A Peek Inside The World's First Carbon Neutral CityAs the world becomes more aware of the risks of climate change and the importance of sustainable energy sources, individuals and communities are increasingly taking measures to reduce their carbon footprint. Some are building "passive homes", to take advantage of natural sun and wind patterns, while others are installing solar panels or windmills, to power their homes. But never before has there been an entire "green" city - one that relies solely on renewable energy sources and smart design elements, to eliminate its carbon footprint....
اقرأ المقالWingardium Leviosa! British Artist "Levitates" Covent Garden's Historic Market BuildingFirst there was the invisibility cloak created by scientists from the University of Rochester and now, this levitation of a section of Covent Garden's historic Market Building in London! And though it may appear to be the work of wizard extraordinaire Hermione Granger, this is no magic spell - just a clever illusion, created by 30-year-old British artist and designer, Alex Chinneck....
اقرأ المقالNo Step Goes Wasted On This Soccer FieldThe kids that live at the Morro da Mineira slum in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro love to play soccer on the nearby community field. However, thanks to constant power shortages, they could rarely extend their games beyond sunset. Now, thanks to some innovative thinking and extraordinary technology, the young players will be able to use the field all night long if they wish, provided . . . they keep running!...
اقرأ المقالSuper Crystal Could Allow Mere Mortals To Be "Aquaman" (Or Woman)!Here is some good news for the fans of DC comics superhero "Aquaman" - Thanks to its namesake "Aquaman crystal" they too may soon be able to swim deep into the oceans without lugging around heavy air tanks. That's because the man-made chemical compound which was unveiled by a team of researchers from the University of Southern Denmark on September 30th, has the capacity to absorb as much as 160 times the amount of oxygen that is in the atmosphere. According to the scientists, a spoonful of the substance could store all the oxygen that is present in a normal-sized room....
اقرأ المقالHong Kong's Student Led "Umbrella Revolution" Gains SteamHong Kong is known for many things - Its thriving economy, its stellar reputation in the financial markets, unique currency, and most importantly, its ability to remain detached from all politics. However all that changed on September 28th, 2014, when tens of thousands of residents took to the streets calling for "true democracy", marking the start of what is being called the "Umbrella Revolution" thanks to the images of protestors using the parasols to shield themselves against the police pepper spray....
اقرأ المقالMaking Sense Of The Ebola VirusEvery few years, a new pandemic hits the globe and sends shivers down everyone's spines. The latest one making headlines is the Ebola virus, that has infected 6,263 people and caused 2,917 deaths in five West African countries, since the latest outbreak began in March 2014. So what is this disease that scientists have yet to find a cure for, and how do people catch it? Read on!...
اقرأ المقالThe World's Deepest Pool Is Scarily . . . Deep!If you like to showcase your superior diving skills you may want to check out Italy's Y-40 Deep Joy. As the name indicates, the depth of this newly opened pool extends down 40 meters (131-feet) - the height of a 12-story building or nine double-decker buses stacked atop each other!...
اقرأ المقالISIS - The New Threat To World Peace?On the eve of the 13th anniversary of the September 11th, 2001, terrorist attacks, President Obama declared a new war on terror. However this time his target was not our age-old enemy al Qaeda, but a group that goes by one of three acronyms: ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham), ISIL (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant ), or simply, IS (Islamic State). So who is this new terrorist organization that has the world on edge? Read on . . ....
اقرأ المقالSpecial "Texters" Lane In China Draws Attention To Worldwide Cell Phone AddictionWhile people are constantly being reminded to put away their smartphones when driving, there are very few warnings when it comes to being engrossed in them whilst walking. Now the Chinese city of Chongqing has come up with a novel way to highlight the issue, by creating a special 'texters' lane....
اقرأ المقالThe Votes Are In! Scotland Will Remain Part Of The United KingdomOn September 18th, 2014, Scottish residents over the age of 16 went to the polls to answer a simple question - "Should Scotland be an independent country?" If the majority answered yes, Scotland would break off its 307-year-old union with the United Kingdom, which includes England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and become an independent nation....
اقرأ المقالHello Kitty Begins Her 40th Birthday Celebrations By Declaring She Is Not A Cat!This is a big year for Kitty White or as she is popularly known, Hello Kitty. That's because on November 1st, 2014, the perpetual 3rd grader will celebrate her 40th birthday! And while she is not shy about revealing her age, Ms. White sure has been keeping a big secret from the world - she is NOT a cat!...
اقرأ المقالFour-Year-Old Norwegian Toddler Sleepwalks Three Miles To Nearby TownWhen toddlers have bad dreams, they usually run to snuggle up with their parents. Not Thea Helena Robertsen! This four-year-old Norwegian toddler decided to deal with her nightmare by sleepwalking, not just to the kitchen or the neighbor's home, but an astounding 5km (3-miles) - all the way to the next town!...
