Jonathan the giant tortoise, famed for his exceptional longevity, was named one of Guinness World Records’ “ICONS” this year at age 194 — and he might just hold the same esteem in scientists’ eyes. The oldest-living land animal, Jonathan is believed to have hatched in 1832, making him a contemporary of Charles Darwin, Emily Dickinson, […]
Many impressive instruments have filled London’s famed Abbey Road Studios with sound over the decades, like David Gilmour’s Fender Stratocaster and Paul McCartney’s Hofner bass. But one group’s music makers may be among the most innovative — and certainly the quirkiest. The London Vegetable Orchestra uses hand-crafted vegetables as its instruments, and recently recorded a new
Strong bones are key to supporting our overall health as we age, storing vital nutrients and helping prevent serious injuries if we fall. And while getting enough calcium and vitamin D is critical for keeping them in tip-top shape, we shouldn’t overlook the role that exercise plays. Bones are living tissue, constantly breaking down and
In a quiet summer garden, a caterpillar perches on a branch, munching serenely on leaves. A moment later it freezes. It senses danger — and just in time. From behind, a wasp approaches, sizing up its prey.
Believe it or not, the massive gourd pictured above is small potatoes compared to the current Guinness World Record holder for heaviest pumpkin — but it still turned heads at an annual produce contest, where it had to be forklifted into place.
7 World Records Smashed at Giant Vegetable Competition in England Continue Reading »
I recently typed a simple question into Google search: How much screen time is too much for teenagers? Instead of presenting links, as Google had been doing for many years, it gave me an AI-generated answer. The artificial intelligence agent cited a number, then complicated that reply, noting that quality and balance of time could matter more than the number of hours, and that “too much” time could depend on a teenager’s sleep, exercise, school demands and mood.
How to Know If You Can Trust an AI’s Answer to Your Question Continue Reading »
He started by filming himself picking up litter near his apartment in Washington Heights, a neighborhood in northern Manhattan. Now, he’s raised over $55,000, rallied a network of volunteers, and transformed an entire block. Most importantly, in a time when so much feels out of our control, he’s offered people in his community — and
In the mid-19th century, some 400,000 people traversed the Oregon Trail to settle in the American west. Given that this migration occurred nearly two centuries ago, none of the settlers who made the journey are alive today — but something belonging to them purportedly is. A sourdough starter believed to date back to an 1847
The right to vote, the right to freedom of speech, the right to due process, and … the right to read? You may not think of the ability to dive into a good book as a civil right, but one nonprofit does — and it’s changing the lives of thousands of students across the country.
Can you entice kids away from screens with a screen? A new kid-friendly phone called Freckle is betting on it. The phone resembles a handheld gaming device (think Tamagotchi or Game Boy) but works like a cell — that is if your cell didn’t have social media or web access and instead had a cute
Meet Freckle: The Retro Phone Designed to Encourage Kids to Explore the World Continue Reading »
