Kickstarter Tabletop Alert: The Return of ‘Whale Riders’
Whale Riders travel up and down the Ice Coast to trade, and with the coming winter, there’s time for one more trip before everything freezes over. Whale Riders is a resource-management game for 2 to 6 players, ages 8 and up, and takes about 45 minutes to play. It’s currently seeking funding on Kickstarter, with […]
Gear Review: The RIG M2 Pro HD STREAMSTAR
One such upgrade you’ll be looking for is in your audio gear. RIG Gaming recently released the M2 Pro HD STREAMSTAR microphone, geared towards streamers, content creators, and gamers. They sent me one so I could share my thoughts with our readers. The RIG M2 Pro HD STREAMSTAR is a USB Microphone with built-in Bluetooth, […]
What Is a Galaxy?
The UniverseFridays What Is a Galaxy? Galaxies come in many shapes and sizes, and trying to define them is difficult By Phil Plait edited by Lee Billings A view of the spiral galaxy NGC 3982, as seen by NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope. Galaxies come in many different variations, but astronomers classify them into four main […]
The Strange and Surprising History of the Once-Rejected Zero
Zero Is Foundational to Modern Mathematics. But It Was Rejected for Centuries By Manon Bischoff edited by Daisy Yuhas I’m a zero at mental arithmetic. It’s true—I struggle with this skill—but I want to focus on the phrase itself. In our language, we often equate zero with something negative. But zero is the only real […]
Ukraine’s allies push for 30-day ceasefire starting Monday
Joanna Kakissis KYIV – Four European leaders joined Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv today in pressing Russian President Vladimir Putin to accept a 30-day unconditional ceasefire – or face more sanctions on Russia. “The ceasefire must be comprehensive: in the air, at sea and on land,” Zelenskyy told reporters. “It is quite possible to […]
JD Vance attacks Europe over free speech and migration
US Vice-President JD Vance has launched a scalding attack on European democracies, saying the greatest threat facing the continent was not from Russia and China, but “from within”. It had been expected that Vance would use his speech at the Munich Security Conference to address possible talks to end the war in Ukraine. Instead, he…
Access to Ukraine’s rare earths may help keep U.S. aid flowing
Joanna Kakissis KYIV — As the Trump administration publicly hammers out its plans on ending Russia’s war on Ukraine, it’s also pressing Ukraine for deals in exchange for more aid. One deal in the works would hand the U.S. the right to mine critical minerals including rare earth metals, which are used in a variety…
The Psychology of ‘Shared Silence’ in Couples
The right kind of silence can be golden, revitalizing and strengthening a relationship By Francine Russo & Knowable Magazine Partners enjoy a companionable moment of separate activities. A couple sits together on a sunny park bench. He appears to be studying the passing clouds; she’s absorbed in a novel. Some passersby might think, How sweet.…
How Stars Really Feel About Being Impersonated on Saturday Night Live
Reactions to being impersonated on Saturday Night Live have run the gamut. Find out what Martha Stewart, Miley Cyrus and more have said ahead of SNL 50: The Anniversary Special airing Feb. 16. Flattered, honored, blown away, pleasantly tickled, a little annoyed, mildly disappointed, decidedly unamused: Usually one of those is to some degree how…
The Hidden Costs of Men’s Social Isolation
Opinion The Hidden Costs of Men’s Social Isolation When men suffer social isolation, women may pay the price, too By Angelica Puzio Ferrara & Dylan Vergara edited by Daisy Yuhas Men are struggling—at least, that’s what many headlines suggest. Compared with women, they report having fewer and less supportive friendships. Men lag behind dramatically in…
Revealed: fugitive Dutch drug lord has been in Sierra Leone for at least two years
Sources place Johannes Leijdekkers in west African country since at least December 2022 One of Europe’s most-wanted drug lords has been living in Sierra Leone for at least two years, spending time at nightclubs and house parties, sources have told the Guardian. Johannes Leijdekkers, a Dutch national, has been sentenced in absentia to decades in…
The next Israeli hostages Hamas will release include U.S. and Russian nationals
