The Lyrid meteor shower is currently underway, with its peak activity expected Sunday into Monday. The meteor shower happens annually in mid-to-late April, with this year’s peak expected to yield 10 to 20 meteors per hour. To observe the Lyrids, look to the northeast and maintain focus on the same spot in the sky. The … Read more
Millions of people around the world will pause on Monday, at least for a moment, to mark Earth Day. It’s an annual event founded by people who hoped to stir activism to clean up and preserve a planet that is now home to some 8 billion humans and assorted trillions of other organisms. Here are … Read more
Astronomers have identified a black hole within the Milky Way with a mass 33 times greater than that of the sun. The newly-discovered black hole ranks as the second-largest known in our galaxy after the supermassive one at its center. The black hole, named Gaia BH3, is located 2,000 light-years away in the constellation Aquila … Read more
NASA confirmed on Monday that an object that crashed into a Naples, Florida, home last month was a piece of hardware from the International Space Station that was supposed to burn up on re-entry before reaching the surface of Earth. Alejandro Otero said a piece of equipment from the International Space Station hit his Naples … Read more
NASA’s plan to retrieve samples from Mars and bring them back to Earth is currently on hold due to the need for a faster and cheaper method. The project has been on NASA’s agenda for years, but the costs have escalated, with an estimated total cost of $8 billion to $11 billion and an arrival … Read more
Coral reefs worldwide are undergoing their fourth global bleaching event due to warming ocean waters, scientists say. Since February 2023, coral reef bleaching across at least 53 countries, territories or local economies has been confirmed. Bleaching occurs when stressed coral expel the algae that are their food source and give them their color. Coral reefs … Read more
Researchers have traced the origins of arabica coffee, the world’s most popular type. Using genes from coffee plants around the world, they found that it dates back to approximately 600,000 years ago. Arabica coffee dominates the market, accounting for more than 60 percent of global coffee consumption. That coffee you slurped this morning? It’s 600,000 … Read more
Functional beverages, which offer mental or physical benefits beyond hydration, are gaining popularity. The sale of functional beverages has grown into a multi-billion dollar industry. Scientists say that some ingredients, such as adaptogens, can help your body respond to stress, anxiety and fatigue. Functional beverages — or drinks promoted as offering mental or physical benefits … Read more
Alien and conspiracy theorists showed up in full force last week after a weather modeling software “error” showed an anomaly the size of Texas moving up the African coastline while generating waves bigger than 80 feet high. Ventusky is an application that presents weather and meteorological data to allow people to monitor developments anywhere in … Read more
A bright fireball was seen dropping from the night sky over New Jersey early Wednesday, capping an eventful week of natural phenomena in the area following Monday’s solar eclipse and last week’s earthquake. The fireball, which many say was a meteor or a falling star, was captured on video lighting up the dark sky in … Read more