Help Wanted: Citizen Transcribers
The 250th anniversary of American independence from Great Britain is approaching in 2026. The National Park Service and the National Archives and Record Administration are calling for volunteers to help with a memorial project. These organizations need volunteers to transcribe, or type, millions of handwritten documents from Revolutionary War veterans and their families. This is […]
Supreme Court Eliminates Race as College Admissions Consideration
In two important decisions issued on June 29, 2023, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that the use of race-conscious admissions at Harvard and the University of North Carolina (UNC) are unconstitutional. These rulings have effectively ended the practice of affirmative action in college admissions. Affirmative action is a policy that considers race […]
Discovery of Nero’s Theater
Archeologists in Rome believe they have discovered the theater of Roman Emperor Nero. Nero ruled between 54 C.E. and 68 C.E. While Nero’s theater is mentioned by writers of his time, its location was a modern mystery. The discovery came as part of a reconstruction project. A portion of the Palazzo Della Rovere, a Renaissance-era […]
Hotel Industry Joins Taylor Swift’s Fanbase
The famous musician Taylor Swift is not the only one feeling the success of her Eras concert tour in the United States this summer. In cities where she performed, local economies got a boost. That was especially true of the hotel industry. Fans came from all over the world to see her perform, which increased […]
NASA Holds Panel on UFOs
Do you believe in UFOs? For decades, the U.S. government claimed that flying saucers were the stuff of science fiction. But on June 2, 2023, for the first time ever, NASA held a public meeting on the subject of UFOs, which it calls UAPs (unidentified anomalous phenomena). According to NASA, there have been about eight […]
Russian Spy Whale in Danger?
Did you know that several countries, including the United States, train animals in espionage and other military activities? A beluga whale named Hvaldimir is thought to be a Russian spy whale. Hvaldimir faces dangerous conditions in Sweden. Here, btw takes a closer look at Hvaldimir’s story, as well as the role that animals play in […]
Rare Jewelry Find Reveals Early Egyptian Trade Routes
Ancient Egypt’s pyramids, mummies, and artifacts have long fascinated the world. Recently, new scientific technology has allowed experts to take a closer look at the tomb of Queen Hetepheres I, one of Egypt’s most important queens. The research has revealed some exciting new information about how metal jewelry was made in ancient Egypt. The research […]
YOU DECIDE: Should Congress Raise the Debt Ceiling?
In 1917, Congress created the “debt ceiling,” which is the maximum amount of money that the U.S. Treasury can borrow to pay for government programs and activities. Since 1959, lawmakers of both political parties have raised the debt ceiling 89 times. Most recently, in 2021, President Biden signed legislation increasing the debt ceiling to $31.4 […]
Montana Bans TikTok
If you’re like many Americans, you probably spend time on the popular social media app TikTok. In fact, about 150 million Americans say they use it regularly. But the governor of Montana has now signed a law banning the app, and other states are likely to follow suit. Is this legal? And how will these […]
The Euro Goes Digital
The euro is the official currency of the European Union, or EU, and it has been around for almost 25 years. But now, the European Central Bank (ECB) is considering creating a digital form of the euro. What does that mean, and how might it change the future of how people buy and sell things […]