Dave Eggers’ Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius debuts
On this day in 2000, “A Heartbreaking World of Staggering Genius,” 29-year-old Dave Eggers’ best-selling memoir about his experiences raising his younger brother following the cancer-related deaths of their parents, makes its debut. The critically acclaimed book became a finalist for the Pulitzer ...

Brian Wilson rolls tape on “Good Vibrations,” take one
From the very beginning, the Beach Boys had a sound that was unmistakably their own, but without resident genius Brian Wilson pushing them into deeper waters with his songwriting and production talents, songs like “Surfin’ Safari” and “Surfin’ U.S.A.” might have been their greatest legacy. While ...

Deadlock over presidential election ends
After one tie vote in the Electoral College and 35 indecisive ballot votes in the House of Representatives, Vice President Thomas Jefferson is elected the third president of the United States over his running mate, Aaron Burr. The confusing election, which ended just 15 days before a new president ...

China invades Vietnam
In response to the Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia, China launches an invasion of Vietnam. Tensions between Vietnam and China increased dramatically after the end of the Vietnam War in 1975. Attempting to expand its influence, Vietnam established a military presence in Laos; strengthened its ties ...

Gromyko becomes foreign minister
Andre Gromyko was installed as Soviet Foreign Minister on February 17, 1957. Gromyko was called to foreign service in 1939 and began by serving under a policy of cooperation with the Nazis before Hitler’s attack on Russia. After World War II he became an expert at Cold War diplomacy. Seen first as ...

Madame Butterfly premieres
On this day in 1904, Giacomo Puccini’s opera Madame Butterfly premieres at the La Scala theatre in Milan, Italy. The young Puccini decided to dedicate his life to opera after seeing a performance of Giuseppe Verdi’s Aida in 1876. In his later life, he would write some of the best-loved operas of ...

U.S. casualty rate reaches record high
American officials in Saigon report an all-time high weekly rate of U.S. casualties–543 killed in action and 2,547 wounded in the previous seven days. These losses were a result of the heavy fighting during the communist Tet Offensive.

Taylor testifies on Operation Rolling Thunder
In testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Gen. Maxwell Taylor states that a major U.S. objective in Vietnam is to demonstrate that “wars of liberation” are “costly, dangerous and doomed to failure.” Discussing the American air campaign against North Vietnam, Taylor declared that ...

Kasparov defeats chess-playing computer
In the final game of a six-game match, world chess champion Garry Kasparov triumphs over Deep Blue, IBM’s chess-playing computer, and wins the match, 4-2. However, Deep Blue goes on to defeat Kasparov in a heavily publicized rematch the following year. Garry Kasparov, considered one of the greatest ...

Thomas Jefferson is elected
On this day in 1801, Thomas Jefferson is elected the third president of the United States. The election constitutes the first peaceful transfer of power from one political party to another in the United States. By 1800, when he decided to run for president, Thomas Jefferson possessed impressive ...

Senate passes Missouri Compromise
The Senate passes the Missouri Compromise, an attempt to deal with the dangerously divisive issue of extending slavery into the western territories. From colonial days to the Civil War, slavery and western expansion both played fundamental but inherently incompatible roles in the American republic. ...

Lee Strasberg dies
On this day in 1982, the American director, actor and drama coach Lee Strasberg, who popularized “Method acting,” dies of a heart attack at age 80. Born in Budzanow, Poland, Strasberg immigrated to the United States in 1909 at the age of eight; he became a U.S. citizen in 1936. While working as a ...

Ferry sinks near Haiti
Approximately 900 people drown when a passenger ferry, the Neptune, overturns near Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on this day in 1993. The ferry was dangerously overloaded, and carried no lifeboats or emergency gear. The Neptune was a 150-foot boat, with three decks, that made regular trips transporting ...

The first “Trial of the Century”
Union leaders Bill Hayward, Charles Moyer, and George Pettibone are taken into custody by Idaho authorities and the Pinkerton Detective Agency. They are put on a special train in Denver, Colorado, following a secret, direct route to Idaho because the officials had no legal right to arrest the three ...

Voice of America begins broadcasts to Russia
With the words, “Hello! This is New York calling,” the U.S. Voice of America (VOA) begins its first radio broadcasts to the Soviet Union. The VOA effort was an important part of America’s propaganda campaign against the Soviet Union during the Cold War. The VOA began in 1942 as a radio program ...

Sherman sacks Columbia, South Carolina
On this day in 1865, the soldiers from Union General William Tecumseh Sherman’s army ransack Columbia, South Carolina, and leave a charred city in their wake. Sherman is most famous for his March to the Sea in the closing months of 1864. After capturing Atlanta in September, Sherman cut away from ...

Beetle overtakes Model T as world’s best-selling car
On this day in 1972, the 15,007,034th Volkswagen Beetle comes off the assembly line, breaking a world car production record held for more than four decades by the Ford Motor Company’s iconic Model T, which was in production from 1908 and 1927. The history of the VW Beetle dates back to 1930s ...

French and British battle in the Indian Ocean
The worldwide implications of the American War for Independence are made clear on this day in history as the American-allied French navy begins a 14-month-long series of five battles with the British navy in the Indian Ocean. Between February 17, 1782, and September 3, 1782, French Admiral Pierre ...

Zeppelin L-4 crashes into North Sea
After encountering a severe snowstorm on the evening of February 17, 1915, the German zeppelin L-4 crash-lands in the North Sea near the Danish coastal town of Varde. The zeppelin, a motor-driven rigid airship, was developed by German inventor Ferdinand Graf von Zeppelin in 1900. Although a ...

U.S. troops land on Eniwetok atoll
Operation Catchpole is launched as American troops devastate the Japanese defenders of Eniwetok and take control of the atoll in the northwestern part of the Marshall Islands. The U.S. Central Pacific Campaign was formulated during the August 1943 Quebec Conference. President Franklin D. Roosevelt ...

Neon Nights

With raindrops no longer falling, this street in Beijing, China, hums back to life under the glow of neon signs. Your Shot photographer Caue Ferraz took this photo in the neighborhood around Jingshan Park, a 57-acre green space with views into the Forbidden City.

