Winter Solstice Is Almost Here, Northern Hemisphere’s Darkest Day
The winter solstice is Saturday, bringing the shortest day and longest night of the year to the Northern Hemisphere—ideal conditions for holiday lights and warm blankets. For those who would rather...
View ArticleDoes the Common Treatment for Low Thyroid Really Cause Bone Loss?
A recent study from Johns Hopkins University (JHU) School of Medicine linked one of the most commonly prescribed medications for older adults—levothyroxine for low thyroid—to an increased risk of bone...
View ArticleSome California Squirrels Found to Be Carnivorous by Scientists
Scientists discovered that some California ground squirrels are carnivorous, hunting and eating rodents instead of their usual diet of nuts and seeds, according to new research published Oct. 18. The...
View ArticleNew York Man Finds Mastodon Jaw While Gardening in His Backyard
SCOTCHTOWN, N.Y.—Scholars are hailing the discovery of a fossilized mastodon jaw discovered by a man who spotted two giant teeth while gardening at his upstate New York home this year. The mastodon jaw...
View ArticleAustralian Renewable Agency Bets Big on ‘Sulphur’ Batteries
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has allocated $4.8 million to Gelion Technologies Pty Ltd (Gelion) for a new battery system it hopes can become the new standard for renewables. The $9.6...
View ArticleArtemis Accords: What to Know About NASA’s 51-Nation Strong Space Agreement
The Artemis Accords got its 51st signatory this week, with Thailand joining the international agreement on Dec. 16. Created in 2020, the accords are tied to NASA’s Artemis Program and are, according to...
View ArticleIndoor Activities to Reduce Dementia Risk
A study published in The Journals of Gerontology has revealed that the type of activity older adults engage in significantly impacts brain health. Researchers examined the activity patterns of 397...
View ArticleSuicide Rates Actually Lowest During Holidays, Study Finds
For decades, a dark seasonal narrative has persisted: The holidays are a dangerous time of heightened suicide risk. Now, a new content analysis shows the irony behind this myth: News media has...
View ArticleWhat Is the Methane-Reducing Additive Bovaer, and Why Is It Going Viral?
The cattle feed supplement, Bovaer, has gone viral in recent weeks with warnings major supermarkets are stocking products connected with the substance. Savvy dairy producers responded quickly trying to...
View ArticleNASA’s Parker Solar Probe Aims to Fly Closer to the Sun Like Never Before
NEW YORK—A NASA spacecraft aims to fly closer to the sun than any object sent before. The Parker Solar Probe was launched in 2018 to get a close-up look at the sun. Since then, it has flown straight...
View ArticleMaca Root May Help Boost Energy and Fertility
Maca root, or “Peruvian ginseng,” has a colorful history in Latin America, which spans over 2000 years. Cultivated at high altitudes and under harsh conditions in the Peruvian Andes, legend has it that...
View ArticleSecret Passage That Florence’s Medici Used to Move Safely Reopens to Public...
FLORENCE, Italy—For centuries, Florence’s 16th-century Vasari Corridor was only accessible to dukes and lords. Now, the raised passageway that connects the city’s Uffizi Galleries to the former...
View ArticleGenetics Company Plans to ‘De-Extinct’ Mammoth, Other Species
A genetic engineering company in Texas that wants to artificially recreate extinct species has made technological breakthroughs that put it close to achieving its goal. Some experts, however, recommend...
View ArticleCalifornia Dungeness Crab Fishery Opens Jan. 5
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) announced commercial Dungeness crab fishery will open on Jan. 5 along most of California’s coast. Fishing Zones 3, 4, 5, and 6, the zones from the...
View ArticleCongress Failed to Pass Any Critical Minerals Bill During 2023-24 Sessions
The nation’s reliance on imported critical minerals and rare earth elements from China was discussed in 245 committee meetings and mentioned in 95 reports during the 118th Congress’s 2022 and 2023...
View ArticleDutch Discover Rare 500-Year Old Wooden Shoe
AMSTERDAM—The Dutch are known worldwide for their wooden shoes, but the recent rare discovery of a 500-year-old one in the city of Alkmaar has shown just how widespread their use once was. “It was...
View ArticleNASA: Probe ‘Safe’ After Closest Flyby of the Sun
NASA announced it contacted the Parker Solar Probe on Dec. 27 and confirmed the spacecraft was “safe” and operating normally after making its record-setting approach to the sun on Christmas Eve....
View ArticleGeomagnetic Storm Could Bring New Year’s Eve Aurora to Parts of US
With solar storms causing a geomagnetic storm on Earth, the northern lights or aurora borealis could extend beyond the Arctic Circle down into the northernmost U.S. states this New Year’s Eve,...
View ArticleHow to Catch Quadrantids, First Meteor Shower of 2025
WASHINGTON—When the Quadrantid meteor shower peaks on Friday, it will be the year’s first chance to see fireballs in the sky. A waning crescent moon means good visibility under clear and dark...
View ArticleSpaceX’s Starship to Deploy Mock Satellites in Next Test
WASHINGTON—Elon Musk’s SpaceX said on Friday its upcoming Starship test flight would include the rocket’s first attempt to deploy payloads in space by releasing 10 model Starlink satellites, a key...
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