Artemis II astronauts describe their lunar voyage as surreal

HOUSTON (AP) – Drawing ever closer to Earth, the Artemis II astronauts tidied up their lunar cruiser for its upcoming “fireball” return and reflected on their historic journey around the moon, describing it as surreal and profound. As Thursday dawned, humanity’s first lunar explorers in more than half a century were less than 150,000 miles (240,000 kilometers) from home.

Artemis II astronauts name lunar features after loved ones

HOUSTON (AP) – Lunar love knows no bounds. Now hurtling home from the moon, the Artemis II astronauts took a poignant page from Apollo 8 earlier this week, proposing deeply personal names for a pair of lunar craters. Commander Reid Wiseman and his crew asked permission to name one small, fresh crater after their capsule called Integrity.

March smashes record as most abnormally hot month for US

WASHINGTON (AP) – March’s persistent unseasonable heat was so intense that the continental United States registered its most abnormally hot month in 132 years of records, according to federal weather data. And the next year or so looks to turn the dial up on global warmth even more, as some forecasts predict a brewing El Nino will reach superstrength.

You aren't the only one who sits in the car after a long day

Have you ever pulled into the driveway of your home or a parking lot spot and just … stayed there? Maybe it’s a few minutes, or half an hour. You might be scrolling on your phone, belting out a favorite song or just staring into the distance.

'I'm going there.' Oil drilling fuels a migrant surge in Brazil's Amazon

OIAPOQUE, Brazil (AP) – On a recent morning, Reginaldo Nunes Fonseca smoked cigarettes from the porch of his friend’s wooden shack, watching the rain come down hard in an area now known as Nova Conquista – New Conquest – where pristine rainforest in Brazil’s Amazon stood a year ago.

Artemis II astronauts channel Apollo 8 with a striking Earthset photo

HOUSTON (AP) – The Artemis II astronauts are now forever intertwined with Apollo 8. A day after the historic lunar flyaround, NASA on Tuesday released striking new photos taken by the U.S.-Canadian crew. The four astronauts channeled Apollo 8’s famous Earthrise shot from 1968 with their own.

Bangladesh measles outbreak kills more than 100 children

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) – Bangladesh is conducting emergency measles-rubella vaccinations while trying to contain an ongoing outbreak that has killed more than 100 children in less than a month.

Avalanche experts question decisions by guides on deadly California trip

Two months after the deadliest avalanche in modern California history, an analysis by leading U.S. experts is questioning the decisions by the guides to lead such a large group through dangerous terrain amid avalanche warnings.

How a blind man made it possible to build Lego sets

NEWTON, Mass. (AP) – Like a lot of young children, Matthew Shifrin loved building Lego sets. But because he was blind, Shifrin had to rely on friends and family to help him complete his creations – sometimes bribing them with tea to get them to come by his house.