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From disability services advocates to civil rights march organizers, this book introduces remarkable individuals whose contributions to social justice were often overlooked. Colorful spreads full of photographs and sidebars support reader engagement and celebrate each hero's achievements.

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Unsung Heroes of Social Justice - Flipbook by The Creative Company | FlipHTML5

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Juneteenth-Book-Test - Flipbook by lnjefferson | FlipHTML5

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The Fight for Civil Rights in the South - Flipbook by mrosenzweig | FlipHTML5

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Civil Rights Leaders - Flipbook by Kesidang Laguna Merbok | FlipHTML5

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This fun, fact-filled book for kids ages 6-9 is the ultimate guide to Ancient Rome, from gladiators to amphitheaters. Entertaining and educating young readers through a combination of close-up images, quirky trivia facts, quiz questions, and fascinating tidbits, it's the perfect book for any kid who can't get enough of this remarkable civilization.

How many miles did Roman soldiers walk in a day? Which pungent food did they eat to stay healthy? What is a strigil and what did the Romans use it for? Find out the answers to these questions and more in DKfindout! Ancient Rome, which features photographs of Roman artifacts and relics, as well as maps and illustrations depicting the structure of their society, from slaves to emperors. This book explores every facet of Ancient Rome's iconic culture, including its many gods and goddesses, its Roman numeral counting system, and its most well-known architectural features, like domes, columns, and arches. From temples to togas, DKfindout! Ancient Rome details this civilization's lasting impact in a unique and fun way.

Vetted by educational consultants, the DKfindout! series drives kids ages 6-9 to become experts on more than 30 of their favorite STEM- and history-related subjects, whether Vikings, volcanoes, or robots. This series covers the subjects that kids really want to learn about-ones that have a direct impact on the world around them, like climate change, space exploration, and rapidly evolving technology-making learning fun through amazing images, stimulating quizzes, and cutting-edge information. The DKfindout! series is one that kids will want to turn to again and again.

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Ancient Rome (DK findout!) - Flipbook by junskiefranco | FlipHTML5

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This fun, fact-filled book for kids ages 6-9 is the ultimate guide to Ancient Rome, from gladiators to amphitheaters. Entertaining and educating young readers through a combination of close-up images, quirky trivia facts, quiz questions, and fascinating tidbits, it's the perfect book for any kid who can't get enough of this remarkable civilization.

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The Vikings - Flipbook by PUSAT SUMBER SMK (P) METHODIST KLANG | FlipHTML5

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Looking for The Vikings? Read The Vikings from PUSAT SUMBER SMK (P) METHODIST KLANG here. Check 195 flipbooks from PUSAT SUMBER SMK (P) METHODIST KLANG. PUSAT SUMBER SMK (P) METHODIST KLANG's The Vikings looks good? Share The Vikings online.

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JE-Vikings - Flipbook by Nextquisite | FlipHTML5

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Explore an illustrated history of the world through over 140 timelines for kids. From dinosaurs and Vikings to the history of cinema and espionage, discover incredible world history in this lavish collection of timelines.

Jam-packed with surprising facts and amazing details, such as the most bloodthirsty pirate of all time and the first crime to be solved by studying fingerprints, Timelines of Everything will take you on a whirlwind journey through an illustrated history of time, from the Big Bang to the modern world.

More than 140 timelines give you all the general knowledge you need - and even some surprising trivia you don't! Must-know topics and alternative history are showcased with beautiful, detailed illustrations and straightforward, easy-to-read text. Whether you want to know key breakthroughs that set the Industrial Revolution in motion or defining moments in the history of fashion, you'll find it all here. With timelines on a diverse range of subjects, Timelines of Everything is the ultimate guide to history for kids.

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timelines of everything (dk smithsonian)

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Timelines of Everything (DK Smithsonian) - Flipbook by junskiefranco | FlipHTML5

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Explore an illustrated history of the world through over 140 timelines for kids. From dinosaurs and Vikings to the history of cinema and espionage, discover incredible world history in this lavish collection of timelines.

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9–1 leaders during the american revolution

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9-1 LEADERS DURING THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION - Flipbook by | FlipHTML5

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Black History Month - Flipbook by num1teechr | FlipHTML5

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Learn all about Martin Luther King, Jr., Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, and other great African-American icons who helped pave the way for equality. The child is the proud star of this educational, beautifully illustrated book.

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ab1026: all about me - black history and me

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AB1026: All About Me - Black History and Me - Flipbook by Fields Manufacturing | FlipHTML5

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Joe Biden is sworn in as the 46th President of the United States (Credit: Sgt. Charlotte Carulli/ Public domain,/Wikimedia Commons)

Just before noon (EST) on January 20, 2021, Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. placed his hand on a 127-year-old family Bible, which has followed his entire career, and took the Presidential oath of office to "preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States of America." The inauguration ceremony of America's 46th President came just moments after Kamala D. Harris took her oath of office and became the first woman and first person of color to hold the country's second-highest office.

In his inaugural speech to the nation, President Biden outlined his vision to defeat the pandemic, build back better, and unify and heal the nation. "This is our historic moment of crisis and challenge," the leader said. "Unity is the path forward. And we must meet this moment as the United States of America. If we do that, I guarantee you we will not fail."

"Today at this time, let's start afresh all of us," the president continued. "Politics doesn't have to be a raging fire destroying everything in its path. Every disagreement doesn't have to be a cause for total war. We must end this uncivil war that pits red against blue. Rural against urban, conservative against liberals."

Kamala Harris takes the oath of office to become the nation's first female, first black, and first Asian-American Vice President (Credit: Sgt. Charlotte Carulli/Public domain/Wikimedia Commons)

President Biden's national address culminated the hour-long proceedings that began with an invocation prayer delivered by Reverend Leo O' Donovan and a recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance by Andrea Hall - the first African American female captain of the Fire-Rescue Department in South Fulton, Georgia. The National Anthem was sung by none other than American singer, songwriter, and actress Lady Gaga.

