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....

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....

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....

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'....

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....

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....

With over 40,000 known species of spiders, scientists had believed they knew everything there was to know, about these web building arachnids. However, that was before they discovered two new species that dupe their predators by building incredibly accurate decoys of themselves....

On Sunday, March 2nd, 69 Mushers and their team of 12-16 experienced sled dogs set off from Willow, Alaska, ready to tackle the below freezing temperatures, mounds of snow and ice, as well as, the dangerous terrain that they normally encounter in the Iditarod - an annual 1,000-mile sledge dog race from Anchorage to Nome. What they were not prepared for however, was spring-like temperatures which had transformed the normally snow-packed trail into a minefield of rocks and ice....

Here is some good news for those of you that have been enduring below freezing temperatures for the last three months - Spring is almost here, at least as far as the clocks are concerned. That's because this weekend, most Americans will anticipate the season change by moving their clocks ahead by an hour. Also referred to as Daylight Saving or British Summer Time, this age-old tradition dates all the way back to World War One....

About four months ago, guests lunching on the pristine white sand beaches outside Greystoke Mahale, a luxury wildlife camp located on the shores of Lake Tanganyika in Africa, were treated to an unusual sight - A Great White Pelican emerging from the waters and waddling towards them....

When life gives you snow . . . make snowmen and sell them? That is exactly what a few enterprising entrepreneurs in China's Chengdu District did when they were treated to a rare snowfall on February 10th, 2014....

With Frozen's catchy song 'Let it go' winning the Oscar last night, there are bound to be numerous more parodies added to the hundreds of thousands that already exist on YouTube. However, very few will be more fun or relevant (given the recent winter storms) than the one performed on Friday, February 21st, by Bob Herzog on Cincinnati, Ohio's WKRC....

San Francisco-based artist and designer George Zisiadis is making quite a splash with his work. But you won't find his exhibits inside any local art gallery or museum. That's because George specializes in bringing child-like joy to his fans with whimsical installations that are a perfect mesh of technology and art....

The next time your dog chews up your homework or favorite t-shirt don't waste your energy admonishing him/her. That's because while it may seem sad and look at you with sorrowful puppy eyes and tail tucked between the legs, scientists say dogs have no idea what shame is....

The next time you are out walking your dog, be sure to keep your eyes peeled on the ground, for you never know what treasures you may find. That is exactly what happened to a California couple who recently stumbled upon what is being touted as the most valuable ancient gold find in North America....

While astronauts in space get to do many exciting things, they miss out on ordinary stuff that we all take for granted - being able to walk on firm ground, hanging out with family and . . . digging into a slice of hot steaming pizza. Though not much can be done about the first two, there may soon be a solution for the third one, thanks to this ultra-cool 3-D pizza printer!...

Though there have been many fierce spelling bee contestants, few can claim to have done what two Jackson County, Missouri, finalists did on Saturday, February 22nd, 2014 - Buzz their way through all the words provided by the Scripps National Bee, as well as, twenty others that the judges hastily picked from the latest edition of the Merriam-Websters dictionary, during the short lunch break....