In case you missed it, April 5 was National Caramel Day. To mark the holiday, which honors the soft sugary confection, August Storck KG, manufacturer of the popular caramel-flavored Werther’s Original candy, teamed up with toymaker Hasbro to create a life-size version of Candy Land. Open only for the day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., the massive game board, located on the Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica, California, was completely free for fans of all ages to enjoy....

Though the harmful effects of plastic on wildlife and human health are well-documented, the versatile material is hard to avoid. Nearly everything we touch, from grocery bags to drink bottles to food packaging, contains plastic. Now, Amsterdam’s Ekoplaza supermarket is making it a little easier for consumers to reduce consumption of single-use bags and containers, which are clogging our landfills at alarming rates, with a dedicated plastic-free aisle. Believed to be the world’s first, it features 700 products, including rice, beans, yogurt, chocolate milk, cereal, snacks, and even meat....

While gorillas are perfectly capable of walking on two legs, most take just a step or two before dropping on all fours. However, Louis, a 16-year-old male gorilla at the Philadelphia Zoo is often seen taking longer strolls, especially when the ground is wet or he is holding a delicious snack or two....

The modern-day version of the hula hoop, introduced by the Wham-O toy company in 1958, has inspired fans to set numerous world records. These include the longest hula hooping marathon (74 hours and 54 minutes), the most number of hoops spun simultaneously (200), and the most number of rotations completed in a minute (243). Those unable to outdo serious hula hoopers in technical skills have turned to setting records using novelty hoops. The most recent feat, which involved spinning a massive ring, falls in that category....

Experts believe that the optimal time to teach kids language skills is when they are infants. Most times the task is easily accomplished with parents reading or talking to their babies. However, in some cases that is not possible due to busy work schedules or when kids are born deaf. In the latter case, parents either have to quickly become adept at sign language or risk the child facing potential learning delays in the future. Now, an adorable blue-eyed robot, a human avatar, and some high-tech neuroscience may be able to assist parents and guardians with this crucial developmental task....

Ghost, a pit bull mix with honey brown eyes and gorgeous white fur, is making headlines for becoming the first deaf dog to join the K-9 team in Washington state’s and, possibly, even the country’s history. What makes the achievement even more remarkable is that, just a few years ago, the narcotics detection dog, was deemed “unadoptable” and scheduled to be euthanized....

If you were among the millions of people that watched NBC’s replay of the opening ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea on Friday, February 9, you might have seen an airborne snowboarder, a bird flapping its wings, and the iconic Olympic Rings, light up the skies. While they may have appeared to be digital fireworks, the mesmerizing show was the result of thousands of tiny drones preprogrammed to follow complicated flight paths to form the shape-shifting images....

Those familiar with Roman mythology may remember Janus, the god for whom the month of January is named. The deity, believed to have the power to look into the past and future, is always depicted with two faces — one facing forward and one facing backward. Though the namesake Janus Zundapp microcar does not have any psychic abilities, it does have doors on both ends providing passengers with perfect front and rear views....

Though pigs may never fly, a two-year-old hog in Franschhoek, South Africa is proving they sure can paint! Meet Pigcasso, the world’s first known pig artist whose masterpieces are selling for thousands of dollars to benefit Farm Sanctuary S.A., Africa’s only registered shelter for rescued farm animals....

First-time shoppers at Seattle-based Amazon Go may feel as though they are stealing. That’s because the 1,800 square-foot grocery store, which opened its doors to the public on January 22, has no cashiers or even checkout counters. Instead, as the name indicates, customers merely grab what they need and go! But before you start celebrating, the goods are not free — the cost of the purchase(s) is/are calculated electronically using Amazon Inc.’s proprietary “Just Walk Out” technology....

Enjoy camping along the waterfront? Then you are going to love the recently-unveiled Shoal tent, which, the manufacturer boasts, will allow outdoor aficionados to “sleep under the stars, on the water, and let it lull you to sleep.” The world’s first floating tent is the brainchild of Ohio-based SmithFly, well-known for making high-quality and innovative camping gear....

On January 4, the Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search (GIMPS), a group of volunteers who use freely available software to search for Mersenne prime numbers, announced the discovery of a new “largest known prime number.” For those that need a refresher a prime number is a positive integer that can only be divided by itself and 1. Since they follow no set pattern, the numbers are hard to discover, which is probably why mathematicians are continually challenging themselves to find the next big one....