This photo was submitted to Your Shot, our storytelling community where members can take part in photo assignments, get expert feedback, be published, and more. Join now >>

Sandy Oasis

Anguilla, a British territory in the Caribbean, is a nation of tranquility, but Sandy Island takes it to another level. This speck of sand in the bright blue waters is constantly reshaped by the ocean and weather, and visitors to the cay are encouraged to make reservations. Your Shot photographer Matthew Wade captured this shot using a drone.

This photo was submitted to Your Shot, our storytelling community where members can take part in photo assignments, get expert feedback, be published, and more. Join now >>

Golden Hills

Your Shot photographer Hannah Overeem captured this shot of her dog, Badger, an Australian cattle dog, in Chino Hills, California. She writes that the contrast of the golden field and blue-and-white sky give this image a “surreal” look.

This photo was submitted to Your Shot, our storytelling community where members can take part in photo assignments, get expert feedback, be published, and more. Join now >>

Hidden Gem

Forged by the wear of water rushing over rocks, Olo Canyon in Arizona is concealed inside the Grand Canyon. Its alluring landscape includes natural springs and rocks shaped like cathedral amphitheaters.

See more pictures from the September 2016 story "Are We Losing the Grand Canyon?"

Behind the Curtain

Circus performers in Hanoi, Vietnam, prepare for the show minutes before it gets under way. Nguyen Thi Thu Hiep, shown here stretching, is a contortionist. For extra money, she also performs at private parties and social events.

See more pictures from the September 2016 story "A Life at the Circus: Going Behind the Curtain in Vietnam."

'You Dropped Something!'

Your Shot photographer Suyash Mehta gained a souvenir from a passing eagle in Satara, India: a long feather. India is home to nearly two dozen eagle species.

This photo was submitted to Your Shot, our storytelling community where members can take part in photo assignments, get expert feedback, be published, and more. Join now >>

City of Sun Showers

Even in a rainstorm, Paris lives up to its nickname of the City of Light, as sun streaks through storm clouds over the city in this image by Your Shot photographer Raffaele Tuzio.

This photo was submitted to Your Shot, our storytelling community where members can take part in photo assignments, get expert feedback, be published, and more. Join now >>

A Flash in the Distance

Flashes of lightning illuminate the night sky above Lake Ontario, as seen from an overlook in Lyndonville, New York—located about an hour from the Canadian border at Niagara Falls.

This photo was submitted to Your Shot, our storytelling community where members can take part in photo assignments, get expert feedback, be published, and more. Join now >>

Flood of Color

Floods bring a mosaic of color to the rice fields of Y Ty, Vietnam. The wet season typically lasts from May to June in the mountainous village.

This photo was submitted to Your Shot, our storytelling community where members can take part in photo assignments, get expert feedback, be published, and more. Join now >>

A Walk on the Wild Side

Ye Ye, a 16-year-old giant panda, lounges in a wild enclosure at a conservation center in China’s Wolong Nature Reserve. China has been creating reserves to restore and protect disappearing panda habitat and is now introducing captive-bred pandas into the wild.

See more pictures from the August 2016 feature story "Pandas Get to Know Their Wild Side."

A Popular Perch

Birds gather on a rock formation—a popular attraction for both seabirds and people—at Natural Bridges State Beach in Santa Cruz, California. Your Shot photographer Laurence Norah writes that it’s “a wonderful place to get the sunset … A long exposure added a slightly surreal element to the shot.”

This photo was submitted to Your Shot, our storytelling community where members can take part in photo assignments, get expert feedback, be published, and more. Join now >>

High-Rise and Shine

The brightly colored lights of Shinjuku, a ward of Tokyo, Japan, glitter in this double exposure by Masayuki Yamashita. The district is a bustling hub and home to what’s known as the world’s busiest railway station: Shinjuku Station, through which millions of passengers pass daily.

This photo was submitted to Your Shot, our storytelling community where members can take part in photo assignments, get expert feedback, be published, and more. Join now >>

Whale of a Time

A whale shark—the biggest fish in the sea—swims along, “extremely curious” about his observers. Your Shot photographer David Robinson, who researches whale shark ecology, captured this image in Qatar on a day with “great visibility” in an area with waters that are usually full of plankton.

Robinson's shot was recently featured in the Daily Dozen.

This photo was submitted to Your Shot, our storytelling community where members can take part in photo assignments, get expert feedback, be published, and more. Join now >>

Life on Mars

Your Shot member Bryan Geiger’s early morning visit to the summit area of Haleakalā volcano in Hawaii’s Haleakalā National Park yielded this extraordinary image of an otherworldly landscape. “I woke up at 3 a.m. and drove to Haleakalā summit,” Geiger writes. “As the sun came up it revealed only a white wall of mist. After a couple of hours, disappointed and cold, I decided to leave. While driving back I jumped out at the overlook to see if anything had changed. At that moment the clouds retreated and I had only an instant to snap this photo of the [alien-looking] land.”

Geiger's shot was recently featured in the Daily Dozen.

This photo was submitted to Your Shot, our storytelling community where members can take part in photo assignments, get expert feedback, be published, and more. Join now >>

Western Spirit

Framing an expansive blue sky, desert buttes, and a pair of majestic horses, Your Shot member Nora Feddal captures the essence of the American West in this image made while visiting Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, which extends into both Arizona and Utah.

This photo was submitted to Your Shot, our storytelling community where members can take part in photo assignments, get expert feedback, be published, and more. Join now >>

Night Falls

By day, the water of Arizona's Havasu Falls is a remarkable, bright blue-green. In this image submitted by Jes Stockhausen, it’s a milky ribbon, illuminated at night by the light of a camper’s headlamps. “While camping in the Havasupai [Indian Reservation], you hear the roar of the falls 24/7. My friend and I went to see if we could see the stars and were blown away [by] the sheer darkness of the canyon. This shot was [made] with two headlamps, one at the subject’s feet and one on his head.”

This photo was submitted to Your Shot, our storytelling community where members can take part in photo assignments, get expert feedback, be published, and more. Join now >>

First Light

Photographer Theerasak Saksritawee submitted this photo of birds taking flight in a golden sky over Taiwan’s National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall. The memorial, dedicated to the former president of the Republic of China, includes gardens, ponds, and this sprawling plaza, a popular spot for national celebrations.

Saksritawee's shot was recently featured in the Daily Dozen. 

