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This 2013 photo of P-22 helped catapult him to fame. The cougar inspired conservation projects for urban wildlife and earned a robust Instagram following.

Why Los Angeles Fell in Love With the Mountain Lion Known as P-22

A local celebrity, the feline that was the face of several conservation campaigns died this weekend

A cinnamon black bear

Why Do Some Black Bears Have Brown Fur?

New research pinpoints the 9,000-year-old genetic mutation that gives some black bears a cinnamon-colored hue

Cézanne's Still Life With Bread and Eggs, housed at the Cincinnati Art Museum

Cool Finds

For 158 Years, a Cézanne Portrait Hid Behind a Still Life of Bread and Eggs

While examining the painting, a museum employee had a hunch—and called for an X-ray

President John F. Kennedy delivers remarks at Rice University regarding the nation's efforts in space exploration on September 12, 1962

National Archives Releases Thousands of Kennedy Assassination Files

Over 97 percent of documents related to the event are now publicly available

Archaeologists discovered the sarcophagi beneath the floor of the Notre-Dame cathedral's transept.

Unraveling the Secrets of the Sarcophagi Found Beneath Notre-Dame Cathedral

Archaeologists are learning more about the two men buried under the iconic Paris landmark

New York is now the sixth state to pass a law banning pet sales in stores, following California, Illinois, Maine, Maryland and Washington.

New York Bans Sale of Dogs, Cats and Rabbits in Pet Stores

The law, meant to combat abusive breeders, will take effect in 2024

When Harry Met Sally, written by Nora Ephron, is one of 25 films to be added to the National Film Registry this year.

From ‘Iron Man’ to ‘When Harry Met Sally,’ These Are the 25 New Additions to the National Film Registry

Every year, the Library of Congress selects 25 films of “cultural, historic or aesthetic importance”

An illustration of the SWOT satellite orbiting Earth

NASA Launches New Satellite to Study Earth’s Water

The mission’s data could paint a clearer picture of the effects of climate change

A high-ranking adult male chimpanzee rests in the dry and open woodland vegetation that dominates the Issa Valley savanna-mosaic habitat.

Human Ancestors May Have Evolved to Walk Upright in Trees

Research on wild chimpanzees suggests searching for food in tree branches drove bipedalism

A press night performance of Grease at London's Dominion Theatre on May 17, 2022

London Initiative Will Give Away 1,000 Free Theater Tickets Every Week

The program aims to make culture accessible amidst the rising cost of living

More than 150 people die every day from synthetic opioids.

Scientists Create a Vaccine Against Fentanyl

Researchers hope the vaccine, which blocked the drug from entering rats’ brains, could help reduce overdoses in humans

Pilgrims queue to get inside of the Basilica of Guadalupe on December 11, 2022.

Millions of Pilgrims Gathered to Celebrate the Virgin of Guadalupe in Mexico City

After two years of pandemic closures, the annual tradition is back in full force

Workers removing the statue of Ambrose P. Hill from its pedestal in Richmond, Virginia, on December 12

Richmond Removes Its Last City-Owned Confederate Monument

The statue of Ambrose P. Hill had stood at a busy intersection since 1892

South African ballet dancers in the Russian Ballet Ensemble perform The Nutcracker in Johannesburg, South Africa, on December 10.

Ukraine Calls for Boycott of ‘The Nutcracker’ and Other Russian Works

Critics argue that connecting Russia’s culture with its current leadership is counterproductive

Researchers found a two-part organ called the hemiclitoris after dissecting a death adder snake.

Scientists Discover That Snakes Have Clitorises

The finding highlights disparities in research on male and female animals

After scraping artists' work across the internet, the app can generate artistic renditions of users' selfies.

Art Meets Science

Is Popular A.I. Photo App Lensa Stealing From Artists?

The tool went viral first for generating flattering portraits—and then for igniting ethical concerns

NASA's Perseverance rover takes a selfie on September 10, 2021.

Listen to the Sound of a Dust Devil Swirling Around on Mars

For the first time, scientists have recorded the noise of a Martian dust storm using a microphone on NASA’s Perseverance rover

Thirty-seven U.S. states and D.C. have laws permitting the use of medical marijuana.

For Pain Relief, Cannabis May Be No Better Than a Placebo

Previous research has shown the placebo effect can be extremely powerful, rivaling ibuprofen or morphine

The five-button work pants recovered from the S.S. Central America

Cool Finds

These Pants Were Pulled From an 1857 Shipwreck. Are They the World’s Oldest Jeans?

After more than a century at the bottom of the ocean, the garment fetched $114,000 at auction

Filmmaker David Lynch, composer Angelo Badalamenti and singer Julee Cruise in 1989

Angelo Badalamenti, Who Composed Ethereal Scores for ‘Twin Peaks’ and ‘Blue Velvet,’ Dies at 85

He was one of David Lynch’s closest collaborators—and wrote one of TV’s most memorable themes

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