While all were impressive, it was the nation's first youth poet laureate and the youngest-known inaugural poet, Amanda Gorman, who stole the show. The 22-year-old told the Associated Press that the poignant lyrics of her poem, "The Hill We Climb," aimed to deliver a message of hope without ignoring "the evidence of discord and division." Jennifer Lopez provided a strong finish with a medley of patriotic songs that included "This Land is Your Land" and "America the Beautiful."

Following the swearing-in ceremony, President Biden and Vice President Harris and their spouses, made their way to the Arlington National Cemetery to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. President Biden and the First Lady, Dr. Jill Biden, were then escorted to the White House - their home for the next four years.

Though the inauguration of America's 46th Commander in Chief followed the usual tradition, it was like none other experienced before. Due to the security risks following the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol and the raging COVID-19 pandemic, there were no large crowds to greet the incoming leader at the National Mall. Tickets to the inauguration were also limited. Members of Congress, who are usually given a total of 200,000 tickets to distribute to constituents, were only allowed to bring one guest each.

The National Mall was adorned with flags representing inaugural attendees who were unable to attend in person due to security reasons and the pandemic (Credit: U.S. Customs and Border Protection/ Public domain,/ Wikimedia Commons)

The pandemic also caused the customary inaugural balls to be replaced with a 90-minute live television special. Called "Celebration America," it featured inspiring messages from President Biden and Vice President Harris, tributes to COVID-19 first responders, and performances by a slew of celebrities, including Justin Timberlake and John Legend. The evening's festivities ended with a spectacular fireworks show over the National Mall.

Resources: Wikipedia.org, theguardian.com, NBCwashington, CNN.com

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Joe Biden And Kamala Harris Sworn In As President And Vice President Of The United States Of America

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Just before noon (EST) on January 20, 2021, Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. placed his hand on a 127-year-old family Bible, which has followed his entire career, and took the Presidential oath of office to "preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States of America."

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Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and President-elect Joe Biden with their extended family at the victory speech on Saturday, November 7, 2020 (Credit: Kamala Harris/Facebook)

After almost a week of painstaking ballot counting, Joseph R. Biden Jr. was elected president of the United States on Saturday, November 7, 2020. The Associated Press - which bases its determination on freelance local reporters who accumulate vote counts from clerks in every county of the 50 states - announced that the former vice president had secured 290 electoral college votes, 20 more than the 270 needed to be selected the country's president.

As of Saturday, Mr. Biden had also garnered a record 74.5 million votes - the highest number of votes cast for a presidential candidate since President Barack Obama, who received 69,498,516 votes in 2008. Meanwhile, President Trump's 70.3 million popular votes established a new record for the most votes received by any incumbent president.

Shortly after the results were made public, president-elect Biden tweeted, "America, I'm honored that you have chosen me to lead our great country. The work ahead of us will be hard, but I promise you this: I will be a President for all Americans - whether you voted for me or not. I will keep the faith that you have placed in me."

Mr. Joe Biden will be the nation's oldest president when he takes office in January 2021 (Credit: JoeBiden.com)

Mr. Biden's historic victory came 48 years - to the day - after he first won a Delaware Senate seat, which he held on to for 36 years, at the tender age of 29 on November 7, 1972. This was the veteran politician's third run for the nation's highest office. His first attempt in 1988 ended early in the campaign. His second unsuccessful bid in 2008 led to the vice-presidential ticket for former President Barack Obama.

Mr. Biden, who turns 78 on November 20, 2020, will be the country's oldest president when he enters the Oval Office in January 2021. Prior to him, America's oldest president was Donald Trump, who was 70 years old when he was elected in November 2016.

The president-elect is not the only one making history. Kamala Harris is the first woman, the first Black woman, and the first person of Indian descent to be elected vice president. Fittingly, her victory comes on the 100th anniversary of women winning the right to vote. Meanwhile, her husband, Douglas Emhoff, will be the nation's first Second Gentleman and the first Jewish spouse of a US president or vice president.

Vice president-elect Kamala Harris with her husband, Douglas Emhoff, holding up their ballots for the 2020 presidential election (Credit: Kamala Harris/Facebook)

In her November 7, 2020, victory speech in Wilmington, Delaware, Ms. Harris said, "While I may be the first woman in this office, I will not be the last. Because every little girl watching tonight sees that this is a country of possibilities."

The Biden-Harris team's transition to the White House may not be as smooth as it has been for previous incoming leaders. President Trump, who has thus far refused to make a concession speech or even acknowledge Mr. Biden's win, firmly believes there was widespread voter fraud. His legal team has filed lawsuits contesting the results in several states, including Georgia, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Michigan, and also requested a ballot recount in Wisconsin.

Many of the challenges have already been dismissed due to lack of proof, and legal experts believe those that have gained some traction are unlikely to impact the presidential race outcome. Whether they are right remains to be seen, but, for now, most Americans and world leaders believe Mr. Biden will be the country's next president.

Resources: CNN.com, CBSnews.com, NPR.com, Western Herald.com, Guardian.com

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Joe Biden Elected 46th President Of The United States

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After almost a week of painstaking ballot counting, Joseph R. Biden Jr. was elected president of the United States on Saturday, November 7, 2020. The Associated Press - which bases its determination on freelance local reporters who accumulate vote counts from clerks in every county of the 50 states - announced that the former vice president had secured 290 electoral college votes, 20 more than the 270 needed to be selected the country's president.

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Justice Clarence Thomas (R) administered the oath of office to Amy Coney Barrett on October 26, 2020, at the White House, alongside President Donald Trump (Credit: The White House/ Wikimedia Commons/ Public Domain)

On October 26, 2020, the US Senate voted 52-48 to confirm Judge Amy Coney Barrett as the 115th Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court. The 48-year-old, who was nominated for the lifetime appointment by President Trump on September 26, 2020, will fill the vacancy left behind by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died from complications of pancreatic cancer on September 18, 2020.

Justice Barrett is the youngest person and only the fifth woman to serve on the nation's highest court. The mother of seven children, aged 8 to 19, is also the first female Supreme Court Justice with school-aged children.

