Weird News

Super Volcanoes Form Super Fast

Tim Wall — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 03:14:20 +0000

Super-volcanoes may go from zero to apocalypse in only a few centuries.

‘Sesame Street’ songs allegedly used in Guantanamo Bay interrogations

Fri, 01 Jun 2012 01:45:14 +0000

A new documentary alleges that detainees at Guantanamo Bay were "tortured" by being forced to listen to songs from Sesame Street for days on end. The Al Jazeera film, "Songs of War," features Christopher Cerf, who has worked as a composer on Sesame Street for more than four decades. "My first reaction was this just [...]

Probation for Colorado woman who slid buttocks across $30 million painting

Fri, 01 Jun 2012 01:29:39 +0000

DENVER (Reuters) - A woman who punched, scratched and slid her buttocks against a $30 million painting by abstract expressionist Clyfford Still at a Denver museum has been sentenced to two years of probation, and will have to undergo mental health treatment, prosecutors said on Thursday. Carmen Tisch, 37, pleaded guilty earlier this month to felony criminal mischief for striking at and leaning against the oil-on-canvas painting "1957-J No. 2" at the Clyfford Still Museum last year, the Denver District Attorney's Office said. ...

Probation for Colorado woman who slid buttocks across $30 million painting

Fri, 01 Jun 2012 01:17:54 +0000

DENVER (Reuters) - A woman who punched, scratched and slid her buttocks against a $30 million (19.5 million pounds) painting by abstract expressionist Clyfford Still at a Denver museum has been sentenced to two years of probation, and will have to undergo mental health treatment, prosecutors said on Thursday. Carmen Tisch, 37, pleaded guilty earlier this month to felony criminal mischief for striking at and leaning against the oil-on-canvas painting "1957-J No. 2" at the Clyfford Still Museum last year, the Denver District Attorney's Office said. ...

'Invisibility cloak' for waves discovered

Thu, 31 May 2012 22:51:00 +0000

Mathematicians have determined how to create an invisibility cloak that works for anything that acts like a wave, such as light, sound and particles. The cloak makes the waves inside it impossible to detect from the outside.

SpaceX Dragon Landing Caps "Grand Slam" Mission to Space Station

Ker Than — Thu, 31 May 2012 21:46:52 +0000

The private spacecraft splashed down in the Pacific after a nearly flawless mission to the International Space Station.

Pictures: Mystery Shipwreck Found With Muskets, Beer Bottles

Photograph courtesy NOAA Okeanos Explorer Program — Thu, 31 May 2012 21:32:53 +0000

See a 19th-century wreck that has experts stumped. The site's few clues include guns, beer bottles, and copper outlines of a missing hull.

The 'Next iPhone' We Didn't See Coming

Rob Pegoraro — Thu, 31 May 2012 21:24:53 +0000

You'll be able to buy an iPhone without a contract from Cricket Wireless - and use it overseas on the carrier of your choice.

Paralyzed Rats Walk Again, Thanks to Electricity, Chemicals—And Chocol

Rachel Kaufman — Thu, 31 May 2012 21:02:37 +0000

With help from electricity, chemicals, and chocolate, the rats' severely injured spinal cords recovered—a first that might help people too.

How Long is a Year, Really?: Gotta-See Videos

Trace Dominguez — Thu, 31 May 2012 21:02:32 +0000

The year doesn't really have 365 days, it's far more complex than that!

Soon you can have lab-grown, stingray shoes at $1,800 a pop

Thu, 31 May 2012 21:00:50 +0000

If you’ve got a shoe fetish, a spare $1,800 and don’t mind skin from genetically engineered stingrays on your feet, then head on over to Rayfish.com and order yourself a truly unique pair of shoes.

Guitar Pee urinal turns user into a music whiz

Thu, 31 May 2012 20:54:31 +0000

There's no denying it, this is a clear case of yellow journalism. Billboard Brasil has created a new musically interactive urinal that strums guitar chords while someone goes to the bathroom. The Guitar Pee is designed to look like an actual electric guitar and plays a unique set of notes with each use. In fact, [...]

