Classic poems by Auden, Wordsworth, Keats, and the like are even more of a treat when recited in the rich and resonant tones of such actors as Alan Rickman and Benedict Cumberbatch. Words off a page have never felt so alive.

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The judges of the 2013 Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition have picked some real winners. 

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Which fictional character shares your birthday?

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A single man, formerly a monk, has spent the past half-century building a 131-foot cathedral with his own hands, but advancing age and the lack of a building permit could put an end to all of that.

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Ernest Hemingway wasn’t known for a particularly playful sense of humor, but a newly published satirical short story from the writer’s early years might help change that.

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Certain “unisex” names, like Leslie, Casey, Stacy, and Riley have been batted back and forth between genders over the years; their spikes and slumps over time form a fascinating picture of how easily “boy names” and “girl names” can change.

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The men behind the bizarre Twitter account @horse_ebooks and the equally strange YouTube channel Pronunciation Book have stepped forward and pled guilty to performance art.

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An international panel of scientists has weighed in: it is “extremely likely” – and they are 95% sure – that humankind is predominantly to blame for rising global temperatures. Better start apologizing to the Earth now.