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With Christmas less than two weeks away, you are probably getting into the festive spirit. For those living in the United States, this means seeking out the perfect Christmas tree, decorating the house with lights, playing in the snow, or watching seasonal movies with family and friends. However, not everyone celebrates the holiday in the same way. Here are some fun Christmas traditions from around the world....

After almost a year of orbiting the sun, on September 22, 2017, NASA’s OSIRIS-REx (Origins-Spectral Interpretation-Resource Identification-Security-Regolith Explorer) made its closest flyby of Earth. Moving at speeds of about 19,000 mph, the spacecraft passed within 11,000 miles of the planet’s surface just south of Chile, before zooming over Antarctica....

Facial recognition is a complex task which requires as many as 200 neurons in the brain’s temporal lobe, called “face patches,” to fire up simultaneously within milliseconds. Hence the skill has always been believed to be the realm of “intelligent” animals such as humans, monkeys, apes, dogs, and horses. Now, British scientists have found that the unassuming cud-chewing sheep also possess this skill....

Years of low rainfall and poor agricultural practices, such as livestock overgrazing, have transformed the Sahel region of Africa into a semi-arid desert. The lack of fertile soil along the almost 8,000-kilometer stretch extending east-west across the breadth of the continent from Senegal on the Atlantic coast to Eritrea on the Red Sea coast, is making it increasingly hard for the residents, who depend on farming, to survive....

Over the past few years, the art world has seen some astronomical bids for the works of famous painters. In 2015, Pablo Picasso’s Women of Algiers became the most expensive painting to be sold in an auction, after an anonymous buyer paid $179 million. That same year, a $300 million private sale of Willem de Kooning's abstract landscape Interchange broke the record for the most expensive artwork ever sold. However, both the sales pale in comparison to the $400 million paid for Leonardo da Vinci’s Salvator Mundi on November 14. The buyer also paid an additional $50.3 million to cover the auction house’s fees and taxes....

At first sight, Alma Deutscher, a twelve-year-old girl from England with a penchant for dresses, appears to be like any other normal tween. She loves to skip rope, read, bake cookies, and engage in make-believe play with her younger sister Helen. But this unassuming youngster, who composed her first musical sonata at age six, first short opera at age seven, and first full-length opera based on Cinderella at age ten, is anything but average. Though her parents downplay her extraordinary talent as “imaginative, just a child playing,” young Alma is being hailed as “little Mozart” by the music world....

Looking to treat your nine closest family members or friends to an extra special Thanksgiving? Then you may want to check out New York’s Old Homestead Steakhouse. The century-old restaurant does not just offer a meal, but a memorable experience that will set you back a “mere” $76,000 for a table of ten. To put it in perspective, that is about 1,500 times more expensive than an “ordinary” Thanksgiving meal for the same number of guests....

Thanksgiving is one of the biggest and most anticipated of all American holidays. Observed annually on the fourth Thursday of November, the secular celebration, which marks the beginning of the holiday season, can be traced to a harvest feast enjoyed by the early European settlers, or Pilgrims, and Native Americans. Though food remains the centerpiece of the celebration, many other fun traditions have been added since. Here is some Thanksgiving trivia to get the conversation going as you sit down for the scrumptious meal on November 23....

Over the past 30 years, Australia’s Great Barrier Reef has experienced a 50 percent loss in coral. Though part of the decline is being attributed to the warmer ocean temperatures caused by climate change, about half of the damage is due to the proliferation of the crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS). The deadly predators can devour as much as 53 square feet (five square meters) of live coral annually....

Burying time capsules for future civilizations is not a new concept. However, the one hidden underground near the Polish Polar Station in Hornsund, Spitsbergen, in the Norwegian Svalbard archipelago, is a little unique. Instead of detailed documents to showcase our progress and knowledge, the capsule contains objects, which the creators believe will be easier for future historians to interpret....

Before astronauts embark on a mission to Mars, it is imperative for scientists to know everything they can about the impact of long term space travel on the human body. Previous studies have shown that extended exposure to microgravity causes muscles and bones to weaken, deteriorates vision, and, in some cases, even alters the astronaut’s DNA. Now, there is evidence that spending a long time in space could also permanently change the brain’s structure....

