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Some of the most common and unlikely sci-fi tropes could one day be science fact.

Almost every part of North, Central and South America had a view of a partial solar eclipse on Oct. 14, with millions of lucky viewers witnessing a glorious 'ring of fire' around the moon.

Archaeological discoveries throughout the Americas are pushing back the date for when humans reached the New World by thousands of years, rewriting the long-standing theory that people arrived only 13,000 years ago.

From Martian 'faces' to blueberries and bears, the Red Planet has long tricked human minds into seeing signs of life that aren't there.

These stunning locations feel out of this world, but are actually right here on Earth.

History is peppered with times when our patchy knowledge of natural systems has led to questionable interventions with unintended — and sometimes disastrous — consequences.

Nature has a few rules to help explain the extreme shapes and sizes we see in the animal kingdom.

From UFO-like rings and whirlpools of light to rainbow clouds and laser lines, here are 10 strange visual phenomena that can be easily explained by science.

The burials of famous people provide enduring archaeological mysteries. Here are 30 of the most acclaimed "lost" tombs.

The sun is Earth's closest star, yet its beauty is too intense to appreciate with the naked eye. Here are some of the most stunning solar images that our satellites and telescopes have captured.

From the Middle Ages to today, North America has experienced a number of extremely dry periods.

Here are the semi-finalists for the Comedy Pet Photography Awards 2023.

Explosions, both natural and man-made, have caused awe and terror for centuries. Here are 10 of the biggest recorded blasts.

From predicting the existence of black holes to being insulted by Einstein — J. Robert Oppenheimer led an intriguing life. Here are eight facts you didn't know about the father of the atomic bomb.

As July Fourth celebrations take off across the U.S., so will the number of firework-related accidents and hospital visits.

From the Mediterranean to North America, there's a lot of evidence that the day the 'sun stands still' has been important to humans for thousands of years.

Zombie movies have it all wrong. Parasites are the real zombie killers.

A gallery of images of the Nazca Lines in Peru.

Nebulas — colorful clouds of expanding gas and dust — have long captivated stargazers with their beauty. Here are 25 of the most stunning nebulas in the universe.

Scientists are discovering and resurrecting ancient viruses trapped in permafrost and frozen remains. Here are 8 'zombie' viruses that scientists have pulled from the permafrost.