south dakota

A powerful geomagnetic storm is set to bring the Northern Lights to a record number of US states this week. Coronal mass ejections from the Sun are expected to cause the aurora borealis to be visible as far south as Illinois and New Jersey. Peak viewing is anticipated late Thursday and Friday nights, offering millions a rare celestial spectacle.

A student unearthed a Triceratops skull fragment in North Dakota's Hell Creek Formation. The fossil, named Alice, was found quickly during a planned excavation. This site is famous for fossils from the late Cretaceous period. The discovery adds to our understanding of dinosaurs before their extinction. It shows a childhood fascination becoming real science.

A colossal Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton, nicknamed Gus, is set to make waves at a major auction. Discovered on a south dakota ranch, this remarkably preserved specimen, dating back 67 million years, boasts exceptional completeness. Experts estimate its value between twenty and thirty million dollars, sparking debate among paleontologists about private ownership of such significant scientific finds.

Brock Lesnar’s quote, “There are lots of risks, but without risks, there’s no reward. I think the reward is bigger than the risk,” highlights the importance of taking chances to achieve success. His own career, from amateur wrestling to WWE and UFC championships, reflects that belief. The message encourages people to embrace challenges and pursue opportunities despite uncertainty.

Two hikers in south dakota's Badlands stumbled upon a massive fossil discovery in 1994. This led to the 'Big Pig Dig,' unearthing over 19,000 fossils. Scientists believe the site was a prehistoric watering hole where animals perished during a severe drought 34 million years ago, offering crucial insights into ancient environmental changes.

Google's Search isn't a search engine anymore. At I/O 2026, the company officially rebuilt its 25-year-old product around Gemini 3.5 Flash—a box that now accepts photos, files, and video, generates custom interactive pages on the fly, and deploys AI agents to monitor the web indefinitely on your behalf. With AI Overviews at 2.5 billion monthly users and AI Mode crossing one billion, Google isn't pitching a future. It's documenting a shift that already happened.

Democrats in red states are backing independent candidates to counter their party's toxic brand, a strategy quietly supported by national party figures. This approach aims to win seats by bypassing traditional Democratic nominees, though some question its long-term impact and the independents' future allegiances. The move reflects a pragmatic effort to break partisan gridlock and gain representation.

The US Education Department has ended agreements protecting transgender students in six institutions, reversing prior interpretations of Title IX. This move, criticized by advocacy groups, removes requirements for staff training on preferred pronouns and bathroom access based on gender identity. Some districts are rolling back protections, while others reaffirm their commitment to LGBTQ+ students.

Firefighters have stopped a wildfire from spreading in the western North Dakota tourist town of Medora, where its 100 residents were forced to evacuate, officials said.

south dakota Governor Kristi Noem has been confirmed by the US Senate to head the Department of Homeland Security. As a longtime Trump ally, Noem pledges to secure the southern border and fix the broken immigration system while ensuring national security and disaster response.

U.S. News has ranked nearly 25,000 U.S. public high schools, including those in south dakota. The top 15 schools in the state show a mix of high graduation rates and college readiness scores. Notably, Lincoln High School leads with strong college readiness, while smaller schools like Warner and Gettysburg excel in graduation rates but lack college readiness data.

A railroad bridge collapsed during flooding in the Midwestern US amidst a vast heat wave, causing evacuations and at least one death. The bridge connected North Sioux City, south dakota, with Sioux City, Iowa, and was a crucial rail link, impacting transportation routes.