Current Events for February 11, 2013Monday, February 11, 2013 at 6:37 am
Why Dung Beetles Are Always 'Reaching For The Stars'
It is a known fact that some species of the lowly dung beetle that feed off animal droppings, first form their finds into little balls and roll them away to a safe distance. However, what the scientists had never been able to figure out is how the beetle is able to navigate itself and its tasty little morsel in a straight line away from the pile of droppings where they are likely to encounter competitors. Now, thanks to a team of Swedish researchers the mystery has been at least partially solved and the answer, is causing quite a stir amongst the scientific community.
Are Micro Apartments The Future Of City Living?
The vibrant borough of Manhattan in New York City is a big draw for young professionals who want to earn a decent living and enjoy its bustling night life and amazing restaurants. Its popularity is evidenced by the fact that it now boasts over 1.8 million households that have just one or two residents. While great, this has led to a severe shortage of affordable housing given that there are only about a million studio/one bedroom apartments available.
Now Available - Airbags For Pedestrians And Cyclists!
Cycling or even walking in urban areas can be a little treacherous, thanks to the fact that one is sharing the road with vehicles that are Increasingly getting larger and heavier. A 2009 study conducted by the World Health Organization revealed that of the 1.27 million people that perish in road traffic crashes each year, about half, are pedestrians, motorcyclists and cyclists. Now there may be a solution that could provide at least some relief to protect this vulnerable group - An airbag!
The Text Message Minnesota Researchers Are Not Looking Forward To Receiving!
The moose population in Minnesota is declining sharply - And nobody knows why! Now researchers from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources have devised an innovative solution - One that will allow the moose to send them a text message but unfortunately, only after they are dead!
3D Printers Are Heading To The Moon - No Really!
To say that 3D printing technology has grown by leaps and bounds is an understatement. It has been used to build construction models, artificial limbs and even a faux car for the most recent James Bond thriller, Skyfall. Now, if the scientists at the European Space Agency and designers at British architectural firm Foster and Partners are right, it may soon be heading to the Moon!
Hi-Tech Floor Transforms Multi-Sport Gyms Into Multi, Multi Sport Gyms!
If your school is like most, chances are you have one gym that is used for maybe one or two sports - Most likely Volleyball and Basketball. And it's not because that is the maximum number of sports the gym can be scheduled for, but because all sports have different boundary lines and while the colors can be changed, it still gets a little confusing for athletes. Now, Germany's ASB Systembau has created an interactive floor that allow for the markings to be changed, instantly with a mere push of a button.
Mathematician Unveils The World's Biggest Ever Prime Number Yet - And Don't Even Think Of Memorizing This One
If you thought the world's longest word that took over three hours to say was a little lengthy, wait till you hear about this latest prime number that a US mathematician has managed to crunch up - It is, drum roll please . . . A massive 17,425,170 digits long! To put it in perspective, if you decided to hand write it at a pace of one digit per second nonstop for 12 hours, it would take more than a year. Want to print it? Get ready to use at least 5,000 - 6,000 sheets depending on the size of the paper and font!Join Class
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