Canada's western provinces are being hit hard by wildfires. Alberta has been hit especially hard. The fires have forced thousands of people to leave their homes, and heavy smoke from the fires has spread far beyond the region.
If you've ever seen elephant seals lying on a beach, you might think all they do is sleep. But now scientists have discovered that when elephant seals are in the ocean, they hardly sleep at all. On average, the seals sleep just two hours a day.
The US Environmental Protection Agency has suggested new rules for limiting the amount of pollution that power plants running on coal and gas can release. The new rules would almost completely end carbon dioxide emissions from these power plants by 2035.
On Sunday, Thailand and Turkey held important elections that could lead to big changes for the countries. In Thailand, opposition parties clearly defeated the current military government. In Turkey, the close results have led to a runoff election.
Scientists have created a new tool that can turn people's thoughts into words. It works by using an Artificial Intelligence program to translate brain activity into words. The scientists say the program could help people who can't speak because of a brain injury.
Last Tuesday, writers of movies and TV shows in the United States went on strike for a better working agreement. Many of the writers' concerns are caused by the growth of streaming services like Netflix and Amazon. The strike could affect many TV shows and movies.
On Friday, the World Health Organization announced that the coronavirus pandemic is not a global emergency anymore. The disease is now spreading much more slowly than before. The WHO says Covid-19 is still a problem, but the hardest part of the pandemic is over.
In the United Kingdom on Saturday, Charles the III will officially be crowned king in a special "coronation" ceremony. It's the first time the country has crowned a monarch in 70 years. People across the nation will be watching and celebrating the historic event.
Mathematicians are excited about a new discovery: a 13-sided shape called "the hat". Lots of copies of the shape can be used to cover a flat surface without ever overlapping or leaving any gaps. Importantly, the patterns made with the hat never repeat.
On Monday, people across France turned out to protest against the government of President Emmanuel Macron. The protests were part of a larger May Day celebration, but the focus was on the government's decision to raise the country's retirement age.
Scientists have known for years that plants respond to sounds around them. For example, flowers make sweeter nectar to the sound of buzzing bees. But now scientists in Israel have shown that plants also seem to be doing some "talking".