PENNSYLVANIA

NASA's Swift orbital telescope captured a surge of X-rays from deep space that scientists realized was the result of a massive black hole's consumption of a star.

Hurricane Irene's projected path is expected impact almost the entire East Coast.

Rick Perry surged ahead of Mitt Romney in a Gallup poll released Wednesday, underscoring how conservative the Republican presidential primary race has become.

It is rare for a hurricane to strike New York City directly; more often, they hit eastern Long Island and Cape Cod. Since 1851, only five hurricanes have struck within 75 miles of the city, although the edges of others have caused damage. Here are six of the worst to affect the region.

Health departments throughout the country are urging residents to take precautions, including removing sources of standing water, avoiding mosquito-prone areas and applying a mosquito repellent.

Flash mobs are becoming an increasingly terrifying phenomenon in many American cities. But they have been used as a tool of political protest for a decade, and text messaging and social media have helped people communicate in many significant instances.

Mandatory anti-smoking warnings on U.S. cigarette packs are being challenged, this time by researchers who say the combination of grotesque images and explicit messages may not be effective in curbing smoking.

The National Science Foundation said that they found no evidence of research misconduct from Pennsylvania State University climatologist Michael Mann. The climatologist is being simultaneously attacked by climate change skeptics urging him to decrease emission of greenhouse gases.

Although the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has completed inspection on plants around the country, there has not been adequate time for energy companies to update facilities since the safety reports were issued.

The Virginia earthquake Aug. 23 was unusual for the region, although not unprecedented. Earthquakes, though fairly commonplace along the Pacific Coast, are few and far between on the Atlantic Coast because of its different geological structure.

UBS announced cuts of 3,500 employees on Tuesday, mostly in its investment banking division, as the layoff trend continues in the banking industry.

A gunman opened fire at a basketball league match in Philadelphia Monday evening, wounding six spectators, authorities said.

Hurricane Irene is gaining strength and heading toward Florida. The storm could hit the U.S. by week's end, possibly as a Category 2 storm or higher, forecasters say. Irene, the first of the 2011 Atlantic season, could become a Category 3 storm by the time it reaches Florida with sustained winds of 111 miles per hour or higher.

Jennifer McKendrick, a photographer from Indiana County, Pa., is refusing to take pictures of a group of high school girls after finding evidence of them cyber-bullying classmates on Facebook.

The National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm warning for portions of central and western Massachusetts as well as northern Connecticut and southern New Hampshire. The warning will be in effect from nine p.m. Sunday.

By now some of you must have head about a study from researchers affiliated with NASA and Pennsylvania State University called Would Contact with Extraterrestrials Benefit or Harm Humanity? A Scenario Analysis.

Those same questions seems to have puzzled researchers affiliated with NASA and Pennsylvania State University, who conducted a study on the topic called Would contact with extraterrestrials benefit or harm humanity? They said their scenario analysis serves as a step toward developing a comprehensive strategy for responding to contact with (extraterrestrials).

A freak flash flood caused by heavy rainfall in Pittsburgh, killed at least four people.The body of the possible fourth victim has been found, authorities said on Saturday. The heavy deluge overwhelmed the city's sewer system during rush hour, submerging dozens of vehicles along a street near the Allegheny River.

Humans aren't just threatening the earthly inhabitants, but we may have become a threat to the entire universe, possibly prompting aliens to destroy humanity in order to end global warming.

General Motors Co (GM.N) is seeking to dismiss a lawsuit over a suspension problem on more than 400,000 Chevrolet Impalas from the 2007 and 2008 model years, saying it should not be responsible for repairs because the flaw predated its bankruptcy.

The strike of 45,000 Verizon workers is nearing the end of two weeks. Workers haven't received paychecks and on Aug. 31 they will lose health benefits if they remain on strike.