Watch CBS News
Created by P.T. Barnum in 1871 and named "The Greatest Show on Earth," Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus shut down in 2017. But now this American institution is being reimagined for a new age, and is relaunching with a two-year tour, featuring aerial acts, a new take on clowns, and no animals (except for a robot dog named Bailey). Correspondent Martha Teichner reports on how the circus is catapulting into the future.
The one-ring Venardos Circus is the "little circus with the great big dreams"
Animal activists have been protesting Ringling Bros. for years with the intention of retiring these animals to a sanctuary, not another circus
An exclusive look behind the scenes of "The Greatest Show on Earth" ahead of its final performance
After juggling the numbers as best it could, the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus is staging its final performances, ending its 146-year reign under the Big Top
After declaring bankruptcy, New York circus has a new owner and plans to kick off its latest season later this year
The so-called "Greatest Show on Earth" is folding up its tent forever. After nearly a century and a half, the parent company of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey says it will go out of business in May. Executives blame high operating costs and declining attendance, especially following the end of the elephant acts. Manuel Bojorquez reports.
In an online era, “The Greatest Show on Earth” didn’t seem so great after enthralling fans since Ulysses S. Grant was president
Ringling Bros. has two touring circuses this season and will perform 30 shows between now and May, with the final performance on Long Island on May 21.
In a first for the Ringling Brothers circus, a woman is about to step onto the floor -- and shatter the ceiling
CBS News has confirmed the identity of a former British intelligence officer who compiled the dossier containing unverified accusations against President-elect Trump; . she out-performed hundreds of candidates for the top job under the big tent.
Performers take to the skies to exchange vows, rings during high-wire wedding
The Big peformers have been a Big part of the greatest show on earth
Donald Trump was campaigning in Indiana on Sunday, where a double digit win would put him on track to secure the majority of delegates needed to win the nomination; the Gila River Indian community is considered by the National Institutes of Health to be one of the most obese communities in America
Sunday night marks the final performance for elephants at Ringling Brothers' Barnum and Bailey Circus. Animal rights groups have been pressuring the circus to stop using elephants for years. DeMarco Morgan has more.
The Ringling Brothers and Barnum Bailey Circus will be ending its elephant acts this May, 18 months earlier than expected. CBSN's Contessa Brewer has more.
Move comes after local governments pass "anti-circus" and "anti-elephant" ordinances in response to concerns over animal cruelty
The Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus may be "The Greatest Show on Earth," but ringmaster Samantha Martin puts on a pretty good show of her own, and her performers are exclusively cats! She calls her traveling cat circus "Acro-cats." Bill Geist goes on tour with Martin and her bus load of talented felines.
Elephants will leave the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus stages forever. The decision caps years of legal battles, but the circus' owner denies caving to animal rights activists. Vicente Arenas reports.
Some of the eight acrobats seriously hurt in a circus accident are planning legal action. Michelle Miller talked to the victims who hope the ongoing investigation and lawsuit will prevent another accident.
The justices will convene today to consider whether the former president is entitled to broad immunity from criminal charges in the 2020 election case.
As Israel's leader equates U.S. university protests to rallies in Nazi Germany, Palestinian students tell CBS News what the support means to them.
Former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker is expected to continue testifying in Donald Trump's New York criminal trial, his third day on the stand.
In an exclusive interview with CBS News' Norah O'Donnell, Pope Francis called for "negotiated peace" in Ukraine and Gaza, noting the devastating effects war has on children.
An Arizona grand jury indicted 18 people in connection with an alleged attempt to use alternate electors after the 2020 election.
CDC's provisional figures show a 2% decline in births from 2022 to 2023.
William Ray Grimes was indicted on charges of murder and burglary in the 2012 slaying of Lowell Badger, police said.
Two sources briefed on the situation told CBS News the agent spouted gibberish, was speaking incoherently and provoked another officer physically.
Classes at James Bowie High School were canceled for Thursday.
More than two years after jet fuel leaked into the system supplying water to almost 93,000 people in Hawaii, families impacted are taking the U.S. government to trial.
