Are Affectionate Tourists Harming Endangered Florida Manatees?Manatees or sea cows as they are often called, are large, rotund marine animals that can weigh as much as 1,000 pounds. But despite their enormous size, the mostly herbivorous animals have no blubber to protect them from chilly winter waters. Hence, every winter, the gentle giants seek out warmer waters. For the approximately 6,000 Florida manatees that reside in the Gulf of Mexico it means heading to the balmy 72°F waters of the roughly one-acre Three Sisters Spring in Florida's Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge....
Read news articleSneakers That Can Be Customized On The Go? Sweet!With smart technology increasingly infiltrating all aspects of our lives it was only a matter of time before someone invented 'smart' shoes - Ones that can be customized at the owner's whim. Called ‘ShiftWear,' the animated sneakers are the brainchild of a team of entrepreneurs, futurists, and engineers led by New York-based designer David Coelho....
Read news articleNations Welcome 2016 With Dazzling FireworksAt the stroke of midnight on December 31, cities around the world welcomed the new year with elaborate fireworks shows. Here are some of 2016's most spectacular displays. So cuddle up with a warm blanket and a cup of hot chocolate and enjoy the shows!...
Read news articleThe Yule Log - A Christmas Special Like None OtherIn November 1966, Fred Thrower, the President of New York-based television station WPIX was faced with a dilemma. He had to figure out some exciting Christmas Eve programming to replace a three-hour slot left vacant by the cancelation of the regular Saturday night college basketball game....
Read news articleStar Wars: The Force Awakens Smashes All RecordsWhen Disney acquired Lucas Films in 2012, fans were a little skeptical. After all, how can a company that is known for its feel-good princess movies do justice to epic franchises like Indiana Jones and Star Wars? The release of the first Star Wars movie under the Disney banner has alleviated those doubts....
Read news articleNot Feeling The Chill Yet? (Astronomical) Winter Is About To Begin!...
Read news articleSweden's ICEHOTEL Never Fails To ImpressAll hotels renovate periodically. However very few do it as frequently as Sweden's ICEHOTEL. As the name indicates the hotel that is located in the remote village of Jukkasjärvi is constructed entirely from ice and therefore, has to be rebuilt annually!...
Read news articleParis Climate Conference Results In Landmark Agreement To Curb Greenhouse Gas EmissionsTwo weeks ago, representatives from 196 countries arrived in Paris to resolve one of the world's most pressing problems — Climate change. On Saturday, December 12th, the group emerged victorious with the first-ever global accord in the fight against global warming — One that U.S. President Obama hailed as the "turning point for the world" and the "best chance to save the one planet we've got."...
Read news articleVideo Of The Week - Orangutan's Hilarious Reaction To Simple Magic TrickDuring a recent trip to the Barcelona Zoo in Spain, Dan Zaleski decided to entertain the resident orangutan with a magic trick. In the video, the orangutan is seen carefully observing the Connecticut resident as he places a chestnut inside a Styrofoam cup, seals it with a lid and then shakes it vigorously....
Read news articleSpecial Tunnels Save Turtles From Train Deaths In JapanThe Suma Aqualife Park in Kobe, Japan is no stranger to turtle traffic. Every summer from May to September, hundreds of reptiles make their way to and from the nearby ocean. While most manage to cover the short distance safely, a handful get trapped inside the railway tracks that lie between the ocean and the popular park....
Read news articleCreativity and Innovation Help Those in Need During the Season of GivingThis is the time of the year when most people reach out to help those in need. For some, it means donating to a local food bank. For others in involves participating in clothing and toy drives. This year, two remarkable people have taken the season of giving to a new level with their simple but ingenious ideas....
Read news articleThe Mystery Of Why Crafty Snakes Shed Their Legs Is Finally SolvedMention snakes and the image that comes to mind is that of a stealthily gliding reptile. Turns out that this was not always the case. Ancient snake fossils indicate that the reptiles once had legs, just like the rest of us. So why did snakes decide to shed them in favor of the slither that sends chills down our spines? That is a mystery researchers have been trying to solve for some time....
Read news articleClimate Change May Be Responsible For Northern Russia's Mysterious CratersIn July 2014, a helicopter pilot flying over Northern Russia's remote Yamal Peninsula came across a massive crater in the thick, permanently frozen subsurface layer of soil known as permafrost. As news of the gaping hole that measured an impressive 100-meters in diameter spread, people all over the world began wondering about its origin....
Read news articleCanberra's David Richards Snags Fourth Guinness World Record In Five YearsTo say that David Richards loves to create Christmas light displays is an understatement. In the past four years, the Canberra resident has picked up three Guinness World Records - Two for 'most Christmas lights on a residential property' and one for 'largest image made of LED lights.' On November 27th, the Canberra resident broke yet another record - This time for 'most lights on an artificial Christmas tree.'...
