U.S. News

National guard soldier Sarah Beckstrom has died after Washington DC shooting

One of the two National Guard soldiers shot near the White House has died, and the second remains in critical condition, President Trump announced. The suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national admitted to the US under a post–Afghanistan war resettlement program, will now face upgraded first-degree murder charges. Officials, including the US attorney general, have said they will seek the death penalty as investigators probe … Continue reading National guard soldier Sarah Beckstrom has died after Washington DC shooting

Unknown's avatarbcbegley
Archaeology

Restoration plans for ‘Merlin’s Mound’ approved

The 4,000-year-old Marlborough Mound in Wiltshire, also known as Merlin’s Mound, is set for restoration after Wiltshire Council approved the removal of 20th-century buildings from its side. Standing 62 ft tall, the mound is second only to nearby Silbury Hill and has legendary associations with Merlin, inspiring the town’s motto referencing his remains. William the Conqueror once built a castle atop the mound, and in the … Continue reading Restoration plans for ‘Merlin’s Mound’ approved

Unknown's avatarbcbegley
Archaeology

Archaeologists may have uncovered a Bronze Age metropolis in Kazakhstan’s steppe

Archaeologists have uncovered a Bronze Age settlement called Semiyarka in Kazakhstan, dating to around 1600 BC, which may have served as a center for trade, governance, and tin bronze production. The site spans 140 hectares and includes at least 15 structures, a central monumental building, and evidence of early metallurgy, a rare find for the Eurasian Steppe. While some experts caution that the low density of … Continue reading Archaeologists may have uncovered a Bronze Age metropolis in Kazakhstan’s steppe

Unknown's avatarbcbegley
Archaeology

Wisconsin archaeologists identify 16 ancient canoes in a prehistoric lake ‘parking lot’

Archaeologists in Wisconsin have mapped 16 ancient canoes submerged in Lake Mendota, forming a prehistoric “parking lot” for Indigenous travelers. The site, near old Native trails, shows that canoes were left for communal use and stored in sediment to prevent damage, with some dating back 5,200 years. Earlier finds included canoes between 1,200 and 4,500 years old, suggesting the location was repeatedly used over millennia. … Continue reading Wisconsin archaeologists identify 16 ancient canoes in a prehistoric lake ‘parking lot’

Unknown's avatarbcbegley
Archaeology

Archaeologists lift the lid on a 1,700-year-old Roman sarcophagus hidden in Budapest

Archaeologists in Budapest have uncovered a remarkably well-preserved Roman sarcophagus in Óbuda, containing the skeleton of a young woman and dozens of artifacts untouched for roughly 1,700 years. The limestone coffin, sealed with metal clamps and lead, held glass vessels, bronze figures, coins, amber jewelry, and gold-threaded fabric, indicating she was likely of high social status. The burial site lay within a civilian settlement near … Continue reading Archaeologists lift the lid on a 1,700-year-old Roman sarcophagus hidden in Budapest

Unknown's avatarbcbegley
Space

Unexpected ‘Zigzag’ Structures Discovered in Earth’s Magnetic Field

For the first time, magnetic switchbacks—zigzag-shaped kinks in plasma previously only seen near the Sun—have been detected in Earth’s magnetic field. Physicists Emily McDougall and Matthew Argall discovered these structures while analyzing data from NASA’s Magnetospheric Multiscale mission, finding that solar plasma interacting with Earth’s local magnetic fields caused the switchbacks. Switchbacks form when open magnetic field lines from the Sun reconnect with closed loops, … Continue reading Unexpected ‘Zigzag’ Structures Discovered in Earth’s Magnetic Field

Unknown's avatarbcbegley
Space

Astronomers confirm 40,000 near-Earth asteroids within striking distance

Astronomers have now cataloged over 40,000 near-Earth asteroids (NEAs), ranging from a few yards to several miles wide, enhancing both scientific knowledge and planetary defense. NEAs are closely monitored because even small asteroids can cause serious regional damage if they impact Earth, with software predicting their paths decades or centuries in advance. Discovery rates surged in the 1990s and 2000s and continue to grow with … Continue reading Astronomers confirm 40,000 near-Earth asteroids within striking distance

Unknown's avatarbcbegley
Archaeology

Archaeologists Uncover Massive 2,250-Year-Old Monument Beneath Ancient Roman City

Archaeologists at Gabii, an ancient city east of Rome, have uncovered a large stone-lined basin dating to around 250 B.C., offering insights into early Roman city planning. The basin, located near the city’s central crossroads, may have been part of a monumental forum, illustrating how early Romans adapted Greek architectural ideas for public spaces. Gabii’s largely preserved streets and foundations provide a rare view of Roman … Continue reading Archaeologists Uncover Massive 2,250-Year-Old Monument Beneath Ancient Roman City