During her October 26, 2020, ceremonial constitutional oath ceremony at the White House, Ms. Barrett said, "My fellow Americans, even though we judges don't face elections, we still work for you. It is your Constitution that establishes the rule of law and the judicial independence that is so central to it. The oath that I have solemnly taken tonight means at its core that I will do my job without any fear or favor and that I will do so independently of both the political branches and of my own preferences."

President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump meet with Justice Barrett, her husband Jesse, and her seven children in the Oval Office of the White House on September 26, 2020 (Credit: Official White House Photo by Andrea Hank/Public Domain)

The oldest of seven children, Ms. Barrett grew up in Metairie, a suburb of New Orleans, LA. After graduating magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa - the country's highest academic honor - with an undergraduate degree in English from Rhodes College in 1994, she went on to pursue law on a full-tuition scholarship at Notre Dame Law School.

Ms. Barrett graduated at the top of her class in 1997 and spent the next two years honing her skills as a judicial law clerk for Judge Laurence Silberman of the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit and Justice Antonin Scalia of the US Supreme Court. She then joined a boutique law firm specializing in litigation in Washington, DC, before returning to her alma mater, Notre Dame, as a law professor in 2002. Known for her sharp intellect and inclusiveness, Ms. Barrett was extremely popular with students and voted professor of the year multiple times. In 2017, President Trump selected Ms. Barrett to serve as a judge on the US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, a position she held until her recent appointment to the US Supreme Court.

Resources: Vox.com, Wikipedia.org, NPR.org

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Meet Amy Coney Barrett, The US Supreme Court's Youngest Justice

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On October 26, 2020, the US Senate voted 52-48 to confirm Judge Amy Coney Barrett as the 115th Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court. The 48-year-old, who was nominated for the lifetime appointment by President Trump on September 26, 2020, will fill the vacancy left behind by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died from complications of pancreatic cancer on September 18, 2020.

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Juneteenth is the oldest celebration honoring the end of slavery in the United States (Credit:Galveston.com)

June 19, 2020, marks the 155th anniversary of Juneteenth - a mashup of June and nineteenth - the oldest-known celebration commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. It was on this day in 1865 when the last American slaves - a group of people in Texas - finally learned that slavery had been abolished and that they were free.

The chain of events leading to this historic day began with on January 1, 1863, when President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. It stated: "I do order and declare that all persons held as slaves within said designated States, and parts of States, are, and henceforward shall be free; and that the Executive government of the United States, including the military and naval authorities thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of said persons."

President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863 (Credit: Battlefields.org)

The decree, issued amid the American Civil War (1861-1865), legally freed millions of enslaved people in the 11 Confederate States - Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. However, the Union-loyal border states of Delaware, Maryland, Missouri, and Kentucky were exempted and continued to practice slavery. The 13th Amendment, passed by Congress on January 31, 1865, and ratified on December 6, 1865, closed the loophole, abolishing slavery across the United States.

The two laws freed all but the 250,000 enslaved people in Texas who had only heard unconfirmed rumors about the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation. It was not until June 19, 1865 - about three months after the Civil War ended on April 9, 1865, and almost two and a half years since President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation - that Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger of the Union Army arrived in Galveston, Texas, and announced General Order No. 3.

It stated: "The people of Texas are informed that in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired laborer."

A portion from the handwritten General Order No. 3 issued by Union Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger on June 19, 1865, that led to the Juneteenth holiday in Texas (National Archives/National Archives )

A year later, on June 19, 1866, the former slaves celebrated their new freedom with community cookouts, dances, and prayers, and Juneteenth was born. Over time, Emancipation Day, or Black Independence Day, as it is also called, has been observed in varying degrees in most US states and was even declared a holiday in Texas in 1980. However, it has been poorly understood outside of the African American community and overshadowed by the July 4th Independence Day celebration.

But the recent outcry against police abuse of African Americans and the growing awareness of systemic racism in US businesses and institutions has brought forth the national significance of Juneteenth. In the weeks leading to the day, many American companies, including Twitter and Nike, declared June 19 a paid holiday for all employees. Earlier this week, three governors - New York's Andrew Cuomo, Virginia's Ralph Northam, and Pennsylvania's Tom Wolf - signed orders making Juneteenth a holiday for state workers starting 2021. On June 19, 2020, New York Mayor de Blasio went one step further by making it a citywide and public school holiday starting next year. "We'll work with all the unions to work through the plan, give this day the importance and recognition it deserves," Mr. de Blasio said. "Every city worker, every student will have an opportunity to reflect the meaning of our history and the truth."

An Emancipation Day celebration in Richmond, Virginia, in 1905 (Credit: VCU Libraries / Public domain)

While this is a great start, it is not enough for 93-year-old Opal Lee, who has been campaigning to make Juneteenth a national holiday for over four decades. On Friday, June 19, 2020, the Fort Worth, Texas, resident continued her fight by marching 2.5 miles down West Lancaster Avenue - a distance symbolizing the 2.5 years it took for slaves in Texas to realize they had been freed. Lee has also taken her cause online with a petition for a million signatures on Change.org. So far, over 600,000 people have signed up, and the numbers are increasing by the minute.

Peniel Joseph, a professor at the University of Texas at Austin's Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affair is also a proponent of June 19 being a national holiday. In his June 13, 2020, op-ed for CNN, the expert wrote: "A national holiday commemorating Juneteenth would spur not only conversation about the origins of our current racial and political conflicts, but would also prompt vitally necessary education about white supremacy and its manifestations in policies and political actions that are anti-Black, anti-democratic and anti-human."

Resources: Vox.com, Patheous.com, LAtimes.com, NBCnews.com

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Understanding The Significance Of Juneteenth

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June 19, 2020, marks the 155th anniversary of Juneteenth - a mashup of June and nineteenth - the oldest-known celebration commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. It was on this day in 1865 when the last American slaves - a group of people in Texas - finally learned that slavery had been abolished and that they were free.

