Over the years, astronomers have managed to capture a few images of stars in galaxies beyond Earth. However, these images have always appeared as mere points of light, even when seen through powerful telescopes. Now, thanks to the Very Large Telescope (VLT), scientists have captured the first close-up image of a massive star located a staggering 160,000 light-years from Earth....

Drones have come a long way since the first model that barely lifted two feet (60 cm) off the ground was unveiled in 1907. Modern quadcopters can soar to high altitudes and perform a wide range of tasks. However, their capabilities are often curbed by limited battery life....

Thanksgiving, celebrated annually on the fourth Thursday of November, is one of the most anticipated holidays in the United States. The tradition dates back to a harvest feast shared by early European settlers and Native Americans in 1621. The holiday, which will be observed on November 28 this year, is centered around delicious food and various fun traditions. Here is a brief history of how some of these customs began....

On November 1, 2024, Aron Fowler and his friends were at Ocean Beach, just south of Denmark in Western Australia, when they saw an emperor penguin walking toward them. This aquatic flightless bird had swum over 2,000 miles (3,218 km) from its usual habitat in the icy waters off the Antarctic coast. It was the first recorded sighting of an emperor penguin in Australia....

About two years ago, Damien Boschetto was walking his dog in a forest near Cruzy in southern France when he noticed a large bone poking out from an eroded cliff. Suspecting it might belong to a dinosaur, the amateur paleontologist quickly alerted experts at the Cruzy Museum. His hunch was correct: the fossil turned out to be the pelvic bone of a titanosaur, one of the largest dinosaurs ever to roam Earth....

Full moons are always a stunning sight, but the one on November 15, 2024, promises to be even more spectacular. It will be the last of four consecutive supermoons, following August's Blue Moon, September's Harvest Moon, and October's Hunter Moon. After this, the next supermoon will not occur until October 7, 2025....

The next time you are upset about short winter days, think about Utqiaġvik (formerly Barrow), Alaska. The residents of America's northernmost town will experience their final sunset this year on November 19, 2024. They will not see the Sun again until January 23, 2025. For those wondering, that is 65 straight days, or 1,560 hours, of darkness!...

November is Native American Heritage Month in the United States. It honors the rich cultures, traditions, histories, and contributions of Native American and Alaska Native communities. Here are three inspiring Indigenous leaders who have made meaningful impacts in their respective fields and communities....

The sea robin is a bottom-dwelling fish uniquely adapted to life on the ocean floor. These fascinating creatures have frog-like eyes, wing-like fins, and six crab-like legs. Scientists have now discovered that at least one species, the northern sea robin, uses these legs both for walking and for "tasting" the sea floor for buried prey....

NASA’s latest mission takes the search for life to new frontiers — this time to Jupiter’s fourth largest moon, Europa. On October 14, 2024, the Europa Clipper spacecraft launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida to uncover the secrets of this distant moon....

Nintendo has come a long way from its humble start as a playing card company in 1889. Today, the Japanese company is a global gaming powerhouse known for iconic franchises like Super Mario, The Legend of Zelda, and Pokémon. Now, with the opening of the Nintendo Museum in Kyoto, Japan, gaming fans can explore the company’s rich history....

Donald Trump will be the 47th president of the United States. As of 3:00 PM ET, November 6, 2024, the former president had secured 292 electoral votes — 22 more than the 270 needed to win the presidency....

A rare, 237-year-old copy of the United States Constitution has been sold to an anonymous buyer for a staggering $9 million. The document was auctioned by Brunk Auctions in Asheville, North Carolina, on October 17, 2024. Bidding began at $1.1 million and quickly soared to the final price in just seven minutes....

Veterans Day, celebrated annually on November 11, honors the brave men and women of the United States Armed Forces. This US federal holiday pays tribute to everyone who has served in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, National Guard, Air Force, and Coast Guard....

Día de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead, is a vibrant and colorful Mexican celebration honoring life and death. Observed annually on November 1 and 2, it offers an opportunity to remember and pay tribute to loved ones who have passed....

Every fall, Americans buy tens of millions of decorative pumpkins. Some are carved into spooky jack-o'-lanterns, while others are used simply for display. Unfortunately, the interest in these colorful gourds fades soon after Halloween. Experts estimate that over one billion pounds of pumpkins — more than 80 percent of the 1.3 billion pounds purchased annually — end up in landfills....

In mid-September 2023, a mysterious event set off earthquake sensors worldwide. However, unlike typical earthquake readings, which are quick and sharp, this data showed a slow, constant wave. What surprised scientists even more was that the rumbling continued for nine consecutive days before finally subsiding....

On November 3, 2024, most US residents will add 60 minutes to their weekend by turning their clocks back an hour. This simple action marks the end of Daylight Saving Time (DST), which began on March 10, 2024. It helps shift sunlight back into the morning hours during the darker winter days....

Every October, farmers across the US harvest millions of pumpkins. Some make it to the dinner table in the form of delicious soups or pies. Others get transformed into spooky jack-o'-lanterns. Then there are the select few whose only purpose is to win weigh-off contests. There are numerous such competitions held nationwide. However, the most impressive mega gourds typically end up at the annual "Super Bowl" of pumpkin weigh-offs in Half Moon Bay, CA....

Octopuses are among the smartest marine animals. These intelligent cephalopods are known for using coconut shells as mobile homes and armor and changing colors on demand to evade predators. A new study by researchers at Germany's Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior found that octopuses can also be strong leaders. They take charge of hunting packs and even discipline those who try to cheat....

At just 18 years old, Nima Rinji Sherpa has achieved a feat that few can even imagine. He has become the youngest person, and one of only about 50, to climb all 14 of the world's "eight-thousanders." These peaks, located within Asia's Himalayan and Karakoram ranges, stand over 26,247 feet (8,000 m) tall. This is above the so-called "death zone," where the lack of oxygen makes it impossible to sustain human life for long....

Few countries celebrate Halloween with as much enthusiasm as the United States. Americans spend months — and millions of dollars — searching for the perfect costumes. Homes and yards are transformed into spooky spectacles, complete with skeletons and glowing jack-o'-lanterns. Here is a brief history of the spooky holiday, celebrated annually on October 31, and the origin of some of its cherished customs....

Planetary rings are a natural feature of the larger outer planets like Jupiter and Neptune, but none are as spectacular as Saturn's. However, in March and November 2025, these majestic rings will not be visible to observers on Earth. Fortunately, this rare event is only an optical illusion. It is caused by the orientation of Saturn's thin rings and the planet's tilt relative to Earth. The last time this occurred was in 2009....

Every fall, over a billion Hindus, Sikhs, and Jains worldwide celebrate Diwali. Also known as Deepavali or the festival of lights, this ancient celebration dates back over 2,500 years. The exact date varies annually based on the Hindu lunar calendar. However, Diwali usually falls in October or November....