The sweeping scourge of the Black Death in 14th century England was so great it forced city-dwelling victims out to countryside hospitals, based on the tragic findings in a mass grave in Lincolnshire, England. The remains of 48 people, including 21 children, were found at a previously unknown Black Death mass grave site at Thornton…… MORE
Around 70,000 years ago, a Neanderthal was laid to rest in Shanidar Cave. Excavations in recent years have slowly revealed its entire upper body, including a lower back, the clenched bones of a right hand and the left hand almost acting as a pillow beneath the skull. It’s the first discovery of its kind in…… MORE
The image of cold-blooded, scaly, reptilian dinosaurs imprinted in our imaginations by movies like “Jurassic Park” may be inaccurate. We already know that many dinosaurs were feathered like birds and brightly colored. They may also have sounded like them too — making a cooing sound similar to a dove rather than roaring. Now, research from…… MORE
What will a second Donald Trump presidential term look like — if it happens? That was the thought in many delegates’ minds as they gathered over the weekend in the southern German city of Munich for a security conference. The official theme at the conference was “Westlessness,” an intentional gripe at the impact of Trump’s…… MORE
Here’s what you need to know to Start Your Week Smart. (You can also get “5 Things You Need to Know Today” delivered to your inbox daily. You give us five minutes, and we give you five things you must know for your weekday, plus a Sunday edition to get your week started smart. Sign up…… MORE
As China and the world try to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus, the fight against another deadly disease, Ebola, has reached an encouraging “milestone,” the World Health Organization said Friday. Four countries in Africa, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Ghana and Zambia, have licensed an Ebola vaccine to “cement hard-fought progress”…… MORE
Jane Goodall will be turning 86 this year, but she shows no signs of slowing down. In fact, there’s a renewed sense of urgency to her activism. Her days are packed with meetings with world leaders, visiting conservation projects, supporting her Roots & Shoots movement and sharing her message with anyone who will listen. She…… MORE
This week, an iceberg the size of Atlanta broke off a glacier. Researchers discovered a dramatic decline in Antarctic penguin colonies. And Antarctica may have just registered its hottest temperature ever. In case all of that was not enough to make you at least a little concerned, yet another unusually high temperature was logged in…… MORE
Not long after Valentine’s Day ends, a massive asteroid estimated to be between 1,443 feet and 3,248 feet long will pass by Earth around 6:05 a.m. ET on Saturday. Based on the size range, it could be anywhere between the size of a suspension bridge to taller than a skyscraper. But the experts at NASA’s…… MORE
Well, it’s Valentine’s Day. Did you bring enough sweethearts for everyone in class? Love it or hate it, the holiday has come a long way. From goat skin and fertility to 16th century greeting cards, here’s a quick spin through several theories on the origins of the holiday dedicated to love, love, love. The festival…… MORE
