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Ebola has been on the public health radar for quite some time. However, the most recent epidemic, the deadliest since the disease was identified in 1976, has brought the aggressively contagious viral illness to the forefront. Researchers from all over the world have been frantically trying to find a cure. Now there appears to be a breakthrough in the form of a safe vaccine that in initial trials has proven to be extremely effective in eliminating the risk of contracting the dreaded disease....

In June, the City Council of Utrecht in The Netherlands announced that starting January 2016, a few lucky residents will receive a monthly stipend to cover their basic needs with no strings attached. That means that the recipients will have to do nothing in return and can spend the rest of their days lounging by a pool if they so wish....

At first sight, Mcity near Ann Arbor, Michigan looks just like any other U.S. town or city. However, look closer and you will notice that the buildings are merely facades and the sidewalks, eerily empty. In fact, the only things you will encounter are cars zipping around, many with no humans at the helm. Welcome to the world's first car city - a 32-acre vehicle haven created by the University of Michigan to test new automotive technology....

Anemia, a condition where the body is not producing enough healthy red blood cells to transport oxygen to the tissues is a common ailment. Caused by a diet that is deficient in iron, its symptoms range from fatigue and dizziness to weakened cognitive ability and stunted development in children....

Ever since the first book in The Hunger Games trilogy was published in 2008, fans have been fascinated by Panem's dystopian society. Now thanks to the recently opened The Hunger Games: The Exhibition, they will be able to experience it firsthand....

Food waste is a growing concern. According to a recent report by the United Nations Environmental Programme, consumers in industrialized countries waste as much as 222 million tons of food annually. To put it in perspective, that is almost equivalent to the net food production of sub-Saharan Africa. Now the residents of the small Spanish town of Galdakao have devised a simple solution to help reverse the trend - a community refrigerator!...

Earlier this year, the world rejoiced at the news that Iran had tentatively agreed to a deal that would curtail its capability to develop a nuclear program. In exchange, the United States and five other world powers promised to lift the harsh trade sanctions that have crippled the country's economy since they were imposed in 2005....

To the novice listener, the Australian Chestnut-crowned babbler's sweet melodies may sound like any other birdsong. However, to ornithologists it is a series of sounds which when combined, forms a unique bird-like vocalization or what we refer to as language. The discovery is exciting because the tiny birds are the first nonhuman species known to communicate using language....

In December 2013, Jeff Bezos, the founder, and CEO of Amazon made headlines when he announced the company's intention to use unmanned aerial vehicles or drones to make deliveries. However, while Amazon is still trying to convince the Federal Aviation Authority, Australian startup Flirtey has already made history on by completing the first-ever FAA-approved drone delivery in the USA....

Our eyes tear up for various reasons. The most common, known as basal, are involuntary tears that are continuously being released to keep the cornea moist. Then there are reflex tears that are shed when eyes are exposed to irritants like dust or onion vapor. And finally, emotional or psychic tears that pour out when one is experiencing extreme happiness or grief....

Often the most incredible innovations come in the tiniest packages. That is certainly true for the origami robots created by some Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) researchers. The microbots that made their debut earlier this summer at the International Conference on Robotics and Automation in Seattle, WA, are not just adorable. They also possess skills that may come in handy to combat human ailments....

In late April and early June, two giant eel-like fish washed ashore on the beaches of Aramoana, New Zealand and Catalina Island, California. Known as oarfish or Regalecus russelii, the colossal deep-sea creatures that measured 10-feet and 17-feet long respectively, are a rare sight. Hence the news of two appearing almost simultaneously caused much excitement and also a little trepidation....

After bidding farewell to his job as a designer for Ralph Lauren in 2011, Foster Huntington embarked on a nomadic lifestyle, traveling around the country in a Volkswagen Syncro Camper Van. To make ends meet, he worked as a photographer and blogger and even published a book called Home is Where You Park it, about his unusual lifestyle. But all good things have to come to an end. By 2014, the young man was ready to settle down in a more permanent home....

The biggest challenge faced by travelers especially those that like to disappear into the wilderness or on extensive backpacking trips is how to ensure a steady supply of clean clothes. Now thanks to an ingenious invention called Scrubba Wash Pack that worry may be a thing of the past....

There are numerous dog contests held across the world. However, very few compare to the one that takes place annually in Petaluma, California. That's because the judges at this competition are not looking for well-groomed pooches with perfect lineage. Instead, they are seeking out ones that possess inner beauty and personality and stand out due to their unusual looks. Welcome to the "World's Ugliest Dog" contest....

Most soccer players are ecstatic if they score one goal in a major tournament. So you can only imagine how Carli Lloyd must have felt after she managed to put away three goals, within just 16 minutes in the biggest game of all — The 2015 World Cup Final against Japan....

July 4, 2015 was America's 239th birthday. To celebrate the occasion, residents hosted barbecues, sought out the closest fireworks shows and . . . watched in emotions ranging from total awe to horror, as the contestants of Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest tried to outdo each other by devouring copious amounts of hot dogs in ten short minutes....

Love ice cream? Then you are going to be pleased to hear that July is National Ice Cream month. The month-long homage to everyone's favorite dessert is not a ploy by corporations to sell more ice cream, but one put into effect by President Ronald Reagan....

Any designer worth his/her salt can create a chic wedding gown using silk, satin or chiffon. But to craft one from a few rolls of toilet paper takes some talent. That, however, is exactly what the ten finalists of the 11th Annual "Toilet Paper Wedding Dress Contest" showcased on June 17, 2015....

Some people like to grow fruits, others prefer to focus on vegetables. Then there is Gavin Munro, who is partial to cultivating furniture. No, he is not a scientist with a crazy idea, but an ordinary man who is living his dream of growing "green" chairs!...

If you happen to live in the Northern Hemisphere, you may want to plan extensive activities to keep dad entertained this Father's Day. That's because June 21st happens to be the start of summer and the longest day of the year. Also known as summer 'solstice' - a Latin word for 'sun stands still', it is the day when the tilt of the Earth's semi-axis, in the northern hemisphere, is most inclined toward the sun....

The human tendency to gravitate towards people that are similar to them starts early. In school-age children, the behavior called homophily, or "love of the same" often has to do with how others dress or act. Adults tend to form groups based on social stature, professions or personalities. Turns out that forming cliques and shutting out those that are "different" is not just a human trait. South Africa's Chacma or Cape baboons display similar tendencies as well!...

To amateurs, the 1856 British Guiana One-Cent Magenta stamp that measures a mere 2.5 cm by 3.2 cm may appear to be like any other ancient postage stamp. However, for philatelists this octagonal scrap of paper that bears an illustration of a three-masted ship is a one-of-a-kind treasure, for which an avid collector recently paid $9.5 million. According to Sotheby's, the One-Cent Magenta is not just the world's most expensive stamp sold at an auction but also its most valuable object by weight and size!...

Concrete has been a significant contributor to the spread of civilization. From the Pantheon built by the Romans almost 2,000 years ago to our homes today, the concoction made from water, aggregate, and cement, is why our structures can withstand the harsh elements of nature. But this seemingly indestructible material does have an Achilles' heel - The micro-cracks that form as it dries....