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 […]
Jury selection in Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs sex trafficking trial begins today
Isabella Gomez Sarmiento Jury selection for the trial of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs will begin in New York City today. The media mogul, who’s been in custody since his arrest last September, faces criminal charges for sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy and transporting to engage in prostitution. Combs has pleaded not guilty on all charges. The selection […]
Mysterious Glowing Structure Discovered Near Solar System
Giant, Glowing Gas Cloud Discovered Just 300 Light-Years Away An enormous glowing cloud that contains approximately 3,400 solar masses worth of gas has been discovered near the solar system By Keith Cooper & SPACE.com A crescent-shaped gas cloud has been spotted on the edge of the so-called Local Bubble, shown here in this artist’s illustration […]
Taylor Swift Supports Travis Kelce in Style at AFC Championship Game
Taylor Swift made her return to the suites inside Arrowhead Stadium to watch Travis Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs face off against the Buffalo Bills for a chance to clinch a spot in the Super Bowl. Taylor Swift isn’t missing a chance to cheer on her guy on the Chiefs. The Grammy winner returned…
Israeli troops fire on displaced Palestinians hoping to return to homes, killing 2
By Willem Marx Israeli troops have blocked thousands of displaced Palestinians from traveling back to their homes in the northern parts of the Gaza Strip, amid Israeli accusations that Hamas had breached the ceasefire deal by delaying the release of specific hostages. Israeli soldiers fired on the large crowds of Gaza residents hoping to return…
Jamaican city gripped by violence after police shooting of gang boss
Spanish Town brought to standstill amid gunfire on streets after police kill Othneil ‘Thickman’ Lobban Schools and businesses in a Jamaican city have been closed and taxis and buses stopped running after the police shooting of a powerful gang boss prompted a violent backlash. Gunfire echoed throughout Spanish Town on Thursday and at least one…
Tension and defiance in Panama after Trump threatens to ‘take back’ canal
Diplomatic frenzy and rattled nerves in republic as officials and former president reject US president’s comments From a modern control room high above the canal expansion – overlooking the Cocolí locks, then lakes, rainforest canopy and, eventually, the Atlantic ocean – it barely registers that the era of gunboat diplomacy is returning to the Panama…
Remembering the Lives Lost in the Devastating Kobe Bryant Crash
Not even four weeks into January, we were hit with the news we all assumed would be among the worst we’d hear in 2020. And even after more than a year of loss and grief, isolation and anxiety, the events of Jan. 26, 2020, still feel overwhelmingly heartbreaking. The devastation came in waves on that Sunday morning 24 months…
Are Saturn’s Rings Vanishing? That Depends on Your Point of View
The UniverseFridays Saturn’s Rings Are Disappearing—But They’ll Be Back This year, from Earth’s perspective, Saturn’s rings will appear nearly edge on, making them almost invisible By Phil Plait edited by Lee Billings Saturn’s rings, imaged here by NASA’s Cassini orbiter, are one of the solar system’s most reliably spectacular sights. But sometimes they seem to…
Chancellor hints at support for third runway at Heathrow
The chancellor has hinted the government would support a third runway at Heathrow Airport, saying “sustainable aviation and economic growth go hand in hand”. Rachel Reeves told the BBC she would not comment on “speculation” and the government would set out its plans in due course. However, she said a third runway at Heathrow “will…
How did the newt cross the road? With the help of the Chileno Valley Newt Brigade!
