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 […]
Canada intercepts people trying to cross border in ‘incredibly cold’ conditions
Nine Venezuelans including children found by police in Alberta with a second group apprehended in Manitoba More than a dozen people have been caught making the hazardous crossing into Canada, renewing focus on the closely watched – and seasonally perilous – border with the United States. Police in Alberta this week intercepted two groups attempting…
To Find Life on Mars, Make Microbes Wiggle
To Find Life on Mars, Make Microbes Wiggle Could tiny swimming microbes help us unlock the mysteries of extraterrestrial life? By Gayoung Lee edited by Lee Billings A color-enhanced microscopic view of Bacillus subtilis bacteria, rod-shaped extremophile microbes commonly found in soil and in the guts of cows and humans. The latest advance in the…
Why Fans Believe Taylor Swift Manifested a Chiefs Super Bowl 3-Peat
As Travis Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs prepare to take on the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX, Taylor Swift’s fans are sharing theories for why the singer has already manifested a win. Taylor Swift has laid the groundwork for Super Bowl LIX—at least, the Swifties think so. As the Kansas City Chiefs prepare…
How Patrick Mahomes Scored the Perfect Teammate in Wife Brittany
In high school Brittany Mahomes cheered on star QB Patrick Mahomes. A decade later, little has changed for the Kansas City duo except their empire and family, having just welcomed their third baby. Fair to say that Patrick Mahomes has always gone for the big plays. Years before the quarterback—who announced he and wife Brittany Mahomes…
Mexico authorities order factory cleanup after Guardian toxic waste investigation
Inquiry uncovered health problems in neighborhood near Monterrey-area plant that processes US hazardous waste Mexican environmental regulators say they have discovered 30,000 tons of improperly stored material with “hazardous characteristics” in the yard of a Mexican plant that is recycling toxic waste shipped from the US. The authorities ordered “urgent measures” to get the materials…
Parents suing TikTok over children’s deaths say it ‘has no compassion’
The four British families suing TikTok for the alleged wrongful deaths of their children have accused the tech giant of having “no compassion”. In an exclusive group interview for BBC One’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, the parents said they were taking the company to court to try to find out the truth about what happened…
Hamas Makes Gaunt Israeli Hostages Thank Captors Before Release
Middle East Tensions The scenes at the latest hostage release in Gaza angered Israelis and created even more uncertainty surrounding the next steps in a phased cease-fire deal. By Aaron Boxerman and Fatima AbdulKarim Aaron Boxerman reported from Jerusalem, and Fatima AbdulKarim from Ramallah, West Bank. Hamas released three Israeli hostages on Saturday in exchange…
It’s not all fur and games. Here’s how the Puppy Bowl works
Emma Bowman Once a year, on a Sunday in winter, millions tune in to watch two teams roam the field as they bark, tumble and pant. At any moment, a new scent could tempt a player away from the end zone. We’re talking about the Puppy Bowl, of course. For two decades, the popular alternative…
Trump’s DEI Purge Comes at a Cost to Indigenous Communities
Trump’s DEI Purge Comes at a Cost to Indigenous Communities President Donald Trump’s purge of diversity initiatives has affected both federal agencies and the institutions they fund, including those that work with Indigenous communities By Chelsea Harvey & E&E News U.S. President Donald Trump speaks while signing executive orders in the Oval Office of the…
Post Malone Shares Insight Into Life with 2-Year-Old Daughter
Ahead of his Super Bowl 2025 tailgate performance, Post Malone gave E! News a rare look into his life as a dad to his 2-year-old daughter. With updates like this, we’re happy to be stuck in an endless February. Though Post Malone has kept his private life, well, private, the “Circles” rapper recently gave rare…
How Trump’s Tariff Threats Tore the U.S.-Canada Bond
Trump Administration Patriotic sentiment is bursting in Canada after President Trump’s threat to apply hefty tariffs and even annex the country. The damage to the two nations’ relationship could be lasting. By Matina Stevis-Gridneff and Ian Austen Matina Stevis-Gridneff reported from Toronto, and Ian Austen from Windsor, Ontario. Booing during “The Star-Spangled Banner” at sports…
Rwandan and Congolese leaders join summit on eastern DRC conflict
Leaders from across Africa call for immediate ceasefire at cross-party summit in Tanzania A summit of regional leaders has called for an immediate unconditional ceasefire within five days in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Rwandan president, Paul Kagame, and the president of the DRC, Felix Tshisekedi, joined a summit in Tanzania on Saturday,…
How Can We Know If an Asteroid Will Hit Earth?
