Shhh! Top-Secret Reconnaissance Drone Could Make Air Force Debut in 2015

 Posted on January 18, 2023  |  2 minutes  |  392 words  |  Mittie Cheatwood

A secret, new surveillance drone has been developed by defense giant Northrop Grumman. The drone, which is designed to conduct surveillance and reconnaissance missions, could enter operational service in the U.S. Air Force by 2015, according to news reports. The classified drone, dubbed RQ-180, is being tested at Area 51, a clandestine military base in the Nevada desert that has famously been used to test different spy planes since the 1950s. [Read More]

Superbowl Surprise: A Self-Esteem Ad

 Posted on January 18, 2023  |  4 minutes  |  770 words  |  Arica Deslauriers

Though the action at Superbowl XL was typically lackluster, many tuned in less for the football than for the commercials. With an estimated audience of 90 million people, the Superbowl is seen by advertisers as the perfect place to premiere new ads and launch new branding campaigns. This year, amid the beer and Federal Express commercials, there was a surprise: an ad about girls' self-esteem. Soap maker Dove aired a spot from its " [Read More]

US officially becomes only nation to leave the Paris Climate Agreement

 Posted on January 18, 2023  |  4 minutes  |  829 words  |  Trudie Dory

As of today (Nov. 4), the U.S. will officially leave the Paris Climate Agreement, a nonbinding pact between nearly 190 nations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and curb climate change. The Trump administration began the formal process of exiting the Agreement on this day last year by filing the necessary paperwork to the United Nations, NPR reported. After a mandatory yearlong waiting period, the paperwork and renouncement have now been finalized. [Read More]

Withings Wireless Blood Pressure Monitor Review

 Posted on January 18, 2023  |  5 minutes  |  882 words  |  Patria Henriques

The Withings Wireless Blood Pressure Monitor is a device for people who want to measure their blood pressure at home, and keep track of their readings over time. The Food and Drug Administration has approved the device. The American Heart Association recommends that people who have been diagnosed with high blood pressure (hypertension)monitor their blood pressure at home. This is because home measurements can give doctors a more accurate picture of a patient's blood pressure, and help them see whether a treatment is working. [Read More]

A truck-size shark washed up on a Maine beach. How did it die?

 Posted on January 17, 2023  |  2 minutes  |  297 words  |  Mittie Cheatwood

Fishers in Bremen, Maine, discovered a deadshark the size of a pickup truck on their local shore Tuesday (Jan. 5), according to news sources. Officials with the Maine Department of Marine Resources identified the gargantuan specimen as a male basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus, which roughly translates to "biggest-nosed marine monster") and measured it at 26 feet (8 meters) long. As of today (Jan. 7), the cause of death remains unknown. [Read More]

Ancient Romans Painted Horrifying Blood-Red Warnings on Wall Across Scotland

 Posted on January 17, 2023  |  5 minutes  |  953 words  |  Fernande Dalal

The people of ancient Rome used blood red, bright yellow and stunning white paints to illustrate dire warnings on the wall that separated them from the rebellious tribespeople of Scotland, a new study shows. The painted warnings — including Roman eagles with blood-stained beaks, and the slain and decapitated bodies of the defeated victims of the victorious Roman legions — were shown alongside Latin inscriptions on carved stone slabs placed along a Roman rampart in Scotland. [Read More]

Another Cup? More Coffee Could Be Linked to Longer Life Span

 Posted on January 17, 2023  |  4 minutes  |  727 words  |  Mittie Cheatwood

Coffee lovers may not have to feel that familiar pang of guilt when pouring themselves yet another cup of joe for the day. A new study found that drinking coffee, even more than 8 cups a day, was linked with a lower risk of death within a 10-year follow-up period. However, the researchers stressed that the study only found an association with coffee and longevity and didn't prove that coffee leads to a longer life. [Read More]

Bizarre 'ice volcanoes' erupt on Lake Michigan beach

 Posted on January 17, 2023  |  3 minutes  |  569 words  |  Arica Deslauriers

Ice volcanoes spewed great plumes of water on the shores of Lake Michigan last weekend, and the National Weather Service (NWS) caught the odd phenomenon in action.  During a stroll on Oval Beach on the lake's eastern shore, located in the state of Michigan, an employee of the NWS Grand Rapids snapped a few photos of water bursting from mounds in the frigid ground. "You never know what you'll find at the lake until you go out there," [Read More]

Could the Titanic Disaster Happen Today?

 Posted on January 17, 2023  |  4 minutes  |  803 words  |  Mittie Cheatwood

A century ago on Sunday, the RMS Titanic hit an iceberg and sank to a watery grave, killing 1,514 passengers. The disaster conjures images of luxury and hubris, cowardice and heroism, as well as one haunting question: Could it happen again? In many ways, it already has, according to maritime experts. The Northern Maritime Research shipwreck database, for example, lists more than 470,000 shipwrecks in North America in the 20th century alone. [Read More]

Disaster Tourists Are Flocking to Chernobyl, Thanks to HBO Series

 Posted on January 17, 2023  |  2 minutes  |  356 words  |  Patria Henriques

The success of HBO's dramatic series "Chernobyl" seems to have boosted the region's tourism industry, with leaders of guided tours to Chernobyl claiming that bookings have increased by about 40% compared to last year, Reuters recently reported. HBO debuted the first episode of "Chernobyl" on May 6. By the end of the month, Ukrainian tour company SoloEast saw a 30% rise in tourists compared to May 2018, and bookings for June, July and August are up by about 40%, company director Sergiy Ivanchuk told Reuters. [Read More]