Want to fly to the moon? NASA is looking for new astronauts to help grow its Artemis program
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Want to fly to the moon and help build a permanent lunar base? NASA is accepting applications for a new astronaut class that will help grow the Artemis program. Officials announced the news Saturday during an air show and tech expo at Florida's Kennedy Space Center. With only 32 active astronauts, the space agency says it needs more recruits as it looks to expand humanity’s presence beyond low-Earth orbit as quickly as possible. April’s lunar flyaround by the Artemis II astronauts kicked off the lunar campaign. NASA's last call for new astronauts was two years ago. From more than 8,000 applicants, only 10 made the cut.
3 women found the equation: Discomfort + inspiration = the invention of the sports bra
NEW YORK (AP) — The sports bra is so ubiquitous that it's easy to take for granted. But it was three young, unknown women who dreamed up the garment in 1977 as the jogging craze sweeping the U.S. The three- — Linda Lindahl, Hinda Miller and Polly Smith — set out to solve a problem of discomfort plaguing many women joggers and make a some money on the side. They ended up helping launch a billion-dollar industry and a product that has come to symbolize female strength and liberation.
Panda fans flock to Zoo Atlanta for the debut of Ping Ping and Fu Shuang
ATLANTA (AP) — Zoo Atlanta has welcomed two new pandas, Ping Ping and Fu Shuang, who arrived from China in September. The pandas made their public debut Friday after acclimating to their new habitat. The 6-year-old pandas are part of a 10-year loan agreement, marking the return of pandas to the zoo after a two-year absence. Visitors expressed excitement about the pandas' arrival. The Chinese ambassador to the U.S. highlighted the renewal of ties between China and Zoo Atlanta. Zoo Atlanta is now one of three U.S. zoos housing pandas, reflecting China's global panda diplomacy.
Scientists discovered an unknown baby right whale off Canada. They say it's a cause for joy
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Scientists who study whales are heartened by an unexpected discovery of a baby right whale off Canada. Researchers in Canada captured images of an unidentified baby North Atlantic right whale, one of the rarest sea mammals in the world, off Anticosti Island in Quebec in September. Scientists with the New England Aquarium in Boston said this week that after analyzing photos and data about right whales, they have determined it was a calf likely born months ago that went unseen during winter surveys for the giant animals. The discovery puts the number of baby right whales discovered from the most recent birthing season at 24.
Body-positive message lifts a young US rugby player to the Youth Olympics
DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Eseta Moala has found a sense of belonging in rugby. She was considered one of the “bigger children” growing up and struggled with getting dressed for sports. Until at 11 she discovered rugby and met others her size, which boosted her confidence. This journey has led her to the Youth Olympic Games in Senegal where she and her sister Luisa have represented the United States in rugby sevens. They have been inspired by senior U.S. player Ilona Maher embracing her body and strength. Maher is a social media star who promotes body positivity and has helped to increase rugby's visibility in the U.S. The Moala sisters' U.S. coach Irene Gardner has praised Maher's impact on young girls in rugby.
Students in Belgrade join Serbia's post-election cleanup wave
BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Serbia’s capital Belgrade has been getting a makeover after a youth-led movement’s victory over a long-ruling strongman and his government in Oct. 25 elections. Residents in various parts of the Serbian capital and throughout the country have self-organized to paint over anti-student graffiti that were scribbled everywhere during the tense campaign ahead of the parliamentary ballot. Almost daily painting efforts reflect a wave of enthusiasm and solidarity that swept Serbia after the Students’ List movement toppled former President Aleksandar Vucic’s right-wing Serbian Progressive Party who had previously ruled the country for 14 years.
For nearly 1,000 years, the mesa in all its forms has been an American icon
PHOENIX (AP) — Like so much American imagery, mesas lurk in our collective American unconscious from frequent appearances in films and television. Spanish explorers named them mesas, meaning tables, when they came upon them. But in geological terms, a mesa is simply a flat-topped mountain or hill. Millions of years of constant erosion — from the eternal forces of gravity and wind — have created the iconic mesas of the American Southwest. For Native Americans, the original inhabitants of these lands, the elevation of the mesas formed natural fortifications that provided vantage points and tall sides that were supposed to protect them from outside threats.
Bingo, Care Bears, Pokémon cards and the classic playground slide make it into the Toy Hall of Fame
NEW YORK (AP) — The National Toy Hall of Fame has inducted bingo, Care Bears, the Pokémon Trading Card Game and the humble playground slide. These toys join classics like Mr. Potato Head and G.I. Joe. Experts at The Strong National Museum of Play, which hosts the Hall of Fame, highlight bingo's global popularity and its appeal to young adults. Care Bears gained support through social media, while Pokémon cards were boosted by anime and manga fans. The slide is praised for helping children develop motor skills. To be inducted, toys must be iconic and engage multiple generations.
Bob Dylan comes knockin' on pope's door as Leo welcomes legend to Vatican
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Bob Dylan has come knockin’ on Pope Leo XIV’s door. The American singer-songwriter and poet visited with the American pope at the Vatican during a break between concert dates in Italy. The Vatican said the encounter was brief, with Leo giving Dylan a rosary and Dylan presenting the pope with a copy of his autobiography, “Chronicles: Volume One.” Leo had quoted from Dylan’s 1963 protest song “Go Away You Bomb” in his 2026 book “Disarmed and Disarming: Peace Is a Gift.” Leo was warning against the race to rearm and the recourse to nuclear weapons and quoted the lyric “I hate you cause yer man-made and man-owned, an’ man-handled.”
How to care for citrus trees indoors in colder climates
Potted citrus trees can handle some cold. But in places with sustained freezing or below-freezing temperatures, they need to spend winter indoors. Citrus trees can grow and be quite productive indoors with proper care. Put them in the sunniest spot you can find — maybe a south- or southwest-facing window. If you don't get much sun then use a grow light. Use well-draining potting mix that’s specially formulated for citrus trees. That keeps the roots healthy and provides good drainage during a season when the tree’s water needs are lower. Keep dogs and cats away from citrus trees, which can be toxic to them.
