New Articles
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When companies share the upside: How profit-sharing bonuses work A profit-sharing bonus is a way for companies to reward employees when the business reaches specific financial targets. Rather than being tied to individual performance, these bonuses are usually based on company-wide results and can vary from year to year. Profit-sharing bonuses aren’t the same as... -
Who Was Renee Nicole Macklin Good? Renee Nicole Macklin Good was an American citizen and mother who was shot and killed on January 7, 2026, in an altercation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Good, who was 37, was the mother of three children, ages 15, 12, and 6, according to her... -
Vishal Bhardwaj Vishal Bhardwaj is an Indian director, producer, and composer who is known for his critically acclaimed work in Bollywood, notably a trilogy of adaptations of William Shakespeare’s plays. He has won nine National Film Awards in various categories and is regarded as one of the most influential... -
What would it cost to buy Greenland? For more than a century, U.S. leaders have periodically floated the idea of acquiring Greenland, but President Donald Trump has revived the idea with a sense of urgency. He first raised it in 2019 during his first term and returned to it following his reelection in 2024. His administration has... -
Venkateswara Temple, Tirumala Venkateswara Temple, Tirumala, the most visited and wealthiest Hindu temple in India, dedicated to the deity Venkateswara and located in Tirumala, Andhra Pradesh state. The temple receives millions of visitors every year, and its estimated value in 2024 was about $30 billion, or more than 2.5 lakh... -
Today in History—January 10: An Irreversible Decision On a starlit night in 49 bce, Julius Caesar and his army crossed the Rubicon River—which was more of a stream, really—to take control of the Roman Republic. The decision to cross the symbolic and literal boundary between Caesar’s territory of Gaul (located in modern-day France) and Italy was not... -
artificial reef Artificial reef, structure built by human beings that serves as a substitute for a natural coral reef or rocky reef. An artificial reef provides a substrate upon which algae, corals and other cnidarians, and other marine organisms can attach themselves. Over time artificial reefs can develop into... -
Mette Frederiksen Mette Frederiksen is a Danish politician who has served as the prime minister of Denmark since June 2019. She is a member of the Social Democratic Party and has led the party since 2015. Frederiksen became the country’s youngest prime minister at the age of 41. She is generally associated with... -
Hans Zimmer Hans Zimmer is a German composer and producer known for scoring numerous award-winning films and soundtracks, including The Lion King (1994) and Dune: Part One (2021). He is widely regarded as one of Hollywood’s most innovative and prolific musical talents for his work not just in films but in... -
100+ Animal Fun Facts and Trivia Questions The animal kingdom is full of remarkable creatures—and even more intriguing questions. Why are flamingos pink? Do sharks sleep? And what do ants eat? Keep reading to find the answers to these questions and many... -
How Much Oil Does Venezuela Have, and How Much Is Accessible? Following the U.S. capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, the country’s struggling nationalized oil industry has emerged as a major topic of focus, along with the possibility of empowering U.S. energy companies to move into the country to revive it. Here’s a deeper look that considers... -
How Did Leonardo da Vinci Die? Perhaps the most storied account of Leonardo da Vinci’s death in 1519 comes from Giorgio Vasari. In Lives of the Most Eminent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects—the first edition of which was published in 1550, several decades after the artist died—Vasari narrates that Leonardo, while living in... -
Why Is the U.S. Interested in Greenland? The United States is interested in Greenland, the world’s largest island, because of its strategic location at the intersection of North America, Europe, and the Arctic, making it crucial for military security and movement across the northern Atlantic. As geopolitical competition with Russia and...
