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Alessandro Biancardi says he caught the biggest catfish he'd ever seen in his 23 years as a professional fisherman.

Fisherman Reels in ‘Monster’ Nine-Foot Catfish in Italy

The behemoth, found in the Po River, may have set a world record for the longest catch-and-release catfish

This satellite image shows active fires (in red) and gray smoke particles wafting over parts of eastern Canada and the United States. 

Smoke From Wildfires in Canada Traveled as Far as Norway

Though air quality has improved along the East Coast, smoke particles are floating through the atmosphere to other parts of the world

Researchers studied California two-spot octopuses both in the lab and in the wild for the new paper. 

Octopuses Can Rewire Their Brains to Brave Chilly Waters

To handle changing temperatures, the cephalopods make “astounding” RNA edits, researchers find

The convertible seat folds down to make room for a wheelchair to be secured in place.

Could This Convertible Seat Improve Air Travel for Wheelchair Users?

If adopted, a new prototype would allow passengers to remain in their own wheelchairs on flights

A researcher scans the negative cavity in the gypsum casing.

New Research

Why Did the Romans Cover Bodies With Gypsum?

Researchers are using 3D scanning technology to learn more about the plaster casts

Researchers declare the onset of El Niño when the temperature of the water in the tropical Eastern Pacific is at least 0.9 degrees Fahrenheit (0.5 Celsius) above average for a three-month period.

El Niño Has Arrived

The natural climate pattern usually increases global temperatures and could lead to record-breaking heat

A picture taken in 2014 of the JOIDES Resolution, the ship used for the recent drilling expedition. 

Scientists Extract Rocks From Earth’s Mantle

They drilled into a mountain at the bottom of the North Atlantic Ocean

Bryce Canyon is one of several national parks hosting stargazing and astronomy festivals this year.

These National Parks Are Hosting Stargazing Festivals in 2023

As more areas grow brighter with light pollution, national parks across the country have become dark-sky havens

Test strips can determine within minutes if drugs are laced with fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid.

Lifesaving Fentanyl Test Strips Are Being Legalized in More States

The paper strips, which can help prevent drug overdoses and death, remain illegal in several states under drug paraphernalia laws from the 1970s

Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture has acquired Ebony magazine's bright and bold test kitchen, originally built in 1972.

‘Ebony’ Magazine’s Vintage Test Kitchen Finds a Home at the Smithsonian

The 1970s-era kitchen will undergo conservation at the National Museum of African American History and Culture

Mountain goats roam the streets of Llandudno, Wales, in March 2020 during the Covid-19 lockdowns.

What Wild Animals Were Really Doing During Covid-19 Lockdowns

Researchers around the world traced mammals’ movements and behaviors when fewer humans and cars were outside in spring 2020

Masturbation may help reduce STIs and increase fertilization in male primates.

Male Primate Masturbation May Have Evolved to Prevent STIs

The behavior originated some 40 million years ago to improve breeding success and protect against pathogens, according to a new study

David Andrews of Historic England undertakes photogrammetry of the 6,000-year-old artifact.

Retiree Uncovers Wooden Artifact 2,000 Years Older Than Stonehenge

Markings on the timber may help piece together lost European history

The ship has three retractable sails covered in solar panels.

Could This Futuristic Vessel Be the World’s First Zero-Emissions Cruise Ship?

Hurtigruten Norway’s new design includes batteries and retractable sails equipped with solar panels

A hazy smoke over Washington, D.C., on Thursday morning, where air quality reached very unhealthy levels, with increased risk of health effects for all groups.

Canadian Wildfires Send Harmful Smoke Across Eastern United States

At least 20 states were air quality alerts this week, and in some places, air quality reached unhealthy levels for all groups

Thinning Arctic sea ice near Pituffik, Greenland, as captured in July 2022 

Arctic Could Be Sea Ice-Free in the Summer by the 2030s

A new study estimates climate change will lead to unprecedented melting in the Arctic a decade earlier than previously projected

The front of the newly returned altar panel features St. Nicholas of Bari, St. James of Tarentaise and St. Germanus of Paris.

U.K. Museum Recovers 15th-Century Altar Panel Almost 50 Years After It Was Stolen

The piece was about to go to auction when researchers noticed similarities to another panel at the York Art Gallery

Kīlauea erupts early on June 7, after months of signaling it was getting ready to burst.

Hawaii’s Kīlauea Volcano Is Erupting Again—Here’s How to See It

The youngest and most active volcano on the Big Island, it’s expected to draw thousands of tourists

Reconstruction of an Australian pterosaur

Australia’s Oldest Known Pterosaur Fossils Are From 107 Million Years Ago

The tiny bones include the first one from a juvenile found in the country

Margot Robbie stars in the live-action Barbie movie.

Did the ‘Barbie’ Movie Cause a Pink Paint Shortage?

The film recreates the famous doll’s brightly colored world—with the help of one specific shade of pink

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