Milky Way Doomed to Crash with Andromeda

Thu, 31 May 2012 20:45:00 +0000

Over time, the huge galactic smashup will create an entirely new hybrid galaxy.

Can Sugar Make You Stupid? "High Concern" in Wake of Rat Study

Charles Q. Choi — Thu, 31 May 2012 20:20:44 +0000

Bingeing on fructose stunted memory and learning in rats, prompting "high concern" over unhealthy humans.

TV Helps White Boys' Confidence: DNews Nuggets

Lori Cuthbert — Thu, 31 May 2012 20:20:09 +0000

A study of 400 kids who watched TV a lot found the self esteem of African American boys and all girls harmed.

Paralyzed Rats Regain Strut

Thu, 31 May 2012 19:57:00 +0000

Rats with spinal cord damage are able to walk with the help of a robot.

Pictures: Solar Plane Poised for Intercontinental Flight

Photograph by Dominic Favre, European Pressphoto Agency — Thu, 31 May 2012 19:39:13 +0000

Fueled only by the sun glinting off its enormous wings, the Swiss experimental aircraft Solar Impulse aims for a historic intercontinental flight.

Brazil burns mystery panties found in Congress

Thu, 31 May 2012 19:10:10 +0000

SAO PAULO (Reuters) - A pair of women's underwear that fell out of a Brazilian legislator's briefcase on the floor of Congress two weeks ago has been incinerated after no one stepped forward to claim them, O Globo newspaper reported on Thursday. A group of five legislators was rushing into the Chamber of Deputies to vote on a cybercrimes-related bill on the evening of May 15 when one of them apparently dropped the offending red and white panties, O Globo said. Security guards quickly, but discreetly, swooped in to pick up the panties and turn them over to the chamber's lost and found office. ...

Space Pictures This Week: Partial Eclipse, Dragon Capture, More

Photograph by Colleen Pinski, My Shot — Thu, 31 May 2012 19:02:07 +0000

A crescent eclipse, a candy-colored galaxy, and a spaceflight milestone feature among this week's best space pictures.

Tipping iceberg captured on video by tourist

Thu, 31 May 2012 18:53:48 +0000

A tourist has captured some rare and startling video of an iceberg tipping over. The tourist was traveling on a boat near the Upsala Glacier in Argentina and caught the unexpected moment. Writing on YouTube under the name "osibaruch," the tourist says: "While we were passing by it with a catamaran, the huge berg lost [...]

Hacking the climate could lead to whiter, brighter skies

Thu, 31 May 2012 18:32:14 +0000

Pumping a steady stream of sunlight-blocking particles into the stratosphere to fight global climate change would leave us with inescapable hazy and white skies such as those found over big cities, according to new research.

Death of TV: Democracy's Rebirth?

Andrea Seabrook — Thu, 31 May 2012 17:50:00 +0000

The high cost of political TV ads, coupled with fading audiences, will ultimately change the way politics -- and democracy -- work.

'Ingulvies' Foils 6-Year-Old: DNews Nuggets

Rose Palazzolo — Thu, 31 May 2012 17:34:37 +0000

After being told she misspelled the word, Lori Anne Madison grew wide-eyed.

‘Cranky’ 3-year-old kicked off Alaska Airlines flight

Thu, 31 May 2012 17:28:52 +0000

Alaska Airlines is defending its decision to remove a 3-year-old from a Memorial Day weekend flight after the child refused to quiet down and wear his seat belt. But the parents of Daniel Yanchuk are taking issue with the airline's description of their son's behavior as a "safety issue." "He got a little bit cranky, [...]

Groundwater Depletion Accelerates Sea-Level Rise

Richard Lovett — Thu, 31 May 2012 17:19:42 +0000

As aquifers are pumped out around the world, the water ultimately makes it to the oceans.

Whales Playing Soccer!: DNews Nuggets

Trace Dominguez — Thu, 31 May 2012 16:26:05 +0000

These whales can really bend it like Beckham!

Brazil burns mystery panties found in Congress

Thu, 31 May 2012 16:19:58 +0000

Amateur Astronomers Boost Asteroid Hunt

Mark Thompson — Thu, 31 May 2012 16:01:00 +0000

Yet again young amateur astronomers are helping scientists with real science.

