Marine biologists capture rare audio of narwhal buzzes, clicks, and whistles
Narwhals, the so-called unicorns of the sea, may be among the most recognizable marine animals, but they are also notoriously difficult to study due to their skittish nature and uncongenial habits. These characteristics, plus the fact that they live in one of the noisiest environments in the ocean, Read More...
Robot barista helps cafe in South Korea maintain social distancing
As South Korea recovers from the coronavirus, businesses in the country are getting creative to ensure that their customers are safe. Case in point: a café in Daejon, South Korea has hired a robot barista to take care of making and busing drinks around. Thanks to the robot, the café only has to Read More...
Indigenous people in Brazil win historic lawsuit after 24 years in court
During the 1980s, the Ashaninka tribe of Brazil had seen large swaths of its land being devastated by deforestation at the hands of lumber companies seeking to exploit the indigenous reserve for resources such as mahogany and cedar wood. Seeking justice, the tribe managed in 1996 to take the Read More...
The world’s largest all-electric aircraft is set to fly today
A future of all-electric air travel seems to be on the horizon after it was announced that the world’s largest electric plane will take to the skies today. The Cessna Caravan, retrofitted with an electric engine, is expected to fly for 20-30 minutes over Washington state in the US. The plane Read More...
Americans are finally starting to embrace the bidet
Bidet sales are up in America! Editorial confession: We’ve been hoping to write something like that for a long time. If you don’t know what a bidet is, it’s typically a small bathtub-like fixture situated next to the toilet, with taps on one end. Its tub is filled with water, and the user Read More...
Researchers use drones to study active volcanoes up close
Active volcanoes are typically something to steer clear of, but for volcanologists, it’s their job to study these dangerous phenomena. Fortunately, they are now able to get up close and personal with active volcanoes without risking their own safety with the help of drones. Led by PhD Read More...
Economists propose an “orbit tax” to solve the problem of space junk
Although it can seem like an endless void from Earth, the truth is that our near-space area is getting quite crowded, with more than half a million objects now orbiting the planet at speeds high enough to destroy satellites and do serious damage to the International Space Station. This space Read More...
Just 8 weeks of a fruit and vegetable-rich diet can improve heart health
An apple a day isn’t guaranteed to keep the doctor away, but following this philosophy is a good strategy for overall heart health. That’s according to a recently published research article from the journal Annals of Internal Medicine. The observational study looked at the data of people Read More...
Increased bike sales in the UK show cycling is here to stay
More and more people are taking advantage of walking and biking to get out of the house and safely enjoy some fresh air and for many people, biking is here to stay. Bike shops across the UK can’t stock up as fast as they’re selling out and demand for repairs has skyrocketed. Bike shops Read More...
The Optimist View: Cultivating a Circular Economy
“There is a great need for the introduction of new values in our society, where bigger is not necessarily better, where slower can be faster, and where less can be more.” – Gaylord Nelson On one of our regular family Zoom calls, my aunt asked me “what habits have you adopted during Read More...