اقرأ المقالTire-Makers Turn To The Humble Dandelion For RubberDandelions have long been considered a nuisance weed by most gardeners. However they, along with the rest of the world, may soon start treating the annoying plant with the respect it deserves. That's because the white milky sap of their taproot contains particles of rubber of such superior quality, that Dutch biologist Ingrid van der Meer, refers to dandelions as the future of road transport....
اقرأ المقالMassive Dreadnoughtus And Alien-Like Spinosaurus The Latest Dinosaurs To Create WavesThough dinosaur finds are revealed on a fairly regular basis, very few result in as much excitement as the latest two. On Thursday, September 4th, a team of scientists led by Kenneth Lacovara, an associate professor at Philadelphia's Drexel University unveiled the Dreadnoughtus schrani, which they believe is the biggest known land animal to have ever inhabited Earth. While dinosaur fans were still digesting the facts, on September 11th, came news of the re-discovery of the Spinosaurus aegyptiacus, the only known semi-aquatic dinosaur....
اقرأ المقالWill Scotland End Its 307-Year-Old Union With Britain?On September 18th, the residents of Scotland (16 and older) will head to the polls to say Yes or No to the question: "Should Scotland be an independent country?". The answer to this simple question will decide whether Scotland will become the world's newest independent nation or, continue its 307-year-old alliance with Britain....
اقرأ المقالItalian Adventurer Alex Bellini Plans To Live On An Iceberg Until . . . It Melts!Though most people believe that climate change is real and likely to result in some catastrophic events if allowed to continue unabated, very few are ready to make the lifestyle changes needed to turn things around. That's why Italian adventurer Alex Bellini has come up with the radical idea of living atop an iceberg, until it melts. He believes that witnessing something this dramatic may be the key to convincing more people to take action....
اقرأ المقالSpain's Messy La Tomatina Festival Never Fails To DelightOn Wednesday, August 27th, over 20,000 revelers literally painted the tiny town of Bunol red, by pelting each other with thousands of pounds of tomatoes. This was of course no ordinary food fight, but the world's largest one that is staged annually on the last Wednesday of August - Welcome to Spain's messy La Tomatina festival!...
اقرأ المقالCan 'Mini-Farms' Help Solve World Hunger?Data gathered by humanitarian organization, World Food Programme, indicates that every year over 847 million people worldwide, suffer from malnutrition and about 3.1 million children under the age of five, die from starvation. While eradicating world hunger is a top priority for both scientists and philanthropists, given the increasing global population and dwindling natural resources, it is not easy. But thanks to new innovations like the recently introduced 'LivingBox', there may be some hope....
اقرأ المقالPssst . . . Peter Pan, Sherlock Holmes & Queen Victoria Wish To Speak To You!Let's be honest, historical statues can get a little boring. After all, how many times can one admire the intricate carving or read the plaque etched below? It is therefore no wonder that most people just whiz past them, as they go about their daily lives. But what if they had a story to tell? Would passersby spend two minutes of their precious time to listen?...
اقرأ المقالMining Cavern Transforms Into World's Largest Underground Trampoline ParkTrampoline parks are sprouting up all across the world. However, they all pale in comparison to Bounce Below - the world's biggest underground trampoline park that opened in the historic slate mining town of Blaenau Ffestiniog in North Wales, on July 3rd. Nestled in a massive cavern that is located inside a 100ft deep and 60ft wide former slate mine, it provides visitors with a bouncing experience like none other....
اقرأ المقالVideo Of The Week - Automated 'Thanking' Machine Showers Customers With GiftsCanadians companies sure seem to know how to appreciate their customers. First there was WestJet Airlines that dished out and now, The Toronto-Dominion Bank, which recently transformed the normally staid Automated Teller Machines into Automated Thanking Machines, that showered customers with surprise gifts....
اقرأ المقالMystery Lake In Tunisian Desert Causes Both Joy And ConcernIn early July, shepherds walking across the Tunisian desert, stumbled upon an unusual sight - a beautiful blue lake that had mysteriously appeared in the midst of the parched land. While nobody knows for sure how the 60-foot deep stretch of water that spans over two acres was formed, there are a few theories....
اقرأ المقالVideo Of The Week - British Competition Honors Naughty PetsThree hundred of Britain'sbadly behaved pets recently got their day in the sun, thanks to a nationwide competition to honor the naughtiest of them all! The contest organized by Direct Blinds, an online supplier of custom window coverings, asked owners to upload photos of their pets caught during their most mischievous moments, on the company's Facebook page....
اقرأ المقالJapanese Scientist Builds Robots That Look Eerily HumanThe fact that the Japanese love robots is well-known. The nation of 127 million people currently employs over a quarter million robots workers, more than any other country in the world, and the number is expected to quadruple in the next 15 years. So far, most of the robots have been built for the industrial sector and therefore bear no resemblance to humans. But if some scientists have their way, the days of androids - robots that look and act like humans, are not too far away....
اقرأ المقال