The UniverseFridays How Can We Know If an Asteroid Will Hit Earth? “Keep your eye on the ball” is a motto for many athletes—and for astronomers trying to find Earth-threatening space rocks By Phil Plait edited by Lee Billings A not-to-scale illustration of an asteroid’s orbital path crossing the orbit of Earth around the sun.…
Buffy Sainte-Marie stripped of prestigious Canadian honor
Chloe Veltman The Canadian government has stripped Buffy Sainte-Marie of one of the country’s highest honors, after a 2023 news report found she had fabricated claims of Indigenous ancestry. The Oscar-winning singer’s Order of Canada termination was publicly shared on Saturday in the Canadian government’s official online publication, the Canada Gazette. Canada’s governor general, Mary…
4 things you didn’t know elephants do for you
Editor’s note: On April 18, 2018, Conservation International released its virtual reality film, “My Africa.” The film tells the story of a young Samburu woman in Kenya whose community is working to save elephants, reknitting an ancient coexistence between people and wildlife. In honor of this film, Conservation News is telling stories about the people,…
How one ocean voyager uses tradition to connect to the future
Voyagers in Samoa tap into their cultures’ traditions to connect with the ocean. The preferred means of travel? The Va’a (pronounce “vaka”), a canoe traditionally used by the Polynesians to travel across the Pacific Ocean. The Va’a is not just a means of transportation — it’s a way to connect with other cultures while learning to…
River near Buenos Aires turns bright red after suspected industrial dye leak
Residents living near the Sarandí have long complained about pollution in the area A small river in greater Buenos Aires was dyed a deep and worrying shade of red on Thursday after what is thought to have been a leak of dye from a nearby factory. The violent hue of the Sarandí, which runs through…
Trump and Musk Bring Vast Aid Machinery to a Halt in Africa
Trump Administration The collapse of U.S.A.I.D. at the hands of President Trump and Elon Musk is already leaving gaping holes in vital health care and other services that millions of Africans rely on for their survival. By Declan Walsh Reporting from Nairobi, Kenya For decades, sub-Saharan Africa was a singular focus of American foreign aid.…
Untangling Harrison Butker’s Graduation Speech Controversy
Before Harrison Butker’s Kansas City Chiefs secured a spot in the Super Bowl, the NFL kicker faced backlash for his graduation speech at Benedictine College. Here were his most polarizing comments. Not all of Harrison Butker‘s moves have been total winners. Before his Kansas City Chiefs team secured their spot in the 2025 Super Bowl,…
The US Is Not Ready for Bird Flu in Humans
Opinion Cross CurrentsFridays The U.S. Is Not Ready for Bird Flu in Humans Bird flu is infecting more people than we think. We need to stop it now before a new pandemic begins By Megha Satyanarayana edited by Dan Vergano Keep in touch with Cross Current: Get email alerts for this weekly column by Megha…
Russell Vought takes the helm at CFPB as Musk’s DOGE accesses key systems
Laurel Wamsley Russell Vought, an architect of Project 2025 and the new director at the Office of Management and Budget, is now also the acting leader of the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau, according to a source familiar with the situation. The source requested anonymity out of fear of retribution. Senior executives at CFPB, the federal…
Hostage’s British family express joy at his release but concern over gaunt appearance
The British family of an Israeli hostage freed from Gaza on Saturday have described a “pendulum of emotions” as he was released 16 months after his capture. Eli Sharabi’s brother-in-law Steve Brisley, who lives in Bridgend, Wales, expressed joy at his release, but voiced concerns over Mr Sharabi’s gaunt appearance and whether he knew his…
Expert: Rollbacks of environmental protections imperil nature — and human health
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, countries around the world have been shrinking or eliminating areas set aside to protect nature — some to drill for fossil fuels, others for urban development. Yet the environmental rollbacks that some governments claim could help humanity recover economically from the coronavirus could put humanity more at risk of future…
How to talk to kids about climate change
Editor’s note: Conservation International climate expert Shyla Raghav recently joined a group of children on an episode of the National Children Museum’s podcast, “STEAM Daydream,” to explore climate science. In a new post, Raghav shares advice to help parents educate their children about climate change. As climate breakdown accelerates, it is crucial for children to…
5 experts share how hope fuels their work
