While weather predictions are getting increasingly accurate, meteorologists are often still unable to gauge the severity of storms. That's because forecasting what the elements have in store for us is a complicated task that is dependent on numerous variables including temperature, humidity, jet streams, and even the size of raindrops!...

Tossing a plastic spoon or fork into the trash after using it once is not just acceptable; it is fashionable. Experts estimate that over 40 billion pieces of plastic cutlery end up in the garbage each year - And that's just in the US. The numbers are even worse in India where an astounding 120 billion pieces clog the landfills annually. But that may change soon thanks to Indian entrepreneur Narayana Peesapaty, whose start-up Bakey's transforms mundane cutlery into delicious treats!...

On April 6, an anonymous donor paid an astounding $394,000 USD for a rickety old wooden chair. This, of course, was no ordinary chair, but the one J.K. Rowling sat on when she wrote the first two Harry Potter books — Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s (Sorcerer's in the US) Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets....

From a distance, the Casa del Acantilado (Cliff House) in Salobrena, Spain looks like something you would expect to encounter in "Game of Thrones" or "The Hobbit." However, come closer and you will realize that this three bedroom home that closely resembles a scaled dragon is an architectural wonder — One that has been designed to fully embrace its beautiful natural surroundings....

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....

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....

In November 2015, Suva Al Alaf and her five children fled the ISIS-controlled town of Mosul in Iraq and set sail aboard a small boat to Lesbos, Greece. Though the family had to leave behind almost everything they owned, the one thing they were unwilling to give up was their cat, Kunkush, who was safely tucked inside a basket....

Just four months after the well-orchestrated attacks killed 130 people in Paris, ISIS has struck Europe again. This time, the radical Islamic group's target was the beautiful city of Brussels in Belgium. The first explosions rocked the Brussels Airport on Tuesday, March 22 at 8 am local time. The simultaneous attacks, both caused by suicide bombers, occurred close to airline check-in gates and outside security checkpoints for ticketed passengers. According to initial estimates, 11 people lost their lives, while 100 more were injured....

On 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....

Once underground mines have served their purpose, most are sealed and forgotten. The 2000-year-old Salina Turda Salt Mine in the city of Turda, Romania was no exception. The mine which is believed to have opened in the Middle Ages (as far back as 1075) was shuttered in 1932 after competition from neighboring mines rendered its operation unprofitable....

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....

This past weekend, millions of people in cities around the world participated in parades honoring St. Patrick, the primary patron saint of Ireland. The marches, of course were just a precursor to the real celebrations that will take place on Thursday, March 17. As is the case every year, the holiday will be observed with fun activities like hunting down leprechauns that lead to gold and searching for lucky four leaf-clovers. So who was the amazing priest whose death anniversary is celebrated worldwide and what led to the unusual traditions? Read on . . ....

The 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....

Though 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....

With 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....

The expression 'caught with a hand in the cookie jar', took on a whole new meaning on Sunday, February 28, when a young Australian boy got his hand stuck inside a vending machine. The chain of events leading to the bizarre incident began just after noon, when four-year-old Leo Shorthouse saw a vending machine filled with all kinds of yummy goodies in a hotel lobby in Melbourne, Australia....

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!...

Athletes and sports fans hoping to attend the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil this August may be faced with a terrible dilemma. They will have to decide if a quest for a medal or the opportunity to cheer their favorite athlete is worth the potential health risk posed by the Zika virus that has been plaguing Brazil since April 2015....

With the increasing popularity of drones as toys and potentially even for commercial delivery, researchers are going all out to build cooler and more sophisticated quadcopters. However, none can compare to the Loon Copter, which not only flies like a bird, but also swims like a fish!...

Palm oil is the most widely consumed vegetable oil in the world. It is found in a wide variety of products ranging from vitamins to chocolate, bread, laundry detergent and even biofuel. The oil is popular because it has an exceptionally high melting point and contains primarily saturated fats. The former allows the oil to maintain a semi-solid consistency at room temperature making it easy to spread, while the latter makes it the perfect substitute for trans fats which are generally deemed unhealthy. It also has the highest yield of any oil crop and is cheap to produce and refine....

On Monday, February 8, millions of people across the world will celebrate the Chinese New Year. Also known as Spring Festival, it marks the beginning of the year 4714 and is the longest and most important Asian celebration. The revered tradition whose date is determined by the lunar calendar signifies the end of the dreary winter season and the beginning of spring....

King Kong fans will be pleased to hear that the massive skyscraper climbing ape is not just a figment of filmmakers' imagination. There were actual giant apes or Gigantopithecus that roamed the planet not too long ago. However, since the only fossil evidence found is the lower jawbone and a handful of teeth, researchers have been unable to glean much insight into the giant ape's lifestyle or what caused it to become extinct....

Those accustomed to browsing through thousands of books in mega bookstores, may find Japan's Morioka Shoten a little strange. That's because this tiny bookstore that is located in Ginza, Tokyo stocks only a single book at a time....

Access to electricity has always been sketchy for the 173 residents of Nuevo Saposoa, a remote village in Peru. S.America. However, things went from bad to worse in March 2015 after a flood damaged the few power cables in the area. The villagers were forced to turn to kerosene lamps, which are not only expensive but also dangerous because of the toxic fumes they emit....