When Was the First Exoplanet Discovered?
The UniverseFridays When Was the First Exoplanet Discovered? Evidence of alien worlds goes back farther than you think By Phil Plait edited by Lee Billings This artist’s concept shows an exoplanet and debris disk orbiting a polluted white dwarf. Stay connected to The Universe: Get email alerts for this weekly column by Phil Plait For […]
As Starlink and Other Satellites Proliferate, Astronomers Learn to Manage Interference
In a Sky Full of Satellites, Astronomers Find Creative Ways to Observe the Stars Swarms of satellites launched by SpaceX and other companies are disrupting astronomical observations. Here’s how scientists are coping By Alexandra Witze & Nature magazine Satellite streaks appear in a photograph taken above the Pinnacles in Nambung National Park, Western Australia. In […]
Venezuela says it will start accepting repatriation flights from the U.S. again
By Joe Hernandez Venezuela has announced that it will resume accepting flights of its citizens who are deported by U.S. immigration authorities. Jorge Rodríguez, the president of Venezuela’s National Assembly, said on Saturday in a post on social media that the repatriation flights would begin again as early as Sunday. “Migration is not a crime,” […]
What’s the Definition of a ‘Moon’?
The UniverseFridays What Makes a Moon? Defining the word “moon” is harder than you might think By Phil Plait edited by Lee Billings A quintet of Saturn’s moons come together in this image from NASA’s Cassini spacecraft. Stay connected to The Universe: Get email alerts for this weekly column by Phil Plait Here’s a simple […]
Keir Starmer Talks Trump, Russia-Ukraine War and the Fragile Europe-US Alliance
Trump Administration The British prime minister said in a series of conversations that the tectonic shifts in America’s relationship with Europe and Russia had to be a ‘galvanizing moment.’ Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Barrow-in-Furness, England, on Thursday.Andrew Testa for The New York Times By Mark Landler Mark Landler spoke with Prime Minister Keir Starmer […]
Comedian Hannah Berner Addresses Her NSFW Blake Lively Joke
Hannah Berner set the record straight on her controversial Blake Lively joke, noting she filmed Netflix’s roast special before the actress’ complaint against It Ends With Us director Justin Baldoni. Hannah Berner is hoping any controversy she kicked up ends with her explanation. Netflix‘s end of year special Torching 2024: A Roast of the Year premiered…
Untangling Why Red Wine Causes Headaches
Untangling Why Red Wine Causes Headaches Opt for lighter, cheaper wine to dodge headaches this holiday season By Andrew Waterhouse, Apramita Devi & The Conversation US Some people get headaches after drinking red wine. The following essay is reprinted with permission from The Conversation, an online publication covering the latest research. Medical accounts of red…
Julianne Hough Reacts to Ex Brooks Laich’s Engagement
Julianne Hough had nothing but love for her ex-husband Brooks Laich and his fiancée Katrín Tanja Davíðsdóttir after the couple got engaged on Dec. 16. Julianne Hough is dancing with joy for her ex Brooks Laich. The Dancing With the Stars host had nothing but kind words for the former hockey player—who she was married…
How Rare ‘Alice in Wonderland Syndrome’ Warps Reality
How Rare ‘Alice in Wonderland Syndrome’ Warps Reality Researchers are learning what causes Alice in Wonderland syndrome, a rare neurological condition that can appear to warp bodies, time and reality itself By Allison Parshall edited by Jeanna Bryner An illustration by John Tenniel depicts a scene in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. When Lene was a…
See Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco’s Steamy Holiday Kiss