Yes, it’s easy to feel despondent. The planet is overheating and nature is declining at unprecedented rates. But environmental chaos is not inevitable. And doom and gloom never did any good. Increasingly, thought leaders are urging optimism — and a clear-eyed focus on solutions that are well within reach. Around the world, people are working to confront climate…
News spotlight: Fossil fuels behind extreme ocean temperatures, study says
For 450 straight days in 2023 and 2024, ocean temperatures hit record highs. According to a new study, the world’s oceans are warming four times faster than they were in the late 1980s, and the burning of fossil fuels is behind the dramatic acceleration, Danielle Bochove reported for Bloomberg. “With climate change, it’s the oceans…
For this scientist, the ‘real work’ is in listening
When presented with a choice, she always chose the adventure. But as an intern just out of graduate school, she found herself on a Caribbean island, facing down a group of angry fishermen who called her “the devil.” Speaking to Conservation News, Wear talked about the highs and lows of her career working to protect…
Now reading: Harrison Ford Is Still Full of Surprises
Harrison Ford is, by all accounts, busier than ever. “I’m acting my ass off!” the Hollywood veteran told John Jurgenson of the Wall Street Journal, in a profile published Wednesday. In two recent hit shows and a new Marvel movie, the 82-year-old actor has embraced parts that have surprised fans and critics. But there’s one…
US-Panama relationship was ‘very strong’. Then Trump upended the diplomatic playing board
When Panama’s then president Juan Carlos Varela was invited to the White House in June 2017, Donald Trump said the Panama canal was doing “pretty well” and described the bilateral relationship as “very strong”. Just days earlier, Varela had broken ties with Taiwan to establish diplomatic relations with China, but there was no indication that…
Trump’s executive actions are getting challenged as ‘arbitrary.’ What does that mean?
By Christina Gatti President Trump has signed a number of executive actions since taking office, taking aim at everything from immigration and the size of the federal workforce to gender politics and the economy. Before the ink had dried, challengers took legal action to block many of these actions from taking effect. Less than three…
Lourdes Leon and More Stars Who Freed the Nipple at Fashion Week 2025
Madonna’s daughter Lourdes Leon and the Clermont twins were among the stars at Fashion Week 2025 who went braless for the stylish occasion. Winter fashion week can certainly get a bit nippy. While some stars bundled up in chic tights, scarves and coats, other celebrities opted to bare it all out, going braless for some…
Mathematical Symbols’ Wild History Explained
The Wild and Contentious History of Mathematical Symbols A mathematician has uncovered the stories behind the symbols used in math By Max Springer edited by Clara Moskowitz War in Europe is a staple topic in the study of history, but there’s one major conflict most history books won’t teach you—the battle of the equals sign,…
Hamas names next hostages to be freed in exchange for Palestinian prisoners
Hamas has released the names of the next hostages to be freed on Saturday in the Gaza Strip in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. They are male civilians Eli Sharabi, Ohad Ben Ami and Or Levy. So far, 18 hostages have been freed since the ceasefire began on 19 January with Israel in…
Trump plans to name himself chair of Kennedy Center, fire board members
Mandalit del Barco President Trump says he is taking over leadership of the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts. He declared himself chairman of Washington D.C.’s long-celebrated cultural institution on Friday. In doing so, he’ll replace billionaire philanthropist David Rubenstein, an ally of former President Joe Biden who was set to chair until 2026.…
Hailee Steinfeld Has Game-Winning Reaction to Josh Allen’s MVP Award
Hailee Steinfeld shouted out fiancé Josh Allen after the Buffalo Bills quarterback was named AP NFL Most Valuable Player at the NFL Honors ahead of the 2025 Super Bowl. Hailee Steinfeld is shining a flashlight on Josh Allen‘s wins. The Pitch Perfect actress couldn’t contain her glee after her fiancé was named AP NFL Most Valuable Player…
Trump Orders Halt to Aid to South Africa, Claiming Mistreatment of White Landowners
Trump Administration The president ordered that all foreign assistance to South Africa be halted and said his administration would prioritize the resettling of white “Afrikaner refugees” into the United States. By Michael D. Shear and John Eligon Michael D. Shear reported from Washington, and John Eligon from Johannesburg. President Trump on Friday ordered that all…
Why This AI Gazes into Goat Faces