Unknown's avatarbcbegley
Space

At The Edge Of Our Solar System, NASA’s Voyager 1 Found A ‘Wall Of Fire’

The Voyager spacecraft, launched in 1977, are the farthest human-made objects from Earth, traveling over 12 billion miles at speeds of 38,000 mph. Originally tasked with studying the outer planets, they now journey into interstellar space, providing insights into the solar system’s boundary. Both spacecraft encountered a “wall of fire” at the heliosphere’s edge, where temperatures reached up to 90,000°F, marking the transition from solar … Continue reading At The Edge Of Our Solar System, NASA’s Voyager 1 Found A ‘Wall Of Fire’

Unknown's avatarbcbegley
Space

Photographer captures eerie red halo hovering over the Italian Alps

Over northern Italy, a rare atmospheric phenomenon known as an “elve” appeared as a glowing red ring above the Alps, captured by photographer Valter Binotto on November 17. Elves are brief, disk-shaped flashes caused by powerful electromagnetic pulses from lightning striking the ionosphere, lasting less than a thousandth of a second and spanning hundreds of miles. The event Binotto photographed was triggered by a massive … Continue reading Photographer captures eerie red halo hovering over the Italian Alps

Unknown's avatarbcbegley
Space

Comet C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) breaks apart in incredible telescope photos

Comet C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) has begun breaking apart after its close approach to the sun on October 8, with images showing multiple fragments of its icy nucleus. Astronomer Gianluca Masi captured animations from stacked exposures taken between November 11 and 18, revealing three, possibly four, distinct pieces. Earlier observations from Italy’s Asiago Observatory showed two fragments about 1,200 miles apart, with hints of a smaller … Continue reading Comet C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) breaks apart in incredible telescope photos

Unknown's avatarbcbegley
Technology

China’s humanoid robot dribbles, passes, and shoots like a pro basketball player

The Unitree G1 humanoid, nicknamed “Little Potato,” demonstrated advanced basketball skills, including dribbling, passing, and a clean three-step layup, at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Its abilities come from SkillMimic, an AI framework that learns from imperfect human motion data, creating smooth transitions and robust skills through simulation. SkillMimic-V2 uses techniques like Stitched Trajectory Graphs, State Transition Fields, and Adaptive Trajectory Sampling to … Continue reading China’s humanoid robot dribbles, passes, and shoots like a pro basketball player

Unknown's avatarbcbegley
Technology

China’s humanoid robot dodges arrow with a side flip, nails spin kicks

Chinese robotics company MagicLab showcased its humanoid MagicBot Z1 performing backflips, martial arts moves, dancing, and even dodging arrows, highlighting impressive agility and balance. The 1.4-meter, 40-kg robot features up to 50 degrees of freedom, high-torque joints, 3D LiDAR and vision sensors, and can carry up to 3 kg per arm while walking at 2.5 m/s and climbing obstacles. MagicBot Z1 also demonstrated industrial potential, … Continue reading China’s humanoid robot dodges arrow with a side flip, nails spin kicks

Unknown's avatarbcbegley
Technology

Meet Memo, a home robot that can grab wine glasses and load the dishwasher

Sunday Robotics has developed Memo, a home robot capable of performing routine household chores such as clearing a table, loading a dishwasher, folding socks, and operating an espresso machine. The wheeled robot uses Lego-like hands and can lift delicate objects, like wine glasses, without breaking them. Memo is trained on real human data, gathered from over 500 participants wearing specially designed gloves that record grip … Continue reading Meet Memo, a home robot that can grab wine glasses and load the dishwasher

Unknown's avatarbcbegley
Technology

This unmanned underwater robot can remove ocean trash

Marine litter poses serious environmental risks, from harming wildlife to introducing microplastics into the food chain. Researchers at the Technical University of Munich developed the Smart Grapple, an autonomous diving robot that can identify, grasp, and lift underwater trash up to 250 kilograms, depositing it onto an autonomous boat for recycling. The robot uses AI and 3D imaging to distinguish litter from natural objects, navigating … Continue reading This unmanned underwater robot can remove ocean trash

Unknown's avatarbcbegley
Technology

A Chinese humanoid robot walked 66 miles in 3 days, sets world record

A Chinese humanoid robot, AgiBot A2, set a Guinness World Record by walking 66 miles over three days from Suzhou to Shanghai. Standing 5’6”, the robot navigated highways and city streets while following traffic rules, completing the longest reported distance ever walked by a humanoid machine. AgiBot designed the A2 for customer service, equipping it with chat and lip-reading functions. The achievement comes amid growing … Continue reading A Chinese humanoid robot walked 66 miles in 3 days, sets world record