Selena Gomez and fiancé Benny Blanco turned up the heat while celebrating Christmas and Hanukkah. See the couple’s steamy new PDA pic. Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco‘s holiday season has officially been sealed with a kiss. The recently engaged couple rung in Christmas and Hanukkah 2024 with an adorable PDA pic that fans will surely…
A Little Math Can Streamline Holiday Cookie Making
Opinion A Little Math Can Streamline Holiday Cookie Making Making cookies is time- and labor-intensive. Here’s how a little math can make it easier and less wasteful this holiday season By Clara Eugenia Garza-Hume A cookie cutter that creates a tessellation can save time and use up more dough. When our children were little, we…
All the Iconic Kardashian-Jenner Clapbacks That Shut Down the Internet
The Kardashian-Jenners have proven over the years that they are queens of clapbacks. Check out some of their fiercest responses to trolls over the years. The Kardashian-Jenner krew has no problem keeping ahead of the haters. Sisters Kourtney Kardashian, Kim Kardashian, Khloe Kardashian, Kendall Jenner and Kylie Jenner—not to mention mom Kris Jenner—have all dealt with their fair share of critics over the…
Why People Get More Colds in Winter
Why People Get More Colds in Winter A mixture of colder temperatures, lower humidity and more time spent indoors could explain the uptick in cold viruses during the winter holidays By Libby Richards & The Conversation US Respiratory viruses rise in the wintertime, but not because people are outside in the cold. The following essay…
Wikipedia Searches Reveal Differing Styles of Curiosity
Wikipedia Searches Reveal Differing Styles of Curiosity Mapping explorers of Wikipedia rabbit holes revealed three different styles of human inquisitiveness: the “busybody,” the “hunter” and the “dancer.” By Gary Stix edited by Sarah Lewin Frasier Join Our Community of Science Lovers! The website Wikipedia describes curiosity as a “quality related to inquisitive thinking, such as…
The Bachelorette’s Andi Dorfman Hospitalized Days After Giving Birth
After The Bachelorette alum Andi Dorfman suffered postpartum complications after giving birth to her first baby, a daughter, she was hospitalized and underwent surgery. Andi Dorfman is on the mend after suffering postpartum complications following the birth of her first baby. Less than a week after welcoming her and husband Blaine Hart‘s daughter Harper Bell…
Shohei Ohtani and Wife Mamiko Tanaka Expecting First Baby
Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani has announced he is set to become a dad, months after his marriage to wife Mamiko Tanaka was made public. Shohei Ohtani just scored a home run with this announcement. The Dodgers pitcher shared Dec. 27 that he is set to become a dad. Alongside a pic of his dog Decoy…
WWII Sugar Rationing Gave Kids a Lifelong Health Boost
WWII Sugar Rationing Gave Kids a Lifelong Health Boost Infants who experienced rationing had a meaningfully lower risk of diabetes and hypertension decades later By Saima S. Iqbal edited by Sarah Lewin Frasier Join Our Community of Science Lovers! For several years after World War II ended, the British government continued to ration certain foodstuffs,…
The 74 Most Popular Amazon Products E! Shoppers Bought in 2024
. 2024 has been a year of must-have , and we’re rounding up the most popular products couldn’t stop to their carts. Whether it’s a , a cozy , or a , these items have been dominating the shopping scene. And yes, some are even , making them even more irresistible. It’s not just about…
All of You Will Love Chrissy Teigen and John Legend’s Family Photos
As John Legend celebrates another year around the sun, relive the sweet family moments he’s shared with wife Chrissy Teigen and their kids Luna, Miles, Esti and Wren. John Legend and Chrissy Teigen are showing the world what family means to them. Indeed, in the more than a decade since tying the knot in Lake…
Are Octopuses Too Smart to Be Farmed?
