Smart News

An oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico. Officials spotted an oil slick three to four miles wide off the coast of Louisiana last Thursday.

Oil Spill Dumps as Much as 1.1 Million Gallons Into Gulf of Mexico, Raising Concerns About Wildlife

The U.S. Coast Guard is still searching for the specific source of the leak, which occurred last week

Crews used armor-plated excavators while working on the riverbed in case they came across unexploded ordnances.

Cool Finds

Civil War Weapons Recovered From South Carolina's Congaree River

Union troops tossed Confederate munitions and supplies into the waterway after taking Columbia in February 1865

The Lyric’s senior director of digital initiatives, Brad Dunn, meets with SoundShirt designers at CuteCircuit in London.

Art Meets Science

This High-Tech Shirt Helps Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Patrons Feel Music

Guests at Chicago's Lyric Opera can now immerse themselves in performances through the SoundShirt’s vibrations

Jonny Fowle, global head of whisky at Sotheby's, tasted a tiny drop of the rare Scotch whisky and described it as "very rich."

Rare Bottle of Scotch Whisky Sells for Record-Breaking $2.7 Million

Made in 1926, the whisky aged in sherry casks for 60 years before being bottled in 1986

When erect, the penises of male serotine bats are seven times longer than female bats' vaginas and seven times wider than the females' vaginal openings.

This Bat Uses Its Extra Long Penis Like an Arm While Mating

Serotine bats are the first mammals known to mate without penetration, new research suggests

A stall worker carries a bag of ice on Copacabana Beach during a heatwave in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on November 18, 2023.

Earth Headed for Nearly Three-Degree Temperature Hike—Well Above Paris Agreement Level

A new U.N. report finds current pledges put the planet on track to warm 2.5 to 2.9 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels this century

The sarcophagus of Ramses II is a major attraction in a new exhibition, as it has rarely been shown publicly outside of Egypt.

Why Egyptomania Is Taking Over Australia

A series of exhibitions in the country spotlight the enduring appeal of ancient Egypt for modern audiences

The Psychedelic Eye mosaic, once on the wall of the deep end of John Lennon's swimming pool, is now freestanding and up for auction.

John Lennon's 'Psychedelic Eye' Swimming Pool Mosaic Goes to Auction

The famous musician commissioned the trippy mural for his home in Kenwood at the height of Beatlemania

The monkey "chimera" with two sets of DNA at three days old. Some body parts appear tinted green, because the researchers marked the transplanted cells with fluorescent dye to trace what parts they developed into.

Scientists Created a Monkey With Two Different Sets of DNA

So-called "chimeric" monkeys could help scientists understand human diseases and aid in conservation efforts, but the research raises ethical questions

Castoreum, an edible, sweet-smelling substance, is found in the castor sacs of beavers.

Does Vanilla Flavoring Actually Come From Beaver Butts?

Despite internet claims, castoreum—a substance found in beaver glands—is rarely used today as a food flavoring

The store's owner said she got the skull when she bought a storage unit last year.

Why Was a Human Skull on Sale at a Florida Thrift Shop?

Experts are now analyzing the specimen, which could belong to a Native American woman

Experts recommend that dog owners make sure their pets are up to date on their vaccines and reducing their contact with large numbers of other dogs. 

Hundreds of Dogs Across the U.S. Are Falling Ill With Unknown Respiratory Illness

Researchers are not sure whether a virus or bacteria is causing the pets' ailments

Researchers plan to launch the wooden artifical satellite in summer 2024. 

Could Wooden Satellites Reduce Space Junk? The First Is Set to Launch Next Year

NASA and Japan plan to test a biodegradable satellite made of wood, which burns up more easily than metal on reentry

John Legend is one of nine musicians who agreed to participate in YouTube's new Dream Tracks experiment.

Art Meets Science

YouTube's New A.I. Music Generation Tool Mimics the Voices of Popular Singers

So far, nine artists—including John Legend, T-Pain, Demi Lovato and Charli XCX—have volunteered their voices

After several attempts to dolphin-proof the bait, the team finally figured out a solution: a mesh bait pouch.

Watch Dolphins Outsmart Crab Traps in First-Ever Footage

Bottlenose dolphins in Australia have been snatching fish used to bait crabs—and adapting to fishers' attempts to thwart them

AmaWaterways' first Black heritage river cruise took place in August on the Rhône River in France.

These New River Cruises Celebrate Black History and Culture Around the World

On the heels of its first sold-out Black heritage cruise in August, AmaWaterways is unveiling new trips in France, Portugal, Egypt and beyond

A display of low-value coins from Greece helps illustrate how money became part of ordinary peoples' everyday lives during economic transformation in medieval Europe.

How Money Transformed Medieval Europe

A new exhibition explores the questions raised by economic revolution—and how familiar those questions remain today

The Starship rocket on April 17, 2023, ahead of its first test flight. During the uncrewed flight, the booster failed to detach from the spaceraft and the rocket was intentionally exploded.

What to Know Ahead of SpaceX's Second Starship Test Flight on Saturday

Atop the most powerful rocket ever built, the spacecraft is intended to carry astronauts from lunar orbit to the moon's surface and Mars in the future

Banksy's Migrant Child has endured damage from the elements since it appeared in 2019. 

Why Restoring a Banksy Mural in Venice Is So Controversial

Critics argue that the street artist may have intended for the work to deteriorate over time

Bonobos from different social groups will groom each other and share food.

Like Humans, Some Bonobos Cooperate With Outsiders

We might not be the only primates to display helpful behavior toward members of a different social group, a new study suggests

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