Kanzi, The World's Smartest Ape!To say that Kanzi, a Bonobo ape that resides at The Great Ape Sanctuary outside Des Moines, Iowa, is smarter than a human toddler, may be understating it. That's because while human babies have to be taught everything, Kanzi has learnt his skills largely, by observing what other humans and apes are doing....
اقرأ المقالCosta Concordia - The Modern Day Titanic DisasterOn January 13th, just two hours after luxury cruise liner Costa Concordia left the Italian port of for , the final destination of its seven-day journey, it struck a rock in the Tyrrhenian Sea off the shore of the . The impact created a 160-foot long gash in her hull, causing water to gush in at an alarming speed....
اقرأ المقالRare Spider Silk Cape Shimmers like GoldMadagascar, an island country located in the Indian Ocean is known for many things - its namesake super hit movies, beautiful beaches, amazing wildlife and . . . . . . . Golden Orb Weaver Spiders. While these arachnids are similar to the rest of their species, they have one unusual talent - Their silk shimmers like gold!...
اقرأ المقالNew Zealand's Struggle To Save Beached Whales Ends With Mixed ResultsOn Monday, January 23rd, a pilot flying over New Zealand saw what is unfortunately starting to become a common sight - A large pod of stranded whales struggling to survive, at the base of Farewell Spit in Golden Bay, located in the country's South Island. Since then, over two hundred volunteers have been working day and night, to keep the mammals warm, and help them refloat. The saga finally ended on Wednesday morning, with mixed results....
اقرأ المقالChina Celebrates 'Year Of The Dragon'Today, millions of Chinese people all over the world will celebrate the first day of the Chinese or Lunar New Year - the longest and most significant of all traditional Chinese Festivals. Also known as the Spring Festival, it is a four thousand year-old tradition that began as a way to mark the end of the dreary winter season and beginning of spring....
اقرأ المقالWhy Intel Science Challenge Semi-Finalist Samantha Garvey Is Already A WinnerOn Jan 12th, Intel announced the semi-finalists of its 2012 Annual Science Talent Search. Among the 300 high school seniors was Samantha Garvey, a bright 17-year old, who currently also happens to be, homeless....
اقرأ المقالRemembering The Legacy Of Martin Luther King Jr.Today, people all over the USA will celebrate the life, legacy and dream of Martin Luther King Jr., a Baptist clergyman turned civil rights leader who galvanized the country with his vision that people should be judged by the content of their character not, the color of the skin....
اقرأ المقالSelf-Cleaning Jeans Could Be In Your Future!Imagine if 'doing' laundry meant wearing your dirty clothes and lounging in the sun. If researchers from China's Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Hubei University of Nationalities have their way, that may actually be a reality, in the not so distant future....
اقرأ المقالNepal's Elephants Take Time Off From 'Work' To Frolic!Nepal's majestic elephants rarely get a break - That's because these hard-working mammals are constantly transporting tourists across the protected jungles of Chitwan. However, during the last week of December, the Pachyderms got a three-day break to have some fun and show off their athletic talents and physical attributes....
اقرأ المقالHarbin's Spectacular Snow And Ice Festival Celebrates 28th Year'When life gives you lemons, make lemonade' - This certainly seems to be the motto of the people of Harbin, one of China's coldest cities, where temperatures can dip as low as -4° Fahrenheit (-20° Celsius). That's because instead of hibernating during the coldest months of the year, they host one of the world's largest and most spectacular Ice and Snow Festivals....
اقرأ المقالThe First Day Of Winter (Or Summer) Is HereDepending on the hemisphere you live in late today or early tomorrow - December 22nd, will be the first day of Winter or Summer. Also known as Winter (Summer) Solstice it is the shortest day of the year for those living in the Northern Hemisphere and the longest for the lucky folks in the Southern Hemisphere....
اقرأ المقالThe Eight-Day Festival Of Hanukkah Begins TodayHanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is an eight-day Jewish festival whose date is based on the Hebrew calendar and therefore, varies annually. This year, the 25th day of the month of Kislev, which is when the holiday begins, happens to fall today - December 20th, 2011....
