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Stories from Sarah Kuta

An artist's depiction of Macronectes tinae, a newly identified extinct species of giant petrel that lived in New Zealand.

Amateur Fossil Hunter Discovers New Species of Giant Petrel in New Zealand

The now-extinct birds, which lived roughly three million years ago, likely used their hooked bills to feast on seal carcasses

Members of the Australian National Antarctic Research Expedition raise the Australian flag over Heard Island on December 26, 1947.

See Rare Images of Early 20th-Century Antarctic Expeditions

For the first time, hundreds of photos, lantern slides and glass plate negatives are available to the public

Emperor penguins rely on sea ice to reproduce and, as a result, are vulnerable to global warming.

Scientists Discover an Emperor Penguin Colony From Poop Stains in Satellite Images

Researchers pinpointed the group of roughly 500 birds in West Antarctica

Archaeologists created replica stone points, then experimented with them by firing them at a goat carcass using different methods.

Archery May Have Arrived in Europe Thousands of Years Earlier Than Thought

New archaeological research suggests Homo sapiens used bows and arrows 54,000 years ago in present-day France

Two lucky visitors will spend the night inside the Palais Garnier, exploring the historic opera house and enjoying private tours and other perks.

Parisian Opera House That Inspired ‘Phantom of the Opera’ Becomes an Airbnb

For just one night, two travelers will spend the night in the Palais Garnier’s Box of Honor

Ambulance boats and tourist gondolas are having a tough time getting around in Venice.

A Long Low Tide Dries Up Venice’s Smaller Canals

A high-pressure anticyclone is driving the situation, making it difficult to get around the carless city

Harley-Davidson made just 450 motorcycles in 1908.

Rare 1908 Harley-Davidson Becomes Most Expensive Motorcycle Sold at Auction

The restored bike, which a collector discovered in a Wisconsin barn, still has many of its original parts

Baofeng Su, a fish genetics researcher at Auburn University, is part of a team of scientists studying the effectiveness of injecting alligator genes into farm-raised catfish.

Scientists Are Injecting Alligator Genes Into Catfish

The technique could help prevent infections in the millions of pounds of farmed catfish raised for human consumption

Crews carefully relocated the building to Colonial Williamsburg, a living history museum roughly half a mile away.

Oldest Schoolhouse for Black Children Moves to Colonial Williamsburg

The school educated free and enslaved Black children between 1760 and 1774

The Codex Sassoon, which measures 12 by 14 inches, dates to the late ninth or early tenth century.

World’s Oldest Near-Complete Hebrew Bible Goes to Auction

The Codex Sassoon could break auction records, becoming the most valuable historical document ever sold

Tourists flocked to Walker Canyon to see the poppies during the superbloom in 2019.

Will California See a Wildflower Superbloom This Spring?

If the swaths of show-stopping poppies do appear, officials urge tourists to act responsibly

An artist's representation of the dinosaur that left the footprint

Squatting Dinosaur Left Behind a Huge Footprint in England

An archaeologist accidentally came across the fossil that was preserved for 166 million years

NASA’s Space Launch System sent the uncrewed Orion spacecraft into orbit around the moon in November 2022.

How Loud Was NASA’s Artemis 1 Launch?

The Space Launch System rocket produced crackling sounds 40 million times louder than a bowl of Rice Krispies cereal in milk, researchers say

The seven-inch artillery shell found at Gettysburg National Military Park

160-Year-Old Civil War Artillery Shell Found at Gettysburg

After clearing the area, park officials sent experts to safely detonate the object

As it turns out, it may not be such a bad idea to share food with your dog.

Eating Table Scraps and Raw Food May Help Protect Dogs Against Stomach Issues

New research finds a link between the foods puppies eat and their gut health later in life

The Mexican government has banned shark-related tourism activities, including cage diving, at Guadalupe Island.

Mexico Bans Great White Shark-Related Tourism on Guadalupe Island

The government cited bad practices in the industry as a reason for the ban, which has sparked concerns for the local economy

Archaeologists found saffron, as well as peppercorns, almonds, raspberries and other foods.

Medieval Pantry Stocked With Spices Found in 500-Year-Old Shipwreck

The vessel, called “Gribshunden,” sank off the coast of Sweden in 1495

Owen Wilson as Carl Nargle in Paint

Owen Wilson Brings Bob Ross Energy to ‘Paint’

The comedy follows a fictional TV painter who bears a striking resemblance to Ross

Nearly 70 percent of the U.S. population has completed the primary series of Covid-19 vaccinations, but only 16 percent have received the updated bivalent booster dose.

 

CDC Includes Covid-19 Shots in Routine Immunization Schedule

The federal health agency updated its vaccination guidance for children and adults

Climate change, pollution and biodiversity are all contributing to the rise of drug-resistant super bugs.

‘Superbugs’ Could Kill Up to Ten Million Additional People Each Year by 2050

A new U.N. report warns that climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss are helping create pathogens that can evade our medications

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