By Daniel Estrin , Kat Lonsdorf TEL AVIV, Israel — An American and a Russian are among three hostages Hamas says it will release Saturday, resolving a dispute with Israel that had threatened to derail the ceasefire deal. Hamas had previously said it would delay the release, alleging ceasefire violations by Israel, which Israel denied.…
Hamas releases names of hostages due for release on Saturday
Hamas has released the names of three hostages due to be freed on Saturday in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israel, after days of fears over the future of the ceasefire. They are Russian-Israeli Alexander Troufanov, Argentine-Israeli Yair Horn, and US-Israeli Sagui Dekel-Chen. Israel has said it will resume bombing if the three are not…
Just Say Yes to Jason Kelce and Kylie Kelce’s Love Story
After swiping right on Tinder a decade ago, retired Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce and Kylie Kelce marched right toward the proverbial endzone, becoming one of the NFL’s most beloved couples. While Jason Kelce may claim he’s not romantic, he’s definitely got a few plays up his sleeve, making his relationship with wife Kylie Kelce a…
Indonesian province leaps ahead in conservation
One of Indonesia’s easternmost regions is taking an unprecedented step toward sustainability. Last week, the government of the province of West Papua, on the island of New Guinea, announced legislation establishing it as Indonesia’s first “conservation province.” What this means is that the government will ensure that all future economic activity and development will be…
In a long-lost city, scientists find an ‘exuberance’ of life
A team of researchers has begun to answer that question and will publish their full findings in the coming months. Meanwhile, in a story published this week by The New Yorker, Douglas Preston tells the story of the team’s mission to understand the rainforest that swallowed up the White City and kept it hidden for…
Indigenous leaders: To tackle climate change, ‘we must first address racial inequality’
For centuries, social injustices against Indigenous peoples have hindered their ability to conserve the nature they depend on. For insight into how Indigenous peoples are fighting for their lands during lockdown — while simultaneously addressing deep-rooted racial inequality — Conservation News tapped two Indigenous leaders at Conservation International: Minnie Degawan, a member of the Kankanaey-Igorot…
Indonesia protects ‘walking sharks.’ Are other sharks next?
The Indonesian government has granted six species of threatened “walking sharks” the highest level of protection across all national waters — a move experts hope will lead to the conservation of other sharks, whose numbers have plummeted due largely to the shark fin trade. “Walking sharks are small, charismatic and absolutely harmless to humans. Our…
A federal worker tried to take Trump’s ‘Fork’ resignation offer. Here’s what happened
Andrea Hsu The “Fork in the Road” email arrived in Liz Goggin’s inbox around 11 p.m. on Jan. 28th. The email blast from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) went to nearly all federal employees — some 2.3 million people across the U.S. The memo presented federal workers with a choice: Offer your resignation…
‘Where’s my apology from MI5?’ says victim of abusive neo-Nazi agent
Beth was attacked with a machete by her former partner, a neo-Nazi misogynist who used his MI5 role to coercively control her. We revealed on Wednesday that MI5 gave false evidence to three courts over its handling of the man – a paid informant known only as agent X. She believes she only matters to…
Where Bachelor Nation’s Kelsey A. & Joey Stand With Wedding Planning
Nearly a year after fans watched Kelsey Anderson get engaged to Joey Graziadei on The Bachelor, she told E! where they stand with the wedding planning process and discussed her Hallmark partnership. Kelsey Anderson and Joey Graziadei are ready to start focusing less on date cards and more on wedding invitations. “It’s so funny. Literally this…
Measles Outbreak in Children Grows in One of Texas’ Least Vaccinated Counties
Measles Outbreak in Children Grows in One of Texas’ Least Vaccinated Counties With hospitalizations and at least nine confirmed cases, health officials race to contain a growing outbreak in a community with low vaccination By Amy Maxmen & KFF Health News A dose of measles vaccine. Gaines County, Texas, has a growing measles outbreak and low vaccination…
