Sleep Researcher Details The Perfect Nap

by Talar Moukhtarian Wired.com    You’re in the middle of the afternoon, eyelids heavy, focus slipping. You close your eyes for half an hour and wake up feeling recharged. But later that night, you’re tossing and turning in bed, wondering why you can’t drift off.    That midday snooze which felt so refreshing at the …

“Life Changing” Gene Therapy Restores Vision

by Kevin Burton    Been reading with joy, a small flood of stories about people having sight restored through gene therapy.    Voretigene neparvovec, sold under the brand name Luxturna, is a gene therapy medication for the treatment of Leber congenital amaurosis, according to Wikipedia.  The US Food and Drug Administration approved Luxturna,  in December of …

Rocket Science Like You’ve Never Seen It

by Dictionary Scoop    NASA may be all about exploring space, but they have also improved life on Earth, did you know that?    For example, the sneakers you use to go for a run every week, that’s NASA’s work. The agency’s innovations have made their way into our everyday routines in surprising ways. Let’s …

Long-Lasting Innovations From Ancient Rome

by Kevin Burton    The Wednesday before Valentine’s Day I posted a story about a cruel and unusual dating ritual that came from ancient Rome.    The cruel part was men beating women with animal skins as part of a Valentine’s Day tradition. The unusual part was the women were eager for this! It was …

The Latest Ripoff: Surveillance Pricing

by Charlotte Cowles thecut.com    It’s 5 a.m. and your toddler is crying. His forehead is hot. You remember, cursing yourself, that you are out of Tylenol.    You squint at your phone and order more, selecting the quickest delivery option. Actually, that’s not soon enough. You pay the $2 fee so that it will …

Giving Women Credit Where Credit Is Due

by Dictionary Scoop    Did you know that women made many scientific contributions, but their names were hidden and their discoveries attributed to men?     This phenomenon is so common that it even has a name: the Matilda Effect. American historian of science Margaret W. Rossiter coined the term in 1993 in honor of Matilda Joslyn Gage, …

Flowing Facts About Wonderful Waterfalls

by interestingfacts.com    Waterfalls are still a scientific enigma. Though people have admired their beauty and power for years, only in the last few decades have geologists focused on the forces that give rise to them and the unique ecosystems they support.    Here’s the word on waterfalls, from the science behind them to their impact …

Illuminating Facts About The Northern Lights

by Nicole Garner Meeker interestingfacts.com    If seeing the northern lights is on your bucket list, you’re not alone. Catching a glimpse of what some call “nature’s fireworks” is an increasingly popular tourist attraction, one that beckons travelers northward toward the Arctic Circle.    Gracing the sky in streaks of green, red, and occasionally purple or …

It’s Raining It’s Pouring: Info About Rain

by Darren Orf interestingfacts.com    Rain — and by extension the Earth’s water cycle — is an essential planetary process that makes all life possible. Rain supports crops, fills lakes, and tops off reservoirs.    And because salt remains behind during evaporation, rain is also a major source of fresh water. Here are six fascinating …

Sun Dogs And Other Weather Mysteries

by Dictionary Scoop     If you’ve ever stood out in the open witnessing a double rainbow, a scary gathering storm, or stroll-stopping halo, you know how surprising nature can be. It can leave us gaping at the sights as if we were in a movie, or beholding a supernatural scene.     Some of the terms …