On January 5, 2024, 171 passengers and six crew members boarded Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 in Portland, Oregon, for what they believed would be a short, uneventful trip to Ontario, California. However, just ten minutes after take-off, they heard a loud explosion. Before anyone could react, an aircraft panel broke off and flew away, leaving behind a gaping hole. It was later revealed that the panel was a "door plug." It covers optional emergency exits in some Boeing 737-9 Max airplanes....
Read news articleArcheologists in China have unearthed what they believe is an ancient "celestial calendar." The 23 rectangular wooden pieces were found inside a 2,200-year-old tomb in China's Wulong District. They are etched with Chinese characters connected to an astronomical calendar known as Tiangan Dizhi. It was established during the Shang dynasty, which ruled from 1600 BC to about 1050 BC. This is the first time written slips linked to the ancient calendar have been found in a tomb....
Read news articleDenmark's Queen Margrethe II announced her intention to leave the throne in her annual New Year's Eve speech on December 31, 2023. The popular monarch attributed her surprising decision to ill health. She will formally step down on January 14, 2024, and be succeeded by her eldest son, Crown Prince Frederik....
Read news article2023 was a remarkable year for dinosaur fossil finds. Paleontologists across the globe unearthed a myriad of well-preserved remains, providing new insights into the ancient giants that roamed Earth millions of years ago. Here is a short list of some of the amazing and important finds made in 2023....
Read news articleHonshu, the largest of Japan's four main islands, was hit by a powerful earthquake at 4:10 pm local time on January 1, 2024. The 7.5 magnitude quake and the ensuing aftershocks triggered tsunami warnings across western Japan, sparked fires, and tore apart roads....
Read news articleHappy 2024! As is the case each year, countries worldwide welcomed the New Year with dazzling fireworks shows. Here are some spectacular displays that lit up the skies at midnight on December 31, 2023....
Read news articleA 109-year-old Babe Ruth card fetched $7.2 million at an online auction on November 17, 2023. This is the most paid for an item belonging to the famed player and the third-highest price for a baseball card ever. However, it was far less than the over $10 million estimated by New Jersey-based Robert Edward Auctions (REA)....
Read news articleA Seychelles giant tortoise named Jonathan turned 191 years old on December 4, 2023! To put it in perspective, the reptile was born before the invention of the telephone, postage stamps and photographs. With this milestone, Jonathan extended two previously-held Guinness World Records (GWR). He is the oldest living land animal and the oldest documented chelonian (tortoise, turtle, or terrapin)....
Read news articleThe world's largest iceberg is on the move after being stuck to the ocean floor for 37 years. A23a stretches almost 1,500 square miles (3,885 sq. km) wide, or about three times the size of New York City and its five boroughs. The massive slab of ice weighs over one trillion tons and stands 1,313 feet (400 m) tall. For comparison, the Empire State Building measures 1,250 feet (380 m) from top to bottom....
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