SpaceX Dragon Capsule Splashes Down

Irene Klotz — Thu, 31 May 2012 16:00:12 +0000

The first privately owned space vehicle to reach the space station aced its inaugural nine-day mission and splashed into the Pacific Ocean.

Where the shacks double as musical instruments

Thu, 31 May 2012 15:45:09 +0000

Ever wonder what industrial fans rigged to rat traps sound like? Wonder no more! Here's an entire village that can be "played" in performances that look and sound like some kind of voodoo "Fantasia."

Put Some Bacon On It: Gotta-See Videos

Trace Dominguez — Thu, 31 May 2012 15:14:09 +0000

If you hurt your hand, put some bacon on it!

Bra Designed for Sensitive Skin: DNews Nuggets

Tracy Staedter — Thu, 31 May 2012 13:52:42 +0000

A bra for cancer patients has been designed with non-instrusive seam lines and soft, breathable fabric.

Mind-Reading Robot Teachers Head To Class

Nic Halverson — Thu, 31 May 2012 13:06:50 +0000

Robot teacher uses engaging techniques to keep students awake in class.

Garden Wheel Idea Came From Outer Space

Alyssa Danigelis — Thu, 31 May 2012 12:35:40 +0000

This in-home rotary herb garden design was inspired by a NASA concept for feeding astronauts in space.

In Case of Cyber Attack...?

Talal Al-Khatib — Thu, 31 May 2012 12:29:00 +0000

Cyber-attacks on government systems have increased 650 percent between 2006 and 2010.

The Tiniest Jubilee Trinket: DNews Nuggets

Amanda Onion — Thu, 31 May 2012 12:27:38 +0000

Queen Elizabeth's 60 years on the thrown is marked by the smallest ever diamond coin -- featuring Her Royal likeness.

Tasty Genetic Tomatoes: DNews Nuggets

Christina Reed — Thu, 31 May 2012 11:17:40 +0000

After sequencing the tomato genome, scientists can begin deciphering which genes do what in order to strategically delay shelf-life without delaying flavor development.

SpaceX Dragon Capsule Departs Space Station

Irene Klotz — Thu, 31 May 2012 09:48:35 +0000

The first privately owned space vehicle to reach the space station is on its way back to Earth.

Deadly Chain Reaction Kills Corals

Sarah Simpson — Thu, 31 May 2012 09:19:19 +0000

As if being buried alive weren’t bad enough, microbial activity within the sediment that settles onto coral colonies may give them less than a day to live.

Buffalo Could Become National Mammal

Tim Wall — Thu, 31 May 2012 07:57:38 +0000

The American bison may be joining the bald eagle as an official symbol of the land where it was once hunted to near-extinction.

Flame Retardants: Do We Need to Worry?

Emily Sohn — Thu, 31 May 2012 04:01:00 +0000

Harmful chemicals are showing up in everything from peanut butter to meat and fish.

Are you eating your vegetables? This laser can tell you

Thu, 31 May 2012 00:59:25 +0000

Invasive tests and unreliable recall make getting good information on food intake difficult for nutritionists and healthy eaters alike. A new device may allow doctors to tell how well you've been eating after doing nothing but shining a laser on your skin for 30 seconds.

SpaceShipTwo Cleared for Suborbital Test Flights

Irene Klotz — Wed, 30 May 2012 22:33:05 +0000

A six-passenger commercial spaceship owned by Virgin Galactic, has been cleared by the FAA.

Can Serpent-Handling Preachers Charm Snakes?

Eric Niiler — Wed, 30 May 2012 22:21:00 +0000

They say they can defy the deadly odds. But are they just lucky sometimes?

Is Mitt Romney a Unicorn?: DNews Nuggets

Lori Cuthbert — Wed, 30 May 2012 21:18:25 +0000

A group in Arizona collects 18,000 signatures asking for proof that he's not.

Cute Animal Gymnastics: Gotta-See Videos

Trace Dominguez — Wed, 30 May 2012 21:16:43 +0000

The debate about "Which is cuter: Dog Vs. Cat" has ended and I doubt you've guessed champion...

