USA
US Official Killed in Libya Mourned by Online Gaming Community
To friends around the world, fallen U.S. State Official was better known as "Vile Rat," his moniker in the online gaming community to which he was an avid participant
September 12, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
The World’s Closest International Relationships, According to Facebook
An interactive map depicts the Facebook friendships between countries
September 12, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Figs, Kiwis, Persimmons and Avocados: Take Your Pick of National Fruit Tastings
A dispatch from Fig Day, held every September at Wolfskill Experimental Orchard, an event that draws farmers, hobbyists and general fig lovers from around the country
September 11, 2012 |
By Alastair Bland
America’s Smaller Cities Are Becoming More Diverse
The U.S. is becoming increasingly diverse outside of its traditional "melting pot" urban centers, according to a new study from Brown University
September 11, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
How Scientists Know the Tar Balls Hurricane Isaac Dredged Up Came From the BP Oil Spill
Scientists confirm that oil strewn by hurricane Isaac derived from BP's blown-out Macondo well
September 07, 2012 |
By Colin Schultz
The Ugliest, Most Contentious Presidential Election Ever
Throughout the 1876 campaign, Tilden’s opposition had called him everything from a briber to a thief to a drunken syphilitic
September 07, 2012 |
By Gilbert King
An Unofficial Guide to the Breweries of California’s North Coast
From the Anderson Valley Brewing Company, in Boonville, to the often irreverent Lagunitas brewpub, in Petaluma, here are several breweries worth pedaling for
September 06, 2012 |
By Alastair Bland
The Navy’s Future Is Filled With Laser Guns
The US Navy is driving the push in the development of laser-based weaponry
September 06, 2012 |
By Colin Schultz
Why Do Students Give Teachers Apples and More from the Fruit’s Juicy Past
The perfect back-to-school treat has a colorful past that once brought the wrath of an axe-wielding reformer
September 05, 2012 |
By Leah Binkovitz
10,000 Yosemite Visitors May Have Been Exposed to Deadly Hantavirus
Up to 10,000 people who stayed in Yosemite National Park between June and August may have been exposed to a deadly, mouse-borne hantavirus
September 05, 2012 |
By K. Annabelle Smith
Cold War–Era Science Shows Beer Will Survive a Nuclear Apocalypse
In 1955, scientists dropped nukes on beer and soda to see how they held up
September 05, 2012 |
By Colin Schultz
Crazy Lies Haters Threw at Rachel Carson
Silent Spring turns 50 this month, but Rachel Carson's ecological game-changer was not always the beloved green bible it is today
September 04, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
The Best Backroad Bike Rides of the California North Coast
Cycling the West Coast is easy, whether you're riding from Canada to Mexico or Portland to San Francisco. To add some spice to this predictable and popular route, I've taken to the backroads
September 04, 2012 |
By Alastair Bland
Los Texmaniacs Release New Album
What does jalapeno-spiced polka music sound like?
September 2012 |
By Aviva Shen
Tracking Walmart’s Breakneck Expansion Across the U.S.
From humble beginnings in 1962, today the Walmart empire includes 8,500 stores in 15 countries, with 3,898 proudly hosted on U.S. soil
August 31, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Wolves Are Returning to Oregon–but Not All Locals Want Them
In 1947, the last wolf in Oregon was killed for a bounty fee of $5 just outside of Crater Lake National Park. Now, after more than 50 years of absence, the animals are staging a comeback
August 31, 2012 |
By Alastair Bland
The Long History of Americans Debating Empty Chairs
The history of debating empty chairs stretches back to at least 1924
August 31, 2012 |
By Colin Schultz
Real-Life Cyborg Heart is Beating at Harvard
Harvard scientists infused rat heart cells with wires and transistors that monitor the tissue's electrical impulses
August 30, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
50-Year Mystery Surrounding Death of Two Sisters Solved
Doctors discover the genetic cause of an extremely rare, almost always fatal condition called Winchester syndrome
August 30, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Neil Armstrong’s Previously Unheard Speech, Recorded One Year Ago
Recorded surreptitiously, the 43 minute-long speech captures Armstrong's presentation one year prior to his passing
August 30, 2012 |
By Colin Schultz


