Tags: Ryan Wallace

While Some Researchers Find Brains Who can Navigate, Others Just Can’t Find Theirs

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE News early this morning broke courtesy of a study in the journal Nature, where researchers finally discovered how brains intrinsically can navigate the body, by using what they call a “3-D neural compass”. The study conducted at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel investigated the Egyptian fruit bat and revealed a toroidal shaped grouping of neural cells within the brain that helped the bats differentiate their orientation and the place in a 3-dimensional field.

Mediterranean Diet Can Slow Aging, But What Else Can It Do?

A study published earlier yesterday, Dec. 2, in the British Medical Journal reveals that nutritional data indicates the health benefits of a so-called Mediterranean Diet high in healthy fats, boosting anti-aging in women and adding a few more years to their lifespan. But it’s not just age that the diet affects, so what else can it do?

A Bit of Mediterranean Lifestyle Could Help You Live Longer

As if we didn’t already know that life on the Mediterranean is much better for our health, than the hectic city life and fast food of metropolises, it turns out that new research published this week in the British Medical Journal reveals that a Mediterranean Diet is amongst the healthiest out there. But while you may imagine strolls on the beach and kilos of gelato to take home, like many trips to Italy undoubtedly have, the diet that Harvard researchers investigated for the study was the trademark diet known of the Mediterranean – rich in olive oils, fish, vegetables, legumes and low in sugar. With a little added touch; a glass of wine traditional with every meal. And what the researchers found is that women who follow the strictly healthy fat diet have significantly longer life spans than women who don’t have a healthy diet – keeping them younger and in better health for years more than the global average.

Earth’s Warm Streak Could Peak in a Decade, If Policymakers Don’t Change

Speed up the models and cut down on your carbon footprints, because a bit of change today could spell better weather and a better Earth only a decade away. While climatologists and researchers across all of science have in recent years discussed the long-term goals of climate change and the effects of carbon emissions, a new study published today, Dec. 2, in the journal Environmental Research Letters reveals that reductions in carbon emissions today will help shape the planet’s atmosphere in as little as 10 years, versus the 30 to 50 year models used by researchers and policymakers until now.

Class Action Lawsuit Begins—Apple Defends iTunes Policies and iPod Prices

It may just be the class-action lawsuit of the decade, but with opening statements beginning this morning, Tuesday Dec. 2, many are already beginning to question whether prosecutors have enough ammunition to go up against technology power-house Apple Inc. Calling into question the unnecessary software updates that kept iPod prices high and revolving version coming through electronics shelves, the plaintiffs began outlining their case against Apple in court today saying that in an attempt to block out competitors, the company hurt the consumer in the process.

What Drives Monkeys to Drink—The Fruit-Filled Tale Of Why We Imbibe

As a child, alcoholism was something that surrounded evolutionary physiologist Robert Dudley from the University of California Berkeley. Watching first-hand as his father descended into the addictive disease, Dudley’s first fascinations as a scientist were with what predispositions led to humans’ strong attraction to the intoxicating libations.

New Patents Reveal Changes for Google Glass Coming in 2015

Since Google released its innovative version of a technological wearable earlier this year, the Google Glass has made quite a splash in the headlines, while remaining relatively quite amongst the masses. A head-mounted device, resembling a pair of glasses, Google Glass allows people to surf the internet, take pictures, and see the world in a different light. But while Google perfected the concept, making a strange idea into a shocking reality, the first generation of the device was not too popular in mainstream America. The setback was primarily attributed to its high price-tag, in the thousands of dollars USD, which has made it virtually unobtainable to the average consumer.

Google Glass Turns to Intel for Second Generation—Bye Bye TI

Perhaps one of Google’s more ground-breaking inventions, the Google Glass has made quite a splash since it was released to consumers earlier this summer. A head-mounted device, resembling a pair of glasses, Google Glass has allowed people to surf the internet, take pictures, and see the world in a different light. But the setback was that the first generation of the device was not too popular with the masses, in that its high price-tag in the thousands made it virtually unobtainable to the average consumer. And on top of that, not everyone was quite convinced with the privacy plans put in place.

Cyber Monday Deals May Soon Include Girl Scouts Cookies

It’s a tradition nearly a century in the making, and undoubtedly one of the most recognizable times of the year – Girl Scouts cookies distribution. Thin Mints, Do-Si-Dos and Samoas, oh my! For nearly 100 years The Girl Scouts of the United States of America has instilled business values and of community in this beloved tradition. And while they have walked the walk and talked the talk, they’re looking towards a new future ahead of them by encouraging scouts to soon use the internet to sell their cookies. And with the greatest of ease, one will not only be able to order online, but also receive their orders right at their doorstep.

Wintry Weather Brings Delays for Travelers Heading Home for Turkey Day

If you were expecting your relatives to arrive this morning on the Red-Eye, you may have been disappointed to hear that just like your relatives, you’ll likely be stuck at the airport most of this Turkey Day. As it happens, winter has set in this Thanksgiving, and while it’s a bit early for snow and storms of this magnitude, America has seen hundreds of delays today when airports are at their peaks.

