Thanksgiving is one of the biggest and most anticipated of all American holidays. Observed annually on the fourth Thursday of November, the secular celebration, which marks the beginning of the holiday season, can be traced to a harvest feast enjoyed by the early European settlers, or Pilgrims, and Native Americans. Though food remains the centerpiece of the celebration, many other fun traditions have been added since. Here is some Thanksgiving trivia to get the conversation going as you sit down for the scrumptious meal on November 23....

While a wild cat chasing down prey sounds perfectly reasonable, one who sprints to fetch sticks might seem a little bizarre. However, that is precisely what Serabie, a rescued adult lioness at the Emoya Big Cat Sanctuary in South Africa’s Limpopo province, loves to do....

On October 20, British adventurer Tom Morgan soared over South Africa seated in a camp chair strapped to 100 helium balloons. During the two-hour flight, the balloonist covered 16 miles and reached heights of up to 8,000 feet. Though the daredevil later called the experience “unbelievably cool,” he did admit feeling “somewhere between terrified and elated” during the flight....

Albert Einstein, the genius behind the theory of relativity, which provided a new framework for all of physics and proposed new concepts of space and time, has recently been making headlines again. However, this time it is not for a new scientific breakthrough, but because of two handwritten notes the scientist gave a bellboy 95 years ago....

Houston residents, recovering from the devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey, finally have something to cheer about – a World Series victory. Thousands of fans lined up on the city streets on Friday, November 3 for a parade celebrating the Houston Astros who won the baseball championship with a resounding 5-1 score against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the seventh game. What makes the much-needed win even more special is that it is the first time the 56-year-old team has brought home the coveted trophy....

North Americans will enjoy an extra hour of fun, or sleep, this weekend! That’s because Daylight Saving Time (DST) ends on November 5, which means that the clocks will turn back an hour. In addition to adding an extra 60 minutes to Sunday, this simple action effectively moves an hour of daylight from the morning to the evening, making it easier to wake up....

No Halloween is complete without a peek at American sculptor and artist Ray Villafane’s masterpieces. Since 2015, the two-time winner of Food Network’s Outrageous Pumpkins has been impressing visitors to Carefree, Arizona’s Enchanted Pumpkin Garden with his extraordinary 3-D pumpkin sculptures. This year was no exception....

Halloween dog parades are a common sight across the US during this time of the year. However, none are as elaborate, or as competitive, as the one held in New York City’s Tompkins Square Park. The largest event of its kind, the annual parade attracts over 300 dogs and their proud owners, who often work hard and spend exorbitant sums of money to create unique costumes to win their pets the coveted “Best in Show” title. This year’s competition, which took place on Saturday, October 21, was no exception....

Earlier this year, National Geographic released a list of the world’s 21 most beautiful beaches. High among them, especially for sea-shell lovers, is Shell Beach. Located in the Shark Bay World Heritage Area in Western Australia, it is home to a 37-mile (60 km) stretch of white cockle shells....

Mention the word superhero, and the images that come to mind are of fictional characters like Spiderman, Wonder Woman, or Batman. However, veteran photographer Josh Rossi has used his camera to unveil the world’s real superheroes – six young children who are battling severe diseases and disabilities....

Festivals, most associated with religion, are an essential part of the Indian culture. There is rarely a week that goes by without some celebration. However, few are as widely observed as Diwali. Also known as Deepavali (row of lights), the joyous five-day ritual is the biggest and most anticipated of all Indian celebrations....

October is pumpkin month in the US. For most people, this means devouring the various pumpkin-filled treats or visiting pumpkin patches to pick out the perfect gourd to carve for Halloween. However, for some, it means the chance to showcase their giant produce at pumpkin weigh-offs. Though there are numerous such contests held across the country, the “Super Bowl” takes place annually at Half Moon Bay, CA, aka “The World Pumpkin Capital.”...

Aston Martin, the maker of James Bond’s preferred cars, may soon have another offering for the British secret service agent – a luxury submarine. However, this underwater craft is not reserved exclusively for Bond, but available to anyone that can afford its hefty $4 million cost....

