Why Soil Smells So Good After It Rains
Did you ever wonder what causes that earthy smell that rises after a light summer rain? That mysterious scent has been called “petrichor”.
TIGER KING AND AMERICA’S CAPTIVE TIGER PROBLEM
Among 10k tigers in the U.S, 4k are in the wild, down from 100k a century ago. You now need a permit to transport a tiger across state lines.
LifeLabs Data Breach: Hackers Could Still Hold Health Records of 15m Canadians
LifeLabs is one of Canada’s largest medical services providers; the health data of millions of customers was hacked in October 2019.
Craigslist Turns 25 – a Reminder That a More Democratic Version of the Internet Can Still Thrive
Craigslist weathered the internet’s boom-and-bust cycle, with countless peers coming and going. Yet, it looks more or less the same as it did 25 years ago.
Why Wear Face Masks in Public? Here’s What the Research Shows
Face masks in public are not perfect shields against Covid-19. However, they do offer a basic level of protection, which is better than nothing.
Google FI Doubles Data Plan To 30gb in Response To COVID-19 Lockdown
Google Fi has updated its policies in response to COVID-19 crisis. Thus, customers will maintain full service up to 60 days from a missed billing date. Moreover, users will enjoy 30GB of full speed data instead of 15GB.
FCC ORDERS PHONE COMPANIES TO END SPOOFED ROBOCALLS
The Federal Communication Commission (FCC) released new rules on March 31, 2020 aiming to combat spoofed robocalls.
The Us Owes $23.5 Trillion but Can Still Afford a Big Coronavirus Stimulus Package
The U.S. government is adding US$2 trillion Covid-19 response stimulus package to its existing US$23.5 trillion debt. How is that possible?
We Are Living in the Bizarre World That Flaubert Envisioned
Are we all trapped in a live-action version of Flaubert’s “Madame Bovary”?
The Jan. 3 assassination of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani was followed by a torrent of contradictory narratives.
Damascus Goat: The Strangest Animal on Earth
The Damascus goat has become an investment asset in the Arabian peninsula. The female’s price is about US$10,000 and can reach US$15,000. As for the male, the price jumps in some cases to US$50,000 and more.
TRUMP POSTPONES TAX FILING DEADLINE TO JULY 15, 2020
U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin announced in a tweet the decision to move Tax Day from April 15 to July 15.
“All taxpayers and businesses will have this additional time to file and make payments without interest or penalties” Mnuchin said in his tweet, posted on Friday March 20, 2020.
INTERNATIONAL DAY OF HAPPINESS IN THE TIME OF CORONAVIRUS
Humanity celebrates on every March 20th the International Day of Happiness. 2020’s celebration will be a form of resistance against coronavirus.
TODAY IN THE NEWS
Oil surges a record 24% after Trump says he’ll get involved in the global price war at an ‘appropriate time’ | Rising Oil Prices Lift Russian Ruble and Stocks | Tax Day is now July
TRUMP TO SEND CHECKS TO AMERICANS AS PART OF A STIMULUS PACKAGE
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Tuesday March 17, 2020 that the Trump administration is “looking at sending checks to Americans immediately”.
SAUDI ARAMCO NET PROFITS PLUNGE 21% – OIL PRICE WAR LOOMING
The Russian Energy Minister told reporters: “From April 1 neither OPEC nor non-OPEC have restrictions”. A relentless price war is looming.
THE SURPRISING NEW LOOK OF FACEBOOK
Facebook has launched a trial version that has a radically new design. It offers a dark theme and larger buttons in the left-side menu.
DO NOT USE IBUPROFEN TO TREAT COVID-19, WARNS FRENCH HEALTH MINISTER
The French Health Minister, Olivier Veran, said that anti-inflammatory drugs, such as Ibuprofen and Cortisone may worsen coronavirus infection.
NEW COVID-19 RAPID TEST APPROVED BY FDA
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new COVID-19 test that is able to provide results in three and half hours, which is about ten times faster than usual.
TRUMP DECLARES CORONAVIRUS NATIONAL EMERGENCY – WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
Trump declared national emergency in response to coronavirus. This declaration gives him over 100 special provisions to tackle the spread of the pandemic.
HARVARD ASKED STUDENTS TO LEAVE DORMS AND TAKE COURSES ONLINE
Harvard University has asked students to leave their dorms by Sunday, March 15 2020. This decision comes in response to the coronavirus outbreak.
THE OTHERWORLDLY SCREAMS OF THE LYNX – THE ELUSIVE WILDCAT
The mysterious aspect of the lynx gave it a prominent role in ancient Greek and American cultures. So, they consider it as the symbol of the unraveling of truths. They also attribute to it numerous superpowers.
NASA Approves the Name Proposed by a 13-Year-Old Kid for Its New Mars Rover
NASA announced in a press conference that the name of its 2020 Mars rover is going to be Perseverance. This name was proposed by Alex Mather, a 13-year-old from Virginia.
CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK FORCES THE FEDERAL RESERVE TO CUT RATES
The Federal Reserve decided to drop interest rates by half a point on Tuesday March 3, 2020. This decision comes amid growing fears about coronavirus.
New Research Reveals the Devastating Effect of Public Surveillance Cameras
We are being observed by cameras everywhere. Research shows that this exposure is affecting not only the way how we act, but also how we think.
One Million Britons Will Be on Zero-Hour Contracts by the End of 2020
If current trends continue, around a million working people will be on zero-hours contracts by the end of the year 2020, researcher says.