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A model of the 17th century pirate ship, Whydah (Credit: Whydah Pirate Museum)

The 1984 discovery of the Whydah Galley - the only fully verified and authenticated pirate shipwreck of the Golden Age of Piracy (1650-1720) ever found - has yielded an enormous treasure trove of artifacts. However, any evidence of its legendary captain Samuel, or "Black Sam," Bellamy has proved elusive. That may change soon thanks to the recent discovery of six skeletons found embedded in the ancient wreck's compacted masses of matter.

Born in Devon, England, in 1689, Bellamy came to Cape Cod, Massachusetts, in 1715, in an alleged attempt to find relatives. In early 1716, the skilled sailor left with a group of men to seek out the booty from the wreckage of the 1715 Treasure Fleet - 11 treasure-laden Spanish ships, which sank after encountering a powerful hurricane off Florida's central coast on July 11, 1715.

Thousands of gold and silver coins were recovered from the Wyndah's shipwreck (Credit: Whydah Pirate Museum)

When the treasure failed to materialize, the team turned to piracy, and under the leadership of Benjamin Hornigold, began looting merchant ships in the Bahamas. However, after the British-born captain repeatedly refused to attack English ships, the crew voted him out and appointed Bellamy the captain in the summer of 1716. In a little over a year, Bellamy managed to take over 53 ships and become the wealthiest pirate in history.

The marauder ran a democratic ship where everyone was treated equally, and all decisions were made in unison. He also treated his prisoners fairly and often returned captured ships and cargo if they didn't suit his purpose. In a famous speech, Bellamy, who called himself the "Robinhood of the Sea," scorned the wealthy merchants he looted, saying: "They rob the poor under the cover of law, forsooth, and we plunder the rich under the protection of our own courage."

A perfectly preserved bell inscribed with "THE WHYDAH GALLY 1716" is among the many treasures found on the pirate shipwreck (Credit: Whydah Pirate Museum)

Bellamy and his crew captured the Whydah - a British passenger, cargo, and slave ship - in the Bahamas on the return leg of its maiden voyage in February 1717. The vessel had already offloaded its human cargo and was carrying a load of sugar and indigo. Bellamy's crew rapidly retrofitted the ship and filled it with valuables collected from the over fifty ships they had plundered. This included fifteen thousand gold and silver coins and some intricately-carved gold jewelry - the earliest-known example of such ornaments - from the Akan people, who lived in the southern regions of present-day Ghana and Ivory Coast in West Africa. Little did Bellamy realize that the Whydah would be his last victory.

On April 17, 1717, the ship, engulfed in thick fog off the Massachusetts coast, hit a sandbar and capsized, killing all but six of the 144 crew, including its charismatic 28-year-old captain. It lay in its watery grave - buried between 10 and 50 feet of sand - for over 260 years, until underwater archaeological explorer Barry Clifford stumbled upon it in 1984. Since then, Clifford and his team have excavated over 200,000 individual pieces of priceless artifacts, currently on display at the Whydah Pirate Museum in West Yarmouth, Massachusetts.

In 2018, the researchers also found a leg bone that they speculated may belong to Bellamy. However, DNA analysis revealed that the femur was that of a crew member of Eastern Mediterranean descent. Whether any of the recently-found bones belong to Bellamy remains to be seen. However, they have succeeded in reviving public interest in the fascinating tale of the legendary "Prince of Pirates!"

Resources: Smithsonianmag.com, CNN.com,Wikipeida.org, Huffpost.com

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Six Skeletons Discovered Inside Ancient Shipwreck Helmed By Legendary Pirate Samuel Bellamy

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The 1984 discovery of the Whydah Galley - the only fully verified and authenticated pirate shipwreck of the Golden Age of Piracy (1650-1720) ever found - has yielded an enormous treasure trove of artifacts. However, any evidence of its legendary captain Samuel, or "Black Sam," Bellamy has proved elusive.

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Texas was hard hit by a brutal freeze that caused record low temperatures across the US (Credit: Matthew T Rader/CC BY-SA 4.0/Wikipedia Commons)

The deadly winter storm, which swept across 22 states - from Texas to Maine - the week of February 14, 2021, delivered large amounts of snow and ice, and established numerous low-temperature records. While over 140 million Americans were impacted, Texas was particularly hard hit. The Arctic chill caused about 60 percent of the state's energy sources to go offline and water pipes to freeze and burst, leaving millions without electricity and water.

While the brutal weather tested Texans' mettle, it also brought out the best in humanity. Here are a few of the many heartwarming acts of kindness reported throughout the week.

Homeowners shelter stranded delivery driver

When Chelsea Timmons left home on February 14, 2021, she had her day perfectly planned. The Houston-based math teacher, who augmented her income by making home grocery deliveries on weekends, intended to complete all her runs in the morning and spend the afternoon relaxing with some chocolates and a glass of wine. However, the weather turned for the worse just as she reached her last delivery at 11:00 am, and her car stalled, making it impossible to complete the three-hour drive home. Upon hearing her dilemma, the homeowners, Nina Richardson and Doug Condon, immediately invited Timmons inside, initially to wait for the AAA tow truck, and then, as the weather worsened, to stay the night.

Chelsea Timmons spent five days with Nina Richardson and Doug Condon during the storm (Credit: Chelsea Timmons/Facebook)

Timmons suggested moving into a hotel as the storm lingered on, but Richardson and Condon refused to consider the idea. "Every morning, when I suggested leaving to a hotel, [they say], 'Could you make it there safely? What would you eat? What if they lose power? Isn't the guest room better than the Hampton Inn?'" she wrote in her Facebook post. "They basically have refused to let me leave. Every morning after they say, 'No worries, stay a bit longer,' I go to 'my' room and shed tears of joy."

The educator was finally able to return home five days later on Friday, February 19, 2021. Timmons says she will forever be grateful to Richardson and Condon for opening their doors to a complete stranger during a pandemic and sharing their meals when food was in short supply.

