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The oil slick in the ocean extended an area of over 320 football fields and has dirtied waters and beaches, resulting in many dead birds and seals washing up onshore.  

Tsunami-Triggered Oil Spill Devastates Marine Wildlife on Peru’s Coast After Volcanic Eruption in Tonga

The country declared a 90-day environmental emergency after 264,000 gallons of crude oil contaminated a biodiverse swath of its coastal ecosystems

A popular tourist site, Turkmenistan's Darvasa crater pit has been burning gas for over 50 years. The country's attempts to put out its flames have been unsuccessful. 

The Quest to Extinguish the Flames of Turkmenistan’s Terrifying ‘Gates of Hell’ Firepit

The country’s president says it’s time to quash the ongoing 50-year blaze at the 230-foot-wide Darvaza gas crater

The recent explosion was so powerful that it obliterated parts of the volcanic island of Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai, splitting it in two.

NASA Says Tonga Eruption Was More Powerful Than an Atomic Bomb

The recent blast was the equivalent of 4 to 18 megatons of TNT, according to scientists

Earlshall Castle has hosted royalty over the years and sits on 34 acres of parkland and gardens. 

You Could Own a Possibly Haunted Castle Visited by Mary, Queen of Scots

Located in Fife, Scotland, the 16th-century Earlshall Castle boasts a rich history—and its very own ghost story

A nail technician works at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. Patrons could choose from several Van Gogh-inspired designs, including ones inspired by the Impressionist painter's depictions of cherry blossoms and starry night skies.

In a Day-Long Protest, Dutch Museums Transform Into Gyms, Nail Salons and Barber Shops

The coordinated effort was “playful” but challenged the government’s inconsistent Covid-19 lockdown measures

Zara Rutherford greets reporters at  Wevelgem International Airport on January 20, 2022 in Kortrijk, Belgium. At age 19, she became the youngest female pilot to circumvent the globe, traveling across five continents in five months while flying in a single-seater sport plane.

Good News

19-Year-Old Woman Completes Around-the-World Solo Flight

Zara Rutherford flew 28,000 nautical miles of five continents to become the youngest woman to finish a solo global flight

Four snowboarders compete in the Women's Snowboard Cross final during the FIS Ski Cross World Cup 2022, part of a 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games test event. 

If Current Climate Trends Continue, the Winter Olympics Will Have Nowhere to Go

By the end of the century, only Sapporo, Japan, will be eligible to host the winter games if global warming continues at its present pace

Mammal and bird losses cut a plant’s ability to adapt to global climate change by 60 percent. Pictured: Cedar waxwing

With Fewer Animals to Move Their Seeds, Plants Are Stuck in Threatened Habitats

For many types of vegetation, the only way to migrate to a more favorable range is through the guts of mammals and birds

Baleen whales like humpbacks use hair-like bristles in their mouth to sieve prey from the water

Scientists Discover How Whales Eat Without Choking on Water

An ‘oral plug’ of muscle and fat could help keep water out of the whales’ lungs

The Bonhams sale features more than 1,000 books from the late Supreme Court justice's personal library.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Personal Library Is Up for Auction

The late Supreme Court justice’s collection includes novels, law books, notes and other documents dating back to her youth

This image shows the Wordle instruction page.

Why the Online Game Wordle Went Viral, According to Psychology

Users are sharing their game grids, which show how they played without spoiling the answer for others

Ancient people might have used these elongated tubes to drink beer from the same pot during ceremonial feasts or gatherings. 

New Research

Ancient People May Have Sipped Beer Through These 5,500-Year-Old Drinking Straws

Eight gold and silver tubes might be the oldest known drinking straws, according to a new study from the Russian Academy of Sciences

With Omicron’s high transmissibility and record number of infections, public health experts encourage the use of high-quality masks to prevent spreading the airborne virus.

Biden Administration Plans to Provide 400 Million N95 Masks to Americans Amid Omicron Surge

Starting next week, adults can pick up three free masks each at pharmacies, community centers and vaccination sites

The 55-faceted gemstone is believed to be the largest cut black diamond in the world.

A Huge Black Diamond, Purportedly From Outer Space, Is Now Up for Sale

The gem known as the ‘Enigma’ is expected to fetch around $7 million at auction, though experts are skeptical of its cosmic origin

The first-ever archaeology experiment in space is being conducted on the International Space Station.

First-Ever Archaeological Project Studies How Astronauts Adapt to Their Environments

Researchers on Earth, partnering with those on the International Space Station, are taking a novel approach to understanding the ways humans live in space

Staff members from the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department in Hong Kong investigate a pet shop that was closed after hamsters tested positive for the coronavirus.

Covid-19

Hong Kong Will Cull Thousands of Hamsters and Small Animals After Delta Variant Was Detected in a Pet Shop

Though there is no evidence of domestic animals passing the disease to humans, officials say they are acting out of caution

A murder of crows flies around an apartment building in downtown Sunnyvale, California.

A California City Overrun With Crows Turns to Lasers and a Boombox to Scare Them Away

City employees will spend an hour every night shining green lasers and playing corvid distress calls to humanely harass the birds into leaving

Caravaggio's Jupiter, Neptune and Pluto (1597) is the only known ceiling work painted by the Baroque artist. 

Cool Finds

Italian Mansion With ‘Priceless’ Caravaggio Mural Goes Up for Sale—but Attracts No Buyers

Villa Aurora, valued at $533 million, failed to garner bids despite touting a rare ceiling fresco by the Baroque artist

The T. rex specimen was discovered in 1987 by fossil hunter Stan Sacrison in South Dakota's Badlands.  

Good News

Dinosaur Fan Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson Is Not Stan the T. Rex’s Mystery Buyer

A cast of the prehistoric giant made a guest appearance from the actor’s home office on ESPN’s ManningCast

An extremely rare Henry III gold penny discovered in a farm field in England could fetch more than $500,000 at auction this month.

Cool Finds

Metal Detectorist Discovers One of England’s Earliest Gold Coins in a Farm Field

The 13th-century gold penny found in southwestern Britain could sell for half a million at auction

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