Just a fluke: whale spits out kayaker in incident captured on camera
‘I thought I was dead,’ said the kayaker, who was let go by humpback off the Chilean coast after a few seconds A humpback whale briefly scooped a kayaker into its mouth off the Chilean Patagonia before quickly releasing him unharmed in an incident caught on camera. Last Saturday, Adrián Simancas was kayaking with his…
Bowen: Zelensky forced to face tough new reality after Trump-Putin phone call
America is under new management. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky is joining a growing list of US allies who are finding that the world according to Donald Trump is a colder, more uncertain and potentially more dangerous place for them. It must have been bad enough for Zelensky to hear Trump’s abrupt announcement that he had…
Unpacking Dakota Johnson & Jamie Dornan’s Fifty Shades Feud Rumors
It’s been 10 years since Fifty Shades of Grey graced the silver screen. From Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan’s offscreen dynamic to the stars that were almost cast, these secrets will shock you. In the decade since the phrase “fifty shades of f–ked up” entered the public lexicon, rumors surrounding Fifty Shades of Grey’s behind-the-scenes…
Pig-to-Human Organ Transplants Will Finally Begin Clinical Trials This Year
Animal-to-Human Organ Transplants Hit Long-Awaited Testing Milestone Up to 50 transplant patients will receive a genetically modified pig kidney in a clinical trial that will launch this summer By Tanya Lewis edited by Dean Visser Towana Looney, 53, received a gene-edited pig kidney transplant at NYU Langone Health in November, 2024. The FDA just approved the…
Unease grows at the CDC as Trump administration keeps grip on research, messaging
By Pien Huang , Will Stone The situation is far from normal at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, current and former CDC officials tell NPR, even as a clampdown on external communications is starting to ease. New layers of review from political appointees installed by the new Trump Administration remain in place amid…
Mexican president blasts US for harboring drug cartels
Claudia Sheinbaum gives riposte to Trump’s accusation of ‘intolerable alliance’ between Mexican government and gangs Mexico’s president has accused the US of harboring drug cartels and American citizens of working with organized crime groups in Mexico, in a riposte to Donald Trump’s allegation of an “intolerable alliance” between traffickers and her government. “There is also…
Toast, Trees and a Wassailing Queen: An Ancient English Ritual Is Back
England Dispatch The centuries-old tradition of wassailing is making a comeback in rural England, with rituals and revelry meant to chase away evil spirits and the winter blues. England Dispatch The centuries-old tradition of wassailing is making a comeback in rural England, with rituals and revelry meant to chase away evil spirits and the winter…
Travis Kelce, Patrick Mahomes’ Post-Super Bowl Conversation Revealed
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and quarterback Patrick Mahomes exchanged touching words after their devastating loss against the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX on Feb. 9. Ruling on the field stands: this exchange is very sweet. After the Kansas City Chiefs were defeated by Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles in the…
Scientists React to RFK, Jr.’s Confirmation as HHS Secretary
Scientists React to RFK, Jr.’s Confirmation as HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., has expressed support for some fields of science but has also declared he’d like a “break” in infectious-disease research. Here’s what he might do as the U.S.’s newly confirmed secretary of health and human services By Amanda Heidt, Heidi Ledford & Nature…
Climate crisis contributing to chocolate market meltdown, research finds
Scientists say more-frequent hotter temperatures in west African region are part of reason for reduced harvests and price rises The climate crisis drove weeks of high temperatures in the west African region responsible for about 70% of global cacao production, hitting harvests and probably causing further record chocolate prices, researchers have said. Farmers in the…
Zelensky says no peace deal without Ukraine involvement