This photo was submitted to Your Shot, our storytelling community where members can take part in photo assignments, get expert feedback, be published, and more. Join now >>

A Walk in the Park

Photographer Graham De Lacy captured this shot of an African elephant taking a sunny-day stroll in South Africa’s Madikwe Game Reserve. “[It was] one of the many close encounters … I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing,” De Lacy writes. African elephants are the largest land mammals on Earth.

This photo was submitted to Your Shot, our storytelling community where members can take part in photo assignments, get expert feedback, be published, and more. Join now >>

Pelican Party

Pelicans, seen from above in this aerial shot submitted by Your Shot community member Stas Bartnikas, congregate on the Colorado River in Mexico. The social birds usually travel in flocks and are found on many of the world’s coastlines and along lakes and rivers.

This photo was submitted to Your Shot, our storytelling community where members can take part in photo assignments, get expert feedback, be published, and more. Join now >>

Lifting the Veil

A lacy veil of cigarette smoke encircles a man in Sarawak, one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. “I embarked on photography trips to inland Sarawak to seek out the native people [who] preserve their way of life,” Your Shot member Jonathan Nyik Fui Tai says. ”Many of the tribes have slowly [been] assimilated into modern society.”

This photo was submitted to Your Shot, our storytelling community where members can take part in photo assignments, get expert feedback, be published, and more. Join now >>

Hot Rock

Spiking from inky storm clouds, a white-hot thunderbolt spears the plateau during a summer storm in Vermilion Cliffs National Monument. The monument comprises 300,000 unspoiled acres that cross both Arizona and Utah and contain steep cliffs, deep canyons, and sandstone formations.

Rankin’s shot was recently featured in the Daily Dozen.

This photo was submitted to Your Shot, our storytelling community where members can take part in photo assignments, get expert feedback, be published, and more. Join now >>

Black Water

Seen from above, a small boat travels the Buriganga River, thick and dark with pollution, in Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh. Though the water is filled with human and industrial waste, millions depend on it for their livelihood and transportation. “The Buriganga is economically very important to Dhaka,” Your Shot photographer Jakir Hossain Rana writes. “Launches and country boats provide a connection to other parts of Bangladesh.”

Rana’s shot was recently featured in the Daily Dozen.

This photo was submitted to Your Shot, our storytelling community where members can take part in photo assignments, get expert feedback, be published, and more. Join now >>

Rose-Tinted Spectacle

Sunset splashes a rosy tint over the landscape in this image submitted by Fabrizio Fortuna. The mountain is the 1,500-foot (457-meter) Vestrahorn, a main landmark of southeastern Iceland.

This photo was submitted to Your Shot, our storytelling community where members can take part in photo assignments, get expert feedback, be published, and more. Join now >>

Pushed for Time

“One of the best places [to photograph] in Cairo, Egypt, is the camels market,” writes Your Shot member Nader Saadallah. “At this moment, the camels’ keepers and sellers [are] trying to push the camel into their vehicle to send it to the local market to be slaughtered to be ready for customers.”

This photo was submitted to Your Shot, our storytelling community where members can take part in photo assignments, get expert feedback, be published, and more. Join now >>

Old Guard

“Hundreds of old cypresses guard the perimeter of Lake Camécuaro and its turquoise-colored, crystal clear water,” Javier Eduardo Alvarez writes of this photo he made of the small Mexican lake, popular for its picturesque beauty. “This place is magical.”

This photo was submitted to Your Shot, our storytelling community where members can take part in photo assignments, get expert feedback, be published, and more. Join now >>

Indigenous hunters have positive impacts on food webs in desert Australia
Australia has the highest rate of mammal extinction in the world. Resettlement of indigenous communities resulted in the spread of invasive species, the absence of human-set fires, and a general cascade in the interconnected food web that led to the largest mammalian extinction event ever recorded. In this case, the absence of direct human activity on the landscape may be the cause of the extinctions, according to an anthropologist.

There's a place for us: New research reveals humanity's roles in ecosystems
In two back-to-back symposia a cross-disciplinary cohort of scientists will present the first comprehensive investigations of how humans interacted with plant and animal species in different cultures worldwide through time.

Drug combination may become new standard treatment for advanced kidney cancer
A combination of two drugs -- one of them an immunotherapy agent -- could become a new standard, first-line treatment for patients with metastatic kidney cancer, results from a phase 3 clinical trial suggest.

A hidden source of air pollution? Your daily household tasks
Cooking, cleaning and other routine household activities generate significant levels of volatile and particulate chemicals inside the average home, leading to indoor air quality levels on par with a polluted major city.

Weak spots for Mission to Mars revealed
Researchers are developing a predictive model to help NASA anticipate conflicts and communication breakdowns among crew members and head off problems that could make or break the Mission to Mars.

Tiny fibers create unseen plastic pollution
While the polyester leisure suit was a 1970s mistake, polyester and other synthetic fibers like nylon are still around and are a major contributor to the microplastics load in the environment, according to a materials scientist, who suggests switching to biosynthetic fibers to solve this problem.

Altered data sets can still provide statistical integrity and preserve privacy
Synthetic networks may increase the availability of some data while still protecting individual or institutional privacy, according to a statistician.

Virus-infected bacteria could provide help in the fight against climate change
Understanding the relationship between microbes and viruses is beneficial not only for medical research and practical applications but also in marine biology, say researchers.

Understanding carbon cycle feedbacks to predict climate change at large scale
Researches have identified long-disappeared forests available for restoration across the world. They describe how such an effort, could absorb as much as 135 gigatons of atmospheric carbon.

Children carry evidence of toxins from home flooring and furniture
Children living in homes with all vinyl flooring or flame-retardant chemicals in the sofa have significantly higher concentrations of potentially harmful semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) in their blood or urine than children from homes where these materials are not present, according to new research.

How to feed the world by 2050? Recent breakthrough boosts plant growth by 40 percent
Recent advances to address hunger through agricultural advancement have been shown to boost crop growth by 40 percent by creating a shortcut for a glitch that plagues most food crops.

Drinking contexts associated with early onset of alcohol intoxication among adolescents
New research has begun to identify the circumstances by examining relationships between early age of first intoxication (less than 15 years), drinking in different contexts such as one's own home, at friends' homes, or outdoor settings, and problems that arise in those contexts.

