While snowflakes - those fluffy conglomerations of frozen ice crystals may appear to be indistinguishable from one another, they are all unique in structure, and come in all kinds of really cool shapes and patterns. However, so far the only way to discover this has been by viewing them under a microscope, which means that only a select few have been able enjoy and appreciate their true beauty. But, things are about to change....

You may have encountered instances when you could have bet your life about something you had seen or done, but yet when you revisited, either the thing has vanished or the chore, left undone. If you happen to visit Ireland you may encounter the same feeling at the Loughareema Lake - However, in this case it is not your mind playing games with you, but the lake itself, which seems to sporadically appear and disappear....

In December 2012, three men braved Antarctica's treacherous and remote Princess Ragnhild Coast to seek out a colony of Emperor Penguins that has hitherto just been suspected to exist. They were not disappointed!...

While summers in the world's driest inhabited continent AKA Australia can get a little uncomfortable, this year seems to be starting out a little more extreme than usual. On Monday January 8th, the Australian meteorological dept reported an average continent temperature of 104.6°F (40.33°C) - Surpassing a record set in 1972. And, the forecast for the rest of the season looks even worse....

When Space Shuttle Discovery launched off to Space on its final mission on February 24th, 2011, among its roster of astronauts was a 'trainee' - And not just any ordinary rookie either, but the world's first humanoid robot astronaut that was heading to the International Space Station as a permanent resident....

Giant squids, the kind referred to in Jules Verne's 1870 novel, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, have been known to exist for many centuries. However, finding the world's largest invertebrate in its natural habitat had proved a little elusive. Now, thanks to some patient Japanese researchers, we can all finally get a glimpse of this magnificent cephalopod!...

On January 7th, 68-year-old British explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes and his team of five sailed off from the picturesque port of Cape Town, to begin the first leg of what is aptly being called 'The Coldest Journey' - A never before done 2,300-mile trek across the Antarctica in winter!...

Chips is like any other bobcat. She has black-tipped pointed ears, yellow eyes with black pupils, sharp hearing and vision and can even climb trees, as well if not better, than any other member of its species. But, she has one big problem - She is just too nice to be a bobcat! While that may be a good thing in most other species in her case, it is a kiss of death!...

One might expect people living in subzero temperatures to escape to some warmer destinations or simply, hibernate. But the residents of Harbin in Northeast China do neither. They instead turn the hostile icy environment into such an amazing winter wonderland that millions of tourists from all over the world actually brave the chilly temperatures to experience it....

The fact that dolphins are one of the smartest living creatures on earth has been known for many years. Now it turns out that these magnificent animals are quite generous too! At least the ones that live in the waters around Australia's popular Tangalooma Island Resort who apparently love to swim to shore bearing gifts for the staff that have been feeding them daily, since 1992....

With their almost perfect camouflage, these animals are some of the Earth's best masters of disguise. However, while they can hide from their predators they cannot escape the sharp eyes of American photographer Art Wolfe, who has been on a quest to capture them on camera, since the early 1990's...

Well, it's official - The world did not end today! But amongst all the hoopla surrounding the rumored demise, the one significant event that you may have missed is that today also happens to be the first day of winter for people living in the Northern Hemisphere. Of course, the opposite is true for those living in the Southern Hemisphere who, are celebrating their first day of summer....

Thanks to global warming, the ice in the Arctic Ocean is today about half of what it was in the 1980's. Given that the situation can only get worse and governments are unable to come to a consensus about how to reverse the trend, one scientist is proposing a radical solution - To use modern technology to repair the damage....

Hoping for lots of presents this Christmas? Then you may want to glance up at the skies this Thursday and Friday. That's because if researchers are right, on December 13th and 14th you will be treated to a flurry of 'shooting' stars. What's even more interesting is that one will emanate from an asteroid, the other, from a comet...

We have all experienced how magical our the skies appear on a clear night, when they are all aglow with twinkling stars. However, have you ever wondered how Earth looks from the skies when millions of lights from its residents are all shining in the night? Now, thanks to some amazing footage from NASA, you have to wonder no more....

For the past nine years, besides allowing car manufacturers to showcase their latest models, the Los Angeles Auto Show has also challenged auto designers to create their vision of futuristic cars. Past themes have included designs for technology savvy youngsters and the ultimate racing car. This year, the artists were asked to use their imaginations to envision a highway patrol vehicle that would be able to meet a specific region's transportation and general environment needs in the year 2025....

Hawaii's Big Island is home to some of the world's most active volcanoes. However, none are as dynamic or spectacular as the Kilauea, which has been erupting almost nonstop since 1983. However, its recent explosion was so large that for the first time ever, the lava has made a seven-mile journey right into the ocean, making for some stunning visuals!...

Despite decades of research and exploration, the Arctic and the Antarctica are still a constant source of surprise for scientists. Earlier this year, they discovered a thriving microscopic garden under the ice in the Arctic and now, a robust community of ancient bacteria estimated to be about 2,800 years old....

Most hotels are lucky if they go through one or two renovations during their lifetime. However this hotel in the tiny village of Jukkasjarvi, Sweden gets a complete makeover every year because believe it or not, it is carved entirely from Ice blocks lugged in from the nearby Torne River. What's even more stunning is that the hotel gets increasingly fabulous each year!...

Surfers visiting Sydney's world famous Bondi Beach on Tuesday November 26th, were in for a little shock - The normally crystal clear blue ocean waters had turned a crimson red! However, before you get all concerned, it was not the result of a brutal shark attack, nor oily tomato sauce as was the original rumor! Instead the culprit was an over abundance of algae called noctiluca scintillans or sea sparkle....

Germination, the process through which plants disperse seeds so that they can sprout and grow into new plants can be a little tricky, given that plants are immobile. Some like dandelions use wind, others by growing prickly fruits that stick to the fur or spine of animals. Then there are those that yield sweet fruit that animals seek out and devour. However, in order for that to work successfully, those plants have to get it really right!...

Potholes, those pesky unexpected dents on our roads are not only a nuisance and often destructive for cars but also, an eyesore - Now, an avid British gardener is transforming them into works of art by creating miniature flower beds!...

On November 14th, 2012, a narrow corridor of the Southern Hemisphere will be treated to a special celestial event - The only total solar eclipse of 2012. The complete concealment of the sun will only be seen from Kakadu National Park and Cairns in Australia, parts of the South Pacific and a small area off the coast of Chile....

For many years, scientists have been trying to unravel the mystery of what really goes on in plants in the parts that are not visible to us - That is, around the roots that lie underground hidden by dense soil. Now, thanks to researchers from Scotland's University of Abertay Dundee, they may finally be able to solve this mystery that is as old as the Universe itself!...