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Arjuna Award Arjuna Award, India’s second highest sporting honor. It was set up in 1961 by the Government of India to recognize consistently good performance in sports over a four-year period. It was India’s highest sporting honor until the establishment of the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award in 1991 (later... -
Press Freedom in the 21st Century On January 17, 2016, I was released from Evin Prison in Iran, where I had been detained for 544 days simply because I was a journalist for The Washington Post. It was a long and arduous ordeal for my family, friends, and colleagues—and for me. My return to freedom ended one of the longest-ever... -
Who Is Delcy Rodríguez, the Acting President of Venezuela? On January 5, 2026, Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in as acting president of Venezuela, two days after Pres. Nicolás Maduro was captured by U.S. troops and taken to the United States to face criminal charges. Her succession followed years of political advancement that have made her one of the most... -
Chris Gardner Chris Gardner is an American businessman, author, and motivational speaker whose path into finance drew national attention after the publication of his 2006 memoir, The Pursuit of Happyness. Trained as a Navy medic, Gardner worked in medical equipment sales before pursuing a career as a... -
Today in History—January 8: The Mysterious Sighting at Trans-en-Provence In the long span of UFO sightings, which range from obvious hoaxes to truly unexplained phenomena, the Trans-en-Provence incident endures as one of the most lasting enigmas. On January 8, 1981, Renato Nicolai observed a flying object by his property in southeastern France. He described it as a... -
Today in History—January 7: This Will Really Pull You In Black holes sound like science fiction: collapsed stars whose incomprehensibly powerful gravitational pull absorbs everything around them. Scientists had theorized the existence of these mysterious celestial objects for centuries, but how do you discover something in the depths of space that emits... -
Cilia Flores Cilia Flores is a Venezuelan politician who served as the country’s first lady beginning in 2013 and is the wife of Pres. Nicolás Maduro. A lawyer by profession, she has been active in Venezuelan politics since the early 1990s and was a close associate of former Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez.... -
2026 Iranian Protests On December 28, 2025, protests erupted in Tehran, Iran’s capital city, amid a deepening economic crisis in the country. The demonstrations coincided with the day Pres. Masoud Pezeshkian was set to defend the annual state budget to the Majles (parliament). The budget fell short of what Iranians... -
Today in History—January 9: The Trial of “Joan the Maid” Begins The only medieval trial recorded with painstaking accuracy began on this day in 1431, when 19-year-old Joan of Arc went on trial in France. “Joan the Maid” (as they called her in the trial notes) faced more than 70 accusations that included—in no particular order here—heresy, murder, horse theft,... -
Profit-sharing plans: Retirement money, not a bonus Profit-sharing plans are a common workplace retirement benefit, although the name can be misleading. These plans aren’t directly tied to company performance. Instead, they provide a way for employers to contribute money to employees’ retirement accounts, often alongside a 401(k) plan. How much goes... -
iron oxide Iron oxide, chemical compound that contains the elements iron and oxygen in different proportions. It is widely found on Earth, giving many soils and rocks their red, brown, and black colors. Iron oxide makes up rust, the product of corroded iron, and various forms are used as industrial pigments,... -
Fear of Flying Fear of Flying, first and best-known novel by American writer Erica Jong that was published in 1973. It is a feminist tale of self-discovery that was groundbreaking and shocking for its frank depiction of female sexuality. Fear of Flying is narrated by and tells the story of Isadora Wing, a young... -
Today in History—January 6: A Rivalry on Ice “Why? Why? It hurts so much. Why me?” That was the anguished cry from Nancy Kerrigan on this day in 1994, after she was clubbed by a masked man following a practice session for the U.S. Figure Skating Championships. The incident sparked a media frenzy that only intensified after it was revealed... -
Today in History—January 5: A Winter So Cold It Rewrote History On January 5, 1709, Europe’s coldest winter in 500 years crept in overnight. The chill stretched from England to Russia. Whole trees froze and shattered. Trade came to a standstill, as snow made roads impassable, and the Thames River and the Baltic Sea froze. Copenhagen Harbor reported 27 inches of... -
Today in History—January 4: When the State of the Union Went Prime Time “The Great Society asks not how much, but how good; not only how to create wealth but how to use it; not only how fast we are going, but where we are headed.” —Lyndon Baines Johnson On Monday, January 4, 1965, U.S. Pres. Lyndon B. Johnson delivered the first prime-time televised State of the Union... -
The Devil in the White City The Devil in the White City is a nonfiction book by American author Erik Larson, published in 2003, that tells parallel stories about the civic pride and big-city boosterism of the Gilded Age (c. 1870–1900) and the often gruesome crimes of a con man and murderer. Using a literary, novelistic style... -
Financial literacy: Making sense of money, credit, and debt The term financial literacy is often thought of as simply being good with money. But it’s more than ending the week with a little cash left over. On the other hand, it doesn’t mean mastering the stock market or economic theory. It’s about understanding the everyday money decisions that shape your... -
Rasen-Antholz Rasen-Antholz, comune (municipality) located in the Italian region of Trentino–Alto Adige. It is a small mountain community consisting of six Fraktionen (villages or subdivisions within a municipality). Rasen-Antholz has become a center for winter sports. German is the native language of 98 percent... -
