The Earth’s poles have been an area of intense study for the past several years. The North and South Poles are the coolest climatic regions on the planet, and they affect the climate of everywhere else on Earth. For this reason, climatologists use the poles as a measuring stick to determine the state of the...
Self-checkout machines have been appearing in seemingly every store across the country. Whether you’re at your local grocer, hardware store, or McDonald’s, you can choose between the traditional cashier model, or to do it yourself. The retail giant Walmart, however, may be moving toward a future where customers have the choice made for them. Starting...
Everyone has a different idea of a dream home. For some, it’s the penthouse suite in a bustling city center. For others, it’s a sprawling ranch-style home in the countryside, and for others it might be a rustic cabin tucked somewhere deep in the woods. There are others, however, who don’t want to be tethered...
The benefits of being outdoors have become increasingly evident over the last several years. Getting outside helps you get more exercise and vitamin D, helps ease anxiety, encourages social behavior, and improves your sleep, self-esteem, focus, immune system, and creativity [1]. Because of this, city planners are looking for ways to increase access to outdoor...
The recent and widely popular Netflix special, Tiger King, thrust the US big cat industry into the spotlight, showcasing the poor treatment and unhealthy environment in which these animals are kept. Unfortunately, the use of captive animals for tourism and entertainment is not a new, or uniquely American, problem. Lion farming is a massive and...
Since the tourism industry has been all but completely sidelined during the COVID-19 pandemic, hotels around the world have been forced to close their doors. Some, however, have chosen to remain open in an act of true altruism and offered up their rooms to homeless people in their area for free. One of these hotels...
As Father’s Day approaches, many of us are looking forward to pulling out the barbecue and cracking open a few cold ones with our old man. Maybe you’re making your annual trek to the cottage for father’s day weekend, or perhaps you’re planning a meal with all his favorite foods. Whatever your traditions are, you’re...
We tend to view the animal world as one where each species operates alone, avoiding contact with other animals and only forming bonds with those of their own species. This, however, is not always the case and occasionally unlikely friendships can form. This is what happened at a zoo in Belgium, where a family or...
Every spring a familiar pest reemerges from its winter hibernation: the carpenter bee. While they don’t have stingers, these large, noisy, black and yellow insects wreak havoc on our houses, decks, and patio furniture, boring holes into the wood to make their nests. The male bees then aggressively patrol the area surrounding their nest, which...
The COVID-19 pandemic has shut down schools all over the world for the remainder of the school year, and this stands to have an unprecedented impact on our young people, the effects of which will likely be felt for years to come. As teachers across the country have struggled to stay in contact with their...
Birds are always looking for places to build nests where they can safely lay their eggs and raise their young, protected from the elements and hidden from potential predators. While the typical nesting place for most birds is high in a tree, it is not uncommon for them to occasionally take up residence on a...
Scientists and engineers around the world have been working to come up with innovative solutions for more sustainable, environmentally-friendly energy generation. While there have been several promising projects, one German company has come up with a solution that has stood out from the rest: floating solar panels. As our world has become increasingly advanced and...