Unknown's avatarbcbegley
Business

Best Buy earnings beat Wall Street’s forecasts

Best Buy beat Wall Street expectations in Q3, with same-store sales up 2.7% and adjusted EPS of $1.40 on $9.67 billion in revenue. The retailer raised its full-year outlook, now expecting same-store sales growth of 0.5%-1.2% and revenue between $41.65 billion and $41.95 billion. Strong performance came from computing, gaming, and mobile phones, with particularly high demand for Nintendo’s Switch 2. US same-store sales rose … Continue reading Best Buy earnings beat Wall Street’s forecasts

Unknown's avatarbcbegley
Business

Gas prices near lowest level in 4 years ahead of Thanksgiving

Gas prices are hovering near four-year lows ahead of Thanksgiving, with the national average at $3.07 per gallon and 28 states averaging below $3. The drop is driven by falling crude oil prices — down about 17% since June — and the end of refinery maintenance, which is boosting fuel production. Gas demand has also eased after summer, helping keep prices low despite a temporary … Continue reading Gas prices near lowest level in 4 years ahead of Thanksgiving

Unknown's avatarbcbegley
Business

Consumer confidence falls sharply as Americans worry about the economy

Consumer confidence fell sharply in November, dropping to 88.7 — its lowest level since April and well below economists’ expectations. The Conference Board noted that consumers expressed growing concerns about inflation, tariffs, politics, and a potential government shutdown. Confidence declined across nearly all income, political, and age groups, with only the lowest-income bracket and adults under 35 showing slight improvement. Expectations for inflation over the … Continue reading Consumer confidence falls sharply as Americans worry about the economy

Unknown's avatarbcbegley
Business

Dick’s Sporting Goods to shutter some Foot Locker stores to protect profits

Dick’s Sporting Goods plans to close an unspecified number of Foot Locker stores as part of a restructuring aimed at boosting profitability by fiscal 2026. Executives said they are taking aggressive steps—such as markdowns, asset impairments, and selective closures—to streamline Foot Locker’s operations. The restructuring will pressure Foot Locker’s near-term sales and margins, even as Dick’s core stores posted stronger-than-expected comparable sales growth. Dick’s raised … Continue reading Dick’s Sporting Goods to shutter some Foot Locker stores to protect profits

Unknown's avatarbcbegley
Business

Campbell Soup executive called its products food for “poor people,” lawsuit claims

A Michigan lawsuit claims Campbell Soup executive Martin Bally made offensive remarks about Indian workers and called Campbell’s products food for “poor people” during a salary meeting with cybersecurity analyst Robert Garza in November 2024. Garza says he reported the comments to his manager, who discouraged involving HR, and was then abruptly fired. A recording of the conversation later aired on local TV; Campbell’s says … Continue reading Campbell Soup executive called its products food for “poor people,” lawsuit claims

Unknown's avatarbcbegley
Space

Moss survived 9 months in space, could still reproduce after return to Earth

A new study from Hokkaido University found that moss spores survived nine months in outer space on the exterior of the International Space Station. Despite harsh exposure to radiation, vacuum, extreme temperatures, and UV light, more than 80% of the spores remained viable, though their chlorophyll degraded. Different moss species showed unique stress-resistance traits, including protection against UV radiation and intense heat. After returning to … Continue reading Moss survived 9 months in space, could still reproduce after return to Earth

Unknown's avatarbcbegley
Business

Tyson Foods to close major beef plant, scale back operations

Tyson Foods announced it will close its large beef plant in Lexington, Nebraska, in January and scale back operations at its Amarillo, Texas, facility due to declining U.S. cattle supplies. The shutdown affects about 3,200 workers in Nebraska and 1,700 in Texas, though Tyson says it will help employees find positions elsewhere and offer relocation support. The company said consolidating operations will help maintain production … Continue reading Tyson Foods to close major beef plant, scale back operations

Unknown's avatarbcbegley
U.S. News

Woman set ablaze on Chicago transit train is identified

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy publicly identified the woman set on fire on a Chicago CTA train as 26-year-old Bethany MaGee, blaming what he called Chicago’s lenient handling of repeat offenders for the attack. The suspect, 50-year-old Lawrence Reed, has a long history of mental illness and 72 prior arrests and had repeatedly violated electronic monitoring after being released over prosecutors’ objections. Mayor Brandon Johnson declined … Continue reading Woman set ablaze on Chicago transit train is identified

Unknown's avatarbcbegley
World News

Volcano in Ethiopia erupts for first time in nearly 12,000 years

The Hayli Gubbi volcano in Ethiopia’s Afar region erupted on Sunday for the first time in nearly 12,000 years, sending ash plumes up to nine miles high, according to the Toulouse Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre. Ash clouds drifted across Yemen, Oman, India, and northern Pakistan as the subtropical jet stream carried the plume eastward. Volcanologist Simon Carn confirmed that Hayli Gubbi has no known eruptions … Continue reading Volcano in Ethiopia erupts for first time in nearly 12,000 years

Unknown's avatarbcbegley