As Israel's leader equates U.S. university protests to rallies in Nazi Germany, Palestinian students tell CBS News what the support means to them.
William Ray Grimes was indicted on charges of murder and burglary in the 2012 slaying of Lowell Badger, police said.
The Supreme Court will convene Thursday to consider whether former President Donald Trump is entitled to broad immunity from criminal charges in the 2020 election case.
Former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker is expected to continue testifying in Donald Trump's New York criminal trial, his third day on the stand.
Coal-fired power plants would have to capture smokestack emissions or shut down under a new EPA rule the industry says would make the grid less reliable. It's likely to face court challenges.
Proponents say a sweeping ban on noncompete clauses should boost workers, but the new rules face serious legal challenges.
Egg prices are jumping as an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza forces producers to slaughter millions of infected birds.
New Transportation Department rules could save consumers $500 million annually, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said.
Niselio Barros Garcia Jr., 50, scammed victims out of $2.3 million in funds, according to authorities.
Coal-fired power plants would have to capture smokestack emissions or shut down under a new EPA rule the industry says would make the grid less reliable. It's likely to face court challenges.
The Supreme Court will convene Thursday to consider whether former President Donald Trump is entitled to broad immunity from criminal charges in the 2020 election case.
Former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker is expected to continue testifying in Donald Trump's New York criminal trial, his third day on the stand.
An Arizona grand jury indicted 18 people in connection with an alleged attempt to use alternate electors after the 2020 election.
Two sources briefed on the situation told CBS News the agent spouted gibberish, was speaking incoherently and provoked another officer physically.
CDC's provisional figures show a 2% decline in births from 2022 to 2023.
Don't brush your teeth after breakfast? Or after vomiting? Dentists say it can wear away your enamel. Here's what to do instead.
Federal officials say they're double checking whether pasteurization has eradicated the danger from possible bird virus particles in milk.
For the first time, surgeons at NYU Langone Health performed a combined mechanical heart pump and gene-edited pig kidney transplant into a living person.
The USDA had floated banning flavored milk options from some school lunches.
As Israel's leader equates U.S. university protests to rallies in Nazi Germany, Palestinian students tell CBS News what the support means to them.
In an exclusive interview with CBS News' Norah O'Donnell, Pope Francis called for "negotiated peace" in Ukraine and Gaza, noting the devastating effects war has on children.
Two-year-old Tyler Fabregas asked his mother "Where's Beyoncé?" in a viral TikTok video she posted last week from Manila.
Four-year-old Abigail Mor Edan was held by Hamas for 50 days and was the youngest American hostage released by Hamas.
Gustav Klimt's "Portrait of Fräulein Lieser," which went missing after its owners fled Austria after 1930, was auctioned off for $32 million.
Two-year-old Tyler Fabregas asked his mother "Where's Beyoncé?" in a viral TikTok video she posted last week from Manila.
Country music star Blake Shelton expands his popular bar and music venue 'Ole Red' from Nashville to Las Vegas. This opening coincides with Shelton stepping back from his prominent TV roles.
Surprise guests, a broken foot and a history-making headliner.
Eric Church is revered as one of country music's most respected figures, often described as Nashville's renegade. But he admits that even after his success, he sometimes still sees himself as an outsider.
Angel Carter Conrad talks about her brother Aaron Carter, his death and how she hopes his legacy and previously unheard music can help others.
Lawmakers argue the Chinese government can use the widely popular video-sharing app as a spy tool and to covertly influence the U.S. public.
NASA's Voyager 1, the first spacecraft to travel beyond our solar system, has started sending information back to Earth again after scientists managed to fix the probe from 15 billion miles away.
From labor shortages to environmental impacts, farmers are looking to AI to help revolutionize the agriculture industry. One California startup, Farm-ng, is tapping into the power of AI and robotics to perform a wide range of tasks, including seeding, weeding and harvesting.
Customers who rely on government assistance programs can get same perks as Prime members, for less.
Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo is at the center of a global competition for semiconductor dominance. It's a battle that also puts her at the center of two of the hottest global national security hotspots. Lesley Stahl of 60 Minutes spoke with Raimondo for the broadcast.
Emerging cicadas are so loud in one South Carolina county that residents are calling the sheriff's office asking why they can hear a "noise in the air that sounds like a siren, or a whine, or a roar." CBS News' John Dickerson has details.
Representatives from across the world are gathering in Ottawa, Canada, to negotiate a potential treaty to limit plastic pollution. CBS News national environmental correspondent David Schechter has the latest on the talks.
"Although to some, the noise is annoying, they pose no danger to humans or pets," the sheriff wrote. "Unfortunately, it is the sounds of nature."
The White House is considering declaring a national climate emergency to unlock federal powers and stifle oil development, according to a Bloomberg report. Meanwhile, the Biden administration is announcing several projects this Earth Week. Columbia University Climate School professor Dr. Melissa Lott joins with analysis.
NASA's Voyager 1, the first spacecraft to travel beyond our solar system, has started sending information back to Earth again after scientists managed to fix the probe from 15 billion miles away.
William Ray Grimes was indicted on charges of murder and burglary in the 2012 slaying of Lowell Badger, police said.
All this week, CBS News has been investigating online romance scams. In this final installment, Jim Axelrod looks at what law enforcement and lawmakers can do -- but also why it's important for the online dating industry to police itself.
Paul Grice, 31, was arrested and charged by Oklahoma authorities with murder and kidnapping in connection to the deaths of Veronica Butler and Jilian Kelley.
Ann Mayers entered AurGroup Credit Union on April 19 and "demanded money while displaying a handgun," police said.
Niselio Barros Garcia Jr., 50, scammed victims out of $2.3 million in funds, according to authorities.
In November 2023, NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft stopped sending "readable science and engineering data."
In two weeks, Boeing's Starliner spacecraft is scheduled to launch its first piloted test flight, bringing two veteran NASA astronauts to the International Space Station. Astronaut Matt Dominick joined CBS News from the ISS to talk about the mission and life in space.
A process called cryopreservation allows cells to remain frozen but alive for hundreds of years. For some animal cells, the moon is the closest place that's cold enough.
The Lyrid meteor show is set to peak as the week begins.
April's full moon, known as the Pink Moon, will reach peak illumination on Tuesday, but it will appear full from Monday morning through Thursday morning.
A look back at the esteemed personalities who've left us this year, who'd touched us with their innovation, creativity and humanity.
The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed early Tuesday, March 26 after a column was struck by a container ship that reportedly lost power, sending vehicles and people into the Patapsco River.
When Tiffiney Crawford was found dead inside her van, authorities believed she might have taken her own life. But could she shoot herself twice in the head with her non-dominant hand?
We look back at the life and career of the longtime host of "Sunday Morning," and "one of the most enduring and most endearing" people in broadcasting.
Cayley Mandadi's mother and stepfather go to extreme lengths to prove her death was no accident.
Emerging cicadas are so loud in one South Carolina county that residents are calling the sheriff's office asking why they can hear a "noise in the air that sounds like a siren, or a whine, or a roar." CBS News' John Dickerson has details.
All this week, CBS News has been investigating online romance scams. In this final installment, Jim Axelrod looks at what law enforcement and lawmakers can do -- but also why it's important for the online dating industry to police itself.
When President Biden signed a foreign aid bill Wednesday that includes tens of billions of dollars in assistance to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, it was touted as money that would "strengthen our national security and send a message to the world about the power of American leadership." Retired Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, former national security adviser, joins CBS News with analysis.
The Transportation Department announced new rules Wednesday requiring airlines to issue automatic cash refunds for flight cancelations or delays, delayed baggage returns and services like Wi-Fi or seat selection that are paid for but not provided. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg joins CBS News to discuss the changes and how airlines are reacting.
American schools are facing layoffs as enrollment falls and pandemic-era aid dries up. CBS News reporter Bo Erickson has the details.