By Stephanie O’Neill Snout to tail, they’re about six inches long, a rich reddish brown on top with a bright orange underbelly. “They have cute little eyes that kind of bug out. They kind of look like a cartoon character,” Gale says. But they’re very slow movers and for this otherwise healthy population of newts…
A Storm, a Spill and a Disaster for the Black Sea’s Beaches
Vast stretches of Russian coast have been tarred by heavy fuel oil from two freighters that foundered in a storm. By Nataliya Vasilyeva Reporting from Istanbul When a 28-year-old volunteer named Nikolai stepped onto a sandy beach on Russia’s Black Sea coast in a hazmat suit just before New Year’s Eve, he was so overwhelmed…
International peacekeepers killed as fighting rages around eastern Congo’s key city
By The Associated Press GOMA, Congo — Fighting with M23 rebels in eastern Congo has left at least 13 peacekeepers and foreign soldiers dead, United Nations and army officials said Saturday. M23 has made significant territorial gains in recent weeks, encircling the eastern city of Goma, which has around 2 million people and is a…
Inside Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi’s Quiet New Life in England
Two years after her talk show ended, Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi moved to the U.K. for a much-needed change of scene. Here’s how the longtime couple are settling into their new home. Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi sightings are already a regular occurrence in the village they now call home. Last year,…
Dozens killed in hospital attack in Sudan’s besieged El Fasher, says WHO
About 70 people, including patients, believed to have been killed in attack blamed on rebel Rapid Support Forces About 70 people have been killed in an attack on the only functional hospital in the besieged city of El Fasher in Sudan, the head of the World Health Organization said on Sunday, the latest in a…
The Health Effects of FDA-Authorized ZYN Nicotine Pouches
What’s in ZYN, the FDA-Authorized Nicotine Pouch? Is It Harmful? ZYN, the popular brand of flavored nicotine pouches, recently earned FDA authorization for reducing smoking, but some questions linger. Experts explain the efficacy and potential health risks of nicotine pouches By Lauren J. Young edited by Dean Visser ZYN smokeless nicotine pouch containers for sale…
India, a Big Source of Illegal Migration, Hopes to Navigate the Trump Storm
Trump Administration Trump Administration Trump Administration Fear and uncertainty are rippling through India, which sends more undocumented migrants to the United States than any other country outside Latin America. A temple in the Mehsana district of the Indian state of Gujarat that was built with funding from villagers living abroad, including in the United States.…
Trump says Keir Starmer doing ‘very good job’
US President Donald Trump has said Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has done a “very good job thus far” and that the pair have a “very good relationship”. Asked by the BBC on board Air Force One about his relationship with Sir Keir, Trump added that they would be having a call “over the next…
Dave Franco Reacts to Luigi Mangione Comparisons
Dave Franco shared his thoughts about the comparisons that have been made between his physical appearance and Luigi Mangione’s…notably by his own friends. After a shocking murder that captivated the nation, Dave Franco started receiving texts saying the same thing about him. His of his friends and acquaintances jokingly informed him he looks like Luigi…
Palestinians’ return on hold as Israel accuses Hamas of breaching truce deal
Thousands of displaced Palestinians have been prevented from returning to their homes in the north of the Gaza Strip, after Israel blocked a main road, accusing Hamas of breaching the terms of the ceasefire deal. The dispute came after Hamas released four Israeli female soldiers – and Israel freed 200 Palestinian prisoners. But the Israeli…
Los Angeles Fires Delay Release of New Fire Risk Maps
Los Angeles Fires Delay Release of New Fire Risk Maps Climate disasters such as the recent Los Angeles–area fires are making it harder to prepare for more climate disasters By Camille von Kaenel & E&E News In this long exposure photo, fire smolders on a hillside during the Lilac fire in unincorporated San Diego County,…
Myanmar Rebels Are Opening Colleges
By Richard C. Paddock Richard C. Paddock reported from Myanmar many times in the years before the country’s 2021 military coup. The medical student was showering near his dormitory in the jungles of eastern Myanmar when he heard military jets flying overhead. Wearing only undershorts, he raced to a bomb shelter. But there, he faced…
At least six people seriously injured on flight from Nigeria to Washington DC
Nigerian officials say a Boeing 787-800 belonging to United Airlines was forced to make an emergency return last Friday Multiple people were injured on a United Airlines flight heading from Lagos, Nigeria, to Washington DC last week. In a statement released on Friday, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria said that a Boeing 787-800 belonging…
Exclusive: White House in talks to have Oracle and U.S. investors take over TikTok