Are Octopuses Too Smart to Be Farmed? A planned octopus farm is facing opposition. Here’s why By Rachel Blaser & The Conversation US Day octopus (Octopus cyanea) in mid-water, Hawaii. The following essay is reprinted with permission from The Conversation, an online publication covering the latest research. We named him Squirt – not because he…
Why Probability Probably Doesn’t Exist (but It’s Useful to Act like It Does)
Probability Probably Doesn’t Exist All of statistics and much of science depends on probability—an astonishing achievement, considering no one’s really sure what it is By David Spiegelhalter & Nature magazine Life is uncertain. None of us know what is going to happen. We know little of what has happened in the past, or is happening…
How Much Money Influencers Are Really Paid for Social Media Posts
Influencers can make an entire annual salary in just one month in ad revenue from videos. Here’s how much social media stars get paid. Becoming an influencer just makes cents—and lots of dollars, apparently. While the most well-known influencers like Alix Earle, Charli D’Amelio and Addison Rae have parlayed their social media stardom into fashion…
Inside Gypsy Rose Blanchard’s Big Year Since Her Release From Prison
Gypsy Rose Blanchard, who’s expecting a baby girl with boyfriend Ken Urker, is making up for lost time since serving 7 years in prison for her role in mom Clauddine “Dee Dee” Blanchard’s murder. Gypsy Rose Blanchard wasted no time getting on with the rest of her life after spending seven years of it behind…
An Earth-Rocking Cosmic Explosion Turns 20
The UniverseFridays An Earth-Rocking Cosmic Explosion Turns 20 Twenty years ago today a magnetar’s epic tantrum made our planet ring like a bell from tens of thousands of light-years away By Phil Plait edited by Lee Billings An illustration of a magnetar producing a superflare. Stay connected to The Universe: Get email alerts for this…
The U.S. Drone Panic Mirrors UFO Overreactions
Opinion The U.S. Drone Panic Mirrors UFO Overreactions We need less uproar over everyday drones and more critical attention about ones near airports and other restricted airspace By Sean Kirkpatrick edited by Daniel Vergano December’s spate of drone sightings seen in New Jersey and spreading nationwide, sure looks familiar. As does its associated media frenzy—culminating…
Olivia Hussey, Star of Romeo and Juliet, Dead at 73
Olivia Hussey, the female lead of the 1968 movie Romeo and Juliet and also known for roles in Jesus of Nazareth and Black Christmas, has died. The actress was 73. Hollywood is mourning one of their own. Olivia Hussey Eisley, star of the 1968 film Romeo and Juliet, has died. She was 73. “It is…
Behati Prinsloo Shares Rare Photos of Her and Adam Levine’s Kids
Behati Prinsloo posted rare photos from her and Adam Levine’s holiday break with their kids in December 2024. Adam Levine and wife Behati Prinsloo are making and sharing festive family memories. The Victoria’s Secret model posted several photos of the pair and their kids over their holiday break Dec. 27. The 36-year-old—who shares with Adam…
How to Tactfully Ask Your Child’s Friend’s Parents if They Have Guns at Home
How to Tactfully Ask Your Child’s Friend’s Parents if They Have Guns at Home A gun safety check of where your child is going for a playdate or sleepover may save lives By Sara Novak edited by Gary Stix A child opens a gun safe. It’s a conversation that Marian Betz admits can feel awkward…
How the Duck Stamp Became One of the Most Successful Conservation Tools in U.S. History
How the Duck Stamp Became One of the Most Successful Conservation Tools in U.S. History Inside the fiercely competitive Federal Duck Stamp Contest, part of the wildly successful conservation program that has preserved millions of acres of waterfowl habitat By Daniel T. Ksepka edited by Kate Wong The 1997 Duck Stamp featured a painting of…
Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce Go Out With Jack Antonoff, Margaret Qualley
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce were photographed out on a double date with her longtime friend and collaborator Jack Antonoff and his wife, actress Margaret Qualley. Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are having an enchanted holiday break with good friends. The pair was spotted out on a double date at BondST restaurant in New York…
People Living in Las Vegas’s Tunnels Urged to Get Medical Treatment
