Thomas Edison: Visionary, Genius or Fraud?
There is a striking contrast between Edison’s image of individual ingenuity, and the reality of intensive, production-line invention that he pioneered.
SNAKES COULD BE THE ORIGINAL SOURCE OF THE NEW CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK IN CHINA
The coronavirus that has triggered an outbreak of a deadly respiratory illness in China this winter has a surprising origin: Wuhan krait and cobra snakes.
Mystery China Pneumonia Outbreak Likely Caused by New Human Coronavirus
The new human coronavirus outbreak is linked to a market in Wuhan, which sold meat and live animals. The virus causes severe pneumonia symptoms such as running nose, fever and sore throat.
Periodic Table: New Version Warns of Elements That Are Endangered
There are 118 known elements in the periodic table but only 90 that occur in nature. The rest are mostly lab-created super-heavy mass substances.
How SpaceX Lowered Rocket Costs and Reduced Barriers to Space
SpaceX’s major breakthroughs have come through recovering and reusing as much of the rocket and launch vehicle as possible.
Everything You Never Wanted To Know About Bed Bugs, and More
Bed bugs bites are unpleasant but not particularly dangerous. They were able to make a comeback thanks to a phenomenon known as pesticide resistance.
WHERE’S BEIRUT? ONCE CALLED ‘THE PARIS OF THE MIDDLE-EAST’
Lebanon is located on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean. Its capital, Beirut, is located on at a midpoint of Lebanon’s coast 10,691 km far from the US.
If I Can Dream: The Elvis Tribute To Martin Luther King
Elvis Presley recorded the song “If I Can Dream” just two months after the murder of Martin Luther King, Jr. Both were born and raised in the Deep South.
Almost 50 Years of Equal Pay Legislation – but the Waiting Continues for Women
It will take 217 years for women to achieve equal pay according to the WEF. So we can expect many stories such as the case of Carrie Gracie at the BBC.
Weaponized Research: How To Keep You and Your Sources Safe in the Age of Surveillance
Hackers may not only be reading your published research work – they could also be tracking your online activity and even listening in on your conversations.
College-Educated Cops Enforce the Law More Aggressively
Study found that college-educated law enforcement officers were more likely than others to search the vehicles they pulled over.
London’s Extraordinary Surplus of Empty Luxury Apartments Revealed
Around one in 20 homes in Central and West London lies empty, according to the United Kingdom government’s statistics agency.
DOMAIN NAME FRAUD: IS THE GLOBAL INTERNET IN DANGER?
In late February 2019, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the organization that manages the IP addresses and domain names used on the web, issued a warning on the risks of systemic Internet attacks.
Talking to Mars: New Antenna Design Could Aid Interplanetary Communication
When enough of these antenna elements – 256 in this case – are combined together just right into what antenna engineers call an array, the whole can transmit and receive much greater power.
Beyond Invisibility: Engineering Light With Metamaterials
We can build metamaterials to respond in particular ways to certain frequencies of light. For example, we can create a smart filter for infrared cameras.
The Song That Had One British Politician Wishing for the Sex Pistols’ Sudden Death
When the Sex Pistols came out with “God Save the Queen” 40 years ago, on May 27, 1977, it was instantly greeted with widespread, visceral condemnation.
From Depression to Parkinson’s Disease: The Healing Power of Dance
Dance and movement therapy goes beyond simply dancing. DMT uses dance and movement to promote insight, integration and well-being.
We Calculated Emissions Due to Electricity Loss on the Power Grid – Globally, It’s a Lot
Annual emissions due to energy loss from the transmission of electricity on the power grid is more than emissions from some industries. Measured in millions of metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents.
Apostrophes: Linguistics Expert Imagines a Happier World Without Them
The Apostrophe Protection Society is no more. John Richards, who founded the Society in 2001 in order to help maintain the correct use of the “much abused” punctuation mark, has thrown in the towel.
This Small German Town Took Back the Power and Went Fully Renewable
With 100% of its electricity coming from renewable sources, the German town of Wolfhagen is demonstrative of what can be achieved when municipalities adopt innovative approaches to the ownership and governance of key infrastructure.
