Sarah Dowdey

At 2,716 feet (828 meters) tall and more than 160 stories, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai is the tallest building in the world and the world's tallest freestanding structure.

By Sarah Dowdey

Christmas is celebrated by hundreds of millions of people around the world each year. But what do presents, three wise men and Jesus have to do with each other anyway?

By Sarah Dowdey

You can see them from space. They span Dubai's coastline, providing prime real estate to interested millionaires. They're the Palm Islands of Dubai — the largest artificial islands in the world.

By Sarah Dowdey & Yves Jeffcoat

Reincarnation is the concept that the soul, or some aspect of the soul, is reborn into new lives. Has Western science proven that it really occurs?

By Sarah Dowdey

Vegans take vegetarianism several steps further, avoiding even animal products like honey and silk. Learn about what it's like to be a vegan and why veganism seems to stir up controversy.

By Sarah Dowdey

Lots of families take a weekend break with a trip out to the park or zoo. But with a little preparation, you can have a similar experience in your own backyard. Get ready for a wild trek through home territory.

By Sarah Dowdey

For 500 years, explorers searched for the fabled Northwest Passage, a route that connected the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Could global warming reduce the risk and open the passage for modern business?

By Sarah Dowdey

In detective movies or TV shows like "CSI," photographers swarm in and take countless pictures of a crime scene. But how does crime scene photography really go down?

By Sarah Dowdey

Until recently, most people assumed that if Mars had liquid water, it no longer did and hadn't for quite some time. But scientists have recently noticed some anomalies in photos of Mars that may suggest there is water. Could there be life, too?

By Sarah Dowdey & Robert Lamb

Did King Tut put a hex on a group of archaeologists and dignitaries? Or is a mosquito to blame for their mysterious deaths?

By Sarah Dowdey

Archaeology is the study of humanity's material remains -- even a piece of an ancient pot can tell us a lot about the past. But how do archaeologists make sense of these relics?

By Sarah Dowdey

Flavorists are enlisted by food manufacturers to concoct new and improved flavors for food. But how natural is the process?

By Sarah Dowdey

From Jimmy Choo to Omni Hotels, retailers are following the latest advertising trend: scent marketing. Can a pleasant smell make a big sale?

By Sarah Dowdey

Despite what people say, the tongue isn't your body's strongest muscle. But you do depend on it for eating, tasting and speaking.

By Sarah Dowdey

The Dalai Lama is known for his compassion, wisdom and patience. But how does the 14th Dalai Lama govern his people in exile?

By Sarah Dowdey

The principle behind karma is that people's actions affect their present and future lives. Is karma an idea or an actual substance that sticks to the soul?

By Sarah Dowdey

The Audubon Society promotes legislation that protects wildlife, birds and the ecosystems that support them. Learn about the society's past and present.

By Sarah Dowdey

The Sierra Club lobbies for environmental preservation and engages members in fun wilderness excursions.

By Sarah Dowdey

The EPA was established to protect human health and the environment. How does the agency interpret and enact environmental legislation?

By Sarah Dowdey

With its fleet of ships in tow, Greenpeace uses nonviolent tactics to bring attention to environmental abuse. How did Greenpeace start, and what does its name mean?

By Sarah Dowdey

An odd oasis of fantastical desert skyscrapers Dubai sprawls over the sand and creeps out to sea. Once an unassuming Bedouin outpost the city has become an international curiosity and a destination for the rich and famous.

By Sarah Dowdey

A massive complex of theme parks, cultural attractions and resort living, Dubailand will be twice the size of Disney World. But don't plan your visit to the ultimate desert destination until 2020.

By Sarah Dowdey

Smell is a basic sense, but scientists are still exploring how it works. Why are researchers, developers and even government agencies so curious about smell? What makes a seemingly simple sense so tantalizing?

By Sarah Dowdey

Taste might seem like the simplest sense. But we know much less about taste than we do about sight and hearing. Why is taste so mysterious? And what on earth is umami?

By Sarah Dowdey

Your luggage gets "mishandled" by an airline and favorite pieces of your wardrobe, souvenirs and toiletries disappear into a black abyss. Or do they? Actually, your wardrobe is hanging out in Scottsboro, Ala., and it has some interesting company.

By Sarah Dowdey