World News

We’re losing the war on climate change

For years now, people like environmentalist and journalist Bill McKibben have been screaming from the treetops that we need a World War II-scale mobilization to fight the scourge of climate change. They’re right, of course. And on Earth Day — that 24-hour sliver of the calendar when we talk about the fact that humans exist…

Two men released without charges after death of journalist Lyra McKee in Northern Ireland

The two teenagers who had been arrested in connection with the killing of investigative journalist Lyra McKee were released without charges on Sunday, police in Northern Ireland said. The two men, aged 18 and 19, had previously been arrested under the terrorism act, the Police Service of Northern Ireland tweeted. McKee, a 29-year-old prominent freelance…

Paris police use tear gas against ‘yellow vest’ protesters

Riot police unleashed tear gas at the so-called yellow vest protesters in central Paris who marched Saturday for the 23rd consecutive weekend. The French capital was the scene of chaos as police confronted protesters, who set off small fires. Video shows heavy black smoke in the air. Police also used water cannons to disperse the…

Climate protests this week caused major disruption. That was the point.

Environmental activists across the globe took drastic measures this week to demand that their governments act to curb climate change. They glued themselves to trains. They blocked major landmarks. They poured fake blood onto the streets. More than 680 people were arrested in London, where the most prominent protests took place, police said on Friday…

When to look up for the Lyrid meteor shower

The annual Lyrid meteor shower will peak on Tuesday morning, but keep your eyes on the sky over the weekend as well. There hasn’t been a meteor shower to light up the sky since early January, and this one will be visible around the globe. The moon was full Friday, so it will still be…

Observing Good Friday around the world

The week leading up to Easter is called Holy Week. It begins with Palm Sunday and ends on Holy Saturday, but each day in between comes with its own name and celebrations Good Friday falls on April 19 this year and is marked by many different traditions around the world. Rome In this city, the…

Skeleton DNA reveals surprising backgrounds of Crusader soldiers

DNA from 13th century remains buried in a pit in Lebanon is shedding light on the lives of Crusader soldiers and how they mixed with the local population, a new study shows. Christians invaded and attempted to claim the Near East during the Crusades, a series of religious wars between 1095 and 1291. Although the…

Researchers identify largest carnivorous mammals ever to live on land

Twenty-three million years ago, a giant carnivore larger than any modern-day lion or polar bear stalked sub-Saharan Africa, according to the fossils of a previously undiscovered species that spent decades in a museum drawer. Portions of the animal’s jaw, skull and skeleton, including enormous teeth, were discovered in a drawer at the National Museums of…

After US terrorism designation, Instagram begins banning some Iranian generals

Instagram and its parent company, Facebook, began removing pages and accounts run by people associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps this week after the US government officially designated the IRGC a terrorist organization on Monday, Instagram confirmed to CNN. Iran’s semi-official Mehr News Agency reported earlier this week that Instagram accounts belonging to some…

Scientists have detected the earliest Big Bang molecule in space

When the universe formed during the Big Bang 13.8 billion years ago, the chemical reactions of the aftermath formed the first molecules. Those first molecules were crucial in helping form everything we know, but they’re also absent. And although HeH+, the helium hydride ion, has been proposed for years as that first molecule, scientists couldn’t…

Losing Notre Dame Cathedral feels personal to people all over the world

The world watched on Monday as a fire engulfed the historic Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, causing the collapse of the cathedral’s iconic spire and the destruction of its roof structure, which dated back to the 13th century. Travelers from all over the world shared cherished memories of their visits to one of the most…

Why Notre Dame Cathedral is so important to Catholics worldwide

This week is Holy Week, when millions of Western Christians mark the death and resurrection of Jesus. Under normal circumstances, Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris would have been preparing to display its holy relics to the faithful on Good Friday. But as fire engulfed the sacred site on Monday, Catholics across the world reacted in…

NASA’s TESS mission spots Earth-size exoplanet

NASA’s planet-hunting TESS mission has found its first Earth-size exoplanet in a star system only 53 light-years from Earth. Another exoplanet, a warm mini-Neptune, was found in the same system. “It’s so exciting that TESS, which launched just about a year ago, is already a game-changer in the planet-hunting business,” Johanna Teske, author of a…