Say Cheese! Facebook Camera Is Here

Nic Halverson — Wed, 30 May 2012 20:59:50 +0000

New app for iPhone and iPod Touch gives Facebook's arsenal an Instagram touch-up.

Modern Birds Are Really Baby Dinosaurs

Jennifer Viegas — Wed, 30 May 2012 20:52:50 +0000

The next time you bird watch, keep in mind that our feathered friends are closely related to the Velociraptor.

Knife-wielding robots to debone chickens at superhuman speed

Wed, 30 May 2012 20:51:55 +0000

Robots are more than capable of painting cars, firing rivets and doing other mechanical tasks, but it cutting up a chicken properly presents quite a challenge. Researchers hope to change that with a sophisticated new system that sees in 3-D.

International Agency Calls for Action on Natural Gas Safety

Mason Inman — Wed, 30 May 2012 19:47:54 +0000

New environmental controls on natural gas "fracking" are both needed and affordable, the International Energy Agency says.

Itsy-bitsy structure in shape of Olympic rings created

Wed, 30 May 2012 19:08:21 +0000

A team of European scientists who are clearly getting excited for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London have created a synthetic molecule called olympicene that measures just 1.2 nanometers in width, which is about 100,000 times thinner than a human hair.

Historic British mansion has 48 rooms but no toilet

Wed, 30 May 2012 19:07:30 +0000

Fans of the British television drama "Downton Abbey" could live out the drama in a countryside estate of similar stature that has recently gone up for sale. Apethorpe Hall, an idyllic British manor with an astounding 48 rooms, has hit the market for what is considered a "bargain" price of 2.5 million pounds (about $3,882,500). [...]

Bankia calls in Spiderman to boost deposit drive

Wed, 30 May 2012 19:06:47 +0000

MADRID (Reuters) - Nationalised Spanish lender Bankia is offering a Spiderman towel to young investors as part of a drive to hold onto deposits after being taken over by the state in the biggest bank rescue in Spain's history. The bank, which holds around 10 percent of Spanish deposits, is offering the prize to youngsters if they manage to save 300 euros (240 pounds) by the end of the month. For every 50 euros saved, account holders can enter a draw for a trip to New York. ...

Salty Watermelon Pepsi's New Soda: DNews Nuggets

Tracy Staedter — Wed, 30 May 2012 18:16:00 +0000

A traditional Japanese snack is getting bottled by Pepsi.

Earhart's Anti-Freckle Cream Jar Possibly Found

Rossella Lorenzi — Wed, 30 May 2012 18:10:00 +0000

The jar was found on a remote island where Amelia Earhart may have lived as a castaway.

Russian millionaire throws paper planes made of money into crowd

Wed, 30 May 2012 17:45:32 +0000

Twenty-seven-year-old Russian millionaire Pavel Durov has earned himself plenty of new critics today after it was reported the mogul threw "paper planes" made of money from the windows of his St. Petersburg office into a growing crowd of pedestrians below. Durov is the CEO of Vkontakte, or "In Contact," Russia's most popular social networking site [...]

Baby totes of the future are sling-stroller hybrids

Wed, 30 May 2012 17:45:06 +0000

Toting infants and toddlers can be a hassle, especially when navigating stairs and crumbling sidewalks with a stroller. Thankfully, some parents of today and tomorrow have come up with a solution: a sling-stroller hybrid that makes getting around a snap.

Setting the Galaxy's Age

Irene Klotz — Wed, 30 May 2012 17:24:00 +0000

A scientist cracks the code using white dwarf stars to determine when the Milky Way got its halo.

Colorful Radiation Detecting Phone

Christina Ortiz — Wed, 30 May 2012 17:00:33 +0000

This seemingly normal phone detects radiation levels with 20-percent accuracy.

Mitt Romney Campaign's Epic Fail

Christina Ortiz — Wed, 30 May 2012 16:53:35 +0000

Don't we all want a better "Amercia?"

Adjust Your Prescription With Sliding Lenses

Nic Halverson — Wed, 30 May 2012 16:45:39 +0000

Eyejusters focuses on bringing affordable eyeglasses to people of developing nations.

