Scientists have created a new form of “robot,” not made out of metal, plastic, and wiring but formed entirely out of living cells. Reporting in the journal PNAS, researchers from the University of Vermont and Tufts University describe how they crafted the first-ever “living machines” out of cells taken from the embryos of frogs. Dubbed “xenobots,” these miniature...
Given that we are currently experiencing a global extinction crisis, the occasion to witness a large congregation of an endangered species is a rare and special opportunity indeed. The density of turtles is so high that you could almost imagine crossing the sea by hopping from shell to shell. So you can imagine how privileged...
TV antennas bring back memories of my grandmother’s lavender-scented house with the pointy antenna set sitting on the TV shelf. In a world where everyone is supposed to be enjoying satellite TV and streaming shows over the internet, TV antennas have somehow found a way to make a redeeming comeback. According to the Consumer Technology...
Researchers have discovered that one population of white-faced capuchin monkeys in Panama have entered the Stone Age. The monkeys have started using stone tools to break nuts and shellfish, making them the fourth type of primates to do so after us. As reported in New Scientist, the group inhabits Jicarón island, a small island off the...
The world is often seen as a hard and terrible place for people to live in. But sometimes we hear about these near impossible acts of kindness that restore our faith in humans. A kind plumber has been hailed for his extremely giving and charitable acts to those less fortunate. Sometimes, we all wish we...
At a recent Seafood Festival in Plymouth, England a blue shark was paraded through the British port city before being chopped up, cooked and served to festival-goers. It should be well known that the blue shark is a near-threatened species, after the events that took place at this festival, many people and conservationists have criticized...
Tim Gurner, an Australian real estate mogul, accidentally sparked a torrent of memes with his famous quote that millennials should “stop buying avocado toast if they want to afford a house.” “I have seen young people order smashed avocado with crumbled feta on five-grain toasted bread at $22 a pop and more… How can young...
Let’s be honest: the first reaction most humans have to a crisis is panic. History shows that no matter what kind of crisis we’re in – natural disaster or global pandemic – our priorities shift heavily to making sure our families and ourselves are taken care of. Many of us disregard other people altogether. One...
Over the last twenty years, the use of illicit drugs has been increasing and has become a serious public health concern. The number of drug overdose deaths in the United States has increased from just under seventeen thousand in 1999 to over seventy thousand in 2017 [1]. The primary driver for this increase is the...
In 2014, then-sixteen-year-old Mathew Carulli of Perth, Australia, lost an eight-year battle with leukemia. The loss of someone so young is undoubtedly tragic, but his legacy will live on in the form of a special bridge that will allow hospitalized children to have easier access to fresh air and nature. The Rainbow Bridge The brightly-lit...
Electric vehicles (EVs) have long been heralded as the future of sustainable transportation, but battery efficiency, particularly in extreme weather, has posed significant challenges. A groundbreaking innovation by Chinese startup Greater Bay Technology aims to revolutionize this landscape with its new Phoenix cell battery, which promises a range of 621 miles and the ability to...
The internet: a vast library of information, a source of endless entertainment, and a potential rabbit hole of disturbing content. Sometimes, that perfectly innocent search query can lead you down a path you never intended. We’ve all been there. You type in a seemingly harmless word, and suddenly, you’re bombarded with graphic images or unsettling...