Ukraine will not accept any peace deal agreed by the US and Russia without its involvement, President Volodymyr Zelensky has said, after Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin pledged to begin negotiations to end the war. Trump said there was a “good possibility” of ending the conflict after he and the Russian president held a “lengthy”…
Sweeping cuts hit recent federal hires as Trump administration slashes workforce
By Shannon Bond , Geoff Brumfiel , Andrea Hsu , Cory Turner Federal workers have begun receiving layoff notices as the Trump administration moves ahead with plans to drastically downsize the government. While the full scale of layoffs isn’t yet clear, the first round of cuts appeared to target employees who were recently hired and…
Sen. Ted Cruz’s list of ‘woke’ science includes self-driving cars and solar eclipses
By Jonathan Lambert There is nothing like being in the path of totality during a total solar eclipse. “For just a few minutes, it feels like the whole world stands still and yet everything changes,” says Corinne Brevik, a physicist at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. The sky darkens, stars come out as the blaze…
Warming Trend in U.S.-Russia Relations Leaves Ukraine in a Tough Spot
Trump Administration Trump’s recent moves, including a conversation with Putin and a demand for Ukrainian mineral rights, are worrisome signs for Zelensky. By Andrew E. Kramer Reporting from Kyiv, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine was already facing a daunting week as foreign officials gathered in Europe for talks about his country’s future. The Trump…
Beyoncé Shares Rare Destiny’s Child Reunion Pics
Beyoncé gave the Beyhive a look at her reunion with Destiny’s Child’s Michelle Williams and Kelly Rowland. Beyoncé reunited with her girls. Queen Bey treated her fans to a look at a rare Destiny’s Child reunion featuring her best friends Michelle Williams and Kelly Rowland. The “Say My Name” trio got together in honor of…
The Chancellor and her expenses before she became an MP
Rachel Reeves has had a difficult start to her ministerial career. As well as Labour’s new chancellor taking on the challenges of the UK economy, she has faced tricky questions about her past. They began with scrutiny of her online CV late last year. On the professional networking site LinkedIn, the Chancellor of the Exchequer…
Look for ‘Slow Flower’ Bouquets, Plants Grown without Health-Harming Chemicals Used in Overseas Operations
The Beauty of ‘Slow Flowers’ versus the Pretty Poison of Plants Grown with Dangerous Chemicals New “slow flower” farms grow beautiful blooms—without health-harming chemicals used by overseas operations that dominate the U.S. flower market By Maryn McKenna edited by Josh Fischman Dahlias bloom at the Maine Flower Collective, a group of local growers. On a…
Sudan says plan for first Russian naval base in Africa will go ahead
Two countries’ foreign ministers meet in Moscow and agree there are no obstacles to long-delayed plan A plan for Russia to establish its first naval base in Africa will go ahead, Sudan’s foreign minister has confirmed, after years of delays over the Red Sea military port. If the agreement is implemented, Russia would join the…
Reeves’s CV exaggerated time at Bank of England
Rachel Reeves’s online CV exaggerates how long she spent working at the Bank of England. The Chancellor left the financial institution nine months earlier than she states in her LinkedIn profile. This means she spent five and a half years working at the bank – including nearly a year studying – despite publicly claiming to…
Khloe Kardashian Punched Lamar Odom After Learning of His Drug Use
Khloe Kardashian said she punched ex Lamar Odom when she found out he went back to doing drugs after his 2015 overdose: “I shattered everything in that house.” Khloe Kardashian is done keeping up with her ex-husband Lamar Odom‘s secrets. In fact, the reality star had no problem confronting him over his past substance abuse…
New Mexico jury convicts former officer in fatal shooting of Black man at gas station
By The Associated Press SANTA FE, N.M. — A former police officer was found guilty Wednesday of voluntary manslaughter in the fatal shooting of a Black man during a 2022 confrontation at a New Mexico gas station. Las Cruces police Officer Brad Lunsford’s verdict in a jury trial is the latest outcome in cases that…
Sea Turtle Dance Reveals a Hidden Magnetic Ability