Best Movies of 2025: A List of Lists Written by Michael Nordine, resident film critic for the weekly newsletter Movie Brief. As the 2025–26 awards season kicks into gear, the race for top honors quickly becomes a battle for critical consensus. While it is perhaps impossible for critics to predict which films will come out on top at... -
List of Songs About America Is the United States “the land of the free and the home of the brave” or a “land of the pilgrims’ pride”? Are America’s greatest features its “purple mountain majesties” or “the sparkling sands of her diamond deserts”? It all depends on which songwriter you ask. Almost since the country’s... -
Who Is Marty Supreme Based On? Marty Supreme (2025) stars Timothée Chalamet as a gifted, cocky, slick-tongued table tennis player determined to launch himself from the backstreets of New York City to global supremacy. Though the Josh Safdie-directed film is not a biopic and much of its high-octane plot is fictional, it does take... -
Sanae Takaichi Sanae Takaichi is a Japanese politician who serves as the leader of the Liberal-Democratic Party (LDP) and prime minister of Japan (2025– ). She is the first woman to hold either position. Before becoming prime minister, she served in important cabinet positions under both the Fumio Kishida and... -
Today in History—January 3: Put Some Respect on Her Name In 1986 the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inducted its first 10 musical icons, including such recognizable figures as Elvis Presley and Buddy Holly. Noticeably, however, the group didn’t include a single female artist. Fast-forward to January 3, 1987, when Aretha Franklin was announced as the first... -
New Year’s Food Traditions from Around the World The arrival of a new year is welcomed by different cultures in varied ways. It is a time to feast and hope for prosperity, health, and luck. Many food traditions that are followed on this day, such as preparing special dishes, have been passed down through generations. Read on to learn more.... -
Today in History—January 2: “I have seized the light. I have arrested its flight.” On this day in 1839 French artist and chemist Louis Daguerre made the first image of the Moon. Probably. No one alive today knows what the image might have looked like, because—unfortunately for Daguerre and the rest of the art-appreciating world—his studio burned down shortly after. History’s... -
Today in History—January 1: When Europe changed its money overnight On this day in 1999, 11 European Union (EU) countries changed their money. Citizens in Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain woke up to find their bank balances listed in a brand-new currency: the euro. The change was expected, but... -
Today in History—December 31: The Ball That Started It All On New Year’s Eve in 1907, the first ball was dropped in Times Square. It was made of iron, bedecked with 25-watt lightbulbs, and weighed 700 pounds. It took six men to lower it. People loved it. New Year’s Eve in Times Square is now watched around the world. But before countdowns and confetti,... -
2026 Milano Cortina Olympics: Athletes to Watch The Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games will be held in northern Italy on February 6–22, 2026. The international athletic competition will feature 116 events across 16 winter sports and is expected to draw some 2,900 athletes from 90 countries as participants. Which competitors should be on your... -
Merrily We Roll Along Merrily We Roll Along, American musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by George Furth, based on the 1934 play of the same name by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart. Merrily We Roll Along follows the lives of three friends who meet in college and whose connection sours over time... -
USS Gerald R. Ford USS Gerald R. Ford, U.S. Navy nuclear-powered aircraft carrier commissioned in 2017. It is the lead ship in the Gerald R. Ford class, and, with a displacement of more than 100,000 tons and a length of 1,106 feet (337 meters), it is the largest warship afloat. U.S. Nimitz-class carriers debuted in... -
Los Angeles 2028 Summer Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028 Summer Olympic Games, international athletic competition scheduled to be held in Los Angeles July 14–30, 2028. It will be the fifth Summer Olympics to be hosted by the United States, after St. Louis in 1904, Atlanta in 1996, and Los Angeles itself in 1932 and 1984; the United... -
Who’s Who in the Wizarding World? The magic and enchantment of the wizarding world of Harry Potter, created by author J.K. Rowling, have endured the test of time. Since the first title, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, released in 1997, more than 600 million copies of the seven books in the series have been sold globally,... -
Bond risk: How rates, duration, and structure drive fixed-income performance “Stocks are for speculators. Stick to clipping coupons.” For a lot of investors, that quip formed their earliest impressions of bonds as a “safe” investment. It often came from someone who’d lived through recessions, the Great Depression, even world wars—someone like Great-Aunt Geneva, who’d seen... -
How to amend a tax return after you’ve filed Filing your taxes can be complicated, especially if you later realize you need to amend a tax return. Even if you think you did your taxes correctly and included every required form, mistakes still happen. Sometimes, new or updated information arrives after you file and changes what you originally... -
Pluribus Pluribus, American science fiction series created by Vince Gilligan, writer and producer of the prestige television drama Breaking Bad (2008–13) and its prequel Better Call Saul (2015–22). The plot of Pluribus centers on a strange virus, created by scientists based on signals from outer space, that... -
Tesero Tesero, comune (municipality), located in the province of Trentino in Italy. Situated in the Val di Fiemme in the Dolomites, Tesero is an important venue for winter sports. Tesero has a long prehistory. Human habitation probably began in the region as long ago as the 6th–7th millennium bce.... -
What the earned income tax credit means for working families The earned income tax credit (EITC) is one of the federal tax code’s largest benefits for workers with low to moderate incomes. Rather than just reducing the amount of tax you owe, the EITC is refundable, meaning you can get a refund even if you owe no tax. The credit adds money to the budgets of... -