Why This AI Gazes into Goat Faces AI-based systems can help identify livestock’s early signs of distress By Lucy Tu edited by Sarah Lewin Frasier Join Our Community of Science Lovers! The patient grumbled and grimaced, but he refused to speak to his doctor. The patient was a goat. Recognizing animal pain is notoriously difficult.…
Trudeau says Trump is serious about wanting to annex Canada
Prime minister says US president covets northern neighbour’s vast resources as Canadians rally against threat Donald Trump’s recent fixation on absorbing Canada is “a real thing”, Justin Trudeau has told business leaders, warning that the US president wants access to his northern neighbour’s vast supply of critical minerals. The outgoing prime minister was in Toronto…
Trump’s Gaza Plan Complicates Hoped-for Saudi-Israeli Deal
Trump Administration President Trump wants to broker normal ties between Saudi Arabia and Israel, but his proposal to transfer Palestinians out of Gaza just made that a lot harder. By Ismaeel NaarVivian Yee and Toqa Ezzedin Reporting from Dubai, United Arab Emirates President Trump touted the 2020 Abraham Accords that established formal ties between Israel…
Judge pauses Trump plan to put thousands of USAID staff on leave
A federal court has issued a “very limited” temporary order halting President Donald Trump’s plan to gut the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The judge issued a restraining order that would block 2,200 employees from being put on administrative leave as was scheduled by midnight Friday. USAID employs about 10,000 people – two-thirds…
Trump Halts Funding to Build More Electric Vehicle Chargers Nationwide
Trump Halts Funding to Build More Electric Vehicle Chargers Nationwide The Trump administration has halted funding for a $5-billion program that Congress created to help states build out their electric vehicle charging network By Mike Lee & E&E News An electric vehicle at an Electrify America charging station in Atlanta, Ga. CLIMATEWIRE | The Trump…
Sudanese military reports sweeping gains in battle for capital
Army making rapid advances across the country and closing in on RSF-held Republican Palace in Khartoum Sudan’s brutal civil war appears to be approaching a decisive phase as the country’s military reported sweeping gains in the symbolic battle for the capital. As a ruinous conflict, often characterised by bloody stalemate, nears its two-year anniversary, the…
Trump Executive Orders Create Confusion for Science and Health Agencies
Funding Freeze and Communications Hold Create Confusion for U.S. Researchers Researchers in the U.S. are grappling with Trump administration executive orders around health and science agency funding and communications. By Rachel Feltman, Max Kozlov, Lauren J. Young, Fonda Mwangi & Madison Goldberg [CLIP: Theme music] Rachel Feltman: For Scientific American’s Science Quickly, I’m Rachel Feltman.…
U.S. importers prosecco panic
Ruth Sherlock ROME, Italy—President Donald Trump’s threats to impose new tariffs on European goods has caused Americans to suddenly stockpile their favorite Italian wines – especially the sparkling wine, prosecco. US imports of Italian wine – 90% of that Prosecco – skyrocketed by 41% in November following Trump’s election, according to the Union of Italian…
‘A crying need’: Goma hospitals plead for blood donors after M23 assault
Facilities overwhelmed by wounded people and unable to get supplies in or transport patients out Patients with gunshot and shrapnel wounds have crammed into overwhelmed hospitals in Goma in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, many with serious injuries and in need of blood, after M23 rebels backed by Rwanda marched into the city. At…
Stephen “tWitch” Boss’ Family Reacts to Allison Holker’s Memoir
Stephen “tWitch” Boss’ mother Connie Boss Alexander and younger brother, Dre Rose shared their thoughts on Allison Holker’s memoir in first interview since his 2022 death. Stephen “tWitch” Boss’ family is looking for answers. The late Ellen DeGeneres Show alum’s mother Connie Boss Alexander and younger brother Dre Rose alleged they were blindsided by how…
Grenfell Tower to be taken down, government confirms
Grenfell Tower will be taken down, the government has confirmed nearly eight years after a fire that killed 72 people. The process is expected to take around two years and will be done “sensitively”, with no changes to the building before the eighth anniversary of the disaster in June, the government said. The plan has…
Europe’s Trump Playbook: Offer Carrots but Warn That You Have a Big Stick
Trump Administration The European Union’s so-called Trump task force spent 2024 preparing for a possible trade dispute. Specifics are secret, but guiding principles are becoming clear. By Jeanna Smialek Jeanna Smialek reported from Brussels, London and Washington. The European Union spent last year drawing up secret plans for what the bloc would do if President…
U.S. education policy is at a crossroads. This congressional hearing shows why
