مستوى عالي

While 3-D Printing technology is still a young innovation, it is already being used to create a wide variety of products: action figures, musical instruments, fabrics, and even food! But for all of the fun and whimsical items that can be produced, the most exciting application of this radical invention is the printing of artificial limbs. Its low cost structure makes it ideal for those that are unable to afford traditional prosthetics which can run tens of thousands of dollars....

The next time you hear someone complaining about their "horrendous" commute you may want to tell them about Detroit resident James Robertson, whose daily round trip journey to and from work is an astounding 46 miles. Not impressed? How about if we tell you that about 21-miles of it is completed on foot!...

Animals adapt in various ways to protect themselves from predators. Some take on the smell of the food they consume, while others build decoys. But very few are able to do what the cinereous mourner that resides in the Peruvian Amazon rainforests has done. This dull gray bird has evolved such that its chicks not only closely resemble a brightly colored toxic neighbor, but also act like it!...

The countdown has begun - in less than three days, Americans all across the country will hunker down to watch the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots battle it out for the title of National Football League Champion. Called Super Bowl Sunday or Super Sunday, it is the most watched annual television program in the United States....

On Thursday, January 22nd, social media sites were buzzing with excitement at the pictures of the blue patches of glimmering water along Hong Kong's coastline. However, experts were not as thrilled. That's because while the algal bloom responsible for this mesmerizing sight are not toxic to humans, they are well-known to wreak havoc on marine life....

With less than a week left before Superbowl XLIX, the argument among sports fans and experts should largely be about which of the two teams - the New England Patriots or the Seattle Seahawks - is going to take home the coveted title. However this year, the light banter has been overshadowed by a more serious discussion - did the Patriots cheat at the January 18th AFC Championship Game against the Indianapolis Colts by using deflated balls?...

Autism, or autistic disorder, is a wide range of problems that occur when the brain develops differently. Such abnormal development results in a struggle for autistic children to perceive the world in the same way that other people do. Our brain is responsible for deciphering what we see, hear, breath, touch, taste, and experience. It then uses that information to send nerve signals to the appropriate muscles and organs, with instructions on how to respond. But with autism, the brain struggles to fulfill this vital role, and as such, it becomes very difficult to listen, talk, learn, and play. However, though 1 out every 88 kids is diagnosed with 'autism', their symptoms vary significantly in character and severity....

Here is a story most of you are probably familiar with. Kid gets invited to a classmate's birthday party. Parents respond with a resounding yes, but later realize they have a conflict and decide it's okay to skip the party without informing the host. End of story right? No, says this British mother who wants the errant party to pay for the cost incurred....

In early January, Mercedes-Benz captured the world’s imagination by unveiling a futuristic self-driving car prototype at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada. In addition to being autonomous, the F015 Luxury in Motion, also promises to be fuel efficient and as its name indicates, the epitome of luxury. While this is in complete contrast to Google's compact, koala-like autonomous vehicle, one thing is apparent - if manufacturers have their way, driverless cars will be sharing the highways with human-driven vehicles, within the next decade....

Animals use many tricks to hide from predators - from blending in with the environment to disguising themselves into something unsavory and even, creating decoys. While different, they are all optical. Now scientists have uncovered a fish species that uses both visual and chemical camouflage. That means they not only blend in with the colorful coral they feed on, but also smell like it!...

On Monday January 19th, Americans will celebrate the life and achievements of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., (MLK), a Baptist clergyman turned activist, who is often credited with spearheading the country's civil rights movement. It is thanks to his efforts that America is today a nation where everyone has equal rights, regardless of race, color or creed....

Every January, thousands of manufacturers from all over the globe head to Las Vegas, Nevada, to showcase their newest technology innovations at the world-renowned Consumer Electronics Show (CES). While all the products that range from household items to vehicles are amazing, there are always a few that steal the thunder. Here are the ones made the short list at this year's CES, which took place from January 6th through 9th....

On Sunday, January 11th, almost 4 million people across France and several hundred thousand more globally, marched in solidarity against terrorism. The biggest gathering was in Paris where an estimated 1.7 million people, including 40 world leaders, walked along the boulevards and avenues of central Paris. Some were carrying signs with the slogan “Je suis Charlie” (I am Charlie), while others held up large stylized pencils or wore writing implements on their hats or other items of clothing....