oxidation Oxidation, chemical process in which an atom, ion, or molecule loses electrons as it interacts with another chemical species. This shift in electrons alters the substance’s composition and energy state, thereby dictating the behavior, stability, and utility of substances. Oxidation is an essential... -
Today in History—December 30: Justinian I’s Meticulous Code December 30 was a major benchmark for the Code of Justinian, or Corpus Juris Civilis (“Body of Civil Law”), which set the basis for much of modern law. Depending on the source, that’s either the day in which major elements of the code went into effect (in 533) or the revised codes themselves became... -
nitazene Nitazene, class of potent synthetic opioid drugs that are extremely effective at binding to opioid receptors, resulting in powerful analgesic (pain-relieving) and sedative effects. Nitazenes are structurally distinct from other opioids, including naturally occurring substances such as morphine and... -
Systematic risk: The PRIME forces that move markets Diversifying your portfolio is the investing equivalent of eating your vegetables—it’s simple, sensible, and almost always good for you. Diversification broadens your potential return sources and reduces the risk of relying too heavily on any single investment. But diversification can only go so... -
Is Comet 3I/ATLAS an Alien Spacecraft? If you don’t hang out in the wilder areas of YouTube or TikTok, you may be thinking, “Wait. What? Is this a thing? The answer is no, right? Right?” The answer is no. Comet 3I/ATLAS is not an alien spacecraft. But it is very interesting in its own right. The I in its name stands for “interstellar,”... -
What Sports Are in the Winter Olympics? Since the first Winter Olympic Games, held in 1924, athletes have come together to compete in sports that test their speed, strength, and gracefulness on ice and snow. Learn which sports will be included in the program at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games in 2026 in the table below. (Learn... -
The Rest Is Speculation: Hamnet and the Question of Historical Accuracy Written by Michael Nordine, resident film critic for the weekly newsletter Movie Brief. The central premise of Hamnet, director Chloé Zhao’s acclaimed 2025 film adaptation of author Maggie O’Farrell’s celebrated 2020 novel of the same name, is simple: William Shakespeare wrote the play Hamlet as a... -
Predazzo Predazzo, village and comune (municipality) in northern Italy, situated in the Val di Fiemme in the regione (region) of Trentino. Its location in the Dolomites has endowed it with an outstanding geological heritage, giving it the nickname “Geological Garden of the Alps.” Predazzo is also renowned... -
50 Cent By the time he was 25 years old, American rapper, actor, author, producer, and entrepreneur 50 Cent had survived a hardscrabble upbringing, an attempt on his life, and the loss of a big-label record deal. By the time he turned 30, however, he had become a major hip-hop star and one of the most... -
Has an Athlete Died During an Olympic Competition? The Olympics are filled with memorable moments, from close finishes to remarkable triumphs. Yet it can be easy to overlook how demanding—and potentially dangerous—the events can be. Injuries are common, and a number of athletes have suffered fatal incidents during competition or training. Below we... -
soup joumou Soup joumou, traditional Haitian soup made with beef, winter squash, and vegetables. It is typically eaten every year on January 1 to commemorate Haiti’s independence from France in 1804. The soup also serves as a Sunday breakfast dish. Preparation of the soup is usually a family or community... -
What’s the Tush Push in the NFL? It’s fourth down, and the offense is just inches from the goal line. What play does the team run? In some cases, the call is the controversial tush push. In this play, the football is snapped to the quarterback, and his teammates then push him forward, trying to drive through the opposing team’s... -
Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack The Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack is an annual periodical released in April at the start of the English county cricket season. It was first published in 1864, by John Wisden, a former cricket player and a sports equipment shop owner, in England under the name The Cricketer’s Almanack. Referred to as... -
Condé Nast When Condé Montrose Nast bought a publication called Vogue in 1909, he was a man with a vision. He recognized that creating publications that served a niche audience—a rich, class-conscious one—could be a successful business model. As a business colleague recalled, “He didn’t want a big... -
Today in History—December 29: The “Wanderer in Man’s Apparel” On December 29, 1852, 17-year-old Emma Snodgrass was arraigned in Boston for the heinous crime of—wait for it—wearing pants. Many people who encountered her reportedly assumed she was a regular lad about town—and this was precisely the problem, according to officials, as she was in fact born a... -
Today in History—December 28: Don’t Call Her a “Test-Tube Baby” At 7:46 am on this day in 1981, history was born. Her name was Elizabeth Jordan Carr, and she was the first American born via in vitro fertilization (IVF). She joins us today to discuss what it’s like to enter the world as a headline. Britannica: Can you talk about the circumstances of your birth?... -
Today in History—December 27: Oceans (and Centuries) Apart Almost 1,400 years apart, two grand structures were inaugurated. The Hagia Sophia was consecrated on December 27, 537 CE, as the largest cathedral in the world (a title it would hold for almost a thousand years). It was introduced by Byzantine Emperor Justinian I with the resounding “Solomon, I... -
Arcane Arcane, animated TV show that adapts and enriches the in-game lore of the popular online multiplayer video game League of Legends. The show is set in a world torn apart by inequality and obsessed with the control of magic-powered technology. The action-packed narrative centers on the relationship... -
What Is the Most Potent Opioid? The most potent opioid is generally considered to be carfentanil, which is used in veterinary medicine, primarily to tranquilize elephants and other large mammals. Although some formulations of the illicit opioid nitazene can reach or exceed the potency of carfentanil, many others are less potent....
