These Vocabulary Words Are Out Of This World

by Dictionary Scoop    Have you ever dreamed of traveling to space?    While we are all familiar with stars, planets, moons, comets, and eclipses, there is a fascinating lexicon of lesser-known astronomical terms you have probably never heard of. Today we’ll unveil ten of these terms. 1-Magnetar    Isn’t it amazing to look up and see the …

Six Fascinating Facts About The Telephone

by interestingfacts.com    Most of us are familiar with the story of the first telephone call: On March 10, 1876, Boston University professor Alexander Graham Bell reached for the curious invention on his desk, rang up his trusty assistant, and said, “Watson, come here… I want you to look at this text.”    OK, maybe …

These Technologies Are Older Than You Think

by Dictionary Scoop    In the fast-paced world of technology, it’s easy to assume that all our gadgets and gizmos are creations of the digital age. However, some inventions have been around longer than you might think.    Prepare to be amazed as we unveil ten technologies that seem to defy the boundaries of time. …

World’s Biggest Iceberg Spins In Ocean Trap

by Jonathan Amos and Erwan Rivault BBC News    For months nowA23a, the world’s biggest iceberg,  has been spinning on the spot just north of Antarctica when really it should be racing along with Earth’s most powerful ocean current.    Scientists say the frozen block, which is more than twice the size of Greater London, …

Device Helps Blind Musicians Communicate

by Katie Geleff CBC Radio    A PhD student in Ottawa has developed a device that allows blind and low-vision students to feel music cues, replacing the need to see them.     Instead of having to follow a conductor’s baton, or a teacher’s hand gestures during a lesson, music learners can receive instruction through a …

Get Off My Lawn And Give Me The Old Songs!

by Kevin Burton    Look out kids, there may be science behind my old-man curmudgeonality.    It seems newer songs are really not like the songs of old.    Furthermore, technology is partially to blame.    I’m having a good day!   “If you feel curmudgeonly for thinking ‘They don’t make hits like they used …

Why The Metric System Doesn’t Measure Up

by Erin Blakemore National Geographic    What do Liberia, Myanmar, and the United States have in common? They use imperial measurements—feet, pounds, and miles—instead of meters, grams, and kilometers.      Critics call this shameful. The truth however, is more complicated: Though imperial units are commonly used in the U.S., the metric system is actually the …

Blind Architect Designs Accessible Spaces

by Lauren Beavis South West News Service    Emily Annakin has lost most of her sight through Stargardt disease – a form of juvenile macular degeneration which means she has no central vision.    She is now a UWE Bristol Architecture and Planning student and as part of her final degree course redesigned part of …

Surge Pricing Coming To A Wal-Mart Near You

by Kevin Burton    The Wal-Mart closest to our house is almost finished with a major remodel, including all shelves and bins and even its drive-through pharmacy.    I am guessing this is not about being tidy, but about making a tidy profit.    I think this is about surge pricing. Apps such as Uber …

Feds: Pepsi Discriminated Against The Blind

by Kevin Burton    If you’re looking for something to drink, or somewhere to work, choose Coke, not Pepsi.    According to multiple published reports, PepsiCo hired a blind man for a call center, then fired him rather than get him a screen reader – even after a state vocational rehabilitation counselor offered to buy …