Read news articleHanukkah - The Eight-Day Jewish Festival Of Lights Has BegunAt sundown on Sunday, December 6th, millions of Jews around the world celebrated the first day of Hanukkah by lighting a candle and singing traditional songs. The eight day festival that is observed annually, starts on the 25th day of Kislev, the ninth month of the Hebrew calendar, which follows the lunar cycle. Hence, its exact date varies anywhere from late November to the end of December....
Read news articleHour of Code - The Largest Learning Event In History Is Almost Here!While physics, chemistry, and biology are a norm at all schools, computer science is still a nascent subject. It is estimated that just 10 percent of American schools offer computer science and only 19% of high school students graduate with the course under their belt. Seattle-based non-profit Code.org wants to change that by exposing every student in the world to this all important science that is the basis of the digital world we live in....
Read news articleCan Lab Grown 'Super' Coral Rescue Our Rapidly Dwindling Reefs?Rising water temperatures and the increasing levels of carbon dioxide in our oceans are killing our beautiful coral reefs at an unprecedented rate. Add the current El Nino weather pattern that is expected to prevail through winter and spring 2016 to the mix, and things look even worse. Scientists estimate that the 1988 El Nino destroyed almost 16% of the world's coral reefs and believe things could get even worse this time around....
Read news articleChina's 'Floating City' Was Most Likely A Rare (Superior) Mirage Or Fata MorganaOn October 7th, residents of the Chinese cities of Jiangxi and Foshan reported a strange sight - Towering skyscrapers that appeared to be dangling from the clouds. As the video of the 'floating city' went viral, it resulted in various theories. Some speculated the residents had seen a window to a parallel universe while others believed they had just glimpsed into a secret NASA project. Then there were the skeptics that dismissed the whole thing as a hoax. While that may still be the case, some experts believe that it could also have been a rare, naturally occurring optical illusion called Fata Morgana....
Read news articleAmazon's New Delivery Drone Is Sleeker, Smarter, And Still Illegal!Two years ago, Jeff Bezos, the founder, and CEO of retail giant Amazon Inc. announced that the company would soon be introducing Amazon Prime Air - A new 30-minute delivery service using unmanned drones. Timed to coincide with the country's biggest online shopping day - 'Cyber Monday,' the news generated a lot of excitement among consumers. Unfortunately, thanks to the U.S. Federal Aviation Authority (FAA), the service has yet to 'take off!' But Amazon has not given up....
Read news articleBlue Origin Makes History With Successful Launch And Landing Of Reusable RocketSpace travel has come a long way since Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin orbited Earth in 1961. However, the one thing that has eluded scientists thus far is a rocket that can be used multiple times. Though that may not sound like a big deal, it is for companies that want to make sub-orbital travel available to everyone. That's because a large proportion of the cost goes towards building the rocket which only flies once. It is therefore no wonder that Blue Origin's successful launch and landing of the world's first reusable rocket is causing such excitement....
Read news articlePlayful Gumdrop Bins Help Reduce Sticky Gum Litter And Give It A Second LifeMost people have a love-hate relationship with gum. For delicious as it is, the sticky, tasteless waste that remains is not just annoying, especially when inadvertently stepped upon, but also, harmful to the environment. That's because the primary ingredient in most modern chewing gums is synthetic rubber which is not biodegradable. With an estimated 560,000 tons of gum being chewed each year, this adds a lot of unwanted polymer to our already overwhelmed landfills. Now thanks to Gumdrop Ltd., there may be a solution to this sticky problem....
Read news articleStunning Street Art Brightens Seoul's Dreary Monsoon SeasonLike most cities, the streets of Seoul in South Korea are usually bustling with activity. However, that changes in July when a short but intense monsoon season turns the vibrant city into a ghost town. This year, a team of artists tried to change that by transforming the typically gloomy and quiet streets into a beautiful explosion of color and life....
Read news articleThe History Behind Some Of Our Favorite Thanksgiving TraditionsTomorrow, November 26th is Thanksgiving, one of the most popular holidays on the American calendar. Celebrated on the last Thursday of every November, the day commemorates the 1621 harvest reaped by the Plymouth Colony after a harsh winter. While food and family remain at the forefront of the celebrations, several new traditions have been introduced over the years. How did all these fun rituals begin? Read on . . ....
Read news articleVideo Of The Week - Vending Machine Dispenses Cars!Vending machines have come a long way since British inventor Percival Everitt built the first coin-operated contraption in 1883 to dispense postcards. Today they can dish out a variety of goodies ranging from cold sodas to electronics, clothing, and even steaming hot pizza. Now Phoenix-based Carvana has taken vending machines to a whole new level with one that dispenses cars!...
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