People Living in Las Vegas’s Tunnels Urged to Get Medical Treatment Street medicine providers and homeless outreach workers who travel into Las Vegas’s drainage tunnels have noticed an uptick in the number of people living underground, and it can be difficult to persuade them to come aboveground for medicine and treatment By Angela Hart &…
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen says U.S. could hit debt limit in weeks
By The Associated Press WASHINGTON — Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said her agency will need to start taking “extraordinary measures,” or special accounting maneuvers intended to prevent the nation from hitting the debt ceiling, as early as Jan. 14, in a letter sent to congressional leaders Friday afternoon. “Treasury expects to hit the statutory debt…
The FDA is Changing What Foods can be Called “Healthy”
December 26, 2024 6 min read The FDA Is Changing What Foods Can Be Called ‘Healthy’ Whole grains and fruits are in, and added sugar is out. That’s going to change what’s on a lot of cereal boxes and other things By Reyna Gobel edited by Josh Fischman Fruit without added sugar will be classified…
Tina Knowles Reacts to Trolls Who Criticized Beyoncé’s Halftime Show
Tina Knowles is speaking out in defense of daughter Beyoncé after the Grammy winner faced some criticism over her NFL halftime show during the Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans’ Christmas Day game. When it comes to the trolls, Tina Knowles has Beyoncé‘s back. After the Grammy winner faced some criticism over her NFL halftime show during…
Y2K seems like a joke now, but in 1999 people were really freaking out
By Jack Mitchell Mike Cupo, a systems operator for Public Service Electric and Gas Company, uses a special red phone to talk via radio to PSE&G staffers in the field, during a simulated Y2K drill at company headquarters in Newark, N.J., on April 9, 1999. Power plant operators across the country held drills to make…
WHO chief ‘escaped death narrowly’ in Yemen airport attack
The director general of the World Health Organization (WHO) has said he and his colleagues “escaped death narrowly” while being caught up in an Israeli air strike on an airport in Yemen. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus recounted feeling “completely exposed” during the attack, which killed at least six, in an interview with BBC Radio 4’s Today…
UN authorises new mission against al-Shabaab in Somalia
Resolution allows deployment of 12,626 personnel – but it is unclear if Ethiopia will stay part of peacekeeping force amid territory dispute The UN has authorised a new African peacekeeping mission to continue its fight against Somalia’s al-Shabaab, the insurgent group affiliated with al-Qaida, but there are doubts about whether troops from neighbouring Ethiopia will…
Elon Musk Doubles Down on Support for German Far-Right AfD
Supported by The world’s richest man, a key adviser to President-elect Donald J. Trump, ridicules critics over his backing of the German extremist party AfD, as Germany prepares for elections. By Christopher F. Schuetze Elon Musk, the world’s richest man and a close adviser to President-elect Donald J. Trump, shocked many in Germany last week…
S Korean president accused of ordering use of guns to stop martial law vote
Prosecutors allege that South Korea’s suspended president told the military to use guns while attempting to remove lawmakers from parliament as they were voting down his martial law decree. On 3 December, Yoon Suk Yeol authorised soldiers to “break down the doors and drag them [politicians] out, even if it means firing the guns”, according…
Ukrainian Aid Workers Risk Life and Limb to Get Civilians to Safety
Russia-Ukraine War The danger and hardship gets worse by the day for civilians in eastern Ukraine. Still, they resist leaving the places that have become their homes. The danger and hardship gets worse by the day for civilians in eastern Ukraine. Still, they resist leaving the places that have become their homes. Vasyl Pipa speeding…
Magnus Carlsen quits chess championship after refusing to change out of jeans
By Scott Neuman Magnus Carlsen of Norway competes against Daniil Dubov of Russia during the 82nd Tata Steel Chess Tournament in Eindhoven, Netherlands, on Jan. 16, 2020. Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images Magnus Carlsen, the world’s top chess player, has quit the World Rapid Chess Championship being held in New York after refusing to change out of…
Beaches, beer and a rare suspended lake … why can’t Nigeria attract more tourists?