Life on Mars? Europe Commits to Groundbreaking Mission to Bring Back Rocks to Earth
The European Space Agency (ESA) have fully committed to mission plans to collect samples from the surface of Mars and return them to Earth
ARE THERE 400,000 FEWER CHILDREN IN POVERTY IN THE UK THAN THERE WERE IN 2010?
Boris Johnson’s bold claim about children in poverty needs careful consideration – it is a very partial truth that completely misrepresents wider realities.
The Wall Cemented Pink Floyd’s Fame – but Destroyed the Band
Forty years ago, on Nov. 30, 1979, the English progressive rock band Pink Floyd released its 11th studio album, “The Wall.”
How Tencent Became the World’s Most Valuable Social Network Firm – With Barely Any Advertising
Advertising makes only 18% of Tencent’s total revenue; whereas it makes up 98% of Facebook’s. Yet, Tencent is the most valuable social networking company.
Anxiety: A Playlist To Calm the Mind From a Music Therapist
It may seem like we are living in an age of anxiety, where feeling worried, upset and stressed has become the norm. But we should remember that anxiety is a natural human response to situations.
High-Tech Concert Hall Measures Brain Waves and Heart Rates During Performances
The LIVELab at McMaster University is a research concert hall. It functions as both a laboratory and theater, opening up opportunities for music research.
Policing the Berlin Wall: The Ghostly Photos Taken by the Stasi’s Hidden Cameras
Surveillance occurred through the collection of documents, audio, video, human odors – and around two million photographs now held in the Stasi archive.
Climate Change: Why Sweden’s Central Bank Dumped Australian Bonds
Sweden’s central bank dumped its Australian bonds, and promised that it will no longer invest in assets from governments with large climate footprints.
Gut Microbes Can Get You Drunk and Damage Your Liver
Some people may contain intestinal microbes that are secreting alcohol, which might make them act as if they were drinking.
Not One but Two Aussie Dishes Were Used To Get the TV Signals Back From the Apollo 11 Moonwalk
When Neil Armstrong stepped on to the Moon, Australians saw the images first. They used a second Aussie dish to bring the historic images to the world.
Over 70% of the EU Millionaire Bankers Live in the UK, Eba Report Reveals
The UK continues being home to the large majority of the EU millionaire bankers. About 3,567 of them live in the UK, whereas only 390 live in Germany, 233 in France and 201 in Italy.
MIKE TYSON TOP 10 MOST PUNISHING FIGHTS
Mike Tyson was born on June 30th, 1966 in Brownsville, Brooklyn, New York. His real name is Michael Gerard Tyson. He started competing as a professional boxer in 1985 and retired twenty years later in 2005.
IMPEACHMENT: TWO QUOTES THAT DEFINED THE FIRST DAY OF PUBLIC HEARINGS
Wednesday’s public testimony in the House of Representatives’ impeachment hearings did not make a lot of news about the substance of what is at stake.
The Hilarious Weapon of Iraqi Protesters: Trained Lions
The police threatened the Iraqi protesters with trained dogs. One of the protesters answered by bringing a lion and threatening to let it attack both the dogs and the police.
Oil Companies Are Thinking About a Low-Carbon Future, but Aren’t Making Big Investments in It Yet
An analysis by the Carbon Disclosure Project shows that investor-owned oil companies currently are spending 1% to 4% of their capital investment on low-carbon energy sources.
I Traveled To American Samoa 5 Times To Study the Secret of Its Football Success
Samoans have become the most overrepresented group, per capita, in the NFL. About 180,000 people of Samoans descent live stateside, while another 55,000 live in American Samoa, a U.S. territory.
How New York’s Union Square Helped Shape Free Speech in the US
New York’s Union Square gained a reputation as a site for political rallies during the Civil War. Following the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter in 1861.
Aerial Threat: Why Drone Hacking Could Be Bad News for the Military
Imagine a defense operation in which a drone is sent out to spy on enemy territory. The enemy identifies the drone but instead of disabling it, compromises the sensors (vision, sonar, and so on) to inject false data.
HOW TO SEE STARS AND TACKLE LIGHT POLLUTION IN YOUR OWN BACKYARD
Local action on light pollution – by people in their homes or local councils dimming and reducing non-essential lighting in parks – might seem small in scale, but the results can be impressive.