Truck owner rescues over 500 strangers from icy roads

On February 14, 2021, Austin resident Ryan Sivley was on his way to the neighborhood store to stock up on some storm essentials when he noticed many vehicles stranded on the roadside. "It was like a sea of cars," he told the Washington Post. "Some people were stuck in snowbanks and ditches."

Fortunately, Sivley, who owns a four-wheel drive 2010 Chevrolet Silverado nicknamed, "The Beast," was fully-equipped with hooks, chains, and recovery tow straps, capable of pulling over 40,000 pounds. "I had all my gear, so I thought, 'let me just help," he said. In most cases, Sivley secured the vehicle to his truck and towed it to an area where the owner could safely drive away. However, in some instances, the 40-year-old pulled the cars all the way to the final destination. By the end of the day, the endeavor to help a few stuck vehicles had turned into a full-on rescue mission involving hundreds of cars. "I went from helping one person to three people, to five people," Sivley said. "At 434 cars, I stopped counting. So many people are still stranded."

Ryan Sivley helped tow over 500 people on February 14, 2021 (Credit: Ryan Sivley)

While that would have been enough for most people, Sively was just getting started. Over the week, he transported hundreds of healthcare workers to and from work and helped relocate residents who did not have electricity and running water. As news of his generosity spread, other truck owners reached out, and Sivley was soon managing a network of rescuers. The best part? While some people helped pay for the gas, Sivley never asked to be compensated for all the hard work he did!

Volunteers rescue thousands of sea turtles

The freezing weather particularly impacted the five endangered sea turtle species found in the Gulf of Mexico off the Texas shore. Unable to regulate their own body temperatures, the cold-blooded creatures remain awake but lose their ability to move when water temperatures fall below 50° Fahrenheit (10° Celsius). The condition, called "cold stun," often causes the turtles to die due to injury, stranding, or drowning. To prevent that from happening, hundreds of volunteers braved the freezing weather and rescued more than 4,500 turtles throughout the week.

The animals, sheltered in a combination of tarps, kiddie pools, and boxes at Sea Turtle Inc., a nonprofit education, rehabilitation, and conservation organization in South Padre Island, are now gradually being released back into the ocean. "After an exhaustive 24-hour effort that went through the night and has just ended this morning, Sea Turtle Inc. was successfully able to release more than 2,200 previously cold-stunned turtles into the open ocean of the Gulf of Mexico," the nonprofit said in a February 21, 2021, Facebook post.

While this week's balmy 70° Fahrenheit (21° Celsius) temperatures have melted the snow and ice, recovery from the vicious winter storm will take some time. Though the power has mostly been restored across the state, millions remain without running, or safe drinking, water due to damaged pipes. However, with support from the federal government - which has promised to do everything possible to help the state's hardest-hit residents and to rebuild public infrastructure - we have little doubt that the Lone Star State will recover from this natural disaster in no time.

Stay Strong, Texas!

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How Texans Stepped Up To Help One Another During The Brutal Freeze

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The deadly winter storm, which swept across 22 states - from Texas to Maine - the week of February 14, 2021, delivered large amounts of snow and ice, and established numerous low-temperature records. While over 140 million Americans were impacted, Texas was particularly hard hit.

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Chinese New Year will be celebrated on February 12, 2021 (Credit: Chinatravel.com)

On February 12, 2021, over a billion people in China and millions worldwide will celebrate the first day of the Chinese New Year. Also known as the Lunar New Year, or Spring Festival, the exact date of the 15-day commemoration, which marks the end of winter, is determined by the lunar calendar. It falls somewhere between late January to mid-February each year.

The over 3,500-year-old holiday is believed to have begun after some villagers chased away a terrifying monster named "Nian" with loud noises, fire, and red banners on the eve of the Lunar New Year.

With millions of city residents using the mandatory seven-day break to visit family and friends living in rural areas, Chinese New Year usually triggers the world's largest seasonal human migration. However, this year, the spring travel rush, or Chunyun - which starts about 15 days before the Chinese New Year and ends almost 25 days after - has been somewhat subdued. In a bid to quell the recent resurgence of COVID-19 cases, the government has imposed a series of strict rules, including requiring those visiting rural areas to spend two weeks in quarantine and paying for their own coronavirus tests. As a result, many city workers, unable to afford the added cost, have decided to forgo the annual trip home.

Chinese New Year results in the world's largest seasonal human migration (Credit: cmglee, Al MacDonald et al./ CC BY-SA 4.0/Wikimedia Commons)

The festivities will officially kick off with "Little Year" on February 4, 2021. After conducting ceremonial prayers, many people will spring clean homes to sweep away bad luck and hang red decorations or couplets - symbolizing prosperity - on their doorways. Since red is believed to bring good fortune, the color is prominently featured in everything from clothing to the lanterns used to adorn residences.

The New Year celebrations will commence in earnest with a reunion dinner on February 11, 2021. Often considered the year's most important meal, the family feast is rooted in Chinese tradition. A whole chicken is symbolic of family togetherness, whereas long, uncut noodles represent long life. Wealth and prosperity are represented with dumplings and spring rolls, which resemble gold bars. The rest of the meal is usually determined by the family, but generally consist of eight or nine dishes. In the Chinese culture, eight, which has a similar pronunciation with Fa - meaning wealth or fortune - is considered the most auspicious number, while nine represents longevity and eternality. The holiday is especially popular with children who get a week-long vacation and receive red envelopes containing money from their elders.

The Chinese New Year feast comprises "dishes with meanings" (Credit: Chinahighlights.com)

The fun will end on February 26, 2021, with the Lantern Festival. As the name indicates, it is celebrated by hanging lanterns - red, of course - outside homes and temples and praying for the family's well-being. The evening is marked with parades, the highlight of which is the dragon dance. Since the animal is considered lucky, communities try to maximize their good fortune by building the longest possible dragon.

Every Chinese year is characterized by one of twelve animals, as well as one of five elements: metal, water, wood, fire, or earth. One ancient folklore attributes the animal-based zodiac to Lord Buddha. According to the myth, the religious leader invited all animals to celebrate the New Year and honored the twelve that came - Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig - by naming a year after them.

