On Jan 12th, Intel announced the semi-finalists of its 2012 Annual Science Talent Search. Among the 300 high school seniors was Samantha Garvey, a bright 17-year old, who currently also happens to be, homeless....

Today, people all over the USA will celebrate the life, legacy and dream of Martin Luther King Jr., a Baptist clergyman turned civil rights leader who galvanized the country with his vision that people should be judged by the content of their character not, the color of the skin....

Imagine if 'doing' laundry meant wearing your dirty clothes and lounging in the sun. If researchers from China's Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Hubei University of Nationalities have their way, that may actually be a reality, in the not so distant future....

Nepal's majestic elephants rarely get a break - That's because these hard-working mammals are constantly transporting tourists across the protected jungles of Chitwan. However, during the last week of December, the Pachyderms got a three-day break to have some fun and show off their athletic talents and physical attributes....

'When life gives you lemons, make lemonade' - This certainly seems to be the motto of the people of Harbin, one of China's coldest cities, where temperatures can dip as low as -4° Fahrenheit (-20° Celsius). That's because instead of hibernating during the coldest months of the year, they host one of the world's largest and most spectacular Ice and Snow Festivals....

Depending on the hemisphere you live in late today or early tomorrow - December 22nd, will be the first day of Winter or Summer. Also known as Winter (Summer) Solstice it is the shortest day of the year for those living in the Northern Hemisphere and the longest for the lucky folks in the Southern Hemisphere....

Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is an eight-day Jewish festival whose date is based on the Hebrew calendar and therefore, varies annually. This year, the 25th day of the month of Kislev, which is when the holiday begins, happens to fall today - December 20th, 2011....

Looking for something offbeat to do this Christmas vacation? How about the Ice Hotel? Located in the village of Jukkasjarvi, 200 km north of the Arctic Circle in Sweden, it is as the name indicates, built entirely from ice blocks lugged in from the nearby Torne River....

While today salt is a cheap commodity, such was not the case in the Middle Ages, when refrigerators were not yet invented and the only way to preserve food was by packing it in salt. Hence, it was not surprising that salt mines were worth their weight in gold - Literally....

A buffet for monkeys, a tomato throwing extravaganza, a wife carrying contest! Welcome to some of the world's most unusual festivals - While some are steeped in tradition, others are held just because they are a lot of fun....

To say that Southern California tween Thomas Suarez is a tech wunderkind is an understatement. While most sixth graders are still trying to figure out how to manage middle school schedules, this youngster has developed two successful iPhone Apps and is in the process of establishing a company, all while managing a full load of school work....

The beautiful oceans that cover three-quarters of our planet are home to some of our most valuable natural resources. However, while our knowledge of outer space is quite extensive, the same cannot be said about the deep waters, thanks to the fact that any attempts to monitor them has either been too cumbersome or too expensive. Now, California-based Liquid Robotics has come up with an innovative invention that is both economical and easily deployable across the waters....

The unassuming gecko - That tiny lizard that seems to scamper around any surface in gravity-defying positions, has intrigued scientists for many years. In the past, this amazing ability has been duplicated by researchers to create wall-scaling robots and now, a team of scientists from Germany have come up with a gecko inspired adhesive tape, that can be re-used thousands of times....

On June 3rd 2010, six brave astronauts bid adieu to their family and friends and launched off to Mars - This of course was not an actual mission to the Red Planet, but a simulated journey that entailed confining them inside a sealed five-capsule 1000sq.ft. unit, for 520 days....

Had a long tiring week? Then you are in luck, for this weekend is 'Fall Back', which means that on Sunday, November 7th, North Americans will add an extra hour to their day, by moving the clocks back. This age-old tradition that dates all the way back to World War One, is observed in other parts of the world too - However, the date differs, with most changing their clocks about a month ealier....

Most of us think of the Octopus as an eight-legged mollusk that spends its days wriggling around with its snake-like arms. However, not only does this intelligent animal have a razor-sharp memory, it has also, been known to maneuver through mazes and even try escape from tanks....

While many people can carve impressive pumpkins, very few can match the extraordinary works of art created by Arizona-based sculptor, Ray Villafane. The two-time winner of Food Network's Outrageous Pumpkin Challenge, does not just carve pumpkins - He magically turns the fruit into 3-D sculptures - Ghoulish ones of course....

On Sunday October 16, thirty-nine teams representing 21 countries, gathered in Darwin, Australia, to compete in the 2011 Veolia World Solar Challenge. The biennial 1,860 mile race is often called one of the world's greatest scientific adventures - One in which contestants battle the harsh conditions of the Australian Outback, behind the wheels of a solar-powered car....

About three weeks ago, we all awaited with abated breath as American satellite UARS hurtled back to earth - Fortunately, it crashed in such a remote area that it took the scientists three days to locate the debris. Now, another satellite is making its way back and once again, scientists have no clue where the debris will end up!...

If you always wanted to see for yourself what it would feel like to be inside Harry Potter's magical world, you are in luck. For starting March 2012, you and all the fans of the wizarding world will be able to walk through the actual sets where a decade of magic was created, thanks to the new 'Making of Harry Potter' Studio in Watford, England....

Of all the dinosaurs known to mankind, it is the Tyrannosaurus Rex or T-Rex that captures our imagination the most, probably because it was the biggest and fiercest of them all. Now, a new study claims that we may have underestimated its size and weight by as much as, 30 percent...

Though there are more than 20 Ironman competitions held around the World, none compares to the Hawaiian Championship, which took place in the city of Kailua, Kona, on Saturday, October 8th, 2011. Now in its 33rd year, the grueling one-day event, is considered the toughest and most prestigious, of all Ironman races....

While hundreds of movies are made each year, only a handful are truly memorable - One of the most recent examples is 'Dolphin Tale', the fascinating story about a Bottlenose dolphin that lost its tail in a crab trap. While the movie is fairly accurate it is, 'inspired' by the true events, which means that some parts are fictional, added just to make the movie more appealing. Here, is how 'Winter's Tail' tale truly unfolded....

On October 6th, RM Auctions, the world's largest auctioneers of quality cars, will be featuring a real gem - The world's oldest running motorcar. The 127-year old De Dion Bouton et Trepardoux Dos-a-Dos Steam Runabout was commissioned by French entrepreneur Count de Dion, 12 years before Henry Ford built his first car!...