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1936–39 Arab Revolt in Palestine 1936–39 Arab Revolt in Palestine, popular Palestinian Arab uprising against British governance, driven largely by opposition to British policies toward the Zionist movement. Although sparked by escalating violence between Arabs and Jews in 1935–36, the rebellion began in April 1936 as a general... -
K-shaped economy: When growth moves in two different directions Here’s a picture of two economies. In the first, consumer sentiment sinks to record lows as staple goods grow increasingly unaffordable; even “cheap” items like fast food start feeling like luxury buys for many households. In the second, high-ticket discretionary goods are flying off the shelves as... -
Social Security Disability Insurance: How to qualify and what affects your benefits A long-term disability can take you out of the workforce with little or no warning, leaving you without a paycheck. With no income, bills can pile up quickly. Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) can help you stay afloat. It offers monthly benefits to help you remain financially stable when... -
Robert F. Smith Robert F. Smith is one of the most successful investors in modern private equity and a defining figure in the software industry’s growth. The founder, chair, and CEO of Vista Equity Partners, he built the firm into one of the world’s top-performing investors in companies that build software for... -
How the Grinch Stole Christmas! How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, beloved American Christmas story that originally appeared as a children’s book by American author Dr. Seuss in 1957. It was adapted into a wildly popular animated television special that aired on CBS on December 18, 1966. The story was later made into two... -
Why Is Bollywood Film Dhurandhar Controversial? Spy thriller Dhurandhar (“Expert”), one of the best-performing Bollywood films of 2025, has polarized opinion in India and abroad since its release on December 5. Dhurandhar, the first of a two-part series by director Aditya Dhar, depicts an anti-terror covert operation conducted by India on... -
Common Figure Skating Jumps Explained The 2026 Winter Olympics are just around the corner, and, with no disrespect intended to curling and skeleton, figure skating is the perennial marquee event of the Winter Games. That means that many people pay attention to figure skating only once every four years. You can be forgiven for not... -
Western Philosophers: Timeline, History, and Movements Philosophy is the rational, abstract, and methodical consideration of reality and the fundamental dimensions of human existence and experience. The questions that form the subject matter of philosophy at a given time do not have definitive answers. As history shows, when such questions are finally... -
Are Olympic Medals Made of Gold? For athletes who stand on the top step of the Olympic podium and get a gold medal placed around their necks, the moment—and the medal—is priceless. But the reality is that the gold medal is not worth much more than the silver medal around the neck of the second-place finisher. That is because,... -
Are Chunga Palms Really Dangerous? The following article contains spoilers for the Apple TV show Pluribus, season 1, episode 7 (“The Gap”). Looking for the biology and facts behind that ominous warning and chilling encounter with the chunga palms in the Darién Gap? Nothing like a surprising episode to pique your interest in botany,... -
What Is the Difference Between Classicism and Romanticism? Think of a marble statue standing near a stormy sea—its calm, measured form facing nature’s wild energy. The statue embodies the balance and restraint of classicism while the sea symbolizes the emotion and imagination of Romanticism. Classicism is an aesthetic attitude and artistic style rooted in... -
Why Is Fracking Harmful? In the world’s pursuit of petroleum and natural gas, the technique of fracking—injecting a liquid at high pressure into underground rock to open fissures and release natural gas or crude oil—surged starting at the end of the 20th century. Although fracking processes had been developed decades... -
Eileen Gu Eileen Gu is a Chinese American freestyle skier who won a trio of medals, including two golds, at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games. Only 18 years old at the time, she became the youngest Olympic champion in freestyle skiing and the first competitor in her sport to capture three medals in one... -
Vocabulary Quiz Test or refresh your knowledge of key words, terms, and concepts used in discussions and debates about money issues, the economy, work, and taxation. Each answer links to the related ProCon debate featuring the word, term, or concept. Enjoy the challenge. Good... -
List of Musical Symbols Music often sounds effortless to the ear, but behind every performance is a carefully written language that directs how sound is created and expressed. Written symbols on a musical score guide musicians, telling them when to play, when to pause, and how each note should sound and feel. For someone... -
Obama Presidential Center For a historic president, there will be a historic presidential library. The Obama Presidential Center Groundbreaking: Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker joined former Pres. Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama for the 2021 groundbreaking of the historic presidential center. An imposing... -
What Is the Most Popular Christmas Song? On December 25, 1941, mellow-voiced singer and actor Bing Crosby first crooned what would become a perennial holiday classic. The song, a wistful ballad called “White Christmas,” was written by Irving Berlin. Crosby performed it on his weekly radio show, and a few months later he recorded it for... -