2021 is the Year of the Metal Ox, the second animal in the 12-year zodiac rotation. The sign also includes those born in 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, and 2009. "Ox" people are believed to be conscientious, reliable, strong, and trustworthy. They are purportedly also very opinionated and stubborn, and dislike failing or being challenged.

Xin Nian Kuai Le! (Happy New Year!)

Resources: chinesenewyear.net, wikipedia.org, travelchinaguide.com, almanac.com

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China Gets Ready To Welcome The Year Of The Ox!

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On February 12, 2021, over a billion people in China and millions worldwide will celebrate the first day of the Chinese New Year. Also known as the Lunar New Year, or Spring Festival, the exact date of the 15-day commemoration, which marks the end of winter, is determined by the lunar calendar.

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Photo Credit: YouTube (screen capture)

Girl bands - Music groups that feature women only have been around since the 1920's. However, none compares to Japan's latest pop sensation KBG84. That's because, with an average member age of 84, they are not just the country's hottest music band; they are also the oldest! But age has not hindered the "granny" group from releasing a hit single and performing to sold out shows in Tokyo and Osaka.

The 33-member group that includes women as young as 80 (minimum age) to a sprightly 97, is the brainchild of local musician Kikuo Tsuchida. They all hail from the remote, coral-fringed island of Kohima in Okinawa, which as you may have guessed, boasts one of the highest life expectancies in the world.

Photo Credit: Youtube (screen capture)

The name KBG84 that stands for Kohamajima Ba-chan Gasshodan ( Kohamajima grandma chorus) is a smart play on a popular Japanese girl band called AKB48. However, its success can solely be attributed to the immense energy and enthusiasm of its elderly members. And if you think the women are just about singing, think again. The KBG84 is a "dance and vocal" band, and while their moves may not appear as "cool" as those of their younger counterparts, they are perfect for the middle-aged fans they cater to.

Like all girl bands KBG84 too has a diva - A pint-sized 92-year-old called Tomi Menaka. Normally hunched over her walking cane, Menaka comes to life when on stage, where she dances with joyous abandon to the traditional Okinawan music with a Tokyo-style pop twist. The queen bee that admits to a penchant for sweets, says she keeps in shape by cleaning her house on a regular basis. As for her youthful skin? That can be attributed to staying away from the harmful rays of the sun!

Photo Credit: Youtube (screen capture)

The details about how long the women have been performing together are a little hazy. However, they rose to fame recently following a sold-out tour in Osaka and Tokyo and the release of their first single, "Come On And Dance, Kohama Island." In keeping with the modern trend, the group also filmed a music video that showcases their beautiful island as well as Menaka's superb dancing moves.

The newly found fame is bemusing to the unlikely pop stars who were a little miffed when they heard themselves being referred to as "idols." Menaka says she thought it meant " someone who had lived a long life and was at the gates of heaven." She was quite relieved to hear that it is another word for "entertainers." As she says with a toothy grin, "I hadn't even been to Tokyo or Osaka. I wanted to go there before I went to heaven."

Photo Credit: Youtube (screen capture)

In fact, visiting the two cities was a great treat for this group whose members had never ventured outside the island before. In addition to the thrill of meeting their fans, the excursion also gave the grandmothers a chance to meet their grandkids - For some it was the first time!

Resources: guardian.co.uk,mtv.com,rocketnews24.com

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Japan's "Granny" Pop Sensation KBG84 Proves That Age Is Just A Number

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Girl bands - Music groups that feature women only have been around since the 1920's. However, none compares to Japan's latest pop sensation KBG84. That's because, with an average member age of 84, they are not just the country's hottest music band; they are also the oldest!

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Punxsutawney Phil predicted six more weeks of winter on February 2, 2021 (Credit: Anthony Quintano/ CC BY 2.0/ Wikimedia Commons)

Those hoping for some respite from the powerful nor'easter that is currently pummeling the US East Coast and Mid-Atlantic with heavy snow and near-blizzard conditions are in for a disappointment. On February 2, 2021, aka Groundhog Day, legendary woodchuck Punxsutawney Phil observed his shadow. This - according to folklore - means that the frosty weather will remain with us for an additional six weeks.

The renowned groundhog's annual forecast was whispered into the ears of the members of his "inner circle" at Gobbler's Knob in the Pennsylvania Wilds. Shortly after the gloomy prediction was conveyed to the over 15,000 fans - who tuned in to watch the event online due to the coronavirus pandemic - one of Phil's handlers read a second, more uplifting, message from the groundhog. It stated: "After winter, you're looking forward to one of the most beautiful and brightest springs you've ever seen."

However, those hoping for an early spring should not despair. Phil's most famous and credible rival - New York's Staten Island Chuck - did not see his shadow, which, per groundhog lore, means that warm weather is around the corner. Canada's most famous groundhogs - Nova Scotia's Shubenacadie Sam and Quebec's Fred La Marmotte - also forecast an early spring.

According to NOAA, Phil's prediction powers have only been accurate half the time over the past ten years (Credit: NOAA.gov)

So who should one trust? Given that Phil has been predicting the weather for over 135 years, he is the most experienced and - according to his fans - always accurate. However, human meteorologists beg to differ. An analysis by NOAA's National Climatic Data Center indicates that in the past decade, the legendary groundhog has been right just 50% of the time. An examination of his record since 1887 shows an even lower accuracy rate. The groundhog also appears to see his shadow most years and has only forecast an early spring 20 times during his long, illustrious career.

Staten Island Chuck, who entered the profession in 1981, seems to have had more success and boasts an impressive 85% accuracy rate. Whether the veteran or the newcomer will win this year's groundhog weather prediction battle will be determined on March 20th, 2021, the first official day of spring.

Inaccurate as he may be, Punxsutawney Phil remains the most popular of all the animal meteorologists that emerge to forecast the weather every year on Groundhog Day. The 135-year-old - who owes his longevity to a magic elixir - is also an international celebrity thanks to his starring role in the 1993 movie, Groundhog Day.

