The five-second rule has been around for many years. According to age-old adage it is okay to pick up food that has touched the ground, as long as it is done within that time frame. But is it really? Depends on which scientific study you want to believe....

For winter buffs, the onset of spring means that their days of frolicking in the white powder are drawing to a close. However, before you tuck away that winter gear, here is an idea - How about some snowshoe baseball? Sounds a little crazy? Don't tell that to the residents of Lake Tomahawk, Wisconsin. They have been playing it since 1961!...

On Saturday, March 29th, millions of people in more than 7,000 cities and over 150 countries will do something radical - Switch off all lights and electronic devices from 8.30-9.30pm local time! Why? Because believe it or not, this minor action that has become known throughout the world as 'Earth Hour' will help make a dent in the fight against climate change....

The next time you moan and groan about being asked to take a shower, think about this statistic - there are about 1.2 billion people in the world that do not have access to sanitation facilities. Even more shocking is the fact that many of them live in developed countries. Now, San Francisco-based startup Lava Mae, is trying to change that with a simple but brilliant idea - transforming decommissioned buses into mobile showers for the homeless....

On February 24th, 2014, the managers at UK's Legoland Windsor Resort sent out an unusual casting call across the nation. They were seeking a parrot that would 'shiver their timbers' for their new Pirate Shores attraction. Pet owners were asked to apply by sending a photo and a short convincing essay on why their bird was the 'Ultimate Parrot Pirate'....

Even in this day of digital gaming, solving the Rubik's cube as rapidly as possible, remains a challenge most people can't seem to resist. While humans have been doing it ever since the 3x3x3 cube came to market in 1974, even robots are now getting into the fray....

When one thinks of ladybugs or ladybirds as the British like to call them, the images that come to mind are those of a super cute insect that can barely hop, leave alone zoom at high speeds and soaring heights. Turns out that the aphid lovers that are considered by many as a sign of good luck, have been hiding this unexpected talent from us, all this time....

People often brag about living or working close to the subway or train station they use for their daily commute. However by that they usually mean a block or two away, not literally on the railway tracks like these folks in Vietnam and Thailand....

Though elephant poaching is banned throughout Africa, unscrupulous hunters continue to slaughter the mighty beasts in large numbers. While that is sad enough, what is even worse is what happens to orphaned baby elephants. Unable to feed themselves, they become weak and are often abandoned by their herds for fear that they will attract lions. Now thanks to one British girl, there is hope, at least for the orphaned calves in Zambia....

In November 2013, super-typhoon Haiyan AKA Yolanda, swept through the Philippines decimating many of its cities and leaving thousands of residents homeless. As is usually the case following natural disasters, initially, there was tremendous outpouring of concern and aid from the international community. However as the months have passed, world focus has moved on to other issues and the donations, trickled down to almost nothing....

With humans increasingly invading and polluting spaces that were once teeming with wildlife, the list of endangered animals grows longer every day. Now South Korea, a country that boasts a population density 10 times the global average, is planning to take a bold step to try reverse at least some of the damage, with a new National Research Center for Endangered Animals....

If you have not had a reason to smile today, here is one - It is the 2nd International Day of Happiness! Established by the United Nations on June 28th, 2012, to promote social inclusion and intercultural harmony, it encourages individuals and corporations to celebrate the day in 'an appropriate manner, including through education and public awareness-raising activities'....

In a report published in the March 16th edition of Nature Geoscience, scientists revealed that the tiniest member of our Solar System, Mercury, is shrinking even further. According to lead researcher Paul Byrne from the Carnegie Institution of Washington, the small planet has contracted about seven kilometers (four miles), significantly more than revealed by previous findings....

At first sight, the Foldscope looks like a hastily assembled children's toy. However look closer and even into it, and you will realize that it is a powerful working microscope - one that can be used to detect dangerous blood-borne diseases like malaria and sleeping sickness, allowing for early treatment and potentially, saving thousands of lives....

Europe's obsession with food-throwing festivals is well known. There is of course the famous La Tomatina in Spain where contenders pelt each other with tomatoes and now Italy's Battaglia delle Arance where rotten oranges are the ammunition of choice....

Most athletes and trainers believe that one has to be in optimal health to perform well. But don't tell that to Kayla Montgomery. The senior at Mount Tabor High School in who competes in long-distance track and cross country running has repeatedly proved that sheer determination and desire to win, more than make up for any physical limitations....

Tomorrow is St. Patrick's Day, which means that you better have some green on you, or be prepared to suffer through painful pinches all day long! That of course is only one of the fun traditions of this Irish holiday. Others include extensive searches for lucky four-leaf clovers and leprechauns that lead to pots of gold. So who is St. Patrick whose death anniversary is celebrated with such abandon, and how did all these fun traditions start? Read on . . ....

Festivals are a way of life for people that practice Hinduism. Not a month goes by without one. However, very few are as fun or as widely anticipated as Holi, the festival of colors. Celebrated annually at the beginning of spring, on the day following a full moon, this year's festivities will take place on March 17th....

With less than 400 specimens known to exist today, the North Atlantic right whales rank high on the list of the world's most endangered animals. While most of the population decline can be attributed to relentless hunting that continued well into the 20th century, the few mammals left, are now fighting a new enemy - Lobster fishing nets!...

For those detest that math, tomorrow is the one day the subject becomes slightly tolerable. That's because it's Pi day, which means that the celebration will most likely entail chowing down a few pieces of its yummier food namesake - pie!...

Usually when NASA scientists report on new planets, they talk about one or two. However, on February 26th, the US Space Agency stunned space lovers when they announced the discovery of 715 new worlds, almost doubling the size the galaxy, which had previously been thought to have comprised of 961 planets....

While television viewers have been inundated with reality shows about the everyday lives of ordinary people, none have been performed atop a giant hamster wheel. That is what two New York artists recently did, not just for an hour or two, but for a ten-day period starting from February 28th to March 9th, 2014....

For thousands of years, the Northern Lights have been putting up an incredible show in the skies above Europe, Alaska, Canada, Russia and if the solar flares are strong enough, even Northeast USA. This year was no different. On Thursday, February 28th, the annual phenomenon lit up the skies of the U.K. and Northern Ireland with beautiful hues of greens and reds, mesmerizing the residents fortunate enough to see them....

At first sight it looks like a mundane desk, the kind most kids spend hours completing their homework on. But flip open the top white cover and you will discover a mission control center that even NASA scientists would be proud to own. What's even more amazing is that this intricate creation is the work of a dad who understands that kids need something to look forward to, after grinding through hours of math, science and whatever else their teachers decide to assign....