For most of you, this Friday, which happens to be October 13, will mean little more than the start of a weekend. However, don’t tell that to the 20 million people worldwide that suffer from paraskevidekatriaphobia. They are convinced that the combination of the day and number brings bad luck. While no one knows for sure how Friday the 13th began to be so feared, there are numerous theories....

This past weekend, over a million San Francisco Bay Area residents flocked to the city’s waterfront to watch the impressive airshows staged by the Blue Angels, the US Navy’s flight demonstration squadron that comprises aviators from both the Navy and the Marines. They were not disappointed....

Unraveled shoelaces are the bane of people worldwide. The pesky knots magically appear to come apart at the most inconvenient times – in the final sprint of a long run or, just before a crucial point in a game. However, while there has been a lot of research conducted on the durability of the various types of knots, nobody has ever investigated the fundamental question – why do laces come undone? Now, thanks to a team of researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, there is finally a scientific explanation to this knotty problem which affects both young and old....

At the beginning of each school year, students rush to their new classrooms to see what exciting surprise is in store for them. Some are greeted with a new class pet, while others encounter a reading nook furnished with comfortable bean bags or couches. This year, Oregon educator Kyle Hubler took the first-day thrill to a whole new level by transforming his classroom into a mini Hogwarts, complete with wands, (fake) owls and costumes!...

Self-driving cars are all the rage today, Companies ranging from car manufacturers like General Motors and Toyota to private-hire companies like Uber and even Internet search giant Google are all scrambling to be the first to bring them to market. The efforts are so intense that the University of Michigan has established an entire city to help the cause. Dubbed Mcity, it allows manufacturers to safely test their autonomous cars using human props....

A week ago, on Tuesday, September 12, Apple unveiled its latest offerings to eagerly awaiting fans. The 2017 product showcase held at Apple Park, the company’s new “spaceship” headquarters in Cupertino, CA, included an upgraded Apple Watch, 4K Apple TV, as well as the next generation iPhones – 8 and 8 plus. Just as the presentation appeared to be drawing to a close, company CEO Tim Cook, took to the podium mouthing the late Steve Job’s familiar, “one more thing . . .” phrase, before introducing the much-anticipated iPhone X (“ten”)....

Tony Stark, aka Ironman, constantly seen manipulating 3D holographic images and floating displays projected in mid-air from his phone or tablet. Unfortunately, the rest of us are not as fortunate because the current computer-generated holograms are too bulky to be integrated into our personal devices. However, if a team of researchers from Australia's RMIT University and the Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT) is right, we may all soon be able to mimic Ironman, at least, when it comes to playing with 3D holograms....

Tired of having to choose between dark, milk, or white chocolate? Then you may want to try the pink-hued ruby. Created by Swiss chocolatier Barry Callebaut, the all-natural confection is the first new variety to come to market since Nestlé introduced the world to white chocolate in 1930....

Fans of fidget spinners, 2017’s must-have toy, spend copious amounts of time spinning the three-pronged device with a flick of their finger. That’s because the addictive toys can rotate on their own, for only a few minutes at the most. However, if a Japanese company has its way, users will be able to relax and watch the gadget whirl for over 12 minutes with just one flick....

Most toys are fads that last a few years, or even months, before they get replaced by the next craze. However, the Slinky – the pre-compressed coil of wire, or plastic, which can “walk” on its own – has been entertaining children and nostalgic adults for over 70 years! It is therefore not surprising to hear that every August 30, fans across the U.S. celebrate this iconic toy with a National Slinky Day!...

Earlier this month, millions of Americans were treated to a rare spectacle: a total solar eclipse that was visible from coast-to-coast. While Florence, a massive asteroid that will zip past our planet on September 1, will not overshadow the stunning event, it will make history of its own. According to Paul Chodas at the Center for Near Earth Object (NEO) Studies, the space rock is the largest to pass this close to our planet since the first near-Earth asteroid was discovered over a century ago....