Infinite Hotel Paradox Imagine arriving at a hotel that claims to have infinitely many rooms: room 1, room 2, room 3, and so on forever. You walk to the front desk and say, “I need a room.” The manager looks up from her ledger and says, “Every room is taken—but don’t worry, I can make space.” She phones every guest and... -
Today in History: December 25—The Day Christmas Made the Calendar On this day in 352, Pope Liberius celebrated the first official Christmas mass in Rome—marking the moment December 25 became the day on the calendar. This wasn’t the first time Christians had celebrated Jesus’ birth: Some observances likely took place as early as the 2nd century, and the church in... -
2025 Bondi Beach shooting 2025 Bondi Beach shooting, mass shooting at Sydney’s Bondi Beach on December 14, 2025. Two gunmen—identified by Australian authorities as a father and son—targeted a crowd of hundreds at a gathering of Sydney’s Jewish community on the first night of Hanukkah. They killed 15 people and wounded more... -
Today in History—December 26: The Pluto Platter On December 26, 1967, Edward Headrick patented the modern “flying saucer” toy. The toy’s story, however, began long before Headrick entered the picture. Starting in the 1870s, college students in New Haven, Connecticut, played a game with pie tins that they had gotten from a local bakery, throwing... -
greaser Greaser, member of a youth subculture that was prominent in the United States in the 1950s and ’60s. Greaser culture was embraced mostly by young, white working-class men who either rejected or did not fit in with the “bright and shiny” facade of the Cold War era. By the late 1960s the subculture... -
The Day of the Jackal The Day of the Jackal, television thriller series created by screenwriter Ronan Bennett and starring Eddie Redmayne as the titular Jackal. It is a modern-day adaptation of a 1971 novel of the same name by English author Frederick Forsyth. The show first aired in November 2024 and follows a seasoned... -
Do Jews Celebrate Christmas? A straightforward yes or no answer to this question is not possible, because Jews around the world, like followers of most religions, are not uniform in their beliefs and practices, so they may or may not observe Christmas to various degrees. Many Jews would strongly respond no, because Christmas... -
Santa Claus rally: A seasonal pop with surprising consistency Every year in late December, day traders, chart watchers, and other active traders look to the skies to see if Santa Claus will deliver a year-end rally or drop lumps of coal into stock portfolios. It’s called the Santa Claus rally—a quirky bit of Wall Street seasonality—but the numbers say it... -
Ferrero Group Ferrero is a private multinational manufacturer of branded chocolate and confectionery products. Founded and headquartered in Alba, Piedmont, Italy, Ferrero’s best-known brands include Nutella, Ferrero Rocher, Kinder, and Tic Tac. Family owned since its inception, Ferrero is among the top... -
2025: Year in Review In 2025 numerous countries—such as the United States, Canada, and Germany—installed new national leaders, and some transitions were contentious. Several African countries experienced coups, and Gen Z-led protests resulted in the ouster of Nepali Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli. Armed conflicts... -
Ultimate Fighting Championship The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), based in Las Vegas, is an organization that promotes professional mixed martial arts (MMA) contests. It produces dozens of live events each year, and its pay-per-view cable television broadcasts and live streams have reached viewers in more than 160... -
What Is the Christmas Bird Count? The Christmas Bird Count is an annual large-scale bird census organized by the National Audubon Society—a U.S.-based conservation organization—that takes place in early winter across the Western Hemisphere. It enlists volunteer bird-watchers to count birds within a 24-km- (15-mile-) diameter circle... -
Today in History—December 24: Before Spotify, There Was Tinfoil Thomas Edison gave the first demonstration of his phonograph in early December 1877, hauling his little hand-crank machine to the New York City office of Scientific American and using it to converse with the magazine’s staff. His voice came through tinny and distant, and not all his words were... -
Today in History—December 23: The Incident at the Yellow House Name an artist, any artist. If you said Vincent van Gogh, perhaps you were primed by our reference to ears: Van Gogh famously cut off his left earlobe with a razor on December 23, 1888. The Dutch Post-Impressionist painter lived a life of indecision and turmoil. One person who always had his back,... -
Today in History—December 20: “Hansel and Gretel” and the Gingerbread Boom On this day in 1812 brothers Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm published the first volume of stories that would make them famous: Kinder- und Hausmärchen (“Children’s and Household Tales”). Among the 156 fables in the first collection was “Hansel and Gretel,” which introduced the world to one unforgettable... -
Today in History—December 22: “The Heart of Berlin Hangs On This Gate” Just after midnight on December 22, 1989, workers punched a hole in the Brandenburg Gate. Once the first openings were made, West German police officers and East German border guards shook hands. Germans on both sides cheered in the darkness, celebrating with sparkling wine. Later that day, West... -
Today in History—December 21: The Birth of Basketball It was a stormy day in Springfield, Massachusetts, and the students at the International Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) Training School were restless. It was too cold to play football or lacrosse outside, and gym teacher James Naismith didn’t dare attempt those sports indoors. He needed... -
