The Antarctic ice sheet covers 14 million square kilometers and averages two kilometers thick. Locked inside it is roughly 60 percent of all the freshwater on Earth. If...
Climbing the world’s tallest mountains is a daring adventure. But you’re about to make an epic extraterrestrial trek on the biggest mountain in the entire Solar...
How long would it take for the world’s largest rainforest to burn down? If we don’t do anything to stop it, we’ll soon find out. The Amazon rainforest...
A massive earthquake knocks you off your feet. There’s a blinding flash of white, and then you see a tsunami of lava rising on the horizon. A nuclear reaction has...
Earth has gone through at least five major ice ages in its history. And you better start adapting now. Because another ice age is about to begin. Hypothetically. How...
You wanted perfectly crispy bacon. Instead, the pan suddenly bursts into flames. Your first instinct might be to grab a glass of water, but that could turn a small...
Some 5 billion years from now, the Sun will expand and become a red giant. And the Earth might be just in the way… If humans were still around then, would we leave...
Insects play a crucial role in maintaining ecosystems and supporting life on Earth. While some insects damage crops, cause irritation, or transmit diseases, the vast...
Not too far from Earth is a giant space rock that has silently played host to just twelve people in its entire history. What would happen if we put our cosmic satellite...
On July 30, 1945, the USS Indianapolis was sailing through the Pacific Ocean when disaster struck. Japanese torpedoes slammed into the American heavy cruiser, causing...
On the morning of March 20, 1995, millions of commuters packed into Tokyo’s subway system just as they did every weekday. Trains arrived on schedule. Office...
Imagine spending years without seeing the sky or hearing another human voice. Your world is reduced to four concrete walls, a steel door, and silence so intense it...
Mountains. They’re born, they grow, they age and erode. And after a very, very long life, they turn to dust. What if all mountains collapsed at once? What are the...
In July 1984, 25 year old Swiss tourist Brigitta Fredenhagen was exploring Yellowstone National Park when she decided to spend the night camping. After preparing dinner...
A rare interstellar visitor known as comet 3I Atlas is currently drifting through our Solar System. At first glance, it might look like just another icy rock in space...
Quetzalcoatlus lived around 72 to 66 million years ago during the Late Cretaceous period, when it blocked out the sun with its 12 m (40 ft) wingspan. When it landed on...
Imagine, it comes out of nowhere. A blinding flash, spanning the entire globe. It lasts only a few seconds, but when it’s over, everyone’s memories have been...
When people imagine artificial intelligence taking over, they usually picture something straight out of a science fiction movie. Giant robots patrol the streets...
Wouldn’t it be cool to see things through any wall and any door? How about seeing through your own skin? Or your dog? No, no, no, and no. Of all superhero powers...
Do you long for an elegant weapon from a more civilized age? Something less clumsy and random. As you hone your sensitivity to the Force, you may wonder. What if...

