Surprise! City Birds Are Smarter And Healthier Than Their Country Counterparts!A recent study conducted by a team of researchers from Canada's McGill University has uncovered that birds who live in urban environments are not just better at problem-solving and more skilled in tasks that require innovation than their rural counterparts: they also have stronger immune systems!...
Read news articleScott Kelly's Historic "Year in Space" Mission Brings Us One Step Closer to MarsHistory was made on March 2, 2016 when a Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft traveling from the International Space Station landed in a remote part of Kazakhstan. The landing was cause for celebration as the craft carried American astronaut, Scott Kelly, and Russian cosmonaut, Mikhail Kornienko, home from their 340-day mission aboard the International Space Station....
Read news articleAlways Wanted A Sleepover With Sharks? Then You May Want To Read This!Here is some good news for those that are looking for adventure in their lives. Peer-to-peer rental site Airbnb is accepting applications for people that are brave enough to spend a night inside the shark tank at France's Aquarium de Paris....
Read news articleMeet DRU — The World's First Pizza Delivery Robot!What's more exciting than having a fresh hot pizza delivered to your door? How about having it brought to you by a robot? Thanks to Domino’s Robotic Unit or DRU, that just became a reality! On March 8, the three-feet tall robot made its first delivery to some lucky residents in Brisbane, Australia....
Read news articleSimple Blood Test May Be Able To Diagnose Concussions For Up To Seven Days After InjuryEvery year more than 2 million people, a quarter of them children, end up in hospital emergency rooms with concussions — And those are the lucky ones! That's because there are millions more that postpone treatment or even worse, never get themselves examined simply because they don't experience the classic concussion symptoms that include vomiting, blurred vision, and loss of balance....
Read news articleGoogle's Computer Program Beats World Champion Lee Se-dol At Ancient Chinese Game "Go"The fact that computers are getting increasingly smarter is evident. However, they still lack creativity and intuition and hence cannot learn, think and understand like humans — At least, that was the consensus until Google's AlphaGo computer algorithm beat 18-time world champion Lee Se-dol, 4 to 1 at the ancient Chinese game, Go....
Read news articleGuess What? Spiders Eat Their Greens Too!When one thinks of a spider, the image that comes to mind is the crafty arthropod feasting on an innocent insect it has lured into its web. It turns out that the arachnids have a much more sophisticated palate. In addition to relishing the occasional fish and frog, they also have a strong penchant for vegetables. At least, that's the conclusion reached by a team of zoologists from the USA, United Kingdom and Switzerland, after an extensive worldwide study of the eight-legged arthropods....
Read news articleGo Ahead And Let Out That Long Sigh — It's Good For You!Just when we think there couldn't possibly be any more mysteries left to solve about the human anatomy, comes another discovery. This one has to do with sighing. It turns out that the involuntary reflex that is generally associated with sadness or despair is crucial to our well-being. That is why researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles and Stanford University were determined to find out what triggers this spontaneous action, without which our lungs would collapse!...
Read news article"Twin" Comets Make Historic Back-To-Back Near-Earth FlybysThis past week was an exciting one for astronomy fans. That's because two comets — 252P and the P/2016 BA14 — were scheduled to make their closest approach to Earth, back-to-back. The icy celestial bodies did not disappoint....
Read news articleVideo Of The Week - Cincinnati Zoo Debuts Adorable Newborn CheetahsOn March 18, the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden in Ohio released the first pictures and video of its newest residents - Five adorable cheetah cubs. The cute newborns that include three males, and two females had to be born via a rare C-section surgery on March 8, due to some medical complications with their mother, five-year-old resident cheetah, Willow....
Read news articleBrooklyn Artist's "Message in a Bottle" To Raise Environmental Awareness Washes Ashore in FranceOn January 17, Brigitte Barthélémy was walking along the seashore just north of France's famous Bordeaux wine region when she stumbled upon a bottle nestled among a pile of seashells. Inside were two tightly rolled pieces of paper. One contained a beautiful hand-drawn sketch of a cormorant, while the other was a message from the New York Pelagic outlining how litter caught in the ocean currents is often fatal for the water birds that mistake the bright plastic debris for food....
Read news articleOn Saturday, March 19th Join The Earth Hour Movement By Going Dark For Sixty MinutesOn Saturday, March 19, millions of businesses and individuals worldwide will celebrate Earth Hour by turning off all lights and electronics from 8:30 - 9:30 PM local time. The voluntary rolling blackout that includes 350 of the world’s most iconic landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower, the Empire State Building, Taipei 101 and the Sydney Opera House, is more than a symbolic gesture — It is proof of what can be achieved if we all unite to reverse climate change....