If you live on the US East Coast, you have probably already enjoyed several “snow days” due to this year’s extreme winter weather. Unfortunately, children in the remote Oymyakon village in Siberia, Russia are not as lucky. They do after all reside in the “coldest inhabited place on Earth,” where the town's sole school closes only when temperatures drop below -61.6 degrees Fahrenheit (-52 degrees Celsius)....

With fewer than 10,000 cheetahs left in the wild, the addition of even a single cub is hailed as a victory. Hence, you can only imagine the excitement caused by the January 3, 2018 announcement of the birth of eight cheetahs at the St. Louis Zoo in Missouri. According to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) which manages 12 cheetah conservation facilities — including the one at the St. Louis Zoo — this is the first time such a large, healthy litter has been born. Previously recorded births have averaged between three to four cubs....

French graphic design firm Super Terrain, has come up with an ingenious way to capture the essence of Ray Bradbury’s best-selling novel, Fahrenheit 451. The company’s recently released special edition copy can only be read by applying heat to the blackened pages....

While most hotels undergo makeovers, very few get upgraded as frequently as the ICEHOTEL in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden. Constructed entirely from a mixture of snow and ice, or “snice,” the structure has been rebuilt from the ground up every year since 1989, with each rendition more stunning than the previous. The 28th ICEHOTEL, which opened for business on December 15, is no exception....

Ever since Apple introduced the front-facing camera in 2010, selfies have become the undisputed king of social media. The incessant need to share breathtaking self-portraits on popular mobile photo services like Instagram and Snapchat has often proved to be dangerous and, in some cases, even deadly. Fortunately, that will not be the case for those using a new art installation in Columbus, Ohio, which transforms an ordinary phone selfie into a 14-feet-high 3D sculpture, which can be admired by all....

Milan-based sushi chef Yujia Hu is making headlines with his innovative “shoe-shi” creations. The intricate works of art that resemble popular sneakers are made using strands of black seaweed called nori, sashimi, rice, and any other edible ingredients needed to recreate the streetwear it is being modeled after....

With the New Year just weeks away, you are probably looking forward to watching the dazzling fireworks shows that will usher in 2018 worldwide. Unfortunately, the over ten million visually impaired and blind Americans, and scores more around the globe, have never been able to experience this joyful celebration. That may change soon thanks to Feeling Fireworks, a tactile fireworks experience invented by the masterminds at the Disney Research Lab in Switzerland....

The United Arab Emirates (UAE), a federation of seven monarchies on the Arabian Peninsula, is mostly a desert. However, this has not deterred the leaders from setting and achieving lofty goals that include massive building projects, most bordering on the impossible. Dubai, the UAE’s largest and most populous city, is home to the world’s tallest building, the world’s biggest mall, as well as the world’s second largest choreographed fountain system. On September 26, UAE officials announced yet another ambitious project – a space simulation city, the world’s largest of course!...

While Black Friday and Cyber Monday help kickstart the holiday shopping season, #GivingTuesday, which will be observed on November 28, attempts to galvanize the season of giving. Now in its sixth year, the charitable day uses the power of social media to encourage organizations and individuals to donate funds or resources to worthy causes. Created by the team at the Belfer Center for Innovation & Social Impact at New York City’s 92nd Street Y, its mission is to bring positive change to communities through giving....

Since 2015, members of the Incredible Science Machine have been mesmerizing fans with their complex chain reactions using tens of thousands of dominoes and props. This year was no exception. On March 23, the team set into motion their latest spell-binding creation that culminated in the toppling of a massive centerpiece comprising 76,017 dominoes....

On October 20, British adventurer Tom Morgan soared over South Africa seated in a camp chair strapped to 100 helium balloons. During the two-hour flight, the balloonist covered 16 miles and reached heights of up to 8,000 feet. Though the daredevil later called the experience “unbelievably cool,” he did admit feeling “somewhere between terrified and elated” during the flight....

On October 26, Saudi Arabia made history by becoming the first country in the world to grant citizenship to a non-human. The stunning announcement came shortly after Sophia, a humanoid robot, had completed a live interview at the Future Investment Initiative held in the capital city of Riyadh from October 24 to 26. The three-day summit was organized by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia to connect the world’s most powerful investors, thought leaders, and public officials to future innovations....