Bobby Allyn The Trump administration is working on a plan to save TikTok that involves tapping software company Oracle and a group of outside investors to effectively take control of the app’s global operations, according to two people with direct knowledge of the talks. Under the deal now being negotiated by the White House, TikTok’s…
Trump Cancels Science Reviews at NIH, World’s Largest Public Biomedical Research Funder
Trump Abruptly Cancels Crucial Science Reviews at NIH, World’s Largest Public Funder of Biomedical Research President Trump has placed an indefinite suspension on research grant reviews and travel at the National Institutes of Health and appears to have erased diversity programming pages at the agency’s website By Max Kozlov & Nature magazine A vaccine research…
‘My beauty, you’re home’: Israeli women soldiers reunited with families
Nineteen-year-old Liri Albag rushes into her parents’ arms, igniting screams of joy. “My beauty. You’re a hero. You’re home. That’s it,” her mother says as the three laugh and cry together. The moment, filmed by the Israeli military, was the first time the family had seen each other in more than 15 months. Liri was…
Sutton Foster Supports Hugh Jackman at Opening of His New Show
Sutton Foster was photographed at the opening night of Hugh Jackman’s new concert residency in New York City, weeks after the two confirmed their romance. Weeks after she and Hugh Jackman went public with their relationship, Sutton Foster showed support for her music man on a special day. The fellow Broadway star was photographed at…
Scientists point to Andes potato pathogen as origin of Irish famine
Researchers say study may help global efforts in controlling disease that still destroys crops today It was a disaster that killed about 1 million people, devastating 19th century Ireland, but while the potato disease linked to the Irish famine is well known, a battle has raged over where it originated. Scientists have long been divided…
Israel Welcomes the Return of the Women Who Warned of a Raid From Gaza
Middle East Middle East Middle East Young female “spotters” for Israel’s army reported suspicious activity across the border. When Hamas attacked, 15 were killed and seven abducted. Four came home on Saturday. By Isabel Kershner Reporting from Jerusalem The Israeli Army lookouts were monitoring Hamas in Gaza across a security fence from a base in…
Joints Are the Ultimate Flex
Opinion Joints Are the Ultimate Flex The evolution of joints is how we went from blobs to badasses By Bethany Brookshire Middle age is when you get to know your joints. I have spent the last few years learning that my many youthful party tricks—popping shoulders out of their sockets on a whim, bending elbows…
Once off-limits to Syrians, Assad’s former summer residence now attracts tourists
Hadeel Al-Shalchi QARDAHA, LATAKIA, Syria — There is a long, winding road leading to what was once the family home of ousted Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad just outside Latakia on Syria’s Mediterranean coast. On either side of the road in the village of Burj al-Islam, there are lush orange trees and olive trees. The quiet…
Gunfire and Bandits Make School an Impossible Dream for Haitian Children
Turmoil in Haiti Turmoil in Haiti Turmoil in Haiti Some school buildings are in gang-occupied territory or have become de facto shelters for those forced from their homes, leaving hundreds of thousands with no chance for formal learning. Some school buildings are in gang-occupied territory or have become de facto shelters for those forced from…
RSVP Yes to These Secrets About The Wedding Planner
All these years later, we still have one question: Who plans the wedding planner’s wedding? Because while Mary knew more than anybody about throwing the nuptials of her clients’ dreams, was she ever really able to enjoy her own big day and not sweat all the little details herself?! Anyway… The Wedding Planner waltzed into…
Rwandan army ‘ready to invade DRC’ and help rebels seize city
Intelligence sources suggest battle for Congolese regional capital Goma is imminent before UN crisis talks on Monday Large numbers of troops from Rwanda have been pouring across the border into the Democratic Republic of the Congo to help rebels seize the regional capital of Goma before an emergency UN meeting about the crisis takes place…
American underdog Keys stuns Sabalenka in Grand Slam final
This video can not be played Underdog Keys beats Sabalenka to win Australian Open American underdog Madison Keys finally got her hands on a Grand Slam trophy after holding off defending champion Aryna Sabalenka to win the Australian Open women’s title. Keys, playing her second major final and first for more than seven years, overcame…
Nail-biting finale brings The Traitors to dramatic end
Warning: This article reveals the outcome of The Traitors. The third series of The Traitors has been won after a nail-biting conclusion. The finale saw faithfuls Francesca Rowan-Plowden, Alexander Dragonetti, Leanne Quigley and Jake Brown go up against traitor Charlotte Berman. After weeks of challenges, murders, roundtables and banishments, the final prize fund stood at…
How Reality TV Helps Explain Trump’s Success