Even More $$ for Travel?: DNews Nugget

Lori Cuthbert — Wed, 30 May 2012 16:27:59 +0000

Fees for airport security would double under a plan approved by a Senate Panel.

Powerful 'Flame' Cyberweapon Torching Mideast Computers

Wed, 30 May 2012 16:22:00 +0000

The Worm.Win32.Flame threat was likely built by the same nation-state responsible for the Stuxnet virus.

Graduation photo faux pas: Chinese students pose as school appears to burn in background

Wed, 30 May 2012 16:20:33 +0000

A group of students at China's Dalian University of Technology City College is under fire (pun definitely intended) for posing for graduation photos in their caps and gowns while a factory fire near their dormitory burned in the background. In the much-shared photo set, 23 students are seen in their graduation attire in front of [...]

Self-Driving Cars Head Down Spanish Motorway

Wed, 30 May 2012 16:20:00 +0000

A truck lead a road train of four self-driven Volvo vehicles.

Can a 16-year-old Be a Math Genius?

Sheila Eldred — Wed, 30 May 2012 15:32:00 +0000

While many are questioning whether the news of a schoolboy's problem-solving is true, mathematicians say age plays a role in their work.

Rare & Secretive Striped Rabbit Caught on Camera

Wed, 30 May 2012 15:30:00 +0000

A rarely photographed, elusive striped rabbit has been caught on film deep in the forests of Sumatra.

Deep Creatures Hitchhike on Subs—Invading Pristine Habitats?

Dave Mosher — Wed, 30 May 2012 15:10:47 +0000

Despite huge pressure changes, "Energizer bunny" animals keep going and going and going—possibly invading pristine areas, experts say.

National Geographic Bee's New King: Texan Wins on Bavarian Brainteaser

Jeremy Berlin in Washington, D.C. — Wed, 30 May 2012 14:55:03 +0000

Winning on a Bavarian brainteaser issued by Alex Trebek, a 14-year-old Texan took the National Geographic Bee crown.

Spray Sunscreen Ingredient to Combat Global Warming?

Ker Than — Wed, 30 May 2012 14:19:34 +0000

Spraying particles of titanium dioxide via balloons could help scatter enough sunlight to reduce global temperatures, a scientist says.

Why Pointy Eyebrows Look Evil: DNews Nuggets

Amanda Onion — Wed, 30 May 2012 13:26:35 +0000

Human beings perceive inverted triangles in facial features as threatening, research finds.

Saudi ghost-hunters raid "haunted" hospital

Wed, 30 May 2012 11:33:08 +0000

RIYADH (Reuters) - The dingy corridors and gloomy wards of a long-abandoned Saudi Arabian hospital have drawn hundreds of amateur ghost hunters who believe it to be haunted by jinn, the malevolent spirits of the Koran and Arabian mythology. The macabre fascination with Riyadh's Irqa Hospital, which treated Gulf War combatants in 1991, began with tweeted rumors and escalated to the point where hundreds of youths broke into the grounds, smashing windows and starting fires. ...

Saudi ghost-hunters raid "haunted" hospital

Wed, 30 May 2012 11:31:08 +0000

RIYADH (Reuters) - The dingy corridors and gloomy wards of a long-abandoned Saudi Arabian hospital have drawn hundreds of amateur ghost hunters who believe it to be haunted by jinn, the malevolent spirits of the Koran and Arabian mythology. The macabre fascination with Riyadh's Irqa Hospital, which treated Gulf War combatants in 1991, began with tweeted rumours and escalated to the point where hundreds of youths broke into the grounds, smashing windows and starting fires. ...

Volvo’s self-driven car convoy treks 125 miles across Spanish motorway

Wed, 30 May 2012 00:46:37 +0000

Motorists may soon be able to use their cellphones while driving without fear of getting a ticket. In fact, they may be able to take their eyes off the road completely. Volvo has successfully completed a public test of a self-driven convoy of cars. A human driver led the convoy of three self-driven vehicles, which [...]

Top Ten New Species: Snub-Nosed Monkey, Devil Worm, More

Photograph courtesy Ngwe Lwin — Tue, 29 May 2012 22:31:01 +0000

The biggest millipede and a Spongebob mushroom are among the ten most bizarre species of 2011, according to Arizona State University.

