For centuries upon centuries, ancient carvings have endured in Utah’s red rock country. Now, they have been defaced by vandals—and some of the damage may be permanent. At two archaeological sites near Moab, someone scratched names into sandstone bearing images created by people who lived in the region long before European settlement. The damage was…
Paying extra for legroom sounded like the way to go for one airline passenger—until a father and his two children began treating the space beside her seat as their personal observation deck. The family repeatedly crowded around an emergency exit window, leaving the woman frustrated over the very space she’d paid more to enjoy. Making…
A father nearly missed his flight after stopping to snap a photo of his wife and children boarding a plane. What seemed like an ordinary family vacation moment quickly escalated into a heated confrontation with airline staff, leaving him temporarily barred from boarding while his family waited on the aircraft. Jimmy Mitchell was readying to…
Kīlauea volcano sent towering fountains of lava into the Hawaiian sky on Thursday, Nov. 5, some reaching heights of more than 600 feet. The eruption continued into the evening, when the setting sun and volcanic gases produced an unusual display of colors over the crater just before the fountains stopped. The dramatic display unfolded at…
Once the fastest ocean liner in the world, the SS United States carried some of the biggest names of the 20th century across the Atlantic. Now, more than 70 years after her record-breaking debut, the nearly 1,000-foot ship is preparing for a very different voyage: a one-way trip to the bottom of the sea. Florida…
Hundreds of feet above the valley floor at Yosemite National Park, two hikers found themselves stranded on a nearly sheer granite slope, dangerously far from the safety cables of Half Dome. As conditions deteriorated, a group of strangers joined forces in an extraordinary rescue effort, assembling a makeshift chain of climbing equipment and sheer human…
Scientists who track one of the world’s rarest whales have received an unexpected yet incredibly welcome surprise: a baby they had no idea even existed. The young North Atlantic right whale was photographed swimming beside its mother off the coast of Canada, months after the species’ annual calving season had ended. North Atlantic right whales…
For generations, great swaths of hot asphalt have played host to countless recess games played by schoolchildren across America, all while surrounded by little more than fences, basketball hoops, and the occasional patch of grass. Now, a growing movement is giving those familiar playgrounds a much greener makeover. Across the country, schools are replacing portions…
A boat trip expected to last just one hour turned into a nearly 100-day struggle for survival in the Pacific Ocean. By the time five people finally reached a remote island thousands of miles from home, they had suffered hunger, dehydration, and the devastating deaths of four relatives who had set out alongside them. In…