Last week, a runner traversing the trails of California’s Pinnacle National Park, encountered a mesmerizing sight — a halo of rainbow colors emanating from the single cloud in the clear blue skies. While the phenomenon is commonly referred to as a “fire rainbow,” researchers say the name is misleading since the optical illusion is neither a rainbow, nor does it have anything to do with fire!...
Read news articleWhile birds may appear to flutter about in the world, magically finding their way to food and other members of the flock, the reality is, species migrate to the same destination, time and again. Over the years, researchers have established that the animals use Earth’s magnetic fields as guides. However, how they sense these fields has been a mystery....
Read news articlePet owners usually have no choice but to implant their cats or dogs with microchips to help identify the animals if they get lost or decide to escape. However, one Siberian Husky in Israel did not need the modern technology — he could sing his way home!...
Read news articleWhen the 2018 March Madness — the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament — began, Pizza Hut knew that avid fans wouldn’t want to miss a second of the games. So, for the second consecutive year, the company partnered with custom sneaker designer Dominic Chambrone, aka “The Shoe Surgeon,” to create stylish footwear that could be used to order pizzas. Dubbed Pie Tops II, the limited high-tops were available in two different colors: a red version to match Pizza Hut’s signature red logo and a more neutral tan color to emulate the pizza crust....
Read news articleIn 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....
Read news articleThough 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....
Read news articleWhile 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....
Read news articleThe 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....
Read news articleExperts 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....
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