Cory Turner The White House wants to close the U.S. Department of Education, and has placed dozens of employees on paid leave with little explanation. Its plan, which it confirmed to NPR, is to quickly shutter programs that are not protected by law and to call on Congress to do the rest. President Donald Trump…
Authoritarian regimes around the world cheer on dismantling of USAid
Elon Musk-led razing of US foreign aid agency led strong-arm rulers in Hungary, Belarus and elsewhere to celebrate Moscow has welcomed the impending dissolution of USAid, joining a chorus of strongman leaders declaring victory over an organisation they have long portrayed as a vehicle of American political interference. Russia’s foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova on…
To Keep Aid Coming, Ukraine Appeals to Trump Allies: Conservative Christians
Russia-Ukraine War A Ukrainian delegation to the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington will make the case that Russia threatens the religious freedom of Christians who don’t follow the Russian Orthodox Church. By Andrew E. Kramer and Lara Jakes Andrew E. Kramer reported from Kyiv and Lara Jakes from Rome. Ukraine is sending its largest-ever delegation…
Frost Yourself With These How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days Secrets
You’re so vain you probably didn’t realize that Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson’s iconic rom-com How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days premiered 22 years ago. Frost yourself with secrets from the director. You’re so vain, you probably think this article is for you—and if you’re a fan of How to Lose a Guy…
Who Discovered the Cause of Down Syndrome?
Who Discovered the Cause of Down Syndrome? It took more than 50 years for Marthe Gautier to set the record straight about her discovery of the genetic cause of Down syndrome By Lorena Galliot, Sophie McNulty & The Lost Women of Science Initiative In the mid-1950s Marthe Gautier, a young French doctor and cytogenetics researcher,…
‘His hands were everywhere’ – women accuse surviving Fayed brother of sexual assault
Three former Harrods employees have accused Mohamed Al Fayed’s only surviving brother of sexually assaulting them while they were working for the department store. Speaking publicly for the first time, the women say Ali Fayed, 82, assaulted them in the 1990s when he and his brothers, Mohamed and Salah, owned and ran Harrods. A spokesperson…
Senate Democrats call for answers on health communications freeze and funding delays
Carmel Wroth In a letter sent Wednesday night to Acting Secretary of Health and Human Services Dorothy Fink, a group of 34 Democratic senators called for the federal health agency to end its freeze on “external communications and funding.” “We write to express our deep concern over the Administration’s recent decision to freeze external communications…
US should support World Bank and IMF – Bank of England boss
The Governor of the Bank of England has urged continued US support for two major global economic institutions. Andrew Bailey told the BBC he was “following extremely closely” whether the Trump administration will change its support for the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. Sources in Washington said the two institutions were caught…
Teen Mom’s Amber Portwood Says She’s “F–ked Up” From Gary Wayt Split
Months after Amber Portwood’s then-fiancé Gary Wayt disappeared, then ended their engagement, the Teen Mom star is still reeling, sharing in the series’ Feb. 6 episode, “I’m more than heartbroken.” Love hurts, love scars. And, as Teen Mom‘s Amber Portwood discovered, love wounds and marks. Months after her then-fiancé Gary Wayt went missing following her…
Trump’s Gaza Plan Has Many Pitfalls, Hamas Among the Biggest
Trump Administration News Analysis President Trump’s proposal to “own” Gaza and transfer its population elsewhere has stirred condemnation and sarcasm, but it is an opening bid and could disrupt a tired diplomatic paradigm. By Steven Erlanger Steven Erlanger has written about the Middle East and diplomacy for many years. President Trump took the world aback…
Whale Songs Follow Basic Human Language Rules
Whale Songs Obey Basic Rules of Human Languages Humpback whales learn their haunting melodies in much the same way humans learn words By Cody Cottier edited by Andrea Thompson John Natoli/Getty Images For all the world’s linguistic diversity, human languages still obey some universal patterns. These run even deeper than grammar and syntax; they’re rooted…
‘Worst nightmare’: Egypt and Jordan put in impossible bind by Trump Gaza plan
Though heavily dependent on US aid, Amman and Cairo face political calamity at home should they comply International outrage in recent days has focused on Donald Trump’s proposal that the US take “ownership” of Gaza, and that more than two million Palestinians be displaced to allow the territory to be transformed from “a demolition site”…