Though it is now arid, the Urumaco region in Venezuela's Falcón State was once a mega wetland that was home to numerous colossal animal species. These included rodents the size of modern-day buffaloes and 10-foot (3-meter) tall carnivorous birds. The latest to join the list of the area's massive creatures is a giant turtle that was 100 times larger than its closest living relative, the Amazon river turtle, and about 1.5 times the size of the world's largest living turtle, the marine leatherback....
Read news articleNeed an extra day to catch up on sleep or to finish an assignment this month? Then you are in luck, because 2020 is a leap year, an event that occurs once every four years. This means that instead of the customary 365 days, the year will have 366 days. Since the extra day is tacked onto the shortest month of the year, February 2020 will have 29 days....
Read news articleAt first sight, Sky Brown may appear to be like any other 11-year-old with a passion for skateboarding. However, spend a few minutes observing the young girl on the ramp, and you will realize that she is no ordinary skater, but a prodigy with several accolades under her belt. In addition to clinching the gold at the United Kingdom (UK) National Skateboarding Championship in 2019, she is currently ranked third in the world for women in the "park" discipline....
Read news articleThough there are numerous dog shows held around the US every year, none are considered as prestigious as the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. Now celebrating its 144th year, the "Super Bowl" of the canine world, is America's oldest dog show. This year's event, which took place at New York City's Madison Square Garden from February 8 to 11, 2020, attracted 2,500 competitors representing 204 breeds from 49 states and 19 countries....
Read news articleIn what can only be described as an extraordinary engineering feat, NASA scientists have remotely fixed a software glitch on the Voyager 2 probe, which lies 11.5 billion miles away at the edge of a transitional region of space. Known as the heliosphere, it is a vast, bubble-like area that surrounds the Sun and the Solar System....
Read news articleWith Valentine's Day fast approaching, people worldwide are scrambling to find the perfect way to show their appreciation for their loved ones. For most, that means buying gifts ranging from cards to chocolates, flowers, expensive outings, and even fine jewelry. However, as the world's most famous stork couple Klepetan and Malena have proved, showering family and friends with material objects is not the only way to demonstrate true love....
Read news articleIt might be our closest star and absolutely essential for our existence, but, for the most part, the inner workings of the Sun remain a mystery to scientists. However, if the inaugural close-up of our star captured by the world's most powerful telescope — the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope (DKIST) — is any indication, that may soon be a thing of the past....
Read news articleAmid the excitement of Super Bowl LIV, which ended with the Kansas City Chiefs' first championship title in fifty years, it may have slipped your mind that yesterday was Groundhog Day. Observed annually on February 2, the fun North American tradition stems from the Pennsylvania Dutch superstition that if a groundhog, emerging from its burrow, sees its shadow, winter will continue for six more weeks. Conversely, the animal's failure to observe one indicates that spring is around the corner....
Read news articleFor those unfamiliar with the sport, the National Football League's (NFL) championship game, aka the Super Bowl, may seem like an ordinary season finale. However, don't tell that to the 194 million Americans who plan to watch the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs battle it out for the coveted Vince Lombardi Trophy at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, on February 2, 2020....
Read news article