Discovery of 240-Million-Year-Old Reptile Species
Two-hundred-forty-million years ago, a serpent-like creature swam the seas near southern China. Based on newly discovered fossils, scientists say the creature looked like a mythical Chinese dragon with a long neck, torpedo-shaped body, and long tail. In February 2024, an international team of scientists unveiled the entire fossilized body for the first time. The reptile […]
Mapping the Underwater Eighth Continent
For hundreds of years, explorers and researchers believed Earth had an eighth continent, but they couldn’t find it. Then in 2017 scientists discovered an underwater landmass located southeast of Australia, under the islands of New Zealand. They named the underwater continent Zealandia. They began mapping parts of the landmass in 2019. Now in 2023, an […]
The History of Beach Vacations
Vacations haven’t always been a day at the beach. The beach is a common destination for many vacationers today. But going to the beach hasn’t always meant fun in the sun. For much of history, the beach was considered a wilderness full of hazards–such as mythological creatures, shipwrecks, menacing pirates, and threatening storms. The origins […]
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Finalizing the 2020 Presidential Election On Monday, December 14 the members of the electoral college met in each of the 50 states and in the District of Columbia to officially cast their votes representing the outcome of the 2020 presidential election. Each of the state’s group of electors cast their votes in turn, starting with […]
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Hawaiian Volcano Still Going Strong Mt. Kilauea, one of the world’s most active volcanoes, has been erupting on Hawaii’s Big Island since May 3. Devastation is widespread: homes have been engulfed by flames, roads have split open, power lines are down, and vegetation has been destroyed. Tourism–the island’s number-one industry–has fallen by almost 50 percent. […]
Water and Blues: Texas Flood
Last summer, the state of Texas was in the middle of a severe drought. Heavy rains and tornadoes over the recent Memorial Day weekend, however, have saturated the ground and caused flooding across much of the north and eastern part of the state. Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, and parts of Kansas have all experienced record […]
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ISIS Continues Threat In March, btw brought you news of the Islamic State (ISIS or ISIL) engaging in “cultural vandalism.” The terrorist group continues its threat in Iraq and Syria, inching closer to the city of Palmyra, where the UNESCO World Heritage is located. Dating back to the 1st century, this site is considered one of the […]
After the Disaster
As long as there has been nature there have been natural disasters. They can strike in an instant, leaving in its wake of devastation that can take months and even years to clean up. Luckily, we live in a country with the fundamental capabilities to support its citizens in crisis. Those not able to help […]
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Paris to Lovers, Please Stop with the Locks The Pont des Arts footbridge in the city of Paris was originally built in 1804 as a “suspended garden” for the royal family. It became a tourist attraction in 2008 with the popular “love locks” tradition. The ritual goes like this: couples take a padlock, inscribe their […]
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Team USA! (How Did We Do?) Now that btw has brought you stories of the preparation, and the economics surrounding the Sochi Olympics, we thought we’d finally focus on the athletes and the games. The last winter Olympics (2010 held in Vancouver, Canada) was the first time since 1932 that the United States won the […]