Historic Events
Wars, important political and economic occasions, catastrophes and social movements of the past
What Makes Transformers Explode?
Last night, a transformer exploded at a Con Edison plant in lower Manhattan. What might have triggered it?
October 30, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Safe from Sandy? Help a Hurricane Researcher
If the worst of Hurricane Sandy has passed you by and you're safe and dry, think about helping a researcher out
October 30, 2012 |
By Rose Eveleth
Why We May Not See the Next Sandy Coming
Failing weather satellites will reduce our ability to forecast and track future storms
October 30, 2012 |
By Colin Schultz
While the East Coast Focused on Sandy, Typhoon Son-tinh Battered East Asia
Sandy was not the only tropical cyclone this week
October 30, 2012 |
By Colin Schultz
To Evacuate or Not To Evacuate?
Issuing mandatory evacuation orders is an effective means of encouraging residents to leave unsafe zones, but fear mongering is more iffy
October 29, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Top Ten Most Damaging U.S. Hurricanes
Surprisingly, Hurricane Katrina is not the most damaging storm on record
October 29, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Ways to Watch Sandy That Are More Interesting Than Looking Out the Window And Safer Than Going Outside
From satellites to webcams to real-time maps, here are a bunch of ways to keep track of Sandy
October 29, 2012 |
By Colin Schultz
Giant Paintball Gun Could Save the World From Death-by-Asteroid
A big asteroid will eventually hit the Earth. What can we do to push it out of the way?
October 26, 2012 |
By Colin Schultz
Napoleon’s Army May Have Suffered From the Greatest Wardrobe Malfunction in History
Historians still puzzle over Napoleon's catastrophic Russian defeat, but materials scientists think the army's buttons may be to blame
October 25, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Italian Scientists Sent to Jail Because They Downplayed the Risk of an Earthquake
Six scientists and one former government official will do time for failing to accurately convey the risk of an earthquake
October 22, 2012 |
By Colin Schultz
Today, 14 Million People Are Going to Have an Earthquake Drill
"Duck, cover, and hold on" is the best way to get through an earthquake
October 18, 2012 |
By Colin Schultz
Never-Before-Seen Photos Taken 50 Years Ago During Preparations for Cuba Invasion
During the dark days of October 1962, Marines trained on the Puerto Rican island of Vieques to train for an amphibious assault on Cuba
October 17, 2012 |
By Brian Wolly
How a Missile Silo Became the Most Difficult Interior Decorating Job Ever
A relic from the Cold War, this instrument of death gets a new life … and a new look
October 15, 2012 |
By Lisa Bramen
This is a Map of Every War Ever
The Battle of Jericho is the first entry in a massive project that sees the dates, locations, and brief descriptions for thousands of human conflicts overlaid on a scrollable, zoom-able map
October 12, 2012 |
By Colin Schultz
Kenai the Sea Otter, Rescued From Exxon Valdez Oil Spill, Has Died
One of the last two otters rescued from the Exxon Valdez oil spill has just passed away
October 11, 2012 |
By Colin Schultz
Three Quarters of Americans Now Believe Climate Change Is Affecting the Weather
74 percent of surveyed Americans think that global warming is changing the weather
October 09, 2012 |
By Colin Schultz
The U.S. Air Force’s Plan To Build a Flying Saucer
Newly-released schematics show the plans for a failed flying saucer
October 08, 2012 |
By Colin Schultz
The Weather Channel Unilaterally Decides Winter Storms Should Have Names Like ‘Q’ and ‘Gandolf’
The private broadcaster laid out their plan to start naming blizzards
October 03, 2012 |
By Colin Schultz
UNESCO-Listed Medieval Souk in Syria Burned, Bombed
Aleppo, the site of an ancient UNESCO-listed souk in Syria, went up in flames on Sunday as clashes between troops and rebels infiltrated the market quarter.
October 03, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
It’s All Fun and Games Until Someone 3D-Prints a Gun
The 3D printing gun idea has taken off, but Stratasys, the company who's printers are being used, isn't exactly happy about it. They want their printers back
October 02, 2012 |
By Rose Eveleth
