Saturday is April 1, or, as it is popularly called, Fools' Day. The holiday is celebrated by playing lighthearted pranks on family and friends. The origin of this fun tradition is unclear. Some believe it began in 1582 when France moved from the Julian calendar — which started the new year around April 1 — to the currently used Gregorian calendar. Anyone unaware that the new year now began on January 1 was pranked. Others think the custom began to celebrate the start of spring....

The recent discovery of the oldest-known vertebrate brain is giving scientists valuable insights into the evolution of the ray-finned fish species. The diverse group comprises about 50 percent of living vertebrate species. They include everything from trout to salmon and goldfish to seahorses....

The phrase "living under a rock" usually means being oblivious to what is happening in the world. But in Setenil de las Bodegas, the idiom takes on a literal meaning. Many of the Spanish town's 3,000 residents live in homes built inside the rock formations of a narrow gorge of the Río Trejo river....

On March 25, 2023, individuals, communities, and businesses worldwide will celebrate Earth Hour by turning off all lights and electronics for 60 minutes. The hour-long blackout will occur from 8:30 to 9:30 PM local time. The global event, held annually on the last Saturday in March, reminds us of the urgent need to protect our planet....

A giant mass of brown seaweed called Sargassum is heading toward North America. Experts estimate it is over 5,500 miles (8,851 km) long and weighs around 10 million tons. The seaweed is expected to wash ashore on beaches in the Caribbean and Florida in late spring or early summer of 2023....

The United Nations (UN) member states recently announced a historic agreement to protect the world's oceans. The high seas treaty, unveiled on March 4, 2023, has been in the works for over a decade. It provides much-needed regulation to reduce pollution, overfishing, and habitat destruction in our ocean waters....

When passengers aboard a Viking Expedition cruise spotted a massive creature in the frigid waters off Antarctica, they suspected it was special. However, they did not realize they had stumbled upon the extremely rare, giant phantom jellyfish (Stygiomedusa gigantea). Until then, there had been only 126 recorded observations of the species since its identification in 1910....

After a decade of exploring the surface of the Red Planet, the Curiosity rover has recently been looking up. On February 2, 2023, the NASA rover captured a stunning sunset on Mars. The image shows rays of sunlight stretching across the horizon, lighting up a mass of clouds....

An Australian Shepard Mix rescue dog who looks like Hollywood star Paul Rudd has found his permanent home. The February 20, 2023, announcement came just a week after the Collierville, TN, pooch, nicknamed Pawl Ruff, went viral on social media....

On February 27, 2023, British teenager, Mia Brookes, became the youngest-ever snowboarding world champion. The 16-year-old achieved the feat after winning the gold in the slopestyle event at the FIS Freestyle Ski and Snowboarding World Championships in Bakuriani, Georgia. Brookes is the first British athlete to win the title....

On February 3, 2023, a Norfolk Southern freight train, en route from Illinois to Pennsylvania, derailed in East Palestine, Ohio. Five of the 38 derailed cars contained toxic chemicals. They sparked a massive fire sending heavy smoke in the air. Concerned about more explosions, authorities asked people living within a one-mile area of the site to evacuate....

The seven monarchies of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are known for their mega projects. Dubai, the UAE's largest and most populous emirate, is home to the world's tallest building, biggest mall, and largest man-made island. Now, Saudi Arabia has announced plans to build the "World's Largest Inner City Building" in the capital city of Riyadh....

In 2012, Michael Skvarla noticed a massive dead insect outside a Walmart in Arkansas. The Director of Penn State University's Insect Identification Lab thought it looked interesting and took it home. However, it was not until recently that the scientist realized he had picked up a rare, Jurassic-era bug....

Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by parasites. It is transmitted to humans through the bites of infected female mosquitoes. Malaria can be found in most tropical and subtropical climates. But Africa is the most affected for a number of reasons. In 2021, 619,000 people died of malaria worldwide. Most were young children in sub-Saharan Africa. However, there is hope. Two recently-approved vaccines may provide some protection against this deadly disease....

The health impacts of outdoor air pollution are well-known. But indoor air pollution, caused by emissions from building materials or even air fresheners, can be just as harmful. Yet, there are no widely-accepted methods to detect the toxins. But researchers at the University of Turku in Finland hope to change that with the help of tiny glowing worms....

Water is essential for life on Earth. Yet, scientists currently have comprehensive information on just a few thousand lakes worldwide. A NASA-led international mission plans to change that with the first-ever global survey of nearly all water on Earth's surface....

Egypt's Great Pyramid of Giza, which stands 481 feet (147 meters) high, is the world's tallest pyramid. But the world's largest pyramid lies half a world away in Cholula, Mexico. Tlachihualtepetl, or the Great Pyramid of Cholula, is about 217 feet (66 meters) tall with a base of 1,476 by 1,476 feet (450 by 450 meters). The pyramid boasts a total volume of 157 million cubic feet (4.45 million cubic meters). This is almost twice that of the Great Pyramid of Giza....

California's Yosemite National Park is famous for its ancient giant sequoia trees and massive rock formations. These include El Capitan and Half Dome. However, from mid-to-late February, the main draw is the Horsetail Fall. The seasonal waterfall flows over the eastern edge of El Capitan every winter. During the last two weeks in February, it often transforms into a stunning "Firefall." The natural phenomenon occurs around 5 to 15 minutes before sunset. It lasts just a few minutes....

An ongoing drought and excessive water usage have caused the water levels at Utah's Great Salt Lake to hit historic lows. Since 1850, the lake has lost 73 percent of its water and 60 percent surface area. A January 4, 2023, report by scientists at Brigham Young University warns that the saline lake could disappear within five years if no action is taken....

On February 14, 2023, millions of people worldwide will celebrate Valentine's Day. In the United States, the romantic holiday is marked by giving candy, flowers, and gifts to loved ones. However, other countries celebrate the holiday differently. Some don't even observe it on February 14! Here are some interesting Valentine's Day customs from around the world....

Electric vehicle (EV) sales have seen a significant increase in the last three years. But their global market share is still very low. It varies from 16 percent in China to about 4.5 percent in the US. One of the biggest obstacles to the widespread adoption of EVs is the shortage of public charging stations. California-based Aptera Motors hopes to alleviate the issue with its new, solar-powered EV....

A series of powerful earthquakes have devastated large areas of Turkey and Syria and killed thousands of people. The first quake measured at 7.8 magnitude. It struck the southeastern region of Turkey, bordering Syria, early morning on February 6, 2023. As the world was still digesting the news the are was hit by two more large tremors. They measured at 7.5 magnitude and 6.0 magnitude, respectively....

On February 12, 2023, about 193 million Americans will tune in to watch Super Bowl LVII. The National Football League's Championship game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs will certainly be exciting. But for most people, the game is an excuse to host or attend parties and indulge in foods they usually avoid. Super Bowl Sunday is one of the country's biggest food consumption days. It is second only to Thanksgiving!...

A 30-year-old farm dog named Bobi has just been recognized by Guinness World Records as "the oldest dog living." The February 1, 2023, announcement came just two weeks after a 23-year-old Chihuahua named Spike received the title. Bobi also broke an almost century-old record for "the world's oldest dog ever." It had been held by Bluey, a female Australian cattle dog. She was 29 years and five months old when she died in 1939....