Engineered metasurfaces reflect waves in unusual directions
Researchers have developed new metasurfaces for the arbitrary manipulation of reflected waves, essentially breaking classical reflection law to engineer it at will.

PET/CT imaging agent shows promise for better diagnosis of acute venous thromboembolism
Researchers report that a new nuclear medicine tracer may allow better diagnosis of acute venous thromboembolism (VTE). Acute VTE is a disease that includes deep-vein thrombosis and its complication, pulmonary embolism, which can be fatal.

Push-up capacity linked with lower incidence of cardiovascular disease events among men
Active, middle-aged men able to complete more than 40 push-ups had a significantly lower risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) outcomes -- including diagnoses of coronary artery disease and major events such as heart failure -- during 10 years of follow-up compared with those who were able to do less than 10 push-ups during the baseline exam.

How do we conserve and restore computer-based art in a changing technological environment?
Just as conservators have developed methods to protect traditional artworks, computer scientists have now created means to safeguard computer- or time-based art by following the same preservation principles.

Graphene-based wearables for health monitoring, food inspection and night vision
Scientists have developed dozens of new graphene-based prototypes. These technologies aim to turn mobile phones into life saving devices.

Genetic vulnerability to menthol cigarette use
A genetic variant found only in people of African descent significantly increases a smoker's preference for cigarettes containing menthol, a flavor additive. The variant of the MRGPRX4 gene is five to eight times more frequent among smokers who use menthol cigarettes than other smokers. The multi-ethnic study is the first to look across all genes to identify genetic vulnerability to menthol cigarettes.

Drug to rejuvenate muscle cells
Researchers have developed a promising drug that has proven to significantly increase muscle size, strength and metabolic state in aged mice, according to a new study.

Open-science model for drug discovery expands to neurodegenerative diseases
Parkinson's disease and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis are the newest frontiers for open science drug discovery, a global movement led by academic scientists that puts knowledge sharing and medication affordability ahead of patents and profits.

Hope for fighting disease known as Ebola of frogs
Despite widespread infection, some frog populations are surviving a deadly disease that is the equivalent of humankind's Ebola virus. The reason -- genetic diversity.

The prospects of American strawberries
Researchers have embarked on an academic journey designed to generate an effective guideline essential for research, policy, and marketing strategies for the strawberry industry across the country, and to enable the development of general and region-specific educational and production tools.

3D protein structure reveals a new mechanism for future anti-cancer drugs
Researchers have discovered a new mechanism for a class of anti-cancer drugs known as E1 inhibitors. Their findings reveal a novel binding site that will promote drug design of more efficient E1 inhibitors.

First model of mitochondrial epilepsy
Researchers have become the first to describe a model of mitochondrial epilepsy which raises hope for better therapies for patients with this incapacitating condition.Despite the severity of this epilepsy, up to now there have been no animal models available to provide a mechanistic understanding of the condition. That is set to change though as researchers can now explain the important role that astrocytes play in seizure generation.

Patients' own cells could be the key to treating Crohn's disease
A new technique using patients' own modified cells to treat Crohn's disease has been proven to be effective in experiments using human cells, with a clinical trial of the treatment expected to start in the next six months.

Tidal tails: The beginning of the end of an open star cluster
In the course of their life, open star clusters continuously lose stars to their surroundings. The resulting swath of tidal tails provides a glimpse into the evolution and dissolution of a star cluster. Thus far only tidal tails of massive globular clusters and dwarf galaxies have been discovered in the Milky Way system. In open clusters, this phenomenon existed only in theory. Researchers have now finally verified the existence of such a tidal tail in the star cluster closest to the Sun, the Hyades. An analysis of measurements from the Gaia satellite led to the discovery.

Bioengineers create ultrasmall, light-activated electrode for neural stimulation
Scientists have detailed a less invasive method of neural stimulation that would use an untethered ultrasmall electrode activated by light, a technique that may mitigate damage done by current methods.

Tide gauges capture tremor episodes in cascadian subduction zone
Hourly water level records collected from tide gauges can be used to measure land uplift caused by episodic tremor and slip of slow earthquakes in the Cascadia Subduction Zone, according to a new report.

A nearby river of stars
Astronomers have found a river of stars, a stellar stream in astronomical parlance, covering most of the southern sky. The stream is relatively nearby and contains at least 4000 stars that have been moving together in space since they formed, about 1 billion years ago.

Laminitis research to help save horses and ponies
Laminitis -- a complex, common and often devastating disease -- is the second biggest killer of domestic horses. Now a body of important research on it has been compiled.

Exercise might improve health by increasing gut bacterial diversity
Research has suggested that the efficiency with which we transport oxygen to our tissues (cardiorespiratory fitness) is a far greater predictor of gut microbiota diversity than either body fat percentage or general physical activity.

'Cellular barcoding' reveals how breast cancer spreads
A cutting-edge technique called cellular barcoding has been used to tag, track and pinpoint cells responsible for the spread of breast cancer from the main tumour into the blood and other organs.

'Seeing' tails help sea snakes avoid predators
New research has revealed the fascinating adaptation of some Australian sea snakes that helps protect their vulnerable paddle-shaped tails from predators.

From vibrations alone, acacia ants can tell nibbles from the wind
Researchers find that the ants of the acacia tree are tipped off to the presence of herbivores by vibrations that run throughout the trees when an animal gets too close or begins to chew. As a result, the insects begin patrolling the acacia's branches more actively. Remarkably, the researchers show, the ants don't react when the trees' movements are caused only by the wind.

On the origin of B1 cells
A new study may resolve a decades-old debate in immunology: researchers report that distinct progenitor cells are not required for the development of B1 cells. Instead, the team's experiments show that a B1-typical B-cell receptor can reprogram B2 cells into B1 cells, suggesting that B1 cells emerge as a consequence of their special B-cell receptors.

New live-imaging technique reveals cellular repair crew plugging leaky biological barrier
Suppose you live in a brick house and notice cracks in the mortar that let in cold air, rain and insect pests. You might call a brick mason to repair those leaks and to restore the barrier that keeps the great outdoors from getting inside.

Interval training may shed more pounds than continuous moderate intensity workout
Interval training may shed more pounds than a continuous moderate intensity workout, suggests a pooled analysis of the available evidence.