operating room Operating room (OR), specially designed medical facility where surgical procedures are performed under sterile conditions to prevent infection and ensure patient safety. It is equipped with advanced surgical instruments, an anesthesia machine, monitoring systems, and specialized lighting, which... -
National Credit Union Administration (NCUA): Federal insurance and oversight for credit unions Credit unions may feel more community focused than big banks, but they still depend on a strong regulatory and insurance framework to keep consumers’ money safe. At the center of that system is the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA), the federal agency that regulates credit unions,... -
Elif Shafak She was branded a traitor for writing in a language that was not her own, faced with legal charges for “insulting Turkishness,” and denounced by Turkish Pres. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s supporters. A widely praised writer with works translated into nearly 60 languages, she transcends boundaries,... -
Why Is it Illegal to Visit North Sentinel Island in India? Along the Andaman and Nicobar Islands union territory in the Bay of Bengal in India lies a remote island called North Sentinel. Covered by thick forests, North Sentinel Island has no roads, ports, or any modern infrastructure. For centuries it has been home to the Sentinelese, a hunter-gatherer... -
Jeremy Hansen Jeremy Hansen is a Canadian astronaut who is part of the crew of the Artemis II mission, which will journey to the Moon in early 2026. He will be the first Canadian to travel to the Moon, and Artemis II will be his first spaceflight. Hansen was interested in spaceflight from a young age. At age 12...
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Why Do People Kiss Under the Mistletoe? Every Christmas season, sprigs of mistletoe become an unlikely symbol of romance, particularly in the United States and the United Kingdom. A small bouquet of mistletoe, usually hung from a doorway or other location, beckons couples to exchange a quick kiss—an oddly tender custom for a plant that... -
Seth Meyers Seth Meyers is an American comedian and host of the nightly talk show Late Night with Seth Meyers, a gig he has had since 2014. Meyers is known for his wry sense of humor and laid-back style. In late 2025 Meyers became the latest in a string of late-night talk show hosts to incur the wrath of U.S....
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Research and Analysis Wing Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW or RAW), India’s external intelligence agency, founded in 1968 following purported shortcomings in the country’s intelligence system during the 1962 Sino-Indian War and the 1965 India-Pakistan War. The agency is tasked with gathering foreign intelligence and has...
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Christmas Plants and Animals: 12 Festive Species By one estimate, more than 30 plants and animals have Christmas in their names. And they all come bearing gifts: vital ecological roles that underpin valuable ecosystem services that directly or indirectly support human well-being. Here are 12 of the most popular among such organisms—one for each... -
Today in History—December 19: Bah, Humbug! Charles Dickens’s parable A Christmas Carol was first published on December 19, 1843. Firmly entrenched in the genre of holiday classics, the tale was written by Dickens in the span of six weeks. And lucky for him, the story was wildly popular, selling out by Christmas Eve. Dickens didn’t write it... -
Travel Ban List The first—and thus far only—major federal legislation to explicitly suspend immigration to the United States for a specific nationality was the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. Since then, immigration and travel to the United States have been restricted to various groups at various times through a... -
Nuclear Power Natural resources—materials or substances found in nature that can be used by humans for personal or economic gain, or even survival—include water, minerals, forests, and fossil fuels, and they are widely used as energy sources. There are two types of natural resources: renewable and nonrenewable.... -
What Are the Most Dangerous Winter Olympic Sports? The most dangerous sports at the Winter Olympics, which see the highest number of and most severe injuries, include events such as the ski half-pipe, ski big air, ski aerials (jumps), and snowboard and ski slopestyle, which involve athletes flying through the air and making hard landings. Data... -
Today in History—December 18: Piltdown Man: The Missing Link That Wasn’t At a meeting of the Geological Society of London on this day in 1912, respected paleontologist Arthur Smith Woodward of the British Museum made an announcement that seemed to rewrite human history. For the next 40 years, anyway. Woodward debuted the bones of what he believed to be a previously... -
Today in History—December 17: America’s Favorite Cartoon Family The Simpsons first appeared as an independent series on December 17, 1989, with a Christmas special that helped launch one of TV’s most enduring animated series. “Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire” was actually scheduled to be the eighth episode in the show, but when the pilot’s animation proved... -
Today in History—December 16: “Boston, a Teapot Tonight!” On this night 252 years ago, up to 150 men marched to Griffin’s Wharf in Boston, cheered on by thousands. They donned Mohawk headdresses and painted their faces to disguise their identities. They boarded three ships in the harbor—the Dartmouth, Beaver, and Eleanor. With methodical precision, they... -
Today in History—December 15: Gone with the Wind Premieres in Atlanta Gone with the Wind premiered on December 15, 1939, at the Loew’s Grand Theater in Atlanta, Georgia. It would become one of the most successful films of all time, nabbing eight Academy Awards (and two honorary Oscars) in the process. But the glittering premiere was not without its problems. The film... -
