As winter storms sweep across the United States, many Americans are feeling the season’s chill. These temperatures may seem frigid, but they are mild compared to those in Yakutsk, one of the coldest cities in the world....

Archeologists from the Russian Academy of Sciences have uncovered an ancient city submerged in Lake Issyk-Kul in Kyrgyzstan, in Central Asia. Revealed on November 18, 2025, the site matches the location of an ancient settlement called Toru-Aygyr. The city flourished from around the 10th to the 15th century. Experts believe it was an important stop on the Silk Road. This was a network of trade routes connecting East Asia with the Mediterranean....

Martin Luther King Jr. Day honors the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK), a leader of the American civil rights movement. Celebrated every year on the third Monday of January, it is also a national day of service, encouraging Americans to give back to their communities. In 2026, the holiday will be observed on January 19....

The Basílica de la Sagrada Família in Barcelona, Spain, reached a historic milestone on October 30, 2025. With the placement of the first part of a cross atop the Tower of Jesus Christ, it became the world’s tallest church. Rising 534 feet (162.91 m), it now surpasses Germany’s Ulm Minster, which had held the record since 1890. Despite this achievement, the structure, under construction for over 140 years, is far from complete....

In 1916, two soldiers put handwritten notes into a glass bottle and threw it into the sea as they sailed from Adelaide, South Australia, to Europe to fight in World War I. More than a century later, the bottle has been found on a Western Australian shore, with its contents intact....

In the United States, Christmas often means baking cookies, decorating the tree, and waiting for Santa. Around the world, though, Christmas traditions can look very different. Here are some fun and unique ways people celebrate the season....

Christmas is all about beloved traditions. For some, this means attending midnight mass on Christmas Eve. For others, it is baking cookies and decorating the house. And then there are those whose holiday would feel incomplete without an episode of The Yule Log — a show featuring a warm, crackling fire....

On November 12, 2025, the United States (US) Mint made its final penny at the Philadelphia facility, ending more than 230 years of production. This landmark moment closed an era that began with the first cent in 1793 and continued through the Lincoln cent in use today. The decision to halt production was driven primarily by cost. By 2024, each penny cost nearly four cents to make. This resulted in substantial annual losses for the Mint....

Every winter, Jewish families around the world celebrate Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights. The joyful eight-day celebration fills homes with glowing menorahs, tasty foods, fun games, and other traditions that honor an ancient miracle. While the dates vary each year, Hanukkah always falls between late November and December. In 2025, the festival will begin at sundown on December 14 and end at sundown on December 22....

A hoard of 15th and 16th-century coins found in a Southern England backyard sold for over $440,000 to multiple bidders at a Swiss auction on November 5, 2025. The final price far exceeded the auctioneer’s estimate of about $300,000....

The days after Thanksgiving — Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday — are all about shopping for the best deals. GivingTuesday has a more altruistic purpose. The "Global Day of Giving," which falls on December 2 this year, is all about helping others and making a positive impact....

On November 27, 2025, more than 46 million turkeys will end up on Thanksgiving dinner tables across the US. However, Gobble and Waddle will not be among them. President Trump pardoned the two lucky turkeys in an elaborate ceremony held at the White House Rose Garden on November 25, 2025....

Thanksgiving, celebrated annually on the fourth Thursday of November, is one of the most anticipated holidays in the United States. The tradition dates back to a harvest feast shared by early European settlers and Native Americans in 1621. The holiday, observed on November 27 this year, centers on delicious food and fun traditions. Here is a brief history of how some of these customs began....

The federal government reopened on November 13, 2025, ending a 43-day shutdown, the longest in US history. This followed President Donald Trump’s signing of a temporary funding bill late on November 12, which let federal employees return to work and allowed government services to resume....

On November 27, 2025, most Americans will celebrate Thanksgiving with big feasts, parades, and "Turkey Trot" races. Many other countries also have celebrations that honor gratitude, family, and the harvest. Here are four Thanksgiving-like festivities from around the world....

The pachycephalosaurs are among the most mysterious dinosaurs of the Cretaceous period. Aside from their famous dome-shaped skulls, very little is known about these two-legged plant-eaters. That is because most fossils found so far consisted only of skull fragments. That changed on September 17, 2025, when scientists revealed the discovery of the most complete — and oldest — specimen of this dome-headed dinosaur....

Veterans Day is celebrated annually on November 11. It honors the brave men and women of the United States Armed Forces. This includes members of the US Army, Navy, Marine Corps, National Guard, Air Force, and Coast Guard....

Planning to stay up late on Halloween? Then you will be pleased to know that November 2, 2025, marks the end of Daylight Saving Time (DST). On this day, most North Americans will set their clocks back by an hour, gaining extra time to sleep or play. This simple change will also shift daylight into the morning, making it a little easier to wake up for school or work during the shorter winter days....

On October 19, 2025, thousands of people gathered at the Tulatin Lake of the Commons in Oregon to witness the 21st annual West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta. This beloved fall tradition requires participants to paddle across the man-made lake in boats made from giant pumpkins....

Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a vibrant and joyful Mexican holiday to honor those who have passed. Held annually on November 1 and 2, it gives families a chance to remember loved ones. The first day, called Día de los Angelitos, is for children who have died, while the second focuses on adults....

Celebrated annually on October 31, Halloween is one of America’s most popular holidays. Streets and neighborhoods come alive with spooky decorations, from glowing jack-o’-lanterns to cobweb-covered porches and eerie lights. But how did this festival of fright and fun start?...

The Haenyeo, or "sea women," of South Korea's Jeju Island are famous for their incredible diving skills. These women spend several hours underwater each day collecting sea urchins, abalone, and other seafood. They dive almost 60 feet (18 m) into frigid waters without an oxygen tank. Remarkably, many continue this demanding work well into their 80s....

Indigenous languages are disappearing around the world at a rapid rate. In the United States, experts warn that only 20 of the country's 170 languages will still be spoken by 2050. The loss of a language is more than words. It erases stories, traditions, and knowledge passed down for generations. Twenty-four-year-old Danielle Boyer hopes to stop that with SkoBot, an AI-powered robot that speaks endangered languages....

Dr. Jane Goodall, who transformed our understanding of chimpanzees, passed away peacefully in her sleep on October 1, 2025, at age 91. She was on a speaking tour in California, sharing her lifelong love for wildlife and conservation....