Scientists have proposed an alternative explanation for why the record-shattering Tonga volcanic eruption of 2022 was so violent: The explosion may have been triggered by gas, rather than by a reaction between magma and water as previously suggested. Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai, an underwater volcano in the South Pacific Ocean, erupted on Jan. 15, 2022, unleashing the most intense lightning storm...

　　Also called: Australian freshwater crocodile, Johnson’s crocodile, or freshie (Show more) freshwater crocodile, (Crocodylus johnsoni), moderately large species of crocodile inhabiting inland swamps, rivers, and other tropical freshwater environments in the northern parts of Queensland, Western Australia, and Australia’s Northern Territory. The species is distinguished from other crocodiles by its gray-to-brown coloration and its narrow V-shaped snout. Freshwater crocodiles are...

　　Byname of: Thelma Louise Bynem (Show more) Born: June 4, 1941, near Leesville, South Carolina, U.S. (Show more) Linda Martell (born June 4, 1941, near Leesville, South Carolina, U.S.) is a pioneering American country music singer who was the first Black female artist to perform at the venerable Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. She had a top 25 hit (“Color...

　　Also known as: anomalous health incidents (Show more) Havana syndrome, largely discredited medical condition reported among U.S. diplomats and other government employees stationed internationally. Havana syndrome was first publicized in 2016 following reports of an unidentified condition in officials at the U.S. embassy in Havana, Cuba. Reported symptoms of Havana syndrome include tinnitus (ringing in the ears) and headaches, often...

A near collapse of Earth's magnetic field may have paved the way for life to evolve past the microscopic stage. New research on ancient rocks from South Africa and Brazil suggests that Earth's magnetic field underwent a major weakening about 591 million years ago. This corresponds to a time period called the Ediacaran (about 635 million to 541 million years...

　　Also called: Israel’s War of Independence or Nakba (Show more) 1948 Arab-Israeli War, an existential war fought between Israel and Arab forces from Egypt, Transjordan (Jordan), Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon. The war formally began on May 15, 1948, and ended on July 20, 1949, although it followed a civil war that began after the passage of United Nations partition plan...

　　Also called: hardcore (Show more) Key People: Henry Rollins (Show more) hardcore punk, a genre of punk music defined by its speed and intensity, aggressive sound, and DIY (do-it-yourself) ethics. Hardcore came to the fore in a number of American cities during the late 1970s and early ’80s and spread to many other countries. It spawned several subcultures that subscribe...

　　Sheep were first domesticated from wild species by at least 5000 bce and are raised for their fleece (wool), milk, and meat. The flesh of mature sheep is called mutton while that of immature animals is called lamb. Of more than 200 breeds of sheep in existence in the world, the majority are of limited interest except in the localities...

　　Taiwan Strait crises, a series of confrontations between the People’s Republic of China (P.R.C.) and the Republic of China (Taiwan; R.O.C.) across the Taiwan Strait that occurred from the 1950s through the early 2020s. These incidents involved the deployment, and in some cases active use, of military forces. Experts generally recognize four distinct crises, but conflict between the two governments...

　　It is a strange thing to grow up in a town marked by killers and killing, a town in flight from its own infamy. I grew up in just such a place. A hamlet of hundreds, Gibsland, Louisiana, was not known for much until when, on May 23, 1934, Bonnie Elizabeth Parker and Clyde Chestnut Barrow, the Depression-era crime duo,...

The Gulf Stream slowed dramatically at the end of the last ice age with dire effects on organisms in the Atlantic, scientists have found. This discovery could help researchers forecast how Atlantic currents will change in response to climate change today. The Gulf Stream is a warm ocean current that originates in the Florida Straits between Florida and Cuba, before...

　　Born: February 22, 1971, Long Beach, California, U.S. (Show more) Lisa Fernandez (born February 22, 1971, Long Beach, California, U.S.) is an American softball player who helped lead the U.S. women’s national softball team to three consecutive Olympic gold medals (1996, 2000, and 2004). Known for her great all-around ability, she set individual Olympic records as both a pitcher and...