Opinion How Reality TV Helps Explain Trump’s Success What makes reality shows so popular also helps explain why Donald Trump is so popular By Maxim Voronov, Madeline Toubiana & Trish Ruebottom edited by Megha Satyanarayana In May 2024 a red hat with the saying “Make America Great Again” was placed on the Hollywood Walk of…
His Opponents Sidelined, Lukashenko Is Set for a 7th Term in Belarus
Russia-Ukraine War Russia-Ukraine War Russia-Ukraine War President Aleksandr G. Lukashenko, a close ally of Russia’s leader, Vladimir V. Putin, has been making signs of reaching out to the West. He is all but certain to win an election on Sunday. By Nataliya Vasilyeva When Aleksandr G. Lukashenko last ran for president of Belarus, the former…
How Zoe Saldaña, Bella Hadid & More Found Partners Outside Spotlight
Navigating a romance in the public eye isn’t easy, and stars like Lady Gaga, Lana Del Rey and Keanu Reeves have found partners who live a more private life. The 2025 Oscars nominations marked a golden day for Zoe Saldaña. The actress received a nod in the Best Actress in a Supporting Role category for her performance…
Hamas releases 4 more hostages as part of ceasefire agreement with Israel
Jerome Socolovsky Four female soldiers taken hostage in the Oct. 7, 2023 incursion into southern Israel by fighters belonging to the Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza have won back their freedom. Liri Albag, 19; Karina Ariev, 20; Daniella Gilboa, 20 and Naama Levy, 20, were handed over to representatives of the International Committee of…
Belize removes Queen Elizabeth’s image on banknotes as ‘step in decolonisation’
New dollar bills will honor national heroes including George Cadle Price, considered country’s father of independence Belize has taken a “significant step” toward removing the remnants of colonialism by replacing the image of the late Queen Elizabeth on its dollar bills with those of national heroes. Unveiling the new design of the bank notes late…
Ontario premier Doug Ford to call snap election to fight Trump tariff threat
Progressive Conservative leader of Canada’s most populous province seeks ‘strong mandate’ to counter 25% tariff plan The Ontario premier, Doug Ford, has said an early election is needed in the Canadian province in order to fend off an income “attack” from Donald Trump as a trade war looms between the close allies. But opposition parties…
Gypsy Rose Blanchard Slams Claim CPS Visited Her Baby
Gypsy Rose Blanchard hit back at rumors that Child Protective Services was called to check on her baby Aurora Urker, as well as claims she is using weight loss drugs post-pregnancy. Gypsy Rose Blanchard is laying the rumors to rest. Weeks after welcoming baby daughter Aurora Urker, her first child with boyfriend Ken Urker, the…
Pete Hegseth, Trump’s embattled pick for defense secretary, wins Senate confirmation
Tom Bowman Pete Hegseth overcame allegations of sexual assault, public drunkenness and questions of financial mismanagement at two veterans’ groups he ran to narrowly win Senate approval to become Donald Trump’s defense secretary. The vote was 50-50 . Vice President J.D. Vance cast a tie-breaking vote after Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky joined Sens. Lisa…
Los Angeles Fires Force Us to Confront Our Dystopian Present
Opinion We’re Living in a Dystopian Climate Thriller. It’s Time to Rewrite the Ending Decades of warnings went ignored about the threats from climate change. With homes everywhere now burning, flooding and washing away, it’s time we start listening to scientists’ climate solutions By Peter H. Gleick edited by Daniel Vergano A motorcyclist stops to…
How Riad Sattouf Uses His Cartoons to Draw a Window Into the Middle East
The Global Profile Riad Sattouf’s saga of his parents’ failed bicultural marriage, with its harsh depiction of life in rural Syria, has become a literary sensation. By Richard Fausset Richard Fausset reported from Rennes, France, and from Paris. One early evening in December, the Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad fled his country as rebel forces advanced…
High winds continue as Storm Éowyn leaves nearly a million without power
Nearly one million properties are without power in the UK and Ireland and significant travel disruption continues after Storm Éowyn brought winds of up to 100 mph (161 km/h) on Friday. One man died after a tree fell on a car in Ireland, while Scotland and Northern Ireland both saw widespread property damage as well…
Matt James Teased Family Plans With Rachael Kirkconnell Before Split
Amid Bachelor alum Matt James’ breakup with Rachael Kirkconnell, a newly-resurfaced video featuring the former couple showed he intended to start a family with his now-ex. Matt James had dreams of being a dad before his breakup with Rachael Kirkconnell. After the Bachelor alum shocked Bachelor Nation by announcing he and his longtime girlfriend were…
US Covid adviser Fauci has his security protection revoked by president
President Donald Trump has revoked security protection for former top US health official Anthony Fauci, who has faced death threats since leading the country’s Covid-19 response. “You can’t have a security detail for the rest of your life because you work for government,” Trump told reporters, when asked about the decision on Friday. “It’s very…
