In recent weeks, four mysterious objects have been seen in the skies above North America. All were shot down by US fighter jets. However, authorities are still investigating their origin and purpose.
Read news articleIn recent weeks, four mysterious objects have been seen in the skies above North America. All were shot down by US fighter jets. However, authorities are still investigating their origin and purpose.
Read news articleColossal Biosciences is on a quest to bring back extinct animal species. In the past year and a half, the company has announced plans to recreate the woolly mammoth and the Tasmanian tiger. On February 2, 2023, the Texas-based startup added the dodo bird to its de-extinction list. If successful, these efforts could open the door to a new era of biodiversity.
Read news articleEvery February, the United States recognizes Black leaders throughout history and today. This year, Black History Month celebrates "Black Resistance." Here are three extraordinary young women who have fought to make a difference in their communities.
Read news articleChatGPT has become a viral sensation since it opened to the public on November 30, 2022. The AI-powered tool went from zero to a million users in just five days! This is the fastest any platform has grown. Its ability to provide in-depth answers to user queries has even drawn the attention of prominent technology companies.
Read news articleJaclyn Gartner, the founder of Happily Furever After Rescue in Connecticut, was scrolling through photos of shelter pups last summer. A seven-year-old dog named Van Gogh caught her eye. The former stray pooch had been used as bait in a dog fighting ring. His left ear was so damaged that it had to be surgically removed.
Read news articleNine-year-old Molly Sampson and her 17-year-old sister Natalie had only one item on their Christmas list last year. They wanted chest-high waterproof overalls to "go shark's-tooth hunting like professionals." Their wish was granted. On Christmas morning, the sisters set out to Maryland's Calvert Beach with their father to put their new equipment to use.
Read news articleThis 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.
Read news articleWith 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.
Read news articleHanukkah 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.
Read news articleOn Thursday, November 24, 2022, Americans will celebrate Thanksgiving. The annual tradition is credited to an autumn harvest feast shared by the early European settlers and the Native Americans in 1621. The holiday centers around delicious food and has many fun traditions. Here is a brief history of how some of the customs began.
Read news articleOn November 6, 2022, most North Americans will mark the end of Daylight Saving Time (DST) by moving the clocks back an hour. The simple action will help shift daylight back into the morning during the shorter winter days. It will also add an extra 60 minutes to the weekend!
Read news articleElection season is in full swing in the United States. On November 8, 2022, millions of Americans will head to the polls to vote for their favorite candidates at this year's midterm elections. As the name indicates, the elections occur halfway through a US president's four-year term. Midterms do not receive the same attention as presidential elections. But they can have just as significant an impact on the country's direction.
Read news articleEarlier this year, the United States Mint began producing a series of quarters showcasing some of the most influential American women. The fifth coin in the "American Women Quarters Program" was released on October 24, 2022. It features famous Hollywood actress Anna May Wong. She is the first Asian American to appear on the country's currency.
Read news articleEvery fall, over a billion Hindus, Sikhs, and Jains worldwide celebrate Diwali. The five-day festival, which commemorates the triumph of good over evil, is India's biggest holiday. The ancient festival's date is based on the Hindu lunar calendar and differs annually. This year, Deepavali, or the Festival of Lights, as it is also called, will be observed from October 22nd to October 26th.
Read news articleColumbus Day, which honors the Italian explorer's October 12, 1492, arrival to the Americas, has been a US federal holiday since 1971. However, the holiday, marked annually on the second Monday of October (October 10th this year), has always been controversial. Many believe that the European settlers' mistreatment of the Native American people is not a cause for celebration.
Read news articleOn September 25, 2022, Jewish people worldwide will observe Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. The two-day celebration is held annually on the first and second days of Tishrei — the first month of the Jewish year. While the holiday's exact date changes each year, it is almost always in September or October.
Read news articleThe giant African land snail (GALS) has returned to Florida for a third time. The invasive species was first detected in the state in 1969. It took seven years and $1 million to get rid of them. The gastropods reappeared in 2011 and were eradicated in 2021 at a cost of $23 million. On June 23, 2022, Florida officials reported that the snails had been found in the New Port Richey area of Pasco County.
Read news articleA famous portrait of former British Prime Minister, Sir Winston Churchill, has been stolen from the Fairmont Château Laurier in Ottawa, Canada. It has been replaced with a copy. The Hollywood-like heist was uncovered on August 19, 2022, after an employee noticed the portrait's frame did not match that of the other photographs in the hotel's reading room.
Read news articleQueen Elizabeth II, the United Kingdom's longest-serving monarch, died at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on September 8, 2022. She was 96. Her historic 70-year reign spanned several wars, a pandemic, 15 British prime ministers, and 14 US Presidents! Her eldest son, Prince Charles, was sworn in as King of England on September 10, 2022.
Read news articleA 1952 Mickey Mantle rookie baseball card sold for a record $12.6 million on August 27, 2022. It's the most ever paid for any sports item or memorabilia. The record previously belonged to a 1986 World Cup jersey worn by Argentinian soccer star Diego Maradona. It was auctioned for $9.3 million in May 2022.
Read news articleBacteria can be found almost everywhere on Earth, from the bottom of the ocean to the inside of our intestines. However, the single-celled organisms typically measure a few micrometers and can only be seen through a microscope. Now, researchers have identified a thin, thread-like bacteria species that grows up to 0.4 inches (1 centimeter) long. Named Thiomargarita magnifica, it is the largest bacteria found to date.
Read news articleSan Francisco's public trash cans have long outlived their lifespan and need to be replaced. However, the current design is inadequate for the city's burgeoning population and the increasingly larger number of tourists. The garbage receptacles also get rummaged through by scavengers, who leave behind a mess. To alleviate the issues, in 2018, San Francisco Public Works officials set out in search of a perfect trash can. The quest proved harder than they had thought.
Read news articleBatesian mimicry — where a harmless species mimics a harmful one to escape predators — is widespread in animals. But most recorded examples of the phenomena are visual. For instance, the harmless scarlet kingsnakes have evolved to resemble a venomous species, while the flower-loving hoverflies have adopted the persona of stinging wasps. Now, for the first time, researchers have uncovered a mammal that has developed acoustic Batesian mimicry to scare away predators.
Read news articleThe powerful eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai underwater volcano rocked the island nation of Tonga on January 15, 2022. The spectacular 13-mile-wide explosion is the largest recorded in the 21st century thus far. It expelled ash and gas plumes as high as 19 miles and triggered tsunami warnings across the Pacific.
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