How Many Calories Will You Be Consuming this Thanksgiving? Think Again About Serving Seconds

Thanksgiving is here, and while many are thinking solely about the turkey and pies that'll consume the next few hours of your life, the health conscious may want to know exactly what they're getting into this turkey day. Cauliflower mashed “fauxtatoes”, Tofurkey, and crustless pumpkin pies are amongst the biggest searches at the moment, but exactly how much worse are the originals really? They taste much richer, made with cream and butter galore, but many are questioning the actual caloric intake for a traditional Thanksgiving meal. Any guesses as to how much your family’s Thanksgiving will set you back at the gym?

Turkey Day In Space—ISS Astronauts Float Through Thanksgiving

Despite having an international crew, and orbiting in a laboratory 260 miles above the surface of the Earth, astronauts aboard the International Space Station are celebrating today’s turkey day with a few of their zero-g versions of traditional Thanksgiving classics—and they’re even sharing what their thankful for with the rest of the world.

Polish “Vampires” Discovered in Crypts, and They May Have Had Cholera

For those who are avid viewers of works of independent horror films, many know that Poland is often the back-drop for some of the most terrifying tales of local folklore and blood-sucking creatures of the night. And there’s a reason behind the madness. Dating back to the 17th and 18th centuries, stories of vampires have abounded in the region, leading to a uniquely deviant form of burials that are intended to keep proposed vampires in their crypts.

Holiday Calorie Countdown Reaches New Heights—This Thanksgiving Be Thankful for the Gym

With only a day away before perhaps the most food-centric holiday of the year, Thanksgiving, many health conscious families are seeking out alternative recipes for the classics. Cauliflower mashed “fauxtatoes”, Tofurkey, and crustless pumpkin pies are amongst the biggest searches at the moment, but exactly how much worse are the originals really? They taste much richer, made with cream and butter galore, but many are questioning the actual caloric intake for a traditional Thanksgiving meal. Any guesses as to how much your family’s Thanksgiving will set you back at the gym?

You Can Teach an Old Dog New Tricks, But You Can’t Clean Up Their Drinking Habits

Any pet lover knows that it comes as no surprise to discover that dogs aren’t quite as graceful as their feline friends, the cat. While a kitten will take a hundred little sips to lap up a saucer of milk, a puppy will likely splatter the milk all over the floor before drooling out half of the contents – and we love them for that. But while you may chalk up the messy behavior to a carefree disposition or a hasty nature, behavioral ethologists who study the exquisite techniques of getting a drink have recently discovered that cats and dogs have distinct strategies of their own. And each one benefits the species in its own unique way.

Grand Canyon Wolf—Female Offers New Hope of Grand Canyon Pack’s Return

Earlier this month when news broke that an endangered gray wolf from the northern Rocky Mountains may have made its way all the way to the national forest near Grand Canyon National Park, environmentalists and national park officials questioned the highly unlikely scenario of a lone wolf returning to the park where they were driven to extinction over six decades ago. But new DNA tests, conducted on feces remnants collected by park officials, confirmed on Friday Nov. 21 that the suspect captured in pictures throughout the park since Oct. 30 is indeed a lone wolf – and a female at that.

New Astronauts Bring Taste of Italy to ISS—ISSpresso An Instant Hit

Late Sunday morning, Nov. 23, three new replacements for Expedition 42 boarded the International Space Station, bringing the orbiting space lab’s population back to full strength. But, aside from bringing some fresh blood to the research conducted on the orbiting spacecraft, and new perspectives for how life in space should be conducted on the space station, the three new astronauts brought a bit of home back with them. And it’s Italian astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti’s 44-pound carry-on that has the International Space Station salivating at the taste of Italy she brought aboard.

International Space Station Crewmembers Arrive, and Some Start With Tweets

Rounding out the crew of six, who have been short-staffed since the return of three members earlier this summer, three new replacements for Expedition 42 aboard the International Space Station arrived late Sunday, Nov. 23, bringing the orbiting space lab’s population back to full strength.

CDC Asks What’s Worse—Occasional Binging or Full-Blown Alcoholism?

Here in the U.S., with peaking numbers of DUI’s and staggering alcohol-related deaths, the government and the general public realizes that we’re facing a problem with alcohol and its effects on society. But many are left wondering, what’s worse: an occasional binge when out for a night on the town, or full-blown alcoholism? You may be surprised to find out that a new study conducted by the U.S. government’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revealed that while excessive drinking is responsible for over 88,000 deaths a year, nine out of ten Americans who drink excessively do not meet the criteria to be classified as “alcoholics”. So it’s binge drinking that’s the main culprit for these deaths.

A Kickstarter That’ll Send Memories to the Moon

In a time when space missions take the cover pages of nearly every news source, and the headlines pull readers in, the general public would be shocked to learn that many government space agencies are struggling to keep their satellites and spacecrafts up in the sky. And knowing the financial struggle all too well, a group of British researchers from the Lunar Mission Trust, a non-profit think-tank for astronomers and space buffs alike, have decided to crowd-fund their newest adventure to the moon. And with only 24 days left to go, many are questioning whether the team will be able to reach their lofty goals.

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