Captive Breeding Has a Dark Side – as Disturbing Czech Discovery of Trafficked Tiger Body Parts Highlights
The rotting remains of a number of tigers, lions and cougars were recently discovered in a raid in Prague. Exotic wildlife trade is booming in Europe.
The Us Is a Whole Lot Richer Because of Trade With Europe, Regardless of Whether EU Is Friend or Foe
The European Union is the largest U.S. trading partner in terms of its total bilateral trade and has been for the past several decades.
‘I Have a Job but I’m Homeless’ – the Working Poor Who Can’t Afford to Rent
One in every 200 people in Britain is homeless – sleeping on the streets or stuck in temporary accommodation, including hostels and B&Bs.
THE PRESTIGIOUS HARPY EAGLE
A video of the harpy eagle, filmed in South America in 2015.
STRANGE SPATIAL PHENOMENON FILMED IN FRANCE
This video was filmed in Toulouse, France, on December 9th 2010. It clearly shows a source of light that is neither an airplane, nor a known celestial object.
The Battle Between NBC and CBS To Be the First To Film a Berlin Wall Tunnel
In 1962, NBC and CBS were at work on two separate, secret documentaries on escape tunnels being dug under the Berlin Wall.
Monsanto Wins $7.7b Lawsuit in Brazil – but Farmer’s Fight To Stop Its Amoral Royalty System Will Continue
A Brazilian court has decided in favor of Monsanto, the agribusiness conglomerate, in a landmark class-action lawsuit filed by Brazilian farmers’ unions.
NINJA CAT FIGHTS BACK
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkWEFpBQ2dI[/embedyt]
Mcdonald’s Fired Its CEO for Sleeping With an Employee – Research Shows Why Even Consensual Office Romances Can Be a Problem
McDonald’s ousted its CEO over a consensual relationship with an employee, just a week after U.S. Rep. Katie Hill stepped down due to a similar allegation.
Why Paris Is the Perfect City To Introduce Break Dancing To the Olympics
Along with surfing, climbing and skateboarding, break dancing has been proposed for inclusion at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Bronze Age Discovery Reveals Surprising Extent of Britain’s Trade With Europe 3,600 Years Ago
Research reveals evidence of a copper-mining bonanza in Wales 3,600 years ago that reached France, the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark and Sweden.
US GREEN ECONOMY GROWTH DWARFS DONALD TRUMP’S HIGHEST HOPES FOR THE FOSSIL FUEL INDUSTRY
While Donald Trump may be “the world’s most powerful climate change denier”, our latest research suggests that he took over over a thriving green economy.
How Gambling Built Baseball – and Then Almost Destroyed It
In baseball’s infancy, it was thought of as a boy’s game. But over the course of the 19th century, gambling deepened adult interest in the sport.
ROAD RAGE RIDER SMASHES CAR’S WINDOW THEN INSTANTLY REGRETS IT
Bike rider smashes car’s window in a violent road rage then gets beaten up.
Komodo Dragon Eating Monkey
Comodo dragon eating monkey in a shocking video.
Half a Billion on Halloween Pet Costumes Is Latest Sign of America’s Out-of-Control Consumerism
Americans will spend US$8.8 billion on Halloween candy, costumes and decorations this year, including half a billion dollars on costumes for their pets.
AUSTRALIAN TENNIS PRO NICK KYRGIOS THROWS CHAIR ONTO COURT DURING MELTDOWN
During the Italian Open, tennis pro Nick Kyrgios threw a chair onto the court after receiving an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
WOMEN IN MANAGEMENT: EUROPEAN COMMISSION EXCEEDS ITS 40% TARGET
The European Commission has exceeded the target set by President Jean-Claude Juncker in 2014 committing that, by the end of his mandate, 40% of the Commission’s middle and senior managers should be women.
A Small New Zealand Songbird That Hides Food for Later Use Provides Insights Into Cognitive Evolution
The spatial memory performance of the New Zealand robin, shows male birds with superior memory abilities also have better breeding success.
Why Do Poor Children Perform More Poorly Than Rich Ones?
Research has shown that children of poorer parents display substantially worse math and reading skills by the time they start grade school.
School Funding: Promised Increases Are Actually Real-Term Cuts – and Poorer Schools Are Hit Hardest
The NEU suggests that, when inflation is taken into account, over 16,000 schools will have less income in April 2020, compared to 2015.