The Easter Story The principal festival of Christianity, Easter celebrates the Resurrection of Jesus Christ after his betrayal and his death by crucifixion. All four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) depict a heartbreaking drama that culminates in the hope of eternal life through God’s plan of salvation.... -
Winter Holidays: Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and More The turn of seasons from winter to spring (at least in the Northern Hemisphere) is celebrated with great zeal and varied traditions around the world. For some, the end of the year is synonymous with Christmas, a festival of joy. For others it is the time for Hanukkah, the festival of lights. Still... -
Debbie Harry Debbie Harry is an American singer-songwriter who fronts the new wave band Blondie, which gained prominence in the late 1970s with chartbusters such as “Heart of Glass” (1978). Known for her signature platinum blonde hair and distinctive blend of feminine allure and fearless songwriting, Harry is... -
Is There a Kennedy Curse? The Kennedy family has known great privilege and power. Often referred to as American political royalty, the name Kennedy is associated with presidents, senators, and ambassadors. It is also associated with tragic loss, including the assassinations of U.S. Pres. John F. Kennedy and his brother Sen.... -
David Ellison David Ellison is an American film producer and media executive who founded Skydance Media, the studio behind some of the most commercially successful films of the early 21st century. After establishing Skydance in 2010, he produced the Mission: Impossible and Star Trek series of movies as well as... -
Farewell, My Lovely Farewell, My Lovely, detective novel written by American author Raymond Chandler and published in 1940. This was his second book in which the protagonist and narrator is Los Angeles private detective Philip Marlowe. Farewell, My Lovely is constructed around two complicated narrative strands which... -
Formula Racing Terminology Formula racing is one of the most popular competitive automobile sports in the world. It usually comprises contests between single-seat, open-wheel vehicles (a type of race car design that accommodates only one driver, with the wheels outside and not covered by the vehicle’s main body), which are... -
Today in History—December 14: The Tumultuous Tale of Mary, Queen of Scots Few historical figures inspire such heated debate among historians as Mary Stuart, better known as Mary, Queen of Scots. Seen as a romantic innocent by supporters and a scheming adultress by detractors, Mary, with her flaming red hair and contentious political maneuvers, was nothing if not... -
monk fruit Monk fruit, (Siraitia grosvenorii), perennial, herbaceous, tuberous vine found in the humid subtropical mountain forests of southern China, where it is native. It occurs mainly in Guangxi, Hunan, Jiangxi, Guangdong, and Guizhou provinces. The fruit of this plant has both medicinal and culinary... -
Today in History—December 13: The Pope Who Quit to Live in a Cave On this day in 1294, PopeCelestine V became the first pope to voluntarily resign the papacy—declaring that he’d rather…live in a cave. Born Pietro Angelerio in Sicily, in what is now southern Italy, to a peasant family, he joined the Benedictine monks, a fairly strict religious order, at age 17... -
A Guide to Art Movements and Styles Art movements break up tens of thousands of years of art history into time periods or categories that have common techniques, themes, or philosophies. Some movements have been demarcated retrospectively, some identified contemporaneously as part of a larger cultural trend, and others defined by the... -
Today in History—December 12: Checking in at the First Motel If you were driving your shiny new Model T—with its 10-gallon tank—from San Francisco to Los Angeles, what were your options for stopping along the way? Hotels existed, of course, but they were pricey. Auto camping was also an option for travelers willing to pitch a tent or sleep in their cars. But... -
qualified business income (QBI) The qualified business income (QBI) deduction is a tax concept that allows many small business owners to deduct up to 20% of their business profits directly from their federal taxable income. The deduction—often called the 199A deduction—was originally created under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of... -
How Does a Grand Jury Work? In the United States a grand jury is a group of 16 to 23 people chosen by a court for the purpose of determining whether a person suspected of having committed a crime may be indicted. Prosecutors present the grand jury with evidence of the suspect’s alleged criminal activity, and the jury usually... -
Today in History—December 11: The GoodFellas Behind the Lufthansa Heist “To be a wise guy was to own the world.” That is, according to Henry Hill, noted Mafia associate, FBI informant—and Lufthansa heist accomplice. On December 11, 1978, six gangsters quietly stole a sum of $5.875 million (roughly $28 million today) from the Lufthansa cargo hold at JFK airport. It was... -
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, upcoming television series adapted from the Tales of Dunk and Egg, a novella series by writer George R.R. Martin. The show is a prequel to the TV sensation Game of Thrones (2011–19), which was based on his A Song of Ice and Fire novels. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms... -
Vocabulary Quiz Test or refresh your knowledge of key words, terms, and concepts used in discussions and debates about health, health care, and medicine. Each answer links to the related ProCon debate featuring the word, term, or concept. Enjoy the challenge. Good...