The Surprising Importance of This Adorable Sea Turtle Dance Sea turtles are capable of creating GPS-like magnetic maps to guide them back to foraging grounds, and they do a little dance when they recognize those spots By Jack Tamisiea edited by Andrea Thompson If you’re enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing.…
U.S. Is Releasing Russian Cybercriminal to Moscow, Officials Say
The release is part of a swap with the Kremlin that freed an American schoolteacher being held in a Russian prison. By Anton TroianovskiMaggie HabermanJulian E. Barnes and Jonathan Swan Anton Troianovski reported from Dubai and Maggie Haberman, Julian E. Barnes and Jonathan Swan reported from Washington, D.C. The Trump administration is preparing to release…
Ukraine war talks start now, Trump says after Putin call
US President Donald Trump has said he had a “lengthy and highly productive” phone call with Vladimir Putin on Wednesday in which the leaders agreed to begin negotiations to end the war in Ukraine. In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said he and the Russian president had “agreed to have our respective…
Modi Hopes a White House Visit Will Keep India Out of Trump’s Sights
Trump Tariffs India is acutely aware that trade and immigration issues are a potential double whammy. But it believes it can preserve growing ties. By Mujib Mashal Reporting from New Delhi As he prepared to go to Washington this week, India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, spoke of building on the warm relations he shared with…
ACLU and other advocates sue for access to migrants moved to Guantánamo Bay
Sacha Pfeiffer A coalition of immigrant rights and legal aid groups, led by the American Civil Liberties Union, has sued the Trump administration, demanding that migrants flown by the government to a U.S. detention facility in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, be given access to lawyers. Wednesday’s lawsuit says the Trump administration, after sending dozens of migrants…
HBO Shares Spellbinding Casting Update on Harry Potter TV Series
HBO shared a casting update for its Harry Potter TV series adaptation after rumors began swirling that John Lithgow was in final negotiations to play Dumbledore in the show, set to premiere in 2026. Accio Harry Potter cast details. HBO shared insight into the casting process of its highly anticipated Harry Potter TV adaptation after…
New Bird Flu Strain in Cows and Animal Infections Raise Concern for Human Exposure
The Latest on Bird Flu Strains and Sick Zoo Animals Scientists have reported a new strain of bird flu in Nevada dairy cattle. And viral spread in pet cats has fueled worries over increased risk of exposure to humans By Tanya Lewis edited by Lauren J. Young Join Our Community of Science Lovers! We’re covering…
Trump’s disdain for South American allies is China’s gain
The US is targeting its own allies and its withdrawal from the region has left a power vacuum for China to fill in While Donald Trump and his Colombian counterpart, Gustavo Petro, were engaged in a very public row over the deportation of migrants last month, China’s ambassador to Bogotá was enthusiastically tweeting that diplomatic…
Steve Rosenberg: Trump offers Putin a way back in from the cold
A single phone call will not magically end the war in Ukraine. Talks may now get under way. Exactly when and how they will conclude isn’t clear. But President Vladimir Putin has already scored something of a diplomatic victory simply by holding this telephone conversation. After all, three years ago he was out in the…
Teddi Mellencamp Has Multiple Brain Tumors, Will Undergo Surgery
Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum Teddi Mellencamp shared she’s having emergency surgery after doctors recently found multiple tumors in her brain. Teddi Mellencamp is facing another health scare. The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum shared she has been diagnosed with multiple brain tumors. “For the last several weeks I’ve been dealing with severe and…
Trump Gives EPA One Week to Decide on Abandoning Climate Pollution Regulation
Trump Gives EPA One Week to Decide on Abandoning Climate Pollution Regulation President Trump ordered EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin to decide by next week whether the agency could abandon its authority to regulate climate pollution under the Clean Air Act By Jean Chemnick & E&E News Steam rises from the coal-fired Miller Power Plant in…
The Fiercest Fighting of the Ukraine War May Be in Russia
