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On August 10, 2023, the Chicago River became a sea of yellow as thousands of rubber ducks plunged in for the Rubber Duck Derby. Celebrating its 18th year, the popular event helps raise much-needed funds for the Special Olympics Illinois....

Hundreds of firefighters are currently battling catastrophic wildfires in Maui, Hawaii. The fires ignited on August 8, 2023. The flames rapidly burnt through vegetation before exploding overnight and spreading to nearby communities. Fanned by strong winds from a distant hurricane, they moved so quickly that some residents were forced to jump into the ocean to escape....

On June 25, 2023, four Americans began their 378-day stay on a simulated version of Mars at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. The mission, dubbed CHAPEA, or Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog, is the first of three experiments planned by NASA. They are designed to test the mental and social challenges astronauts will face when they get to Mars....

On June 21, 2023, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) granted its first-ever approval of cell-cultured meat. The assent is restricted to products made by GOOD Meat and UPSIDE Foods. It was the final step the California-based startups needed to sell their lab-grown chicken in the US....

There are thousands of stunning waterfalls worldwide. However, none are as unique as Antarctica's Blood Falls. The aptly-named waterfall, which flows from the tip of the Taylor Glacier, spurts out bright red water. The existence of this five-story-tall waterfall has been known for over a century. But the reason behind its crimson waters has remained a mystery. Now, a team led by W. Berry Lyons of The Ohio State University may have finally found the answer....

There are over 30 meteor showers annually. But few can compare to the spectacular Perseids. The "shooting stars" have been blazing through the sky at a rate of about a dozen an hour since mid-July and will continue until the end of August. But the best time to view them is when Earth passes through the area with the densest comet dust. That's when the meteors' pace increases to between 50 and 100 an hour. This year that will be during the pre-dawn hours of August 13....

Like most fish, sharks are largely ectothermic, or cold-blooded. This means their body temperature depends on the water around them. To avoid freezing, most shark species remain close to the ocean's surface, where the water temperatures are warmer. However, scalloped hammerheads have long been known to dive thousands of feet into the ocean's cold depths in search of prey. Researchers from the University of Hawaii at Mānoa have now uncovered the shark's long-kept secret. The smart fish shut their gills and "hold their breath" to stay warm....

The US Women's National Soccer Team (USWNT) has been a dominant force in world soccer for the past three decades. The impressive team boasts four World Cup titles and four Olympic gold medals. Team USA now hopes to win its third consecutive title at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. No team, men's or women's, has achieved this feat. Also, a fifth title would put the USWNT behind only Brazil's men, who have won six....

It is no secret that play-based learning improves the cognitive, physical, social, and emotional well-being of children. Researchers now believe that certain board games, like Chutes and Ladders and Monopoly, can also help enhance their math skills....

In most countries, a person's age is determined by subtracting the date of birth from the given date. However, in South Korea, an individual's age can be calculated in three different ways. A new law that took effect on June 26, 2023, aims to simplify the confusing system....

Former US President Ronald Reagan's love for jelly beans was well-known. However, the country's 40th leader also had another guilty pleasure — ice cream. In 1984, Mr. Reagan gave the "nutritious and wholesome food" the respect it deserved by declaring July as National Ice Cream Month!...

In what can only be described as a miracle, four children from an indigenous community in Colombia were rescued after being stranded in the Amazon rainforest for 40 days. On May 1, 2023, 13-year-old Lesly, nine-year-old Soleiny, four-year-old Tien Norie and 11-month old Cristin, were flying with their mother to the town of San José del Guaviare. Midway through the journey, their small airplane suffered an engine failure and crashed in a remote part of the Colombian Amazon jungle....

Visitors to the San Francisco Conservatory of Flowers are about to witness the rare blooming of a titan arum, or corpse flower. The massive flower blossoms once every four to five years and lasts only 24 to 48 hours. But that may be a good thing. That's because when the petals unfurl, they emit an odor reminiscent of rotting meat....

When a large star dies, it explodes into a brilliant burst of light that temporarily illuminates the night skies. The phenomenon, known as a supernova, often lasts for weeks. However, it is usually only visible to scientists with access to powerful telescopes. But the SN 2023ixf — one of the largest and brightest supernovas in over a decade — can be seen by all!...

Fish farming is a form of aquaculture in which fish are raised in enclosures to be sold as food. They account for over half of the world's fish supply and are vital for meeting the needs of an ever-growing human population. However, fish farms currently face a big challenge — waste management....

Visitors to Utah's Cache County are being treated to a stunning sight — mountain ranges covered with pink and red snow. The "watermelon snow" is not the work of an ambitious artist. Instead, it is a natural phenomenon caused by Chlamydomonas nivalis algae....

On Wednesday, June 21, 2023, Northern Hemisphere residents will celebrate the astronomical start of summer. Also known as the June solstice, it is the day when the North Pole is most inclined toward the Sun. This means those in the Northern Hemisphere will enjoy the longest day of 2023. Conversely, residents of the Southern Hemisphere will mark the first day of winter with the shortest day of the year....

Exposure to microgravity can wreak havoc on the human body. Hence, before astronauts can embark on the long trip to the Moon or Mars, scientists need to find ways to mitigate the physical impacts of space travel....

An Austrian Academy of Sciences researcher has uncovered one of the earliest-known translations of the Gospel of Matthew using ultraviolet light (UV). Dr. Grigory Kessel made the discovery while studying an ancient manuscript that has been at the Vatican Library since the mid-20th century....

Juneteenth is a blend of the words June and nineteenth. The holiday commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. On this day in 1865, America's last enslaved people — a group in Texas — learned they were free....

Most artists have to wait decades for their talents to be recognized. Some, like Dutch painter Van Gogh, only achieve fame after they die. But this is not the case for Andres Valencia. The 11-year-old San Diego, CA, resident has already made millions selling his contemporary paintings to art collectors. His fans include Hollywood actors Diane Keaton, Channing Tatum, and Sofia Vergara....

A lone wolverine traversing across Northern California is sending ripples of excitement across the Golden State. It is only the second sighting of the mammal in the state in almost a century. The wolverine has been captured on camera multiple times in different areas of the eastern Sierra Nevada mountain range since May 2023....

On May 20, 2023, The Lego Group successfully launched 1,000 minifigures into space. The tiny astronauts made the journey aboard roofless 3D-printed space shuttles. The lightweight vehicles were built by a team of space architects and engineers from Slovakia and the Czech Republic. The purpose of the mission was to encourage kids to follow their dreams....

Parrots are highly social creatures. They need the companionship of other birds for their well-being. This is easy enough in the wild, where they live in large flocks. However, the parrots that live in captivity as pets are often bored and isolated. But a new study has found that modern technology may help alleviate the birds' loneliness....