On November 24th, 2014, Samantha Cristoforetti became the first Italian woman astronaut to enter outer space. On May 3rd, the 38-year-old made history again - this time for brewing the first cup of espresso at the International Space Station! Prior to this, astronauts were resigned to getting their caffeine rush from instant coffee slurped from a pouch through a straw....
Read news articleIf you make a list of the world's top ten most challenging jobs, chances are that being a teacher will not make the cut. But think about the daunting task millions of educators face each day as they try to mold a group of often surly, unruly kids into intelligent, well-rounded individuals. That surely has to be the toughest job in the world, especially given that there is no promotion or bonus awaiting them even if they are wildly successful!...
Read news articleAs gaming moves from just a casual pastime to becoming a more significant part of our lives, researchers are getting increasingly curious to find out how it affects learning. A 2011 Michigan study indicated that playing video games sparks imagination and fosters creativity. A more recent study concluded that gamers have better visual skills and other cognitive abilities. Now there is some evidence that gaming not only augments visual skills, but also, helps speed up the learning process....
Read news articleOn Sunday May 10th, the approximately 85 million moms that reside in the United States will celebrate Mother's Day. This means a one-day role reversal, where moms get to enjoy all the things kids take for granted - like sleeping in and getting fed. While the special woman in your life is bound to be grateful for making her day special, so will the officials of the United States....
Read news articleAt first sight, Elana Schlenker's pop-up store, Less Than 100, which was open in Pittsburgh during the month of April appeared just like any other gift store. However, when shoppers went to pay, they were in for a surprise. That's because while men paid full price, women received a 24% discount....
Read news articleIn this era when baseball fans flock to cheer their favorite players even during spring training, April 29th's game between the Baltimore Orioles and Chicago White Sox was a little unusual. That's because for the first time in the history of the four major American professional sports leagues the game was played in an intentionally empty stadium....
Read news articleThe day began like any other. Muharrem, a hearing-impaired young man and his sister, who reside in Istanbul's Bağcılar neighborhood, headed out to complete some chores. Along the way, Muharrem noticed a strange phenomenon. Everyone, from the pedestrian that accidently bumped into him, to the person who sold him bagels, to even the taxi driver, communicated with him using sign language....
Read news articleOn Saturday April, 25th, a little before noon local time, the tiny landlocked country of Nepal was jolted by a massive earthquake. The 7.8 magnitude tremor that was felt across four countries and affected over 6.6 million people, is the most powerful one the country has experienced in over eight decades. Not surprisingly, it has resulted in a large number of deaths and extensive property damage....
Read news articleOn April 22, 1970, twenty million people across the United States took to the streets to ask government officials to take preventive measures to protect the environment. Today, it is a global movement that is observed by billions of people and celebrated with rallies, environmental clean-up events and pledges to undertake "green" initiatives to help the planet....
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