Typos are careless spelling or punctuation mistakes. They are usually minor, but not always. Sometimes these small mistakes can cost millions of dollars. NASA, the US space agency, made a little mistake in 1962 that had a big impact. Their spacecraft, called “Mariner 1”, was … [Read more...]
The ancient civilization of Atlantis was a utopia. It was lush and full of food and wildlife. And the people of Atlantis were wise and just. They were a knowledgeable society capable of amazing feats of architecture and engineering. Most people believe that the story of … [Read more...]
On an April morning in 1999, Columbine High School in Colorado became the scene of a terrible tragedy. Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold laughed and hollered as they killed 13 people and wounded 20 others. Their innocent victims were their teachers and classmates. The teenage … [Read more...]
When musician Clive Wearing was struck down by a brain infection in 1985, it stole his memories. It also prevented him from making new ones. Fresh events and experiences are lost in the blink of an eye. Herpes encephalitis had infected his brain and destroyed his memory. He … [Read more...]
What’s in a name? Well quite a lot if you’re the Washington Redskins football team. In 2013, former US President Barack Obama suggested the historic team should change theirs. He said it was offensive to the Native American community. The team defended the name as honoring … [Read more...]
Timothy Treadwell spent 13 summers living with grizzly bears in remote Alaska. He loved them and gave them cute pet names like Mr. Chocolate. These wild animals were anything but cute. Weighing up to 1,700 pounds and standing up to 7 feet tall, these animals were dangerous. … [Read more...]
When the Titanic hit an iceberg in the North Atlantic in 1912, it took 1,517 women, men and children to a watery grave. Masabumi Hosono was not one of them. Masabumi was the only Japanese person to survive the Titanic's sinking. He was one of the lucky few who escaped on a … [Read more...]
A ten-year-old girl who fought off a bloodthirsty alligator with her bare hands claims they’re ‘misunderstood creatures.’ The Florida sun was fierce and high when ten-year-old Juliana Ossa went in Orlando’s Mary Jane Lake. Her attempts to cool off came to a sudden end when … [Read more...]
Bravery comes in many forms. For some, it’s found in the heat of battle. For others, it’s found in the courage to defy society and stay true to oneself. As a young man, World War 2 veteran Peter Davies showed immense bravery under enemy fire. Over 70 years later he needed a … [Read more...]
When Mitsutaka Uchikoshi got lost on a Japanese mountain, his chances of survival were slim. He had no food, water, or protection against the environment. Mitsutaka became separated from his climbing party on Mount Rokko. The last thing he remembers is lying down in a grassy … [Read more...]
Kjell Inge Roekke is a man of contradictions. The billionaire owner of an oil company sounds like an unlikely environmentalist, but he is determined to clean up the oceans. As a young man, Roekke was a high school dropout who moved to the US to become a humble fisherman. Now … [Read more...]
Shakespeare died over 400 years ago, but his words live on in everyday English conversations. Even native English speakers who don’t know his plays, use idioms the famous playwright coined over 400 years ago. Shakespeare had a unique insight into what makes us tick. We often … [Read more...]
Imagine you’re a stranger in a strange land far from home. You’re fleeing a brutal government responsible for the imprisonment, torture, and death of your family and friends. You’ve lost everything and traveled miles. You’ve risked it all to find a safe place. You’re in a new … [Read more...]
Lions are the kings of the jungle, but in Botswana a gang of lionesses are turning gender roles upside down in the name of female power. Scientists are confused about why five lionesses in Botswana have grown manes and are acting like males. These females are roaring like … [Read more...]
Genghis Khan was the most feared invader in history. His Mongol armies killed over 40 million people and wiped out entire civilizations. Yet, the Guardian newspaper says the bloodthirsty ruler was good for planet earth. The Mongol invasion lasted a century and a half and it … [Read more...]
Arthur MacMurrough Kavanagh stared in shock at the letter from his mother. She had written to say that she was cutting off his money. As he reread the page, the sensations of India intruded - a peacock's cry, the smell of spices, a gentle wind through palm leaves. An Irishman … [Read more...]
A company called Planetary Resources wants to mine asteroids that are close to Earth for water and precious metals. While Planetary Resources is looking at near-Earth asteroids, NASA has its eye on a bigger prize. The space agency is planning on sending a probe in 2023 to a … [Read more...]
For a person to save one life is rare, but to save four in eight years is a miracle. Just ask the footballers saved from the grim reaper by Togo footballer Francis Kone. Kone is known as a miracle man on the football pitch. Not because he can bend it like Beckham or pass it … [Read more...]
Khalid al-Assad lost his life protecting the history and culture of his country. This 83-year-old scholar was retired, but still an active expert at the museum that he used to run in Palmyra, Syria. On July 13th, 2016, ISIS demanded he tell them where all the cultural treasures … [Read more...]
Imagine the loneliness of speaking a language that only you can understand. Researchers have been studying a whale, who communicates in a language not recognizable by other whales. This whale has spent over two decades looking for a friend who will understand him. Whales are … [Read more...]