Though the sight of a baby whale is always welcome, the report of a newborn in the group of orcas that scientists call the J-Pod, is particularly exciting. That's because, this batch which is part of the 77-member Southern Resident Killer Whale group (SRKW) that reside off the coast of the state of Washington and British Columbia, has been on the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service's endangered list since 2005....

Every year around this time, schools districts in the Eastern and Midwestern regions of the United States brace themselves for the inevitable "snow days" - school closures forced by the freezing Arctic blasts that dip temperatures to as low as 40 below in states like Iowa. While a great favorite amongst students, the unscheduled holidays are a big nuisance for educators. That's because in order to complete the State mandated 180 days of student instruction, they have to compensate for the unscheduled holidays by cancelling teacher enrichment days, long weekends and in extreme cases, even cutting short spring and summer vacations....

In April 2014, a series of devastating tornadoes wreaked havoc on the southern United States. The fierce system of multiple tornadoes that ripped through the region ravaged scores of local communities, claimed the lives of more than 35 people, and caused over a billion dollars in damages across 17 states. Also affected of course were the animals that lived in the region. The one species that managed to escape unscathed were the golden-winged warblers that left their breeding grounds in Tennessee two days before the tornadoes struck and flew off to Florida....

On January 5th, 2015, visitors from all over the globe flocked to the world-renowned Harbin Ice and Snow Festival in Northeast China to admire the beautiful snow sculptures, towering ice castles and intricately chiseled 'snice' (snow & ice) buildings. Now in its 31st year, the annual extravaganza that takes place in its namesake city of Harbin, encompasses an area of about 75,000 square meters and ranks amongst the largest ice and snow festivals in the world....

On December 5th, 2014, NASA scientists got one step closer to their dream of landing humans on Mars with Orion's successful test flight. One of the biggest challenges it overcame was withstanding the dreaded Van Allen radiation belt located 3,600 miles above Earth's surface. Now scientists have to come up with a way to ensure that the humans that will call the spacecraft home during the six-to-nine month long journey to the Red Planet and back, are able to do the same....

2014 will be remembered for many things - the re-emergence of Ebola, cyber attacks on corporations like Target, Home Depot and Sony, and most importantly, numerous extraordinary protests. Though the reasons for the public rallies that occurred in cities all across the globe differed, they had one thing in common - their success can be largely attributed to the use of social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, which helped raise worldwide awareness and brought like-minded people together to organize effective campaigns that lasted for months, some even continuing into 2015....

Happy 2015! As is the tradition, at the stroke of midnight on December 31st, 2014, cities all around the world welcomed the new year with elaborate fireworks. Though you may have seen the ones where you reside, chances are you missed some of the other spectacular displays that took place globally. So settle down with a cup of hot cocoa and enjoy the show!...

The "Field with irises near Arles" is one of Dutch artist Van Gogh's most famous paintings. Believed to have been the first of the 130 paintings the artist created while at the Saint Paul-de-Mausole asylum in Saint-Remy, France, it is amongst his most recognized and coveted masterpieces. Not surprisingly, the painting has been extremely well-preserved and looks as good as when the artist first painted it, except for one thing - the once purple irises have started to turn blue....

With their large flattened heads, small beady eyes and slimy skins, Japanese giant salamanders are not destined to take home the prize for "best-looking". However, according to a team of scientists they may just be eligible for the most "awesome dad" award, at least amongst amphibian males who are not known for their nurturing personalities....

The Golden Gate, a three-mile long by one-mile wide strait that connects San Francisco Bay to the Pacific Ocean, is known for many things - its namesake bridge, beautiful views and the most importantly (at least for seamen), a notoriously heavy fog layer that often encompasses the area. Though foghorns have now been installed to guide ships to the ports of San Francisco, Oakland and Richmond, such was not the case a century ago. It is therefore not surprising to hear that hundreds of ships have veered off course and sunk, whilst trying to cross the area. Amongst the most poignant loss was that of the SS City of Rio de Janeiro, a tragedy that is often referred to as "The Golden Gate Titanic"....

After a day's delay caused by a wayward boat, bad weather, and some technical problems, NASA's next generation spacecraft Orion, blasted off to space from Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 7.05 EST on Friday, December 5th. Perched atop a Delta 4 heavy rocket, it soared through the Earth's atmosphere and disappeared into space....