The northern lights: nature's most beautiful phenomenon
The aurora borealis is a stunning natural phenomenon that blows away anyone lucky enough to catch a glimpse of it. Science says it is the result of sun particles colliding with the Earth's atmosphere, but Icelandic legends say the magical lights are angels dancing in the sky! This spectacular natural light show is usually associated with Europe's most northern countries like Iceland, Sweden, and Denmark, where it's most visible. However, this aurora season, the world is getting an extra-special visit. The northern lights have been visible in locations across northern US and Europe where residents rarely see the northern lights, and certainly not with this level of visibility. Now a powerful solar storm could potentially allow residents in the upper Midwest US to see the lights, spanning an impressive 17 states including parts of Illinois and Indiana. According to the Geophysical Institute at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks, the areas near Milwaukee and Minneapolis may see the lights overhead, and areas as far south as Chicago and Indianapolis could see them on the far northern horizon, likely in July. Click on for dazzling photos of the phenomena and learn all about the aurora borealis.
2024-05-14T10:21:01Z
The weirdest reasons for airplane turnarounds
Flying is stressful, no doubt about it. There's the competitive prices, the complications of packing, and that all-important airport sprint. When you're on the plane, you can only pray you're not stuck in front of some bratty kicking kid, or behind a rude reclining pensioner. However, none of that could equal the amount of stress in these ridiculous stories. On a recent flight from Tokyo to Seattle, one passenger must have been having a pretty bad day, because he ended up biting a flight attendant. The plane took off at 9:47 pm local time on January 16 but was forced to return to Tokyo’s Haneda airport approximately one hour later. A representative for the Japanese airline revealed that a male American passenger had bitten a female flight attendant and was arrested as soon as the plane landed in Tokyo. She is reported to have sustained minor injuries. This isn't the first time biting has caused major disruptions during a flight. In 2022, two separate incidents occurred in which a passenger bit cabin crew or other passengers on flights with US carriers American Airlines and Delta Air Lines. Both aggressors were fined around US$80,000 by the Federal Aviation Administration—the highest penalties ever issued by the agency. From bees in the cargo to drunken celebrities and forgotten babies, there are countless stories of planes turning around for the strangest reasons. Click through the gallery to hear all about them.
2023-12-29T15:09:43Z