Red Planet Rumbles: Nasa’s Recordings of Marsquakes Let Us Listen To the Martian Heartbeat
Thanks to the audio recordings of distant rumblings on Mars released this week by NASA, we finally know what the red planet sounds like.
Your Political Views Can Predict How You Pronounce Certain Words
Democrats are more likely to pronounce “Iraq” as “ear-rock,” rather than “eye-rack” and “Chile” as “chee-lay,” rather than “chill-ee”.
WULINGYUAN: CHINA’S AVATAR MOUNTAIN
One of the most stunning and beautiful places in the world, the Wulingyuan Scenic Area in China’s Hunan Province has more than 3,000 sandstone pillars.
BEFORE WALT DISNEY, THERE WAS LOTTE REINIGER – THE STORY OF THE WORLD’S FIRST ANIMATED FEATURE
The oldest surviving animated feature was not made by Walt Disney, but by a German puppeteer named Lotte Reiniger: The Adventures of Prince Achmed (1926).
EVEN WITH A DEAL, EVEN WITH AN ELECTION, THESE BREXIT QUESTIONS WILL STILL NEED TO BE ANSWERED
Once out of the EU, Britain has less bargaining power. Its future relationship is still to be negotiated – and that arrangement will last.
JOHN COLTRANE’S LOST FILM SOUNDTRACK AND FIVE MORE MUST-SEE MOVIES FOR JAZZ LOVERS
John Coltrane – a giant of the jazz world – wrote and recorded in 1964 a soundtrack for the French-Canadian movie Le Chat Dans le Sac.
The Danish Concept of ‘Hygge’ – And Why It’s Their Latest Successful Export
If you’re reading this in a comfortable chair, surrounded by tasteful soft furnishings and perhaps even a candle or two, that sense of cosiness you’re feeling might just be hygge.
IN 19 STATES, IT’S OKAY TO HIT KIDS WITH A WOODEN BOARD
Sadly, despite all evidence to the contrary, many principals do believe that corporal punishment is effective for some students.
These Celebrities Cause 10,000 Times More Carbon Emissions From Flying Than the Average Person
The jet-setting habits of Bill Gates and Paris Hilton mean that they produce 10,000 times more carbon emissions from flying than the average person.
We Analyzed 101 Companies’ Statements on Modern Slavery – Here’s What We Found
Something as criminal as forced labour and modern slavery makes it hard for buyers to act in any other way than reporting it to the authorities.
LONDON BECOMES THE WORLD’S FIRST NATIONAL PARK CITY, COMMITTED TO GIVING PEOPLE ACCESS TO NATURE
London has been officially designated the world’s first national park city, with a week-long festival of free outdoor events and a ceremony at City Hall to mark the occasion.
Inspired by Sci-FI, an Airplane With No Moving Parts and a Blue Ionic Glow
The plane uses electroaerodynamic propulsion, which was investigated as far back as the 1920s by an eccentric scientist who was researching anti-gravity.
Formula 1 Motor Firms Are Becoming Textbook Cases in How To Successfully Branch Into Other Sectors
Formula 1 companies have been reinventing themselves for the digital era and selling their tech know-how to other sectors.
Fight to Preserve Elfdalian, Sweden’s Lost Forest Language
Elfdalian is used only by 2,500 people but is a treasure trove for linguists. It has preserved linguistic features that can’t be found elsewhere.
Bald Eagle Walking
Bald eagle walking on the beach at Anchor Point on the Cook Inlet and Kenai Peninsula in Alaska. The eagle was enjoying a fish snack.
Space May Soon Become a War Zone – Here’s How That Would Work
At a summit in early December 2019, NATO is expected to declare space as a “warfighting domain”, partly in response to new developments in technology.
PAUL GASCOIGNE TRIAL HIGHLIGHTS WHY MOST WOMEN DON’T REPORT SEXUAL ABUSE OR RAPE
The jury of eight men and four women found Paul Gascoigne not guilty of sexual assault. He was also cleared of the lesser charge of common assault.
Who Owns the Moon? A Space Lawyer Answers
Countries such as Russia and somewhat less explicitly Brazil and Belgium hold that the moon and asteroids belong to humanity as a whole.
