Modern Historic Eras: World
Watch Drought Dry Up America’s Groundwater
A drought this year affected large parts of the United States, including a lot of agricultural land
September 27, 2012 |
By Mary Beth Griggs
Looters Are Selling Artifacts to Fund War in Syria
War zones are dangerous places, for both people and cultural heritage
September 26, 2012 |
By Mary Beth Griggs
Facebook Snuck Into the World of Basic Cell Phones And Took Over
How Facebook is reaching those without smart phones
September 25, 2012 |
By Rose Eveleth
Tsunami Debris Is Just Now Arriving at Hawaii’s Coast
A dock 30-by-50 feet long, with Japanese writing on it, was found floating off the coast of Hawaii, around the same time that a plastic blue bin (a seafood storage container in its past life) became the first confirmed piece of tsunami debris to reach Hawaii. Authorities have not confirmed whether or not the dock was [...]
September 24, 2012 |
By Mary Beth Griggs
How the Record for Hottest Temperature Ever Was Refuted
Weather Underground’s resident weather historian Christopher Burt posted a fantastic description of how an international group of scholars disproved a 90-year-old thermometer reading, which registered the hottest temperature ever recorded. This might seem like an impossible task at the best of times: The temperature (136.4 degrees Fahrenheit) was recorded in Libya in 1922, and all [...]
September 21, 2012 |
By Mary Beth Griggs
After Summer Cyclone, Arctic Sea Ice Reaches New Low
On September 16, sea ice reached record lows in the Arctic, covering an area of just 3.41 million square kilometers or 1.32 million square miles
September 21, 2012 |
By Mary Beth Griggs
Cartoons of Mohammed, Anti-Jihad Subway Ads and Other Provocations, Past and Future
Today, as protests continue across the Muslim world in reaction to a translated movie trailer posted on YouTube, French Magazine Charlie Hebdo announced that it was publishing cartoons depicting the prophet Muhammad
September 19, 2012 |
By Mary Beth Griggs
The Deadly Side of Moonshine
The Czech Republic is issuing a ban on all alcoholic drinks with a 20% or higher alcohol content in the wake of 20 deaths
September 18, 2012 |
By Mary Beth Griggs
What We Do (And Don’t) Know About the Movie Muslim Innocence
Everything you thought you knew about Sam Bacile, the movie , and the riots, is probably wrong
September 13, 2012 |
By Rose Eveleth
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
How an Obscure Video Sparked International Protests
Sam Bacile's movie was hardly seen at all in the United States, yet it incited a string of riots and the assassination of an American ambassador
September 12, 2012 |
By Rose Eveleth
Questions About the Apocalypse? Ask This Guy
David Morrison, an astrobiologist by day, and apocalypse expert by night, is here to clear up your questions about the end of the world
September 06, 2012 |
By Rose Eveleth
Extinction Rates Are Biased And Much Worse Than You Thought
The IUCN's Red List of endangered species looks bad, but the reality is probably much, much worse
September 03, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
The Accidental History of the @ Symbol
Once a rarely used key on the typewriter, the graceful character has become the very symbol of modern electronic communication
September 2012 |
By William F. Allman
How Steve Jobs' Love of Simplicity Fueled A Design Revolution
Passionate to the point of obsessive about design, Steve Jobs insisted that his computers look perfect inside and out
September 2012 |
By Walter Isaacson
Watch Hurricane Isaac Grow and Slam Into Louisiana
A range of satellites are set to watch Isaac, giving a step-by-step look into the storm's evolution
August 29, 2012 |
By Colin Schultz
Lance Armstrong Surrenders Against Doping Charges and Will be Banned for Life
Yesterday, Armstrong announced that he would no longer fight the doping charges against him. His surrender marks an end not just to his battles, but to his entire career
August 24, 2012 |
By Rose Eveleth
The Olympics Are Over and Here Are the Best Infographics
While athletes were setting world records, designers and journalists were building graphics and games to track them. Here are the best ones.
August 13, 2012 |
By Rose Eveleth
How Olympic Bodies Have Changed Over Time
From 1929 to now, how do former Olympic champions compare to today's athletes?
August 09, 2012 |
By Rose Eveleth
Long Before Curiosity, Carl Sagan Had Something to Say to Kids About Mars
In a lectures series for children, Carl Sagan educates us all on the history and exploration of Mars.
August 08, 2012 |
By Rose Eveleth