Russian soldiers are locked in a fierce battle to reclaim all of the Kursk region from the Ukrainian Army. Both sides view control of Kursk as a crucial element in expected peace talks promised by President Trump. Many residents of the region were forced to flee. An estimated 2,000 to 3,000 Russian civilians remain. The…
Love rats: Canadians get chance to feed rodents named after old flames to owls
Program is meant to help the endangered northern spotted owl – and it’s only C$5! – but rat lovers are not amused Revenge, they say, is a dish best served cold. And for an endangered owl breeding program in Canada, it’s also a dish best served dead. For the price of a coffee, spurned and…
Canada and Mexico tariffs risk inflating US housing crisis, Trump is warned
Exclusive: Dozens of congressional Democrats urge president to reconsider threatened import duties on US’s two largest trading partners Pressing ahead with steep tariffs on Canada and Mexico risks exacerbating the US housing crisis and threatening the broader economy, dozens of congressional Democrats have warned Donald Trump. The US president, after threatening to hit imports from…
Modi and Trump’s rapport may be tested as Indian prime minister visits Washington
By The Associated Press NEW DELHI — Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s longstanding bonhomie with President Donald Trump could be tested as the Indian leader kicks off a visit to Washington on Wednesday, eager to avoid tariffs that have been slapped on others and threats of further taxes and imports. India, a key strategic partner of…
Penguins Help to Map Antarctica’s Growing Mercury Threat
Penguins Help to Map Antarctica’s Growing Mercury Threat Molted penguin feathers record mercury infiltrating Antarctica’s food web By Gayoung Lee edited by Sarah Lewin Frasier Gentoo penguins have a wide geographic range, making them good targets for follow-up research. Join Our Community of Science Lovers! When Philip Sontag first visited Antarctica as a Ph.D. student,…
Super Bowl: Jason Kelce Reacts to Claim He Didn’t Support Travis Kelce
Jason Kelce was overcome with emotion as he recalled the backlash he received from fans who believed he was cheering against his brother Travis Kelce during the Super Bowl. Jason Kelce has nothing but brotherly love for Travis Kelce. The They Call It Late Night host became emotional as he made it clear that he…
In Trump’s Cross Hairs Over Taking Gazans, Egypt and Jordan Try Diversion
Trump Administration The U.S. president has repeatedly asked the two Mideast allies to take in two million Palestinians from Gaza. Both Egypt and Jordan have been trying to offer Mr. Trump help in other ways. By Vivian Yee and Alissa J. Rubin Finding themselves in the fickle cross hairs of President Trump, Jordan and Egypt…
How I exposed MI5’s lie about its violent abusive agent
Spies lie, but they are not meant to get caught. On a wet Friday evening in December, three MI5 lawyers sat in a room at the BBC’s headquarters in London. On the other side of the table were the BBC’s lawyers and me. No MI5 officers were present, after we refused a request for the…
Arrests of US citizens for cartel-related crimes in Mexico soared under Amlo
Sixfold rise from days of Peña Nieto suggests Americans have increasingly become pawns for drug gangs, study finds The number of Americans arrested in Mexico for offenses related to organized crime increased by 457% – or nearly sixfold – during the 2018-24 presidency of Andrés Manuel López Obrador compared with his predecessor, according to a…
Tom Brady Jokes About Bill Belichick and Girlfriend Jordon Hudson
Tom Brady reacted to a question about former NFL coach Bill Belichick’s relationship with 24-year-old Jordon Hudson, which hinted at the six-time Super Bowl-winner’s 48-year age gap. Tom Brady needs to call a timeout. The seven-time Super Bowl champ—who served as a commentator during the big game Feb. 9 between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas…
Venezuelan Migrant Sent to Guantánamo Bay Is ‘Not a Criminal,’ Family Pleads
Luis Alberto Castillo arrived in the United States so that he could “give everything to his son,” said his sister. Then, while scrolling on TikTok, she found out he was headed to Guantánamo. Luis Alberto CastilloYajaira Castillo By Julie Turkewitz and Hamed Aleaziz Julie Turkewitz reported from Bogotá, Colombia, and Hamed Aleaziz from Washington. Luis…