Visitor numbers to the African country lag far behind its neighbours due to lack of infrastructure and national planning. Now some are starting to demand changes At the top of the Ado-Awaye hills lies a lake suspended 433 metres above sea level. Local people say the lake is named Iyake (Yoruba for “crying woman”) after…
UK flights continue to face disruption due to fog
Heavy fog has continued to cause delays and cancellations at some of the UK’s busiest airports, with the majority of flights at Gatwick and Stansted affected on Saturday afternoon and delays predicted into the evening. A number of other delays were reported at Manchester airport on Saturday afternoon, with dozens of flights delayed at Heathrow…
Putin apologises over plane crash, without saying Russia at fault
In his first comments on the Christmas Day crash, Putin said the “tragic incident” had occurred when Russian air defence systems were repelling Ukrainian drones. Ukraine’s President Volodymr Zelensky said Russia must “stop spreading disinformation” about the strike. The plane is believed to have come under fire from Russian air defence as it tried to…
Kazakhstan plane crash survivors say they heard bangs before aircraft went down, Putin issues statement
Fox News correspondent Stephanie Bennett has the latest on the aftermath of the Kazakhstan plane crash on ‘Special Report.’ Crew members and survivors of the Azerbaijan Airlines plane that crashed in Kazakhstan on Christmas Day say they heard at least one loud bang before the aircraft crashed in a ball of fire, heightening speculation that a Russian…
Putin apologizes to Azerbaijani leader for ‘tragic incident’ involving crashed plane
By The Associated Press An official Kremlin statement issued on Saturday said that air defense systems were firing near Grozny airport as the airliner “repeatedly” attempted to land there on Wednesday. It did not explicitly say one of these hit the plane. The readout said Russia has launched a criminal probe into the incident, and…
In Bomb-Scarred Cities, Risking Life and Limb to Get Civilians to Safety
Russia-Ukraine War The danger and hardship gets worse by the day for civilians in eastern Ukraine. Still, they resist leaving the places that have become their homes. The danger and hardship gets worse by the day for civilians in eastern Ukraine. Still, they resist leaving the places that have become their homes. Vasyl Pipa speeding…
Still haven’t filed your taxes? Here’s what you need to know
So far this tax season, the IRS has received more than 100 million income tax returns for 2022. That means tens of millions of households have yet to file their returns. If yours is among them, here are some last-minute tax-filing tips to keep in mind as the Tuesday, April 18 deadline approaches. Not everyone…
Putin apologises for plane crash, without saying Russia at fault
In his first comments on the Christmas Day crash, Putin said the “tragic incident” had occurred when Russian air defence systems were actively repelling Ukrainian drones. Ukraine’s President Volodymr Zelensky said Russia must “stop spreading disinformation” about the strike. The plane reportedly came under fire from Russian air defence systems as it tried to land…
SEE IT: China stuns with maiden flight of sixth-generation aircraft
China appears to have conducted the maiden flight of its new sixth-generation fighter aircraft, marking a significant milestone in the ever-evolving landscape of fighter jets. Video and photos from social media showed the previously unseen aircraft conducting a daytime test flight, alongside a two-seat Chengdu J-20S fighter, which served as a chase plane. The planes…
Delta apologizes — again — after another stowaway boards a flight without ticket
By Rebecca Rosman Delta Air Lines is investigating how an unticketed passenger boarded a flight from Seattle to Honolulu on Christmas Eve — it’s the airline’s second stowaway incident in less than a month. The passenger, whose identity has not been released, was discovered as Delta Air Lines flight 487 taxied from the gate. They…
More than 150,000 people arrived in UK in small boats in last seven years
Labour blames ‘appalling legacy’ left by Tories after milestone for number of arrivals was reached on Boxing Day Labour has blamed the Tories for leaving an “appalling legacy of border security” after figures showed more than 150,000 people have arrived in the UK in small boats since 2018. The milestone was reached after Home Office…
Cyclone on French Archipelago Exposes Resentments Over Immigrants
In the ruins left by Cyclone Chido, people from Mayotte, off the eastern coast of Africa, are calling to deport the undocumented immigrants who had settled there from neighboring islands. By John Eligon and Julie Bourdin Photographs by Sergey Ponomarev Reporting from Mamoudzou, Mayotte After a vicious cyclone this month razed slums housing many undocumented…
Squid Game 2 reviews range from sensational to letdown