Immersive virtual reality therapy shows lasting effect in treatment of phobias in children with autism
New research shows that an immersive virtual reality environment treats 45 percent of children with autism, freeing them from their fears and phobias -- and that the treatment lasts.

Brain connections that disadvantage night owls revealed
'Night owls' -- those who go to bed and get up later -- have fundamental differences in their brain function compared to 'morning larks,' which mean they could be disadvantaged by the constraints of a normal working day.

Teens living in US states allowing medical marijuana smoke less cannabis
According to a large-scale study of American high school students, legalizing medicinal marijuana has actually led to a drop in cannabis use among teenagers. The study used the results of an anonymous survey given to more than 800,000 high school students across 45 states to calculate the number of teens who smoke cannabis.

It doesn't take much for soldiers to feel cared for
Caring texts sent to active-duty military had important findings in reducing suicide.

Study on measles transmission in China have implications for controlling the epidemic worldwide
A new study on the measles epidemic in China has far-reaching implications for eliminating the infection globally. Using a new model-inference system, the researchers were able to estimate population susceptibility and demographical characteristics in three key locations in China, in a period that spans the pre-vaccine and modern mass-vaccination eras.

New molecular blueprint advances our understanding of photosynthesis
Researchers have used one of the most advanced microscopes in the world to reveal the structure of a large protein complex crucial to photosynthesis, the process by which plants convert sunlight into cellular energy. The finding will allow scientists to explore for the first time how the complex functions, and could have implications for the production of a variety of bioproducts, including plastic alternatives and biofuels.

Improved RNA data visualization method gets to the bigger picture faster
Like going from a pinhole camera to a Polaroid, a significant mathematical update to the formula for a popular bioinformatics data visualization method will allow researchers to develop snapshots of single-cell gene expression not only several times faster but also at much higher-resolution. This innovation by mathematicians will reduce the rendering time of a million-point single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) data set from over three hours down to just fifteen minutes.

Tiny satellites reveal water dynamics in thousands of northern lakes
In a finding that has implications for how scientists calculate natural greenhouse gas emissions, a new study finds that water levels in small lakes across northern Canada and Alaska vary during the summer much more than was assumed.

Giving keener 'electric eyesight' to autonomous vehicles
Autonomous vehicles relying on light-based image sensors often struggle to see through blinding conditions, such as fog. But researchers have developed a sub-terahertz-radiation receiving system that could help steer driverless cars when traditional methods fail.

Study examines how compound damaged DNA to understand its connection to cancer
In an effort to understand how colibactin, a compound produced by certain strains of E. coli, may be connected to the development of colorectal cancer, researchers are exploring how the compound damages DNA to produce DNA adducts.

Better red than dread: Barrier keeps batteries safe
A layer of red phosphorus in rechargeable lithium metal batteries can signal when damaging dendrites threaten to create a short circuit. The strategy, which does not require a third electrode, could help bring more powerful lithium metal batteries to market.

Spintronics by 'straintronics'
Data storage in magnetic media is very energy consuming. Novel materials could reduce the energy needed to control magnetic memories thus contributing to a smaller carbon footprint of the IT sector. Now an international team has observed at the HZB lightsource BESSY II a new phenomenon in iron nanograins: whereas normally the magnetic moments of the iron grains are disordered at room temperature, this can be changed by applying an electric field.

Can we repair the brain? The promise of stem cell technologies for treating Parkinson's disease
Cell replacement may play an increasing role in alleviating the motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD) in future. Writing in a special supplement to the Journal of Parkinson's Disease, experts describe how newly developed stem cell technologies could be used to treat the disease and discuss the great promise, as well as the significant challenges, of stem cell treatment.

Multitasking increases in online courses compared to face-to-face
The phenomenon of multitasking across three or four internet-connected devices simultaneously is increasingly common. Researchers were curious to know how often this happens during online education, a method of delivering college and even high school courses entirely via an internet-connected computer as opposed to a traditional face-to-face course with a teacher physically present.

Massive Bolivian earthquake reveals mountains 660 kilometers below our feet
Geophysicists used data from an enormous earthquake in Bolivia to find mountains at the base of the mantle's transition zone, located 660 kilometers below our feet. Their statistical model didn't allow for precise height measurements, but these mountains may be bigger than anything on the surface of the Earth. The researchers also examined the top of the transition zone (410 km down) and did not find similar roughness.

Delays in banning wildlife trade put hundreds of species at risk
From parrots to lizards, hundreds of animal species could be at risk of extinction because of a policy process that responds slowly to scientific knowledge, according to a new study.

Shaping light lets 2D microscopes capture 4D data
Researchers have created a method to design custom masks that transform 2D fluorescent microscopy images into 3D movies.

Magnetic fields enhance bone remodeling
Since the creation of 3D-printed (3DP) porous titanium scaffolds in 2016, the scientific community has been exploring ways to improve their ability to stimulate osteogenesis, or bone remodeling. A recent study revealed the osteogenic potential of Static Magnetic Field (SMF) treatment for human bone-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) using 3DP scaffolds in vitro and in vivo.

New tool for documenting injuries may provide better evidence for elder abuse cases
Scientists have developed the first standardized framework for clinicians to document physical findings on older patients for better evidence in abuse cases.

A weakness in a rare cancer that could be exploited with drugs
Researchers have identified a rare type of cancer cell that cannot make cholesterol, a key nutrient. By targeting this deficiency, scientists may be able to develop new strategies for treating the disease.

When research participation pays, some people lie
Offering compensation can be an important tactic to attract potential participants for enrollment in research studies, but it might come at a cost. A new study found that up to 23 percent of respondents lied about their eligibility to participate in a survey when offered payment, even small amounts.

Oldest Americans most focused on reducing food waste
The vast majority of Americans are paying attention to reducing food waste with the oldest being the most cognizant, according to the latest poll.

Ultra-lightweight ceramic material withstands extreme temperatures
Researchers have created an extremely light, very durable ceramic aerogel. The material could be used for applications like insulating spacecraft because it can withstand the intense heat and severe temperature changes that space missions endure.

LG says it's 'too early' for foldable phones

You may want to just slow your roll for minute with this whole foldable phone thing. 

