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First, it was the Rubik's Cube solving Lego robot and now, one that not only plays ping pong, but also, has the audacity to challenge one of the world's best players - Germany's Timo Boll. Meet the incredibly fast Kuka robot, which is built for manufacturing, but certainly seems to have a knack for ping pong....

Tomorrow is April 1st or as it is better known, Fools' Day! This is the day when pranksters come out in full force to have some light-hearted fun at the expense of some unsuspecting souls. Though the origin of this age-old tradition is not known for sure, some trace it back to 1582, the year when the Julian calendar (which began the New Year in April), was replaced with today's Gregorian calendar. Others believe it was to mark the change of seasons. No matter what started it all, April Fools' sure is a fun tradition....

The fact that trees are vital to our well-being is no secret. They provide us with food, wood and most importantly, oxygen. Now there is one more thing you can add to this already lengthy list - filtering out harmful bacteria from water....

The five-second rule has been around for many years. According to age-old adage it is okay to pick up food that has touched the ground, as long as it is done within that time frame. But is it really? Depends on which scientific study you want to believe....

For winter buffs, the onset of spring means that their days of frolicking in the white powder are drawing to a close. However, before you tuck away that winter gear, here is an idea - How about some snowshoe baseball? Sounds a little crazy? Don't tell that to the residents of Lake Tomahawk, Wisconsin. They have been playing it since 1961!...

The next time you moan and groan about being asked to take a shower, think about this statistic - there are about 1.2 billion people in the world that do not have access to sanitation facilities. Even more shocking is the fact that many of them live in developed countries. Now, San Francisco-based startup Lava Mae, is trying to change that with a simple but brilliant idea - transforming decommissioned buses into mobile showers for the homeless....

On February 24th, 2014, the managers at UK's Legoland Windsor Resort sent out an unusual casting call across the nation. They were seeking a parrot that would 'shiver their timbers' for their new Pirate Shores attraction. Pet owners were asked to apply by sending a photo and a short convincing essay on why their bird was the 'Ultimate Parrot Pirate'....

Even in this day of digital gaming, solving the Rubik's cube as rapidly as possible, remains a challenge most people can't seem to resist. While humans have been doing it ever since the 3x3x3 cube came to market in 1974, even robots are now getting into the fray....

People often brag about living or working close to the subway or train station they use for their daily commute. However by that they usually mean a block or two away, not literally on the railway tracks like these folks in Vietnam and Thailand....

In November 2013, super-typhoon Haiyan AKA Yolanda, swept through the Philippines decimating many of its cities and leaving thousands of residents homeless. As is usually the case following natural disasters, initially, there was tremendous outpouring of concern and aid from the international community. However as the months have passed, world focus has moved on to other issues and the donations, trickled down to almost nothing....

With humans increasingly invading and polluting spaces that were once teeming with wildlife, the list of endangered animals grows longer every day. Now South Korea, a country that boasts a population density 10 times the global average, is planning to take a bold step to try reverse at least some of the damage, with a new National Research Center for Endangered Animals....

If you have not had a reason to smile today, here is one - It is the 2nd International Day of Happiness! Established by the United Nations on June 28th, 2012, to promote social inclusion and intercultural harmony, it encourages individuals and corporations to celebrate the day in 'an appropriate manner, including through education and public awareness-raising activities'....

At first sight, the Foldscope looks like a hastily assembled children's toy. However look closer and even into it, and you will realize that it is a powerful working microscope - one that can be used to detect dangerous blood-borne diseases like malaria and sleeping sickness, allowing for early treatment and potentially, saving thousands of lives....

Europe's obsession with food-throwing festivals is well known. There is of course the famous La Tomatina in Spain where contenders pelt each other with tomatoes and now Italy's Battaglia delle Arance where rotten oranges are the ammunition of choice....

Festivals are a way of life for people that practice Hinduism. Not a month goes by without one. However, very few are as fun or as widely anticipated as Holi, the festival of colors. Celebrated annually at the beginning of spring, on the day following a full moon, this year's festivities will take place on March 17th....

With less than 400 specimens known to exist today, the North Atlantic right whales rank high on the list of the world's most endangered animals. While most of the population decline can be attributed to relentless hunting that continued well into the 20th century, the few mammals left, are now fighting a new enemy - Lobster fishing nets!...

Usually when NASA scientists report on new planets, they talk about one or two. However, on February 26th, the US Space Agency stunned space lovers when they announced the discovery of 715 new worlds, almost doubling the size the galaxy, which had previously been thought to have comprised of 961 planets....

While television viewers have been inundated with reality shows about the everyday lives of ordinary people, none have been performed atop a giant hamster wheel. That is what two New York artists recently did, not just for an hour or two, but for a ten-day period starting from February 28th to March 9th, 2014....

For thousands of years, the Northern Lights have been putting up an incredible show in the skies above Europe, Alaska, Canada, Russia and if the solar flares are strong enough, even Northeast USA. This year was no different. On Thursday, February 28th, the annual phenomenon lit up the skies of the U.K. and Northern Ireland with beautiful hues of greens and reds, mesmerizing the residents fortunate enough to see them....

At first sight it looks like a mundane desk, the kind most kids spend hours completing their homework on. But flip open the top white cover and you will discover a mission control center that even NASA scientists would be proud to own. What's even more amazing is that this intricate creation is the work of a dad who understands that kids need something to look forward to, after grinding through hours of math, science and whatever else their teachers decide to assign....

Here is some good news for those of you that have been enduring below freezing temperatures for the last three months - Spring is almost here, at least as far as the clocks are concerned. That's because this weekend, most Americans will anticipate the season change by moving their clocks ahead by an hour. Also referred to as Daylight Saving or British Summer Time, this age-old tradition dates all the way back to World War One....

About four months ago, guests lunching on the pristine white sand beaches outside Greystoke Mahale, a luxury wildlife camp located on the shores of Lake Tanganyika in Africa, were treated to an unusual sight - A Great White Pelican emerging from the waters and waddling towards them....

When life gives you snow . . . make snowmen and sell them? That is exactly what a few enterprising entrepreneurs in China's Chengdu District did when they were treated to a rare snowfall on February 10th, 2014....

With Frozen's catchy song 'Let it go' winning the Oscar last night, there are bound to be numerous more parodies added to the hundreds of thousands that already exist on YouTube. However, very few will be more fun or relevant (given the recent winter storms) than the one performed on Friday, February 21st, by Bob Herzog on Cincinnati, Ohio's WKRC....