While parrots are usually credited as the avian world’s best mimickers, the title probably belongs to the aptly named superb lyrebirds. Endemic to Australia, the ground birds are extremely shy and difficult to approach. Hence, though researchers have known of their ability to imitate everything, from other birds, to humans, and even car alarms and chainsaws, very little was known about their lifestyle in the wild. Now thanks to a team of researchers led by Dr. Anastasia Dalziell, a Postdoctoral Associate at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, we finally have some insight into these amazing ancient animals that have been around for millions of years....

While full moons are always a delight to watch, the one scheduled to make an appearance on November 14 will be even more so. That’s because it is no ordinary full moon, but the brightest and biggest “supermoon” since 1948. The next time you will encounter this glorious a sight, will be on November 25, 2034....

On Friday, November 11, Americans will celebrate Veterans Day. The federal holiday honors the brave men and women of the armed forces who risk their lives to protect our freedom. They include members of the US Army, Navy, Marine Corps, National Guard, Air Force, and the Coast Guard....

Imagine going to the beach and finding thousands of perfectly shaped snowballs scattered around. That is exactly what the lucky residents of Nyda in Siberia’s Yamal Peninsula have encountered since late October....

The last time Chicago Cubs fans had something to celebrate about was in 1908 when the baseball team won the World Series for the second consecutive year against the Detroit Tigers. Though the Cubs went on to appear in seven World Series thereafter, they came up empty each time. The 108-year drought, the longest by any major American sports team, finally came to an end after an 8-7, 10-inning victory over the Cleveland Indians in a thrilling Game 7 that began on Wednesday night (Nov 2) and ended early Thursday morning (Nov 3)....

With Halloween falling on a Monday this year, chances are you are feeling a little sleep-deprived. Here is some good news at least for those that live in North America. This weekend marks the end of Daylight Saving Time (DST), which means that on Sunday, November 6, you can enjoy an extra hour of sleep (or play) by simply turning back the clocks....

The world is finally uniting to save the environment. On October 5, the United Nations announced that the threshold to enforce the 2015 Paris Climate Change Agreement had been met, paving the way for its implementation starting November 4. On Friday, October 28 came additional good news. After five years of negotiations, representatives of 24 nations and the European Union agreed on a landmark deal to establish the world’s largest marine protected area (MPA) in Antarctica....

NASA scientists can build rockets, send men to the moon, and may soon even help establish a colony on Mars. But can they carve pumpkins? That was the challenge posed to the brilliant engineers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab in Pasadena, CA six years ago, during Halloween. The friendly competition has since become an annual tradition with teams trying to outdo each other with increasingly hi-tech carvings....

The next time you shriek at the sight of a spider, be aware that the arachnid can hear you loud and clear from as far away as 10-feet! The surprising discovery by Cornell University researchers adds to the already impressive list of arachnid attributes that includes superior vision and ability to weave intricate webs....

Today, Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, and Buddhists worldwide, will begin the countdown to Diwali. Also called the Festival of Lights, the annual event is the most anticipated and eagerly awaited of all Indian celebrations. Though the holiday is always observed in late October or early November, the exact date which is determined by the position of the moon and the Hindu lunar calendar, differs....

In a reversal of roles, a humpback whale calf was recently seen nudging its stranded mother to safer, deeper waters off the east coast of Australia. The chain of events leading to the heartwarming rescue unfolded near North Stradbroke Island, 62 miles southwest of Brisbane, on Friday, October 7....

On August 27, NASA’s Juno mission completed the first orbital flyby of Jupiter. Traveling at a speed of 130,000 mph, the spacecraft passed about 2,600 miles above the gas giant’s swirling clouds. Though the space probe will be conducting 35 additional flybys before the mission ends on February 2018, this was its closest approach and hence, the most important for data collection. Juno did not disappoint....

If you visit Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington DC, you may notice one of the zoo’s resident elephants, Shanthi, strolling around in stylish Teva boots. While the footwear makes the 9,000-pound pachyderm stand out among her peers, its primary purpose is to provide the 41-year-old relief from the side effects of arthritis, a chronic condition that causes painful inflammation and stiffness of joints....

What do circles, squares, and triangles have to do with making movies? According to a new video from Now You See It, a YouTube channel that explores film concepts, it is one of the several ways used by directors and cinematographers to influence the audience about a character or a situation....

Looking for some inspiration for your Halloween pumpkin? Then you might want to check out American sculptor and artist, Ray Villafane’s masterpieces. The two-time winner of the Food Network show, “Outrageous Pumpkins,” does not just “carve” pumpkins. He transforms them into 3-D sculptures — ghoulish ones of course!...

Polish explorer Krzysztof Starnawski’s fascination with the Hranická Propast, or Hranice Abyss, an underwater cave in the Czech Republic, began in 1999. The diver, who once held the record for the deepest dive (283-meters) with a closed circuit rebreather, says the cave’s limestone unusual formation led him to suspect that it was a lot deeper than his dives had taken him....

Nora, the polar bear born to Columbus Zoo residents Nanuq and Aurora, has captivated the world since her birth on November 6. She is after all, the only polar bear born at the zoo to survive beyond the first few weeks, in twenty-eight years....

In August, a team of Mongolian and Japanese researchers unearthed the world’s largest dinosaur footprint in Mongolia’s Gobi Desert. The print that measured 3.6-feet long and 6.4-feet wide, is believed to be that of the titanosaur, a diverse species of sauropod dinosaurs that inhabited Earth during the Cretaceous period, between 70 and 90 million years ago....

Turkish technology company Letvision recently revealed a working prototype of a real-life transformer that will make all Autobot and Decepticon fans swoon! The company says the idea to build “Letrons” came about during a brainstorming session to create a unique and futuristic project. It took the team of twelve engineers and four supporting technicians, eight months to build the first prototype, unveiled in late September....

Five years ago, Finland resident Rami Adham embarked on a mission to help the Syrian refugees in his former hometown of Aleppo. The father of six used all his savings to buy food and medicine. As he was leaving for Syria, his three-year-old daughter, Yasmin, offered to donate her toys, in exchange for a new Barbie doll. A deal was made, and the aid worker added 25 teddy bears and 36 Barbie dolls to his already heavy load....

The great frigatebird, a species of seabird found across the world’s tropical seas, has a 7 foot wingspan — the largest of any bird species its size. Past research had indicated that these adept pilots could stay aloft as long as a week at a time. It turns out, that the experts and even Christopher Columbus, who noticed the birds on his 1492 voyage to the Americas — and remarked “does not alight on the sea nor depart from land 20 leagues (70 miles)” — had vastly underestimated the magnificent bird’s flying prowess and smarts!...

Here is some exciting news for those living in the Western Hemisphere — today, September 30, marks the emergence of the black moon. While that may sound sinister and is even dubbed apocalyptic by some; it is just the moniker given to the second new moon in a month. And like all new moons, this one too will be invisible to the naked eye....

If you think winter luge, where athletes lying on tiny sleds hurtle down slippery icy tracks is dangerous, you probably have never seen the “summer” version of the sport. Street luge is similar to its winter counterpart, except for one thing – competitors do not have the safety of a chute. Instead, they lay on their sleds and zip down paved streets to what seems like certain death!...

Like most bees, the ground nesting Anthophora squammulosa, that are native to parts of North and Central America, are a solitary species. The females lay their eggs in little underground nests and then head out to search for nectar to feed their developing larvae. This process usually takes place in environments with plenty of flora, to ensure a reliable supply of food....