James J. Williams

Mikhail Kalashnikov dies at 94

Mikhail Kalashnikov - the inventor of the Kalashnikov assault rifle - has died aged 94, Russian officials say. The automatic…

11 years ago

Winter Solstice 2013: History and traditions

As the Northern Hemisphere tilts 23.5 degrees away from the sun on December 21, winter will officially be here. While…

11 years ago

Marist poll: “Whatever” rated most annoying word of 2013

"Whatever" was rated the most annoying word of 2013 by 38% of respondents of a recent survey. A number of…

11 years ago

Jade Rabbit rolls on to Moon’s surface

Chinese rover Jade Rabbit has driven off its landing module and on to the Moon's surface. The robotic vehicle rolled…

11 years ago

Iran announces second space monkey launch

Iran announces it has successfully sent a monkey into space for the second time this year as part of a…

11 years ago

Jade Rabbit rover successfully landed on Moon

The Chinese craft carrying Jade Rabbit robotic rover has successfully landed on the surface of the Moon, the first soft…

11 years ago

Friday the 13th 2013: Why number 13 is considered so treacherous?

Despite this year being 2013, Friday the 13th didn't occur more than usual, happening twice (in September and December). In…

11 years ago

Comet ISON dead after maiden voyage around Sun

Comet ISON was burned to death on its maiden voyage around the Sun, scientists say. The comet, which excited astronomers…

11 years ago

Yellowstone supervolcano 2.5 times bigger than earlier estimates

According to a scientific report, the supervolcano that lies beneath Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming is far larger than was…

11 years ago

Is Nelson Mandela’s funeral the biggest in history?

Nelson Mandela’s memorial service in Johannesburg was attended by 52 presidents and 16 prime ministers on December 10, 2013. Although…

11 years ago

Juscelino Kubitschek murdered by Brazil’s military regime

Brazil’s ex-president Juscelino Kubitschek was murdered by the 1970s military regime, an investigative commission has found. The Sao Paulo truth…

11 years ago

Coldest place on Earth identified in Antarctica

The coldest place on Earth has been identified in the heart of Antarctica. The lowest temperature was recorded on August…

11 years ago

Venus at its brightest night of the year

This weekend, Venus is about as bright as it can get. Venus is an unusually bright evening star this month…

11 years ago

Jade Rabbit rover: China launches its first mission to Moon

China has launched its first lunar rover mission to space. The Chang'e-3 mission blasted off from Xichang in the south…

11 years ago

Comet ISON survives Sun passage

According to some specialists, Comet ISON appears to have survived a close encounter with the Sun that had threatened to…

11 years ago

Part of Comet ISON may have survived Sun passage

Some part of Comet ISON may have survived its encounter with the Sun, scientists say. The giant ball of ice…

11 years ago

Comet ISON fails to survive Sun passage

Comet ISON was destroyed in its encounter with the Sun. Telescopes saw the giant ball of ice and dust disappear…

11 years ago

World’s oldest public toilet unearthed in Argentina

World’s oldest public toilet, created at the dawn of the dinosaurs, has been unearthed in Argentina. Thousands of fossilized poos…

11 years ago

Comet ISON to reach its closest approach to the Sun on Thanksgiving Day

Astronomers are waiting to see if Comet ISON survives its encounter with the Sun. Comet ISON will reach its closest…

11 years ago

Baby dinosaur skeleton discovered in Canada

An intact skeleton of a baby rhinoceros like dinosaur has been unearthed in Canada. The baby dinosaur was just 3…

11 years ago

Rhodes Scholars 2014: Full list of students

The Rhodes Trust has announced that 32 American students have been named Rhodes Scholars and will enter Oxford University in…

11 years ago

Mount Sinabung volcano alert raised to highest level in Indonesia

Indonesia has raised the alert for the Mount Sinabung volcano in North Sumatra to the highest level. The status was…

11 years ago

JFK assassination 50 years on

The US is marking 50 years since President John F. Kennedy’s assassination in Dallas, Texas. Dallas, which has long struggled…

11 years ago

Black Beauty: Sahara rock identified as oldest Martian meteorite ever found

Black Beauty, a rock discovered in the Sahara Desert, has been identified as the oldest Martian meteorite ever found, scientists…

11 years ago

Lincoln’s Gettysburg address at 150th anniversary

President Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg address - one of the most famous speeches in US history – is celebrating its 150th…

11 years ago