A remote area in Antarctica has been identified as the "coldest place on Earth." According to NASA, the temperatures in the East Antarctic Plateau can dip to a bone-chilling -136° F (-93.3° C). That is several degrees colder than the previous low of -128.6° F (-89.2° C) set in 1983 at the Russian Vostok Research Station in East Antarctica....

Starting January 12, 2023, stargazers will get a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see a rare comet with a greenish hue. Astronomers discovered Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) in March 2022 when it was inside Jupiter's orbit. NASA scientists believe this may be the comet's first sighting. If the icy body did pass our planet previously, it was probably thousands of years ago....

This Friday is the 13th! For non-believers, it is just the start of a well-deserved weekend. However, the millions of people who suffer from "paraskevidekatriaphobia" consider Friday the 13th the unluckiest day of the year. No one knows how the day got its fearsome reputation. But experts have some theories....

An auction of hundreds of artifacts from the California Gold Rush era fetched almost $1 million on December 3, 2022. The sale, held in Reno, Nevada, and online, was organized by Holabird Western Americana Collections (HWAC). It featured perfectly-preserved items from the sunken wreckage of the S.S. Central America, also known as the "Ship of Gold."...

Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK) was one of America's most influential civil rights movement leaders. His life and achievements are celebrated annually on the third Monday of January. The federal holiday, which will be observed on January 16 this year, is designated as a National Day of Service. Americans are encouraged to spend the holiday volunteering to improve their communities....

US doll maker American Girl unveiled its first South Asian "Girl of the Year" on December 29, 2022. Kavika (Kavi) Sharma is a gorgeous brown-eyed 12-year-old who loves to sing and dance. She dreams of starring on Broadway one day....

Octopuses are among the smartest animals in the ocean. The invertebrates can navigate through mazes, complete tasks in exchange for food, and even recognize human faces. Now, the clever animals have been caught throwing objects at one another. The rare behavior has previously been seen in only a few animals like chimpanzees, elephants, and birds....

As is the tradition each year, at midnight on December 31st, 2022, cities and towns worldwide ushered in the new year with elaborate fireworks displays. Here are a few that were particularly noteworthy....

WestJet Airlines is famous for its annual "Christmas Miracle" initiatives. In 2020, the Canadian company delivered care packages to those in need. In 2021, it helped reunite families for the holidays. This year, WestJet is focusing on giving back. Its "Miracle Miles" program gives passengers aboard select flights one dollar for every mile flown. They can donate the money to a charity of their choice....

The mention of goldfish usually conjures up images of small, colorful creatures swimming inside fish bowls or home aquariums. However, the one reeled in by Andy Hackett on November 3, 2022, was no ordinary "goldfish." It weighed an astounding 67.4 pounds (30.6 kg), or about as much as a fully-grown golden retriever!...

With a large part of the US currently under a winter storm warning, it may appear that the chilly season is upon us. But while meteorologists consider December 1 the start of the Northern Hemisphere winter, the astronomical first day of winter is December 21....

For Americans, Santa Claus is a jolly, white-haired man in a red suit. But that is just one version of the generous being who brings well-behaved children toys on Christmas Eve. Here are a few of the many portrayals of Santa-like figures worldwide....

Sky watchers are treated to over thirty meteor showers throughout the year. However, most pale in comparison to the Geminids. Nicknamed the "900-pound gorilla of meteor showers" by NASA, they outweigh other dust streams by factors of between 5 to 500! The "shooting stars" have been active since December 4 and will continue until December 17, 2022. But their best showing will be on the night of December 13 into the morning of December 14, 2022, when up to 120 meteors will be flying through the sky every hour....

NASA's Artemis 1 Orion spacecraft returned from its 26-day, record-breaking 1.4 million-mile (2.2 million kilometers) roundtrip to the Moon on December 11, 2022. The uncrewed spacecraft re-entered Earth's atmosphere at an impressive speed of 25,000 mph (40,000 kph). This is 32 times faster than the speed of sound. The capsule's flawless splashdown into the Pacific Ocean marks the first step in returning humans to the Moon again....

Hanukkah is an eight-day-long Jewish festival. Also called the Festival of Lights, it celebrates the victory of good over evil and is a happy occasion with many fun traditions. The date of the celebrations, determined by the Hebrew calendar, varies annually. This year, Hanukkah will be observed from December 18, 2022, to December 26, 2022....

The Tyrannosaurus rex (T. rex) was one of the most ferocious dinosaurs that roamed Earth in the very late Cretaceous period — about 66 million years ago. Over the years, scientists have collected substantial information on the tiny-armed reptile itself. However, very little is known about how the vicious predator evolved. Now paleontologists at the Badlands Dinosaur Museum in North Dakota believe they may have found an essential missing link to the T. rex's lineage....

On November 23, 2022, the European Space Agency (ESA) announced its first new class of astronaut trainees in 13 years. The 17 candidates were selected from a pool of 22,500 applicants. They include five career astronauts, 11 reserve astronauts, and John McFall — the world's first astronaut with a disability....

Bumble bees have a reputation for being industrious creatures. The insects are known to spend their days collecting pollen and nectar from flowers. But a new study from the Queen Mary University of London in the UK asserts that, like humans, the bees also enjoy a little playtime....

An extreme sport like BMX (Bicycle Motocross) may not be the first thing that comes to mind to help overcome a mental health condition. However, that is precisely what enabled Nikita Ducarroz to fight her fears....

The world's largest active volcano began erupting for the first time in 38 years on November 27, 2022. Mauna Loa, located on Hawaii's Big Island, came alive at about 11:30 pm local time. It has been spewing out spectacular fountains of lava as high as 148 feet since. The river of molten lava is inching close to a major highway. But it currently poses no risk to nearby communities....

Burmese pythons are voracious eaters. The mighty predators — which reach over 18 feet in length and 200 pounds (90.7 kg) in weight — can swallow prey as large as a deer. Researchers previously believed that the reptiles' massive heads and bodies allowed them to achieve this incredible feat. Now, a new study asserts it is the size of the python's "gape" — how wide it can open its mouth — that determines the size of animal it can swallow....

On November 5, 2022, Nicolas Krumm was reporting about the rise in thefts in an area of Santiago, Chile. Suddenly, a parrot landed on his shoulder. The stunned newsman continued with the story while alerting the camera crew to the surprise visitor....

The residents of Utqiagvik, (pronounced oot-kee-AAG-vuhk) Alaska, enjoyed the last sunset of the year on November 19th. America's northernmost city will next see a sun emerge above the horizon on January 23, 2023. For those wondering, that means 64 continuous days, or 1,536 hours, of no daylight!...

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are all about finding the best deals on holiday gifts for friends and family members. But GivingTuesday, which will be observed on November 29, 2022, has a more altruistic purpose. "The Global Day of Giving" encourages people to do good by helping those in need....