The Big Basin Redwood State Park in Santa Cruz, California, is home to some of the tallest and oldest redwood trees on Earth. The towering trees reach heights of over 300 feet (91 m) and have an incredibly thick bark. This natural armor usually protects their upper branches and needles from wildfire damage. However, the CZU Lightning Complex Fire that burned 97 percent of the park in August 2020 was so intense that it even scorched these ancient giants....
Read news articleThis summer, Banksy captivated Londoners with a remarkable series of artworks. From August 5 to 13, 2024, the anonymous British street artist revealed stunning animal sketches at various locations around the city....
Read news articleA mummified adult wolf could offer scientists valuable insights into the late Pleistocene era (129,000 to 11,700 years ago). The animal was buried in thick permafrost for over 44,000 years. It was unearthed by the residents of Sakha, Russia, in 2021. The specimen boasted well-preserved teeth, fur, and internal organs, including the stomach. It was the first complete adult wolf found from the late Ice Age....
Read news articleOn August 22, 2024, Lucara Diamond revealed the discovery of a massive 2,492-carat diamond in Botswana. The gemstone is the second biggest one ever found and the largest one found in the Southern African nation. The largest diamond discovered to date is the 3,106-carat Cullinan diamond. It was found in South Africa in 1905....
Read news articleUS gymnast Jordan Chiles is at the center of an unusual controversy. The 23-year-old is being asked to return her Olympic bronze medal due to the timing of an appeal filed by her coach. The chain of events leading to this unprecedented decision unfolded shortly after the individual floor exercise final on August 5, 2024....
Read news articleElephants are known for their exceptional intelligence, empathy, and communication skills. A new study suggests they may have another remarkable ability: assigning individual "names" to each other. The mammals are the first non-human species to exhibit this unique capability....
Read news articleArchaeologists have found 35 glass bottles dating back to the 18th century in George Washington's Mount Vernon home. Twenty-nine bottles were intact and contained perfectly preserved cherries and berries, likely gooseberries or currants. The exciting discovery, announced on June 13, 2024, was made during the excavation of six storage pits in the cellar. The exercise is part of a $40 million revitalization project to preserve the historic Virginia mansion for future generations....
Read news articleUS Vice President Kamala Harris was formally certified as the Democratic Party's presidential nominee for the November election on August 6, 2024. The 59-year-old emerged as the top contender on July 21, 2024, after President Joe Biden decided not to seek a second term. Notably, Harris is the first Black and South Asian woman to be nominated for president by a major political party....
Read news articleThere are numerous meteor showers throughout the year. However, few are as popular, or as reliable, as the Perseids. The "shooting stars" have been zooming across the skies at a rate of about a dozen an hour since mid-July. But the best time to watch them will be from midnight to dawn on August 11, 12, and 13, 2024. That is when the number of meteors will increase sharply to between 50 and 100 an hour. Also, unlike previous years, this upcoming show will not be overshadowed by a bright Moon. This will make it easier to view even the dimmer meteors....
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