مستوى عالي

If you are in middle school, chances are you have been exposed to and probably even asked to memorize the 118 elements that currently make up the periodic table. Now you may have to make room for one more - Element 115! Nicknamed Ununpentium (combination of Latin and Greek for 115) until it gets official approval and a permanent name from the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry, it is one of the heaviest man-made elements created thus far....

If humans can participate in art contests why can't chimpanzees? After all they do share over 90% of our DNA and are likely to do as good a job, if not better! In order to highlight their art talent as well as the amazing work of the eight chimpanzee sanctuaries around the country that provide care for the mammals retired from research, pet trade and entertainment, the folks at the Humane Society of the United States decided to hold a competition....

If you are not a big fan of tomatoes it may be best to steer away from the charming town of Bunol around this time of the year. That's because every year on the last Wednesday of August, the normally staid and sleepy Spanish town of just 9,000 residents becomes center stage for the world's largest food fight - the La Tomatina. And as the name suggests, it involves . . . A lot of tomatoes!...

Ever since JK Rowling planted the 'invisibility cloak' seed, scientists all over the world have been rushing to be the first ones to make it a reality. Now there seems to be a winner - A tiny square sticker called Kite Patch. The only catch? It makes humans invisible only to mosquitoes!...

Imagine living on a planet where you could celebrate almost three birthdays in one day - Think that is just out of this world? Well actually it is - About 700 million light years away in the small constellation of Lyra, where scientists have discovered an exoplanet that zips around its star in a speedy 8.5 hours...

During his short but effective life as preacher and civil rights leader, Martin Luther King Jr. gave many speeches. However the one that seemed to resonate with the entire country, race notwithstanding, was the one he delivered fifty years ago on August 28th, 1963, whilst standing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C....

The unsolved mystery of the 'crop circles' - Intricately carved large designs that magically appear on farms all across the world, has been plaguing scientists for centuries. Some speculate that they are the work of farmers trying to attract tourists, whilst others believe that they are alien art. But when similar creations started to appear underwater off the coast of Southern Japan, there seemed to be no explanation - logical or otherwise!...

An intricately carved globe pieced together from two bottom shells of ostrich eggs may have just taken over the title of the oldest depiction of the 'New World', from the copper etched Hunt-Lenox globe that lies in The New York Public Library. What is even more interesting is that ostrich globe which is believed to have been created between 1504-1506 used Leonardo Da Vinci's unique 'triangle' technique to transfer the 2-dimensional map drawing into a 3-dimensional sphere, leading Belgian cartographer Stefaan Missinne to speculate that it may be the work of a skilled artist from Da Vinci's Florence studio....

While there are many professional escape artists - entertainers that specialize in freeing themselves from shackles under stressful conditions - few take it to the level Wisconsin daredevil Anthony Martin does. He has escaped from under 2,000 pounds of sand, a steel cage submerged in ice-cold water and even some of the world's most secure prisons. However this latest stunt definitely ranks as his most dangerous one yet! What is even more incredible is that this is second time he has been able to pull or should we say escape it off!...

Climate change always seems to be about things going wrong - The Arctic is melting faster, sea water levels are rising rapidly . . . and the list goes on. Now finally there is some good news. According to a team of experts led by Emily Burns, Science Director at Calfornia's Save the Redwoods League, it is actually helping the world's tallest trees thrive....

With its large brown eyes, fluffy red-orange hair and bushy tail, the Olinguito could easily be mistaken for a stuffed teddy bear. But this cute as a button mammal that belongs to the raccoon family is very much alive and extremely precious - That's because it is the first new carnivore to be 'discovered' in the western hemisphere in over three decades....

In summer of 2011, nine-year old Caine Monroy was twiddling his thumbs at his father's auto parts shop in Los Angeles, wondering what to do over the long summer break, when he suddenly hit upon a brilliant idea - Why not build a gaming arcade?...

While missions to the moon or even International Space Station take a lot of meticulous planning, the one to Mars is going to require even more so, mainly due to the fact that it will be the longest one ever. Scientists estimate that it will take astronauts a total of at least 520 days or about 18 months to travel to Mars, perform a short mission and return to Earth....

On Monday, August 5th, reporters from some of the world's most prestigious newspapers gathered in Hammersmith, London and watched attentively as award-winning chef Richard McGeown carefully sautéed a beef patty in oil and butter, placed it on a plate beside a burger bun, lettuce and tomato, and served it with great flourish to Chicago-based food writer and journalist, Josh Schonwald and Austrian food researcher, Hanni Rutzler....

New Zealand's North Island is known for many things - it's active volcanoes, pristine beaches, waters that harbor about 8000 marine species as well as the rich Maori culture and heritage. However, none come even close to one of nature's most amazing and unique offerings - The Glowworm Grotto Cavern....

With global warming on the rise, innovative solutions to combat pollution are becoming increasingly important. While there are many that are unveiled each week, only a few have the capability of tackling the issues on a scale large enough, to make a real difference. Here are two ingenious ones that definitely make the cut....

Running a single marathon is hard enough. Now imagine running five of them back-to-back in temperatures exceeding 120°F and you will understand why the Badwater Ultramarathon is often referred to, as the 'world's toughest footrace'....

Solar Impulse, the world's first single passenger solar-powered airplane has come a long way since its first flight in 2009, when it rose a mere 3 feet above the ground and flew for just 1,150 feet in the 30 seconds it was in air. In 2012, the elegant green flying machine successfully completed an intercontinental trip from Europe to Africa and on July 6th, 2013, added another feather or should we say 'wing' to its cap, with a flight across the United States of America....

Summer has descended in full force across the United States especially, for those of you that live on the West Coast - Here is some news that may help take the edge of the sweltering heat - July, is National Ice Cream Month, which means that you can indulge in the creamy treat, as often as you want....

Despite the influx of a myriad of electronic toys, the iconic Lego brick remains a steadfast favorite in most households. While most kids lose interest as they grow, there are a select few that become so attached, that they make a career building objects with the colorful bricks, becoming part of the elite group of individuals with the coveted title of certified Lego Professional!...

For the lucky few that live in developed countries, having access to fast reliable Internet is a no-brainer. It is therefore easy to forget that over five billion people or a majority of the world is not as fortunate. But if search giant Google has its way, that may soon, be a thing of the past....

Of all the sports played today, pole vault is one of the most demanding in technique and athleticism. So imagine competing when you are legally blind! Not one, but two high school girls have accomplished this daunting and seemingly impossible feat. 15-year-old Charlotte Brown of Emory, Texas and 17-year-old Aria Ottmueller of Chandler, Arizona are both standout athletes who have found out-of-the-box ways to overcome their visual impairment and conquer not just this, but other sports as well....

Though scientists have known about Colony-Collapse Disorder, the phrase used to describe the untimely deaths of millions of honey bees across the globe for many years, nobody has yet been able to ascertain why. With bees responsible for pollinating crops worth in excess of $200 billion USD a year, something has to be done to avert what could soon become a global food crisis....

Given that we are constantly being bombarded with news about species of animals becoming extinct, it is refreshing to hear that there are also new ones constantly being discovered - What is surprising is that every year, nature lovers and scientists find not one or two, but thousands of never before seen species....