us news

Two giant dams changed Europe’s second-longest river. Decades later, scientists found the Danube Delta was being starved of sediment

by
Two giant dams changed Europe’s second-longest river. Decades later, scientists found the Danube Delta was being starved of sediment

The Danube does not arrive at the Black Sea as it once did. For thousands of years, the river carried enormous quantities of sediment towards its delta, steadily building and reshaping the low-lying landscape where river channels meet lagoons and the sea. That process changed after large-scale engineering works altered the river upstream. Following the … Read more

A $100 billion “ghost city” became a home for tech entrepreneurs, but the experiment lasted less than two years after it began

by
A $100 billion “ghost city” became a home for tech entrepreneurs, but the experiment lasted less than two years after it began

Forest City was meant to become a futuristic metropolis near Singapore, but its empty towers and quiet streets earned it a very different reputation. That unusual setting later attracted a group of technology entrepreneurs who saw the underused development as an opportunity to test a new way of living and working. In 2024, Network School … Read more

On 9/11, New York’s Ten House was among the first firehouses to respond; 25 years later, 65-year-old Sal Argano is its last active member from that day

by
On 9/11, New York's Ten House was among the first firehouses to respond; 25 years later, 65-year-old Sal Argano is its last active member from that day

Nearly 25 years after the September 11 attacksa small firehouse across from the World Trade Center site has become more than a place where firefighters begin and end their shifts. For 65-year-old Sal Argano, it is also a living link to a generation of firefighters whose lives were changed forever that morning. According to the … Read more

In 2024, New York turned 250 discarded Christmas trees into nearly 600 feet of breakwaters; by fall, the trees were trapping sediment around a restored salt marsh

by
In 2024, New York turned 250 discarded Christmas trees into nearly 600 feet of breakwaters; by fall, the trees were trapping sediment around a restored salt marsh

What looked like holiday waste ended up helping rebuild a fragile salt marsh at Jamaica Bay, where the trees were turned into nearly 600 feet of natural breakwaters. In 2024, 250 discarded Christmas trees were repurposed into nearly 600 linear feet of natural breakwaters at New York’s Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, helping protect newly planted … Read more

A former fuel-tank farm beside an Alaska national park visitor center has been erased; a young conservation crew restored 15,000 square yards of landscape and built 500 feet of new trail

by
A former fuel-tank farm beside an Alaska national park visitor center has been erased; a young conservation crew restored 15,000 square yards of landscape and built 500 feet of new trail

The project also created about 500 feet of new pedestrian trail, connecting the visitor center with the Lakeview Tinitun trail and the broader trail network. What was once a utilitarian patch of ground beside an Alaska visitor center is now becoming part of the landscape again. At Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, a young … Read more

In 2001, Bear Grylls bought a remote Welsh island for £95,000; after four years rebuilding its only house, it now runs off-grid on wind, solar and harvested rainwater

by
In 2001, Bear Grylls bought a remote Welsh island for £95,000; after four years rebuilding its only house, it now runs off-grid on wind, solar and harvested rainwater

In 2001, Bear Grylls bought a remote island off the coast of north Wales for £95,000. At the time, the island had just one house, which Grylls described as a “complete wreck”. He and his friends then spent four years rebuilding the property, turning the isolated place into a family retreat.The island is about six … Read more

S Korea’s revised espionage law: How it affects countries beyond North Korea

by
S Korea's revised espionage law: How it affects countries beyond North Korea

South Korea’s expanded espionage law now covers all foreign countries, not just North Korea. This revised Criminal Act carries a minimum three-year prison sentence for espionage offenses. The amendment addresses concerns about technology and industrial espionage involving non-North Korean actors. High-profile technology leak cases, including those involving Chinese firms, preceded this change. South Korea aims … Read more

Built in 1876, the Perry House in Los Angeles was moved from its original neighbourhood in 1975 to save it; 150 years later, normally closed rooms open to visitors for one night

by
Built in 1876, the Perry House in Los Angeles was moved from its original neighbourhood in 1975 to save it; 150 years later, normally closed rooms open to visitors for one night

The Perry House, also known as the William Hayes Perry House or Mount Pleasant House, was built in 1876. After years of decline and vandalism, the house was threatened with demolition. In 1975, it was moved to Heritage Square at 3800 Homer Street, Montecito Heights. On Saturday, September 12, as the Perry Mansion observed its … Read more

At 100, Atlanta’s Barbara Haig still drives her white Ford Mustang; she says caution, not age, will determine how long she stays behind the wheel

by
At 100, Atlanta's Barbara Haig still drives her white Ford Mustang; she says caution, not age, will determine how long she stays behind the wheel

Haig has been fond of convertibles for years. After giving them up for a period, seeing other drivers enjoying the spring weather with their tops down convinced her that she was ready for another one. At an age when many people are content to slow down, Barbara Haig is still putting the top down and … Read more

In 1999, David Letterman bought a 2,700-acre Montana ranch after avoiding celebrity country; he says the property has buffalo, horses, barbed wire and weeds

by
In 1999, David Letterman bought a 2,700-acre Montana ranch after avoiding celebrity country; he says the property has buffalo, horses, barbed wire and weeds

After his decision to leave late-night television, Letterman and wife, Regina Lasko, moved back to Indiana In 1999, television host David Letterman bought a 2,700-acre ranch in Montana. According to Realtor, the ranch is one of several properties owned by Letterman, who has spoken openly about moving away from the pressures and lifestyle associated with … Read more