6-year-old is youngest National Spelling Bee contestant ever

Tue, 29 May 2012 21:34:48 +0000

Lori Anne Madison is already in the record books, and this year's Scripps National Spelling Bee hasn't even begun. That's because the 6-year-old from Virginia is the youngest person ever to qualify for the competition. "She's like a teenager in a 6-year-old body," says her mother, Sorina Madison. "Her brain, she understands things way ahead [...]

Skydiver planning world record 120,000-foot jump from space

Tue, 29 May 2012 20:03:27 +0000

This summer, Austrian skydiver Felix Baumgartner will attempt to break the world record for the longest jump, plummeting more than 23 miles from the Earth's stratosphere. "I've done a lot of test jumps, so I'm good," Baumgartner confidently told Fox News before adding that he would "probably say a little prayer" before making the jump [...]

Robot on your shoulder keeps a friend (or parent) close

Tue, 29 May 2012 19:41:18 +0000

Ever feel like you have a little person on your shoulder keeping track of your every move? That little person may soon be more than just your conscience; it could be a robot that provides real-time interaction between you and a remote friend (or parent) as you do what you do.

Tiny autonomous sensors could lay hidden for years

Tue, 29 May 2012 19:09:06 +0000

Defense research companies are working hard at improving their "unattended ground sensor" technology: tiny, camouflaged devices that can be left alone for months or years to listen for and report events like footsteps and vehicles.

Nebraska couple wear matching outfits every day for 35 years

Tue, 29 May 2012 18:48:02 +0000

Mel and Joey Schwanke have been married for nearly 65 years. And for more than half that time, they have been wearing matching outfits every single day. "We don't dare go somewhere without having matching outfits," Mel told Fremont, Neb., affiliate KETV. The couple reportedly have 146 custom-made matching outfits, which they've been rotating over [...]

Robot lifeguards hit the beach in time for summer

Tue, 29 May 2012 18:35:31 +0000

Just in time for the summer season, so-called robot lifeguards are hitting the beach on both coasts of the U.S.

Woman says kangaroo ‘stalked’ her for two days before attacking

Tue, 29 May 2012 17:47:47 +0000

An Australian woman says she was "stalked" for two days by an angry kangaroo, which finally attacked, leaving her with a 12-inch scar. "It was lucky it was cool weather and I had two layers of clothing; otherwise it could have been worse," Kirrily McWilliams said. The (Sydney) Daily Telegraph reports that McWilliams called the [...]

Pepsi offering ‘salty watermelon’ flavored soda in Japan

Tue, 29 May 2012 16:46:22 +0000

Pepsi Japan is set to unveil a new "salty watermelon" flavored soda that might sound a little unappetizing to U.S. consumers. But Short List reports that the unique mix of flavors actually makes perfect sense in Japan, where adding a dash of salt to watermelon "to bring out the taste" is common practice. Not to [...]

Stray dog follows cyclists for 1,139 miles

Tue, 29 May 2012 16:16:26 +0000

A stray dog in China has finally found a new home after following a team of cyclists for more than 1,100 miles. "She was lying, tired, on the street around Yajiang, Sichuan province," cyclist Zhang Heng, 22, told China Daily. "So we fed her, and then she followed our team. The small white dog, named [...]

Everest Climb Successful, Despite Crowds, Unrelenting Winds

Ker Than — Tue, 29 May 2012 15:16:43 +0000

Despite a tough crowd, howling winds, and even food poisoning, a National Geographic team touched the top of the world Friday.

Puppies trying not to fall asleep in cars (VIDEO)

Mon, 28 May 2012 18:44:27 +0000

More than 35 million Americans were expected to travel more than 50 miles over Memorial Day weekend—about 5 million more than last year, according to the AAA estimates—as falling U.S. gas prices inspired more family road trips. And that means there were plenty of dogs, in cars and SUVs across the country, trying desperately not [...]

Pictures: History of Auto Fuel Efficiency

Illustration from SSPL/Getty Images — Sun, 27 May 2012 02:41:07 +0000

Today’s global demand for more efficient cars follows two centuries of shifting attitudes toward fuel-guzzling vehicles, from Model T to Rambler, from Hummer to Prius.

