What better way to spend an afternoon than having an old-fashioned pillow fight with total strangers? That, believe it or not, is what thousands of fun-loving adults and children across the world did on Saturday, April 1, which in addition to being Fools’ Day, also happened to be International Pillow Fight Day....
Read news articleOn April 4, the world woke up to the news that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s army had conducted airstrikes targeting the town of Khan Sheikhoun in the rebel-held province of Idlib. The attack killed 85 people, including 16 women and 23 children, and wounded over 350. Images of the victims choking and gasping for breath on social media and reports from Doctors Without Borders, which supports medical clinics in rebel-held areas, led to the conclusion that it had been a chemical attack. Experts speculate the government used sarin, a toxic nerve gas, massive exposure to which can cause instant death....
Read news articleOn June 23, 2016, the residents of the United Kingdom (UK) shocked the world by voting for the country’s exit from the European Union (EU), or “Brexit.” On March 29, almost nine months after the historic referendum, the country’s Prime Minister, Theresa May, began the official separation process with a letter to EU President Donald Tusk. It urged the remaining member states to allow the UK to leave “in a fair and orderly manner, and with as little disruption as possible on each side.”...
Read news articleIn Japan, the onset of spring is synonymous with the cherry blossom, or sakura, season. To attract some of the thousands of locals and tourists that flock to parks to see the beautiful, albeit brief, two-week bloom, many restaurants offer sakura inspired specialties....
Read news articleWhile the fact that Julia is “Sesame Street’s” first new Muppet in a decade is certainly newsworthy, that is not the only thing that makes her special. The cheery, green-eyed 4-year-old who has autism is also here to expose young kids to children with autistic traits and teach them about acceptance....
Read news articleAmerican historian Laurel Ulrich once said, “Well-behaved women rarely make history.” In celebration of Women’s History Month, here are a few of the millions of brave women that have broken all conventional rules to make a difference in the world....
Read news articleResearchers have long maintained that we sleep to accomplish a neural or physiological function that cannot be completed when awake. Why else would higher animals waste a third of their lives sleeping when they could be doing more important things like looking after their families, working, or hunting? Some scientists believe sleeping helps recharge the body, while others think it is important for consolidating newly-formed memories. Now, there is new evidence which suggests that the purpose of sleep may be to forget some of the millions of new things we learn each day....
Read news articleAs most people age, the crystalline lenses in their eyes start to stiffen and are unable to change shape as easily. As a result, objects in close range start to look blurry, forcing many middle-aged adults to carry reading glasses either around their necks or tucked away in a handbag. Those already suffering from nearsightedness, or myopia, a condition where distant objects appear blurry, have to depend on bifocals or, even worse, switch between two pairs of glasses. However, thanks to some Utah researchers there may finally be a solution — self-adjusting “smart” glasses....
Read news articleOn March 10, Professor Robert Kelly was doing what the expert on South Korea does regularly — discussing a political situation on live television with a BBC News reporter via Skype. In this case, the topic was South Korean President Park Geun-hye's unprecedented March 9th impeachment for committing “acts that violated the Constitution and laws.”...
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