Also known aswoodchucks, land beavers, or whistle pigs, groundhogs are the largest members of the squirrel family. They grow between 17 to 20 inches in length and can weigh as much as 13 pounds! With the exceptions of Phil and Chuck, the primarily herbivorous animals live between 6 to 8 years in the wild.

Resources: People.com, CBSnews.com, Guardian.com

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Legendary Groundhog Foresees Six More Weeks Of Winter!

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Those hoping for some respite from the powerful nor'easter that is currently pummeling the US East Coast and Mid-Atlantic with heavy snow and near-blizzard conditions are in for a disappointment. On February 2, 2021, aka Groundhog Day, legendary woodchuck Punxsutawney Phil observed his shadow.

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Taylor Swift isn't content just making headlines for selling millions of albums, scooping up countless awards, or being friends with feminists like Karlie Kloss, Lena Dunham, and Cara Delevingne. The young musician, who established herself as an international superstar with the release of her first pop album, 1989 last October, has now also become a crusader for artists' rights.

Swift's first salvo against digital music service providers came in July 2014. The young artist wrote a scathing op-ed in the Wall Street Journal chiding the companies for not compensating musicians enough. Taylor, of course, was referring to popular online music streaming service Spotify, that pays artists only between just $0.006 and $0.0084 per song play.

In late 2014, Swift stepped up her crusade a notch by refusing to give Spotify the right to stream her new album, 1989, and also removing all her previous music from the streaming service. The artist said that despite being one of Spotify's most successful artists, she had been paid less than $50,000 in the past 12 months.

Just as the world was digesting the news, Apple announced the launch of Apple Music. The company also said that the streaming service would be free to all subscribers for a three-month period starting June 30th. While the news was (literally) music to fans' ears, musicians were not thrilled. That's because Apple had made a decision not to pay them for songs streamed by fans during the trial period. This news incensed Swift.

On June 21st, the artist wrote an open letter on her blog. Entitled "To Apple, Love Taylor," it outlined her concern about Apple's payment policy and informed them that she would be withdrawing her album 1989, from the new streaming service. The polite but firm note requested Apple to reconsider their policy and ended with this thought-provoking reminder - "We don't ask you for free iPhones. Please don't ask us to provide you with our music for no compensation."

Taylor's heartfelt appeal did not fall on deaf ears. The following day, Apple's Senior Vice President of Internet Software and Service, Eddie Cue, sent out a tweet that said " "We hear you @taylorswift13 and indie artists. Love, Apple." The executive went on to confirm that Taylor's letter had caused the company to reconsider their policy and that they would indeed pay the artists even during the free period!

The gracious artist immediately agreed to give them access to 1989, making Apple Music the first streaming service with the album. According to Taylor, "This is simply the first time it's felt right in my gut to stream my album."

Though Swift will certainly benefit from this change of heart, the young artist who is a millionaire many times over is not taking on these massive corporations for herself. Her goal is to ensure that up, and coming artists, who are in no position to stand up for their rights get fair compensation for their hard work. As the young artist succinctly put it in her 2014 Wall Street Journal op-ed.
"Music is art, and art is important and rare. Important, rare things are valuable. Valuable things should be paid for. It's my opinion that music should not be free, and my prediction is that individual artists and their labels will someday decide what an album's price point is. I hope they don't underestimate themselves or undervalue their art."
The seven-time Grammy winner was born in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania but moved to Nashville, Tennessee at the age of 14 to start a music career. Her first self-titled album released in 2006, helped her gain attention as an up-and-coming country star. But it was Fearless, which came out two years later and snagged four Grammy awards that established Swift as a star. Her next two albums Speak Now and Red, released in 2010 and 2012 respectively, reaffirmed her talent and popularity. But it is Swift's latest release,1989, that has transformed her from a country singer to one of the world's leading pop artists.

Aside from her personal and catchy songs, Swift's popularity can be attributed to her genuine love for her fans or "Swifties" as they like to call themselves. In addition to reaching out to them via Tumblr and Twitter, she is known to send them personal gifts and help out those in need. Prior to the release of 1989, Swift hosted several listening parties for her fans at her private homes. Swifties worldwide have responded to the talented artist's affections by purchasing over 40 million albums and escalating the young singer/songwriter into one of the best-selling musicians of all time!

Resources: forbes.com,twitterc.com,theguardian.com,taylorswift.com,digitalmusicnews.com,latimes.com

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Taylor Swift - Music Diva Turned Crusader

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Taylor Swift isn't content just making headlines for selling millions of albums, scooping up countless awards, or being friends with feminists like Karlie Kloss, Lena Dunham, and Cara Delevingne. The young musician, who established herself as an international superstar with the release of her first pop album, 1989 last October, has now also become a crusader for artists' rights.

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BTS boy band has taken the world by storm (Photo Credit: Korea.net / Korean Culture and Information Service [CC BY-SA 2.0 CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

A few years ago, the idea that a Korean pop, or K-pop, group would perform to sold-out shows worldwide, top the Billboard 200 charts, and dethrone global phenom Taylor Swift's YouTube record for the biggest music video debut, would have been met with some skepticism. But the Bangtan Boys, or BTS as they are popularly called, have managed to accomplish all three feats, proving beyond doubt that music is a "universal language" which transcends across countries, languages, and cultures.

The success of the seven-member boy band, who range in age from 21 to 25 years old, can largely be attributed to their social awareness, which profoundly connects with their young audience. Instead of singing or rapping about heartbreaks and drugs, the group takes on social issues like mental illness, consumerism, school violence, and education disparity. BTS fans, known collectively as ARMY, or Adorable Representative MC of Youth, say the boy band's lyrics have inspired and brought them together.

BTS collaborates with UNICEF to end violence against children and youth (Photo Credit: UNICEF via Twitter)

The group's concern for society's problems and injustices does not end with their lyrics. In November 2017, BTS partnered with UNICEF for an anti-violence campaign called "Love Myself" to end violence against children and young people. With some help from the boy band and its strong ARMY, the nonprofit managed to raise $1 million within six months.