Season two of Squid Game has received reviews as mixed as a Christmas selection box, with TV critics calling it everything from “sensational” to “a letdown”. The Guardian said that after a pretty slow start, the returning series eventually turns into “TV that will make you uncomfortably bloodthirsty indeed”. While the Times described it as…
Syria’s U.S.-backed Kurdish coalition faces an uncertain future after Assad’s ouster
By Fatma Tanis ISTANBUL – In the aftermath of Bashar al-Assad’s ouster, Syria remains territorially fractured as the rebels who defeated Assad work to consolidate power. The country’s uncertain future has raised questions about the fate of the U.S.-backed Kurdish coalition known as the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). This week, Syria’s new leadership took steps…
Sydney to Hobart yacht race: LawConnect wins back-to-back line honours in event marred by two deaths
A “sombre” LawConnect has delayed celebrations after claiming back-to-back line honour wins in a Sydney to Hobart race marred by the death of two sailors. The Christian Beck-skippered supermaxi was first across the River Derwent finish line at 2.35am on Saturday in a time of one day, 13 hours, 35 minutes and 13 seconds. The…
Trucks Carrying Aid Finally Reach Sudan’s War-Torn Capital Region
Sudan’s Civil War After 20 months of war, and three months of negotiations with the warring sides, a bit of relief arrives for some of the hundreds of thousands of people facing famine. By Eve Sampson and Abdalrahman Altayeb Abdalrahman Altayeb reported from Port Sudan, Sudan. The largest convoy of food and medical aid to…
What we know about the Azerbaijan Airlines crash
On 25 December, 38 people died when an Azerbaijan Airlines flight, which had been due to land in Russia, crash-landed in Kazakhstan. The circumstances around the crash remain unclear, but limited evidence so far suggests it may have been damaged by missiles fired by a Russian air-defence system as it tried to land in Chechnya.…
U.S. homelessness jumps to another record high, amid affordable housing shortage
Jennifer Ludden More than 770,000 people were living in shelters or outside in January, according to an annual federal report on homelessness by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The number is up 18% from last year’s count — which had also jumped from the year before — and is the largest number since…
Man charged with two counts of murder after deaths of Milton Keynes women
Jazwell Brown, 49, is also charged with two counts of attempted murder following Christmas Day incident A man has been charged with two counts of murder following the deaths of two women on Christmas Day in Milton Keynes. Jazwell Brown, 49, has also been charged with two counts of attempted murder and one count each…
E.P.A. Promotes Fertilizer Carrying PFAS, Long After 3M Shared Risks
The agency obtained research from 3M in 2003 revealing that sewage sludge, the raw material for the fertilizer, carried toxic “forever chemicals.” The agency obtained research from 3M in 2003 revealing that sewage sludge, the raw material for the fertilizer, carried toxic “forever chemicals.” Tim Gruber for The New York Times By Hiroko Tabuchi Hiroko…
Flights cancelled around UK as fog disrupts travel
Passengers at some of the country’s busiest airports, including Gatwick and Manchester, are facing widespread disruption due to fog. The UK’s main air traffic control provider, Nats, said the flow of flights had been reduced for safety reasons. “Due to widespread fog, temporary air traffic restrictions are in place at several airports across the UK…
NATO boosting Baltic Sea patrols as Finland investigates broken undersea power, internet cables
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said Friday that the military alliance will step up patrols in the Baltic Sea region as Finnish investigators work to establish whether a ship linked to Russia sabotaged undersea cables there this week. Finnish authorities seized control of the ship, the Eagle S, on Thursday as they tried to establish…
Venezuela accuses an Argentine officer of terrorism as relations deteriorate
Venezuela’s attorney general said on Friday that an Argentine military officer who was arrested in Venezuela earlier this month has been charged with terrorism BOGOTA, Colombia — An Argentine military officer who was arrested in Venezuela earlier this month has been charged with terrorism, Venezuela’s attorney general said Friday. In a statement published on Instagram,…
Costco egg recall for salmonella receives FDA’s most severe designation
By Bill Chappell The Food and Drug Administration has classified its recall of eggs sold under Costco’s Kirkland brand as a Class I recall, a designation reserved for instances of the highest potential health risk — including death. A Class I recall signals that “there is a reasonable probability that the use of or exposure…