Each year on the first Saturday of June, thousands of people flock to a scenic Minneapolis neighborhood to witness a pencil being sharpened. As strange as it may sound, this is no ordinary pencil. It stands an impressive 20 feet (60 m) tall and boasts a diameter of 32 inches (81 cm)....
Read news articleJuneteenth celebrates the end of slavery in the United States. The holiday is observed every year on June 19. On this day in 1865, the last enslaved people in America — a group in Galveston,Texas — learned they were free....
Read news articleFor most climbers, summiting Mount Everest is a once-in-a-lifetime achievement. But for Kami Rita Sherpa, it is just another day at work. On May 31, 2025, the 55-year-old Nepali climber stood atop the world’s highest peak for the 31st time. He broke his own world record for the most ascents of Everest....
Read news articleFor most people, June 13 — which falls on a Friday this year — will simply signal the start of another weekend. But for the over 20 million Americans — and many more worldwide — who suffer from paraskevidekatriaphobia, it will be the unluckiest day of the year. No one knows how Friday the 13th became so feared. But there are a few theories....
Read news articleNeed an excuse to eat a donut? Then, you will be happy to know that June 6 2025, is National Donut Day. This makes it your civic duty to indulge in the fried treat. The sweet holiday is celebrated annually on the first Friday of June. It was created by the Salvation Army to raise funds for those in need....
Read news articleAt first glance, Reginald (Reggie), the world's tallest living dog, and Pearl, the world's smallest dog, seem like an unlikely pair. The seven-year-old Great Dane from Idaho Falls measures 3.3 feet (1 m) tall, while the four-year-old Chihuahua from Florida stands just 3.59 inches (9.1 cm) high. But a recent playdate showed that when it comes to friendship, size does not really matter....
Read news articleThe Magna Carta, or "Great Charter," is one of the most important documents in the history of democracy. It introduced the idea that no one — not even the king — is above the law. The charter helped shape the founding principles of many nations, including the United States....
Read news articleFor centuries, the world beneath Antarctica’s thick ice shelves remained one of Earth’s greatest unknowns. No one knew what, if anything, lived there. That changed when a massive iceberg, roughly the size of Chicago, unexpectedly broke away. This rare event gave scientists a once-in-a-lifetime chance to explore a part of the planet that had never been seen before....
Read news articleSpending time in space might sound thrilling, but it takes a serious toll on the human body. Weightlessness affects everything from muscles to blood flow. Hence, before astronauts head to the Moon or Mars, scientists must find ways to reduce the physical effects of long-term space travel....
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