaited by fans all over the world....

While world population continues to increase, our freshwater supplies appear to have stagnated and in some cases even trickled to a halt. Residents all the way from California to Brazil are battling multi-year droughts. Earlier this year, some citizens of Sao Paola were so desperate that they drilled through basements and parking lots to try access groundwater. Experts estimate that there are currently a billion people in the world that lack clean drinking water....

American artist Stan Herd is known for numerous things - Oil and watercolor paintings, incredible murals, and most of all, stunning crop art. In fact, the maestro is considered the pioneer of this method of artistic expression that involves the skillful arrangement of plants, soil, and rocks, to create massive masterpieces that are best viewed from a higher vantage point, like a hill or an airplane....

For U.S. residents, fall and pumpkins go hand in hand. Some use the fruit to make delicious soups and bread, others to carve out scary jack-o-lanterns. Then there are those that spend months growing giant-sized gourds that they use to compete at pumpkin weigh-offs. While there are numerous competitions held across the country, the 'Super Bowl' takes place at Half Moon Bay, CA which prides itself on being the 'Pumpkin Capital of the World.'...

Every year around this time, thousands of hot air balloon enthusiasts flock to Albuquerque, New Mexico, to participate in the city's annual International Balloon Fiesta. Now in its 44th year, the 2015 festival that took place from October 3rd -11th is the largest gathering of balloons and balloonists in the world....

On October 3rd, East Coast residents were relieved to hear that Hurricane Joaquin which had been hurtling towards the U.S., was no longer a threat. According to meteorologists, the hurricane that was weakened to a category 3 after battering the Bahamas, would likely remain out to sea instead of ramming into the coastline as had been previously thought....