While electronics giants such as Samsung are reportedly charging ahead to release smartphones that bend as early as this year, at least one major player in the space is taking this opportunity to sit back and see how it all plays out. That would be LG, whose head of mobile Brian Kwon told reporters that the company has decided now is not the right time for LG to release a phone that bends.   

"We have reviewed releasing the foldable smartphone when launching 5G smartphone but decided not to produce it," Kwon is quoted by the Korean Times as saying on Feb. 15.  Read more...

John Mulaney is coming back to host 'Saturday Night Live' in March

John Mulaney is bringing his brand of dry, self-effacing humor back to Saturday Night Live.

The gifted comic, who is himself a former SNL writer, last hosted the show in April 2018. He was and is only the third former writer who wasn't also a cast member to get the hosting gig (after Conan O'Brien and Larry David, so pretty good company).

Now he's set to return on March 2, as was confirmed when he tweeted out the show's typical host announcement image from his own Twitter account. Thomas Rhett will be the night's musical guest.

This guy found a working 30-year-old Apple IIe in his parents' attic, and wow those were simpler times

There are objects in our lives that will forever be tied to childhood: a favorite toy, for example, or the first chapter book that you read and truly connected with. 

For most of us, these items are forever lost — long ago consigned to the dustbin of Goodwill. Not so for Professor John Pfaff, who on Feb. 16 shared with the world a discovery that blasted him straight to his personal past: a working 30-year-old Apple IIe computer. 

"Oh. My. God," he tweeted. "An Apple IIe. Sat in my parents' attic for years. Decades. And it works."

This spider's eyes still glow, even though it died 110 million years ago

Fossil hunters in Korea discovered long-dead spiders preserved in rock. And to the delight of scientists, the arachnids' eyes are still reflective — some 110 million years after the creatures died. 

It's rare for insects and arachnids — which are far more brittle than shelled sea creatures — to become fossilized in rocks. But for reasons still unknown, a couple of these spiders did fossilize, and the unique shape of their eye structures continue to reflect light — even in their petrified form. 

The reflective eye structure is called a tapetum, and it's often used by creatures who hunt in the dark.  Read more...

Watch Mike Pence gasp when no one claps at his terrible applause line

Vice President Mike Pence isn't a complicated man. 

He likes Chili's, using his personal AOL account for official government business, and gay conversion therapy. And so, when he addressed attendees at the Middle East conference in Poland on Feb. 14, it's clear he believed that same down-home flavor that's treated him so well in Trump Country would garner rounds of applause from his European audience. 

That, dear reader, is where he went wrong.

Speaking about the widely supported Iran nuclear deal, Pence told those in attendance that it was time to follow in the footsteps of the U.S. and withdraw. The response, or rather lack thereof, from the crowd appeared to shock the veep.  Read more...

'Anthem' players are angry about long load times but there's an easy fix

I started playing Anthem at the end of the week, just as the game came online for early access players on PC. And like a lot of other people, I discovered quickly that the load times are brutal.

Anthem is widely perceived as publisher Electronic Arts' response to the success of Destiny. Both games are online-only outer space shooters that depend heavily on a sticky sense of progression and "live" in-game events to keep players invested.

But where Destiny launched in 2014 and has benefited enormously from a long timeline of updates and improvements, Anthem is fresh out of the gate. Stumbles are unavoidable. But this is a big one: within a few hours, it became clear to me that Anthem's two-to-three minute loading delays would eventually render the game unplayable. Read more...

NBA dunk contest winner leaps up and over Shaq to claim 1st place

To the awe even the NBA's elite All-Stars, guard Hamidou Diallo leaped over 7-foot-1-inch Shaquille O'Neal to win the 2019 dunk contest. 

For emphasis, the Oklahoma City Thunder rookie then hung from the rim by his elbow joint before revealing a Superman shirt hidden beneath his jersey.

Shaq, who once dominated the NBA will his 7'1", 325-pound frame, had his head slightly bowed, but Diallo still made his point and cleared the Hall of Famer's head with some room to spare.

Highlights from the 2019 dunking event can be viewed below, though Diallo's slam starts at the 1:35 mark. Read more...

NASA posts image of ghostly blue objects, deep in the cosmos

When a star is born, a chaotic light show ensues. 

NASA's long-lived Hubble Space Telescope captured vivid bright clumps moving through the cosmos at some 1,000 light years from Earth. The space agency called these objects clear "smoking gun" evidence of a newly formed star — as new stars blast colossal amounts of energy-rich matter into space, known as plasma. 

Seen as the vivid blue, ephemeral clumps in the top center of the new image below, these are telltale signs of an energy-rich gas, or plasma, colliding with a huge collection of dust and gas in deep space.

As NASA says, these blue masses are transient creations in the cosmos, as "they disappear into nothingness within a few tens of thousands of years." Read more...

Don Cheadle stood up for trans kids on 'SNL' and the internet took notice

Don Cheadle, acclaimed actor and true-blue mensch.

The man behind Marvel's War Machine mask brought his politics to the Saturday Night Live stage on Feb. 16. He used fashion to make a statement, at one point introducing Gary Clark, Jr., the night's musical guest, while wearing a simple t-shirt adorned with the words "PROTECT TRANS KIDS."

It was a well-received fashion choice, to say the least.

Sunday morning Twitter is flooded with support for Cheadle under the #ProtectTransKids hashtag.  Read more...

'Saturday Night Live' Weekend Update went in on Trump's wall

At one point during the latest Saturday Night Live, Weekend Update co-host Michael Che stared into the dark heart of the Donald Trump presidency and emerged to voice an immutable truth: "I am so tired of telling Donald Trump jokes."

It was the realest moment Saturday Night Live has ever known. Also, there were a bunch of wall jokes. Please enjoy. Read more...

Lady Gaga, Spike Lee, and other Oscar nominees face off on 'SNL' Family Feud

This may be a game show parody rather than the actual thing, but it's got one notable advantage over February's Academy Awards show: there's a host.

Kenan Thompson revived his effortless Steve Harvey impression for another episode of Celebrity Family Feud: Oscars Edition. This one pit the Hollywood old guard — Spike Lee (Don Cheadle), Glenn Close (Kate McKinnon), Sam Elliott (Beck Bennett), and Olivia Coleman (Cecily Strong) — against a bunch of noobs, plus Bradley Cooper (Kyle Mooney).