Weekend Rain Poses Landslide Risk in Wildfire-Scarred Los Angeles
Rain Is Coming to Burning Los Angeles and Will Bring Its Own Risks The Los Angeles area is expecting rain this weekend—potentially offering a respite from fires that have blazed throughout the month but increasing the risk of debris slides By Meghan Bartels edited by Dean Visser Trees burned by the Palisades Fire are seen…
Hamas Names Four Hostages It Says Will Be Released Saturday
Middle East Middle East Middle East Hamas identified four female soldiers abducted from a military base as those who will be freed in the next exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. By Aaron Boxerman and Patrick Kingsley Reporting from Jerusalem Hamas said on Friday that it would release four female soldiers held hostage for…
Military chief killed as M23 rebels close in on Goma in eastern DRC
Maj Gen Peter Cirimwami Nkuba shot near frontline as advance causes panic among civilian population The military governor of North Kivu province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has died from injuries sustained during the army’s fight against the M23 rebel group as it advances towards the city of Goma. Maj Gen Peter Cirimwami…
Arrest warrant proposed for Taliban leaders for gender-based crimes
By Ruchi Kumar The Netherlands-based International Criminal Court (ICC) on Thursday announced that it is seeking arrests of two Taliban leaders for their role in gender-based crimes. The statement says persecutions have been committed since at least Aug. 15, 2021, the day the Taliban took over Afghanistan following the collapse of the Western-backed government. Since…
How the world has responded to Trump’s Paris climate agreement withdrawal
From Europe to Africa and South America, countries reaffirm commitment to tackle crisis World leaders, senior ministers and key figures in climate diplomacy have, one by one, reaffirmed their commitment to the Paris agreement this week, in response to the order by Donald Trump to withdraw the US from the pact. The prospect of the…
Gaza at Last Welcomes More Aid. It Needs a Deluge.
Middle East Middle East Middle East By Vivian Yee and Bilal Shbair Reporting from Cairo and Khan Younis, Gaza Outside a warehouse in southern Gaza one day this week, a small crowd of men and boys waited their turn for a bit of the humanitarian aid that Gaza — sick, starving, freezing Gaza — has…
Mum who left sons home alone jailed after they died in a fire
A woman has been jailed for 10 years for the manslaughter of her four sons who died in a house fire while she was out shopping. Deveca Rose, 30, had left her two sets of twins alone when a fire ripped through their terraced house in Sutton, south-west London, on 16 December 2021. Rose was…
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Teaching Evolution Has a Bright Future in the U.S.
Opinion Teaching Evolution Has a Bright Future in the U.S. By Glenn Branch edited by Daniel Vergano Lawyers, scientists, and supporters of the legal challenge to anti-evolution law, July 1925. Dayton, Tennessee. One hundred years ago a young teacher, John T. Scopes, went on trial in Dayton, Tenn., for violating a recently enacted state law…
The U.S. just experienced its slowest annual sales of homes since 1995
Laurel Wamsley The final figures for home sales last year are in, and the story is quite grim: 2024 was the slowest year for existing home sales in nearly three decades. Existing-home sales last year totaled 4.06 million, the lowest on an annual basis since 1995, according to the National Association of Realtors on Friday.…
Thailand Starts Recognizing Same-Sex Marriage
Hundreds of people began registering their marriages at a mall in Bangkok, as Thailand became one of the few places in Asia to legalize same-sex unions. transcript “It means the world to us and to Thai people because we’ve been waiting for this moment for long. Now we can express our love in public and…
Glowing “Mystery Mollusk” Finally Identified
Glowing “Mystery Mollusk” Finally Identified This strange sea creature stumped scientists for 20 years. Here’s what it really is. By Jude Coleman edited by Sarah Lewin Frasier A mystery mollusk observed by MBARI’s remotely operated vehicle Tiburon in the outer Monterey Canyon at a depth of approximately 1,900 meters Join Our Community of Science Lovers!…
How the Southport attack unfolded, as told by survivors
“The dance club was full of laughter and excitement,” is how one girl, 14, described the atmosphere as a group of 26 children gathered for a Taylor Swift-themed class in Southport. Their summer holidays had just begun and the sun was shining down on the town as they were dropped off by their parents. As…
Europe overhauls funding to Tunisia after Guardian exposes migrant abuse
Allegations of rape, beatings and collusion by EU-funded security forces prompt shift in migration arrangements The European Commission is fundamentally overhauling how it makes payments to Tunisia after a Guardian investigation exposed myriad abuses by EU-funded security forces, including widespread sexual violence against migrants. Officials are drawing up “concrete” conditions to ensure that future European…