Netherlands Police Train Eagles to Catch Drones
Netherlands Police are training eagles to catch drones to prevent illegal use. They said that they will investigate the birds’ safety as safety continue.
Researchers Invent Device That Generates Light From the Cold Night Sky – Here’s What It Means for Millions Living off Grid
What if we could generate electricity from the cold night sky? Researchers at Stanford and UCLA have just done exactly that.
The Joker’s Origin Story Comes at a Perfect Moment: Clowns Define Our Times
One of the most famous jester figures of the modern age is the Joker, who made his debut in the first issue of Batman comics in 1940.
IF IMPEACHMENT COMES TO THE SENATE – 5 QUESTIONS ANSWERED
If the House of Representatives concludes its impeachment inquiry by passing articles of impeachment of President Trump, attention will turn to the Senate.
Teletext Was Slow but It Paved the Way for the Super-Fast World of the Internet
The BBC has announced that 2020 will mark the end of the Red Button text service – the final incarnation of what was originally known as CEEFAX and Oracle.
Opium, Rat Hair, Beaver Anal Secretions – And Other Surprising Things You Might Find in Food
For example, a natural flavoring called castoreum is a thick odorous secretion obtained from the anal glands of beavers.
On Germany’s National Soccer Stage, Why Have East Germans Gone Missing
Why is German soccer so dominated by players and clubs from the West? And what does this imbalance say about the state of the German reunification?
Barn Owls Reflect Moonlight in Order to Stun Their Prey
We’ve been following a Swiss population of barn owls for more than 20 years, monitoring their hunting behavior with cameras and GPS trackers.
How Rupture With Mainland Europe Caused Britain To Falter for Hundreds of Years
Mainland Europe has always been essential to Britain’s prosperity. When the relationship with Europe is poor, the lot of ordinary Briton is poorer for it.
Car-Free Paris? It Was Already a Dream in 1790
The debate over the place of cars in cities may seem like a recent one, but in fact was raging well before the first automobile even saw the light of day. To better understand, let
Fossil Fuel Industry Sees the Future in Hard-To-Recycle Plastic
How will they adapt as fossil fuel demand wanes with the rise of renewable energy and battery power? The answer is plastic.
Ford Bridgend Closure: The UK’s Car Industry Could Stage a Revival By Recycling Rare Earths
The intended closure of Ford’s Bridgend engine plant in 2020, with the loss of 1,700 industry jobs, has sent shock waves through Wales.
How the Pretzel Went From Soft To Hard – and Other Little-Known Facts About One of the World’s Favorite Snacks
The pretzel, a German food, and one of the fastest-growing snack foods in the world, recently crossed a billion dollars a year in sales.
A Danish Word the World Needs to Combat Stress: Pyt
Pyt doesn’t have an exact English translation. It’s more a cultural concept about cultivating healthy thoughts to deal with stress.
The Circular Economy: Building an Economy on the Template of Nature
The concept of a circular economy which is actively supported by influential institutions such as the Ellen MacArthur foundation, or EU research programs.
Computer Science Now Counts as Math Credit in Most States – Is This a Good Idea?
29 states passed legislation allowing computer science to count in place of a science course. Are these changes are helping students or hurting them?
What Happens When a Raindrop Hits a Puddle
The beauty of puddle waves is no small thing by itself. By connecting nature with its primal language – mathematics – we gain access to its control panel.
Police Photo Lineups: How Background Colors Can Skew Eye Witness Identification
Identification parades can be powerful evidence in securing convictions in criminal cases. But eyewitness evidence is notoriously prone to errors.
Funny Dog Eats While Showing Anger
This video shows a funny dog who is eating a meal while showing extreme anger from time to time.
How One NHS Anesthetist Is Fighting International Medical Research Fraud
Consultant anaesthetist at Torbay Hospital on England’s south coast has developed statistical methods to help spot signs of fraud in medical research.
Webcams in Nursing Home Rooms May Deter Elder Abuse – but Are They Ethical?
Papp’s fight to monitor her mother’s care reflects a reasonable fear. About 1.3 million Americans live in nursing homes, and elder abuse can be a killer.
Justice Stevens, Babe Ruth and the Best Law Clerk Assignment Ever
Babe Ruth’s famous, and controversial, “called shot” home run during Game 3 of the 1932 World Series between the New York Yankees and the Chicago Cubs