Guards strike, inmates set free at Norway prison

Fri, 25 May 2012 21:34:22 +0000

OSLO (Reuters) - Convicted sex offenders and violent criminals were let loose from a Norway prison this week when guards went on strike, forcing authorities to free 52 inmates, officials said. "Some of these are prisoners convicted for violence, drugs, economic crime and sex crimes," Harald Aasaune, the manager of the Bjoergvin prison outside Bergen, said on Friday. "Bjoergvin is an open prison, but still, many of them are sitting in relatively long sentences," he added. "I don't think this has ever happened before. ...

Nat Geo Team on Everest

Fri, 25 May 2012 21:02:26 +0000

SpaceX's Dragon Captured by Space Station—A First

Victoria Jaggard and Ker Than — Fri, 25 May 2012 20:25:52 +0000

Plucked from orbit by a robotic arm, the Dragon capsule is the first commercial craft to make contact with the orbiting laboratory.

Etan Patz and the history of missing kids on milk cartons

Fri, 25 May 2012 19:35:22 +0000

Click image to see more photos. Etan Patz disappeared on May 25, 1979 (AP Photo/Stanley K. Patz) In today's social-media world, it's hard to imagine: But in 1979, there was no coordinated effort of state or national law enforcement when a child went missing. Etan Patz, who disappeared 33 years ago on May 25, changed [...]

Memorial Day 2012: When It Started, and How It May Change

Brian Handwerk — Fri, 25 May 2012 18:35:31 +0000

Find out who started the day of remembrance, and see why some groups want to change the date of this national holiday.

Evolutionary Flop: Early 4-Footed Land Animal Was No Walker?

Dave Mosher — Fri, 25 May 2012 14:20:02 +0000

New 3-D models suggest that what's been seen as one of Earth's first land walkers was actually more of a flopper.

Photos: Volcanic Vents, Crawling With Creatures, Found in Mexico Sea

Image courtesy MBARI — Fri, 25 May 2012 14:19:36 +0000

Crawling with tube worms and crabs, the hydrothermal vents are the first found in the Gulf of California, scientists report.

Mexican mother arrested after son's eyes gouged out

Fri, 25 May 2012 01:01:28 +0000

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - A mother in Mexico has been arrested on suspicion of gouging out the eyes of her 5-year-old son during a ceremony. Police said on Thursday they had arrested seven people, including the boy's parents, after his eyeballs were pulled out during the ritual in Nezahualcoyotl, a working-class neighborhood on the eastern flank of Mexico City. "There was some kind of ceremony inside a house," said Laura Uribe, a spokeswoman for state prosecutors in the State of Mexico, a populous region that borders much of the capital. She did not give details of what the ritual involved. ...

Space Pictures This Week: Solar Eclipse, Dusty "Doughnut," More

Image courtesy PHL/UPR Arecibo — Fri, 25 May 2012 00:20:44 +0000

See National Geographic's favorite new astrophotos, including a shady eclipse shot, dusty "doughnut," fleeing comet, and more.

Pictures: World War II "Time Capsule" Fighter Found in Sahara

Photograph by Jakub Perka, BNPS — Thu, 24 May 2012 19:58:59 +0000

See the "aviation equivalent of Tut's tomb"—a World War II fighter plane newly found in the Egyptian desert.

SpaceX Launches for Space Station—Like "Winning the Super Bowl"

Ker Than — Thu, 24 May 2012 15:09:18 +0000

A Falcon 9 rocket sent an unmanned capsule into orbit on its way to rendezvous with the International Space Station.

Magma Rise Sparked Life as We Know It?

Ken Croswell — Wed, 23 May 2012 21:46:34 +0000

Oxygen-breathing life exists on Earth today because of changes in the planet's magma 2.5 billion years ago, a new study says.

