On February 27, 2023, British teenager, Mia Brookes, became the youngest-ever snowboarding world champion. The 16-year-old achieved the feat after winning the gold in the slopestyle event at the FIS Freestyle Ski and Snowboarding World Championships in Bakuriani, Georgia. Brookes is the first British athlete to win the title....
Read news articleOn February 3, 2023, a Norfolk Southern freight train, en route from Illinois to Pennsylvania, derailed in East Palestine, Ohio. Five of the 38 derailed cars contained toxic chemicals. They sparked a massive fire sending heavy smoke in the air. Concerned about more explosions, authorities asked people living within a one-mile area of the site to evacuate....
Read news articleThe seven monarchies of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are known for their mega projects. Dubai, the UAE's largest and most populous emirate, is home to the world's tallest building, biggest mall, and largest man-made island. Now, Saudi Arabia has announced plans to build the "World's Largest Inner City Building" in the capital city of Riyadh....
Read news articleIn 2012, Michael Skvarla noticed a massive dead insect outside a Walmart in Arkansas. The Director of Penn State University's Insect Identification Lab thought it looked interesting and took it home. However, it was not until recently that the scientist realized he had picked up a rare, Jurassic-era bug....
Read news articleMalaria is a life-threatening disease caused by parasites. It is transmitted to humans through the bites of infected female mosquitoes. Malaria can be found in most tropical and subtropical climates. But Africa is the most affected for a number of reasons. In 2021, 619,000 people died of malaria worldwide. Most were young children in sub-Saharan Africa. However, there is hope. Two recently-approved vaccines may provide some protection against this deadly disease....
Read news articleThe health impacts of outdoor air pollution are well-known. But indoor air pollution, caused by emissions from building materials or even air fresheners, can be just as harmful. Yet, there are no widely-accepted methods to detect the toxins. But researchers at the University of Turku in Finland hope to change that with the help of tiny glowing worms....
Read news articleWater is essential for life on Earth. Yet, scientists currently have comprehensive information on just a few thousand lakes worldwide. A NASA-led international mission plans to change that with the first-ever global survey of nearly all water on Earth's surface....
Read news articleEgypt's Great Pyramid of Giza, which stands 481 feet (147 meters) high, is the world's tallest pyramid. But the world's largest pyramid lies half a world away in Cholula, Mexico. Tlachihualtepetl, or the Great Pyramid of Cholula, is about 217 feet (66 meters) tall with a base of 1,476 by 1,476 feet (450 by 450 meters). The pyramid boasts a total volume of 157 million cubic feet (4.45 million cubic meters). This is almost twice that of the Great Pyramid of Giza....
Read news articleCalifornia's Yosemite National Park is famous for its ancient giant sequoia trees and massive rock formations. These include El Capitan and Half Dome. However, from mid-to-late February, the main draw is the Horsetail Fall. The seasonal waterfall flows over the eastern edge of El Capitan every winter. During the last two weeks in February, it often transforms into a stunning "Firefall." The natural phenomenon occurs around 5 to 15 minutes before sunset. It lasts just a few minutes....
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