The best thing about this bit? Melissa Villaseñor's transformative Lady Gaga impression. Read more...

A rambling 'SNL' cold open can't make sense of Donald Trump's fake national emergency

For Saturday Night Live's latest cold open, Alec Baldwin put on his Donald Trump mask and spent seven minutes recreating IRL Trump's sham press conference in which he unconvincingly presented his case for a fake national emergency. At least he was honest about it in SNL's version.

The sketch is hardly an all-star by the show's standards, but it clearly hit close to home. On Sunday morning, Trump dinged NBC in a tweet and quickly followed it up with a return to his favorite "the media are the enemy of the people" chestnut, in all caps for good measure. Read more...

Save an additional 15% off these battery packs, wireless chargers, USB hubs, and more

There's no such thing as too many devices — until, of course, you're wrapped up like a mummy in a seemingly endless roll of different cables, multiple types of chargers, and all the gadgets to go with them. We get it: you're not getting rid of any of your devices anytime soon (you can release your death grip on your tablet now). The first thing you should do is streamline the number of battery packs and chargers you use. 

We've rounded up these top picks, from the sleek and streamlined, to the durable and multi-function — all of which are on sale. Read more...

ProBASE X Laptop/Monitor Stand and 6-in-1 Hub

Save big on home security products during Presidents Day weekend

If we had it our way, we'd hire Fluffy the three-headed dog to guard our houses and live in peace forever. Unfortunately, this is not the Wizarding World, and we have no choice but to resort to the second best thing — home security products.

In honor of Presidents Day, we're offering deals on items that will protect you against intrusions of any kind. Whether you want to keep hackers from accessing your home network or need something to protect you from thieves, we've got you covered.

1. HAVEN Mech Door Lock

This heavy-duty door lock is designed to deter intruders — even if they're as strong as the Incredible Hulk. Designed and tested by U.S. Special Ops veterans, it adheres to the base of your door and is apparently 10 times stronger than a deadbolt. Engineered with military-grade materials, a locking wedge absorbs the force should there be an attempted break-in. It's not a hassle to activate it either. Just step on the foot pedal and let it take care of the rest. Read more...

Take an extra 15% off select VPNs this weekend

It's no secret that there are a number of threats you could encounter when you go online — and no, we're not talking about that one weird Reddit thread you wish you could unsee. Malware, viruses, hackers, and other innovative forms of attack all pop up, and if you're like the average person you probably thoughtlessly use unsecured (a.k.a. free) WiFi connections all the time. 

Protect your personal data while you browse with a VPN, a tool/service that completely encrypts your location and cloaks your browsing behaviors. 

We've rounded up some of our top picks below — plus, plug in coupon code PREZDAY15 at checkout for an extra 15% off the sale price.  Read more...

Colin Kaepernick settles collusion case with NFL

Colin Kaepernick and his former teammate, Eric Reid, have reached a settlement in their suit against the NFL. 

The players sued the league in 2017, alleging it colluded to keep the players out of league in response to their protests — against police brutality and racial injustice — during the pre-game National Anthem, which drew the ire of President Donald Trump. 

Details of the settlement were not disclosed. In fact, it seems like we're destined to know very little about the terms of the deal, unless they leak out at some point. The NFL issued a brief, three sentence joint statement on the matter. Read more...

Samsung gives up on Blu-ray players in the U.S.

Samsung is throwing in the towel on Blu-ray players, in the U.S. at least.

"Samsung will no longer introduce new Blu-ray or 4K Blu-ray player models in the US market," the company told CNET, in response to an earlier report in Forbes. 

That doesn't mean you can't still get your hands on a Samsung Blu-ray player — retailers have plenty of older models in stock by the look of it — but if you were holding out for a new high-end player you'll have to go with another brand. As Engadget points out, there were already good reasons to opt for one of Samsung's competitors, anyway. Namely, that Samsung doesn't support Dolby Vision (it uses a different HDR standard). Read more...

Amazon invites Ocasio-Cortez to visit and see for herself how workers don’t pee in bottles

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has been one of the most outspoken critics of Amazon's now-abandoned HQ2 plan for New York City, and now the online mega-retailer is hitting back... nicely.

After the young congresswoman criticized Amazon over reports of the inhumane conditions faced by the company's warehouse workers, an Amazon exec responded with a denial and an offer: come visit our facilities and see for yourself.

"Is that culture of 'strict performance why Amazon workers have to urinate in bottles & work while on food stamps to meet targets?'" Ocasio-Cortez tweeted. "'Performance' shouldn’t come at the cost of dehumanizing conditions. That’s why we got rid of sweatshops." Read more...

Disney's 'Incredibles 2' Oscars pitch hilariously brings out the 'Spider-Verse' stans

When Oscar voters cast their ballots ahead of the 91st Academy Awards on Feb. 24, Disney wants them to remember Incredibles 2.

"For your consideration" ads and social media posts are a common sight in the run-up to the big show every year. But the typically dominant showing from Disney-Pixar productions is facing major competition in the universally well-received Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse.

And that movie's fans are internet-savvy, to say the least.

So when Disney dropped into Twitter on Friday with a "for your consideration" shout-out to Incredibles 2, every Spider-verse fan's Spidey sense started to tingle.  Read more...

NBA shows off 'smart jersey' concept for high tech sportswear

Want a new basketball jersey? In the future, it may be as simple as pushing a button.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver showed off a concept for the "NBA jersey of the future" that does just that. Silver, who was speaking at the NBA's All-Star Technology Summit demoed the futuristic tech, which would let you change the player name and number on your jersey in just a few seconds.

"So hopefully I just put Michael Rubin out of business," Silver joked, referring to the CEO of online jersey retailer Fanatics. 

It's not clear exactly how this tech might work, or how far along it might be. Silver used a smartphone app to make the change onstage, according to NBA.com.  Another angle of the demo, captured by Los Angeles Times columnist Arash Markazi, makes it look like the demo was more of a projection than actually-changing jersey. Read more...

Twitter still keeps archives of your DMs years after you deleted them

Uh-oh, this doesn't look good.

You know how when you delete a Twitter DM and you're expecting it to, like, be erased and non-retrievable ever again? Turns out Twitter's still keeping archives of deleted DMs according to a security researcher who shared his discovery with TechCrunch.