Weird News

Super Volcanoes Form Super Fast

‘Sesame Street’ songs allegedly used in Guantanamo Bay interrogations

Probation for Colorado woman who slid buttocks across $30 million painting

Probation for Colorado woman who slid buttocks across $30 million painting

'Invisibility cloak' for waves discovered

SpaceX Dragon Landing Caps "Grand Slam" Mission to Space Station

Pictures: Mystery Shipwreck Found With Muskets, Beer Bottles

The 'Next iPhone' We Didn't See Coming

Paralyzed Rats Walk Again, Thanks to Electricity, Chemicals—And Chocol

How Long is a Year, Really?: Gotta-See Videos

Soon you can have lab-grown, stingray shoes at $1,800 a pop

Guitar Pee urinal turns user into a music whiz

Milky Way Doomed to Crash with Andromeda

Can Sugar Make You Stupid? "High Concern" in Wake of Rat Study

TV Helps White Boys' Confidence: DNews Nuggets

Paralyzed Rats Regain Strut

Pictures: Solar Plane Poised for Intercontinental Flight

Brazil burns mystery panties found in Congress

Space Pictures This Week: Partial Eclipse, Dragon Capture, More

Tipping iceberg captured on video by tourist

Hacking the climate could lead to whiter, brighter skies

Death of TV: Democracy's Rebirth?

'Ingulvies' Foils 6-Year-Old: DNews Nuggets

‘Cranky’ 3-year-old kicked off Alaska Airlines flight

Groundwater Depletion Accelerates Sea-Level Rise

Whales Playing Soccer!: DNews Nuggets

Brazil burns mystery panties found in Congress

Amateur Astronomers Boost Asteroid Hunt

SpaceX Dragon Capsule Splashes Down

Where the shacks double as musical instruments

Put Some Bacon On It: Gotta-See Videos

Bra Designed for Sensitive Skin: DNews Nuggets

Mind-Reading Robot Teachers Head To Class

Garden Wheel Idea Came From Outer Space

In Case of Cyber Attack...?

The Tiniest Jubilee Trinket: DNews Nuggets

Tasty Genetic Tomatoes: DNews Nuggets

SpaceX Dragon Capsule Departs Space Station

Deadly Chain Reaction Kills Corals

Buffalo Could Become National Mammal

Flame Retardants: Do We Need to Worry?

Are you eating your vegetables? This laser can tell you

Sponsored By:

SpaceShipTwo Cleared for Suborbital Test Flights

Can Serpent-Handling Preachers Charm Snakes?

Is Mitt Romney a Unicorn?: DNews Nuggets

Cute Animal Gymnastics: Gotta-See Videos

Say Cheese! Facebook Camera Is Here

Modern Birds Are Really Baby Dinosaurs

Knife-wielding robots to debone chickens at superhuman speed

International Agency Calls for Action on Natural Gas Safety

Itsy-bitsy structure in shape of Olympic rings created

Historic British mansion has 48 rooms but no toilet

Bankia calls in Spiderman to boost deposit drive

Salty Watermelon Pepsi's New Soda: DNews Nuggets

Earhart's Anti-Freckle Cream Jar Possibly Found

Russian millionaire throws paper planes made of money into crowd

Baby totes of the future are sling-stroller hybrids

Setting the Galaxy's Age

Colorful Radiation Detecting Phone

Mitt Romney Campaign's Epic Fail

Adjust Your Prescription With Sliding Lenses

Even More $$ for Travel?: DNews Nugget

Powerful 'Flame' Cyberweapon Torching Mideast Computers

Graduation photo faux pas: Chinese students pose as school appears to burn in background

Self-Driving Cars Head Down Spanish Motorway

Can a 16-year-old Be a Math Genius?

Rare & Secretive Striped Rabbit Caught on Camera

Deep Creatures Hitchhike on Subs—Invading Pristine Habitats?

National Geographic Bee's New King: Texan Wins on Bavarian Brainteaser

Spray Sunscreen Ingredient to Combat Global Warming?

Why Pointy Eyebrows Look Evil: DNews Nuggets

Saudi ghost-hunters raid "haunted" hospital

Saudi ghost-hunters raid "haunted" hospital

Volvo’s self-driven car convoy treks 125 miles across Spanish motorway

Top Ten New Species: Snub-Nosed Monkey, Devil Worm, More

6-year-old is youngest National Spelling Bee contestant ever

Skydiver planning world record 120,000-foot jump from space

Robot on your shoulder keeps a friend (or parent) close