اقرأ المقالSweden's Ice Hotel Is Open For BusinessLooking for something offbeat to do this Christmas vacation? How about the Ice Hotel? Located in the village of Jukkasjarvi, 200 km north of the Arctic Circle in Sweden, it is as the name indicates, built entirely from ice blocks lugged in from the nearby Torne River....
اقرأ المقالPolish Salt Miners Create An Underground Architectural WonderWhile today salt is a cheap commodity, such was not the case in the Middle Ages, when refrigerators were not yet invented and the only way to preserve food was by packing it in salt. Hence, it was not surprising that salt mines were worth their weight in gold - Literally....
اقرأ المقالCan Festivals Get Any Crazier Than These?A buffet for monkeys, a tomato throwing extravaganza, a wife carrying contest! Welcome to some of the world's most unusual festivals - While some are steeped in tradition, others are held just because they are a lot of fun....
اقرأ المقال2 Apps And A Startup - And He's Only 12!To say that Southern California tween Thomas Suarez is a tech wunderkind is an understatement. While most sixth graders are still trying to figure out how to manage middle school schedules, this youngster has developed two successful iPhone Apps and is in the process of establishing a company, all while managing a full load of school work....
اقرأ المقالLiquid Robotics Plans To Network Our OceansThe beautiful oceans that cover three-quarters of our planet are home to some of our most valuable natural resources. However, while our knowledge of outer space is quite extensive, the same cannot be said about the deep waters, thanks to the fact that any attempts to monitor them has either been too cumbersome or too expensive. Now, California-based Liquid Robotics has come up with an innovative invention that is both economical and easily deployable across the waters....
اقرأ المقالGecko-Inspired Adhesive Tape Can Hold Up An Adult And Be Re-Used!The unassuming gecko - That tiny lizard that seems to scamper around any surface in gravity-defying positions, has intrigued scientists for many years. In the past, this amazing ability has been duplicated by researchers to create wall-scaling robots and now, a team of scientists from Germany have come up with a gecko inspired adhesive tape, that can be re-used thousands of times....
اقرأ المقالMock Mission To Mars Is A SuccessOn June 3rd 2010, six brave astronauts bid adieu to their family and friends and launched off to Mars - This of course was not an actual mission to the Red Planet, but a simulated journey that entailed confining them inside a sealed five-capsule 1000sq.ft. unit, for 520 days....
اقرأ المقالThis Weekend - Plan On Getting Some Extra ZZZZ'sHad a long tiring week? Then you are in luck, for this weekend is 'Fall Back', which means that on Sunday, November 7th, North Americans will add an extra hour to their day, by moving the clocks back. This age-old tradition that dates all the way back to World War One, is observed in other parts of the world too - However, the date differs, with most changing their clocks about a month ealier....
اقرأ المقالOctopus Use Coconut Shells As Mobile Home And ArmorMost of us think of the Octopus as an eight-legged mollusk that spends its days wriggling around with its snake-like arms. However, not only does this intelligent animal have a razor-sharp memory, it has also, been known to maneuver through mazes and even try escape from tanks....
اقرأ المقالRay Villafane - Pumpkin Carver ExtraordinaireWhile many people can carve impressive pumpkins, very few can match the extraordinary works of art created by Arizona-based sculptor, Ray Villafane. The two-time winner of Food Network's Outrageous Pumpkin Challenge, does not just carve pumpkins - He magically turns the fruit into 3-D sculptures - Ghoulish ones of course....
اقرأ المقالJapan's Team Tokai Wins The 2011 Veolia World Solar ChallengeOn Sunday October 16, thirty-nine teams representing 21 countries, gathered in Darwin, Australia, to compete in the 2011 Veolia World Solar Challenge. The biennial 1,860 mile race is often called one of the world's greatest scientific adventures - One in which contestants battle the harsh conditions of the Australian Outback, behind the wheels of a solar-powered car....
اقرأ المقالMore Satellite Debris Freefalling To Earth This WeekendAbout three weeks ago, we all awaited with abated breath as American satellite UARS hurtled back to earth - Fortunately, it crashed in such a remote area that it took the scientists three days to locate the debris. Now, another satellite is making its way back and once again, scientists have no clue where the debris will end up!...
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