The Fourth of July is synonymous with fireworks displays, but before all the bright colors and thunderous booms, scientists are hard at work behind the scenes making each firework display its best.

When most of us think "fireworks," we think of brilliant bursts of light and color we've seen paint a night sky. But such bursts are merely the spectacular end of fireworks that likely took centuries ...

Matt Shea has photos of himself at age 9 during a bicentennial celebration in 1976, wearing a tricorn hat. “Fifty years ago, a fireworks company would visit the fire department. They shot the ...