On September 28, 2017, LEGO fans of all ages finally got the chance to visit the massive 82,000 square-feet, 100-feet high, LEGO house aka “Home of The Brick.” Located in the iconic toy’s hometown of Billund, Denmark, the impressive structure, that has been in the works since 2014, is the brainchild of Danish architect Bjarke Ingels. Its exterior, resembling 21 gigantic LEGO blocks, is covered in colorful tiles giving the illusion that the entire building is made of the popular bricks. A 2X4 keystone brick placed on top welcomes visitors flying into Billund Airport with light beams from its eight knobs....

Albert Einstein, the genius behind the theory of relativity, which provided a new framework for all of physics and proposed new concepts of space and time, has recently been making headlines again. However, this time it is not for a new scientific breakthrough, but because of two handwritten notes the scientist gave a bellboy 95 years ago....

Houston residents, recovering from the devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey, finally have something to cheer about – a World Series victory. Thousands of fans lined up on the city streets on Friday, November 3 for a parade celebrating the Houston Astros who won the baseball championship with a resounding 5-1 score against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the seventh game. What makes the much-needed win even more special is that it is the first time the 56-year-old team has brought home the coveted trophy....

North Americans will enjoy an extra hour of fun, or sleep, this weekend! That’s because Daylight Saving Time (DST) ends on November 5, which means that the clocks will turn back an hour. In addition to adding an extra 60 minutes to Sunday, this simple action effectively moves an hour of daylight from the morning to the evening, making it easier to wake up....

Halloween dog parades are a common sight across the US during this time of the year. However, none are as elaborate, or as competitive, as the one held in New York City’s Tompkins Square Park. The largest event of its kind, the annual parade attracts over 300 dogs and their proud owners, who often work hard and spend exorbitant sums of money to create unique costumes to win their pets the coveted “Best in Show” title. This year’s competition, which took place on Saturday, October 21, was no exception....

Mention the word superhero, and the images that come to mind are of fictional characters like Spiderman, Wonder Woman, or Batman. However, veteran photographer Josh Rossi has used his camera to unveil the world’s real superheroes – six young children who are battling severe diseases and disabilities....

Festivals, most associated with religion, are an essential part of the Indian culture. There is rarely a week that goes by without some celebration. However, few are as widely observed as Diwali. Also known as Deepavali (row of lights), the joyous five-day ritual is the biggest and most anticipated of all Indian celebrations....

Thanks to hardworking firefighters and tamer winds, the devastating fires that have been ravaging parts of Northern California since October 8 finally appear to be under control. While some of the 100,000 evacuees are now being allowed back home, with 217,000 acres burned and more than 5,700 structures destroyed, many are returning to charred remains....

Many kids dream of venturing into space to search for new planets or to conduct cutting-edge research on the International Space Station (ISS). In August 2017, twelve eager men and women came one step closer to realizing their lifelong ambition, when they reported to the Johnson Space Center in Houston to begin two years of grueling training. If they succeed, they will be NASA’s biggest graduating class of astronauts since 2000....

Wildfires are a common occurrence in California from early spring to late autumn due to the dry, windy, and hot weather conditions. However, the Golden State has never experienced anything as devastating as the fires that are currently burning through parts of Northern California. Though it has been four days since the first flames ignited, firefighters still have no control over the blazes that extend all the way from Napa to Mendocino County....

For most of you, this Friday, which happens to be October 13, will mean little more than the start of a weekend. However, don’t tell that to the 20 million people worldwide that suffer from paraskevidekatriaphobia. They are convinced that the combination of the day and number brings bad luck. While no one knows for sure how Friday the 13th began to be so feared, there are numerous theories....

While reducing plastic waste is something most consumer wish to do, it is not an easy goal to achieve. That’s because the cheap, versatile, and durable material is found in almost every household item – from dinnerware to drink bottles to even food wrappers. Now, an Indonesian-based startup has come up with a delicious and nutritious solution to help reduce our dependence on this environmental hazard....

Columbus Day has been a fixture on American calendars since 1937, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared October 12 a federal holiday to honor the Italian explorer who “discovered” the Americas in 1492. However, the holiday, whose date has since been changed to the second Monday of October, has always been somewhat controversial. Many people believe that Christopher Columbus should not be given credit for “discovering” the continent, since Native Americans had already been residing there for generations....