Speaking with TechCrunch, security researcher Karan Saini discovered he was able to retrieve old Twitter DMs he had deleted years ago. 

Saini says he found his old deleted Twitter messages from recipient archive folders belonging to Twitter accounts that were deleted. Twitter lets senders delete their DM messages, but the messages are only deleted from their end and not the recipient's (and vice versa). Read more...

LG's V50 ThinQ could be the first 5G phone announced for the U.S.

5G phones — real ones you can actually buy soon — are coming.

OnePlus and Samsung have already pledged to release 5G smartphones sometime in 2019, but LG might beat everyone to launching one first if a newly leaked image of its alleged 5G-ready V50 ThinQ ends up being real.

Phone leaker extraordinaire Evan Blass aka @evleaks published an image of what he claims is the LG V50 ThinQ. 

The successor to the V40 ThinQ will reportedly be one of the first phones capable of connecting faster 5G wireless networks and is likely to be announced at Mobile World Congress on Feb. 24 during LG's press conference. Read more...

Save 60% off tons of online courses in honor of Presidents Day weekend

Oh Presidents' Day, the one day of the year when you can score mattresses at rock-bottom prices. We've decided to shake things up for 2019 and swap sleepy time for brain fuel: online courses, bundles, and e-learning packages. 

Take your pick from this selection of hot courses and learn something new before Memorial Day comes around.

Machine Learning and Data Science Certification Training Bundle ($1,600 value)

Haven't you heard? The world revolves around machine learning and big data now. If you want to get in on the fun, this bundle breaks down the most head-scratch-inducing concepts into digestible lectures, allowing you to gain a deeper understanding of things like TensorFlow, Neural Networks, Clustering In R, and a whole lot more. Lost already? Read more...

Apple's 'AirPods 2' might come in a stealthier black color

Since AirPods launched in late 2016, people have begged Apple to release them in a color other than white.

After years, Apple might finally cave in to everyone's wishes. The latest rumor suggests Apple launch the second generation of its AirPods, tentatively called "AirPods 2," in black.

According to the Economic Daily News (via AppleInsider), Apple's supply chain has already started mass producing AirPods 2 in black as well as the AirPower wireless charging mat that has been delayed several times because of engineering challenges. Read more...

Out Magazine's latest issue celebrates women and non-binary femmes, and it's a blessing

This is One Good Thing, a weekly column where we tell you about one of the few nice things that happened this week.

Between the loss of queer publication Into and the partial closing of AfterEllen, it's been a crushing few years for queer people in media.

So it was downright uplifting to see Out Magazine feature the women and non-binary femmes otherwise known as the "Mothers and Daughters of the Movement" in its latest issue. 

It's so rare to see this community represented in media, forget gracing a cover. 

Here's how the editors of the magazine describe the "Mothers and Daughters:" Read more...

These are the Netflix shows Gen-Z thinks actually represent them

When it comes to entertainment, diversity has become one of those words repeated so often that it sometimes seems to have lost all of its meaning. Diversity in programming is often lauded as a goal for networks and, in the case of the world's most-watched streaming platform, Netflix, but as audiences grow more connected it's hard to pinpoint which shows are actually getting it right. 

Generation Z, those who were born after 1996 and have barely known a world without WiFi and bingeable shows, experience an overabundance of choice when it comes to their entertainment needs. In coming years, theirs are the opinions that will be most important when determining which shows sink or fail. Read more...

10 adorable videos of turtles eating strawberries

There is nothing quite as pure as watching animals try to eat cumbersome people food. Dogs and peanut butter, hamsters and crackers — it's a match made in viral video heaven. 

But our personal favorite physical manifestation of cuteness comes in the form of turtles trying to eat strawberries. Their mouths are just too small to wrap completely around the strawberry, and their bodies too slow to chow down on the fruit. Adorable.

If you need to purify your internet browsing experience, take a moment to watch these turtles take some fantastic nibbles.  Read more...

Walmart just put this Shark vacuum on sale for $51 off

Sometimes you don’t realize how important owning a good vacuum can be until you’ve used a bad one. The frustration of rolling over the same spot 317 times and ending up not cleaning much of anything is infuriating and will usually lead you to rage-quit cleaning your home. 

Stop perpetuating the cycle and check out the Shark Navigator Lift-Away Bagless Upright Vacuum Cleaner, which you can get on sale today.

This powerful Shark vacuum is now only $98 on Walmart, while it's usually $149. The opportunity to pick up one of these things for under $100 is almost unheard of, so jump on it while you can. According to Walmart, this deal should stay live through Feb. 19. Read more...

You absolutely must play 'Far Cry 5' before touching 'Far Cry: New Dawn'. Seriously, it's worth it.

Warning: One absolutely unavoidable (and major) spoiler for Far Cry 5 is below, but chances are you've already heard about it.

Ah, the "standalone sequel." It's a tricky beast. Of course players want it to work. Heaven knows studios want it to work. Unfortunately, it rarely works. 

Far Cry: New Dawn is no exception – but that is far from a bad thing.

The latest Far Cry spinoff takes us back to Hope County, Montana, the setting for all of the events in its fifth main game. While we're dealing with a completely new story line, (almost) entirely different characters, and an elaborately re-skinned environment, newcomers shouldn't plan on enjoying this chapter sans Far Cry 5 knowledge. Note that I'm saying "shouldn't" and not "couldn't." Read more...

10 home essentials we're putting on sale for Presidents Day

No matter how you feel about the current leader of the free world on this here Presidents Day, we can all agree on this: There's no better way to honor George Washington, Abe Lincoln, Barack Obama, and company than by taking advantage of some stellar holiday sales. (After all, what's more inherently American than some good old-fashioned consumerism?)

For a limited time, you can take an extra 15% off the following already-discounted household items in the Mashable Shop when you enter the coupon code PREZDAY15 at checkout:

1. Aquasonic PRO Toothbrush (with accessories)

Plaque and odor-producing germs don't stand a chance against the Aquasonic PRO whitening toothbrush, which runs at 40,000 vibrations per minute and features four different working modes: clean, soft, whiten, and massage. Each ultrasonic toothbrush comes with six adaptive brush heads, a wireless charging glass (which doubles as a rinsing glass), and a convenient travel case. It's their most advanced toothbrush yet. Read more...