Read news articleGuess What? Computers Of The Future May Be Able To Detect Boredom!The days of staring intently at the computer screen pretending to be interested in an assignment even though you are bored out of your mind may soon be coming to an end. That's because if Dr. Harry Witchel, Discipline Leader in Physiology at England's Brighton and Sussex Medical School has his way, computers of the future will be able to detect boredom and even react to it real-time....
Read news articleVideo Of The Week - It's Pi Day!March 14 (3/14) holds a significant place in the American school calendar. That's because on this day even the strictest of math teachers allow students to celebrate Pi (the numeral constant that represents the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter) with fun activities and a slice or two of its yummy namesake - Pie!...
Read news articleExpert Says Beached 'Sea Monster' In Mexico Is Just The Head Of A Sperm WhaleOn March 9, the Civil Protection and Firefighters Department in Acapulco received news of a mysterious 'sea monster' that had washed up on the resort city's beautiful Bonfil Beach. Measuring an impressive 13-feet (4 meters) in length the gray creature that resembles a giant blob with multiple layers of skin is unlike anything experts have encountered before. Hence, the massive animal has sparked the world's imagination....
Read news articleDutch Police May Use Trained Eagles To Take Down Rogue DronesThe increase in the use of drones by consumers is becoming problematic for countries around the world. That's because enthusiasts often take advantage of the still nascent and in some cases nonexistent laws that govern quadcopters and use the unmanned vehicles for dangerous and illegal activities. These include flying the drones in restricted airspace and even using them to infiltrate prisons....
Read news articleChange Your Clocks — It's Time To Spring Forward!Sunday, March 13 marks the beginning of Daylight Saving Time (DST) in the United States. On this day, most Americans will move their clocks forward by an hour. This simple action allows residents to enjoy more daylight during the upcoming spring and summer months....
Read news article2016's First And Only Total Solar Eclipse Was SpectacularThough not rare, total solar eclipses are highly anticipated. That's because they are visible from a narrow corridor of the planet and last for just a few minutes. 2016's first and only total solar eclipse that took place on March 8 or 9 (depending on the time zone), was no exception. The celestial event could only be seen in totality by residents of the Indonesian Islands of Sumatra, Borneo, Sulawesi and Halmahera....
Read news articleMelbourne Zoo Orangutans May Soon Be Challenging Visitors To A Game of TetrisWith no threat of predators or the need to hunt for food, shelter, or find a mate, zoo orangutans have an extremely comfortable existence. But this also means that the smart animals lack the critical challenges they need for their mental and emotional well-being. To ensure the curious mammals that share 97% of their DNA with humans do not get bored and depressed, zookeepers are always looking for new ways to keep them entertained and challenged....
Read news articleCelebrate International Polar Bear Day With Nora, Columbus Zoo's Adorable Polar Bear CubEvery February 27, the world observes International Polar Bear Day. Started ten years ago by US-based nonprofit Polar Bear International (PMI) it is observed to raise awareness of the vulnerable species whose rapidly dwindling numbers are often forgotten because they dwell in the sparsely populated circumpolar Arctic....
Read news articleThe Battery Of The Future May Be Made Of Paper!Creating batteries that are smaller, cheaper, rechargeable and most importantly environmentally friendly has been the holy grail for engineers across the globe for many years. Now some researchers at Sweden's Linköping University may have finally succeeded in cracking the code with a battery made of paper!...
Read news articleYAY! Massive Methane Gas Leak In Southern California Is Finally SealedThe massive methane gas leak that has been plaguing some Southern California residents since October 2015 has finally been sealed. The announcement that was accompanied by the release of a time-lapse video showing infrared footage of the gas leakage coming to a complete halt was made on February 11, by Dennis Arriola, CEO of the Southern California Gas Company (SoCal Gas)....
Read news articleMarty Mcfly's Hoverboard May Finally Be A RealityJust like Harry Potter's invisibility cloak, Marty Mcfly's hoverboard, featured in "Back to the Future" Part II and III, has captured the imagination of both fans and scientists. But despite numerous claims, no one has been able to replicate the flying skateboard that bounced off walls and easily outpaced cars. Now thanks to US-based ARCA Space Corporation, hoverboards may finally become a reality....
Read news articleCrafty Butterfly Disguises Its Pupa To Resemble The World's Most Venomous SnakeSnakes are amongst the most feared animals in the world. The sight of the slithering reptiles can send even the bravest human or animal scampering for safety. One clever butterfly species has figured out how to capitalize on this universal terror by transforming its pupa to resemble the world's most venomous snake!...
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