On September 24, 2018, BTS became the first K-pop group to be invited to speak at the United Nations Youth 2030 event for the launch of "Generation Unlimited." The UNICEF initiative "aims to ensure that every young person is in education, learning, training or employment by 2030."

BTS at the 32nd Golden Disk Awards on 10 January 2018 (Photo Credit: NewsInStar (CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons)

BTS leader RM (Kim Namjoon), flanked by his six fellow band members, took the mic. However, instead of talking about education and vocation, RM focused on self-acceptance and inspiration. The 24-year-old began by talking about his childhood and how happy he had been until the age of nine or ten, when he started worrying about what people thought of him. "I tried to jam myself into the other molds that other people made," he said. "Soon, I began to shut out my own voice and listen to the voice of others. No one called out my name and neither did I... Like this, I-we-all lost our names. We became like ghosts."

The 24-year-old urged youngsters to "Tell me your story. I want to hear your voice, and I want to hear your conviction. No matter who you are, where you're from, your skin color, gender identity: speak yourself. Find your name [and] find your voice." The famous rapper concluded by saying that though he still suffers from self-doubt and anxiety, he is learning to overcome it. "I have many faults, and I have many fears, but I am going to embrace myself as hard as I can, and I'm starting to love myself, little by little." While RM may have reminded fans that he, like everyone else, is not perfect, his speech, which resonates with both young and old, certainly was.

Resources: CNN.com, Forbes.com,metro.co.uk

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K-pop Sensation BTS Urges The World's Youth To "Find Your Voice"

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A few years ago, the idea that a Korean pop, or K-pop, group would perform to sold-out shows worldwide, top the Billboard 200 charts, and dethrone global phenom Taylor Swift's YouTube record for the biggest music video debut, would have been met with some skepticism.

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When Life Gives You Oranges Make . . . Electricity?

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When Life Gives You Oranges Make . . . Electricity? has 186 reviews and 0 ratings. Reviewer 131291 wrote: "i like the video "

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Winter In The World’s Coldest City Is Bone-Chilling!

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With a series of storms unleashing their fury across the United States this week — all the way from California to New York — many Americans are experiencing the full wrath of the winter season. Freezing as the temperatures may seem, they are balmy compared to those in Yakutsk, the capital of Yakutia…

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North Americans will move their clocks forward by an hour on March 14, 2021 (Credit: Mike Licht/CC-By-SA-2.0/Flickr)

On March 14, 2021, millions of Americans and Canadians will mark the start of Daylight Saving Time (DST) by moving their clocks forward an hour. The time manipulation - which will result in the loss of sixty minutes of precious sleep or leisure time on Sunday - is designed to enable North Americans to enjoy longer days during the upcoming spring and summer months.

Benjamin Franklin was the first to suggest resetting clocks as a way to save candles in a 1784 letter to the editor of the Journal of Paris. However, the American inventor was not serious. But, New Zealand entomologist George Hudson's plea to change the clocks by two hours in 1895, to get more daylight to study insects, was completely genuine. So was British resident William Willett's 1907 proposal to change the clocks to save energy. Both requests fell on deaf ears.

Germany became the first country to adopt DST in 1916. The officials hoped that the extra daylight hour would help save precious fuel needed to produce weapons and bombs during World War 1. While Britain and America adopted the custom soon after, the ritual proved unpopular, especially with American dairy farmers, forcing US lawmakers to stop the clock manipulation once the war ended on November 11, 1918. President Franklin Roosevelt's "War Time" bill reinstated DST during World War II in 1942. Though the law was revoked four weeks after the war ended on September 2, 1945, cities and towns were allowed to continue the tradition and even select their own DST start and stop dates.

The United States first implemented DST during World War 1 (Credit: Library of Congress/ Public Domain)

The free-for-all system resulted in complete mayhem, with the state of Iowa alone boasting 23 different pairs of DST start and end dates. The Uniform Time Act of 1966 resolved the issue by stipulating that DST should begin on the last Sunday in April and end on the last Sunday in October. Since the law was not mandatory, Hawaii, the US territories - American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the US Virgin Islands - and most cities in Arizona chose to opt-out and maintain standard time all year.

In 1986, President Ronald Reagan brought forward the DST start date by three weeks to the first Sunday in April. In 2005, President George W. Bush not only moved up the " spring forward" date to the second Sunday in March, but also extended the "fall back" time by a week - from the last Sunday in October to the first Sunday in November.

While some countries have abandoned DST, the practice continues across North America (Credit: .webexhibits.org)

Though the dates vary, DST is observed in varying degrees in about 70 countries worldwide. Japan, India, and China are the only major industrialized countries that do not change their clocks. Despite its widespread use, the ritual is mired in controversy. Many people maintain that the impact of the hour's loss lingers for days and causes sleepdeprivation and fatigue, leading to a drop in productivity and more traffic and workplace accidents. DST has also been linked to an increase in heart attacks and strokes.

Over the years, there have been several attempts to get rid of DST in states across the US. However, most have been rejected by the legislators. Other countries have had more success. In 2019, after a poll revealed that a majority of residents were against time change, the European parliament voted in favor of removing DST permanently. By 2022, all 28 EU member countries will have to determine whether to remain on "summer time" (DST) forever, or to change their clocks one final time to "winter," or standard time.

Expert advice on how to minimize DST's impact (Credit: Tempur Sealy International, Inc.)

For those stuck with DST, here are some tips. Wake up an hour or two earlier on the Friday and Saturday before DST begins to adjust both body and mind to the change. If the weather permits, bask in the sun for a few hours on March 13 to allow your body to get accustomed to the longer days that will follow, and go to bed an hour earlier on Saturday night. But before rushing to grab the extra Z's, be sure to change the clocks!

Happy "Spring Forward!"

Resources: wikipedia.org, timeanddate.com. Nationalgeographic.com,

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Get Ready To "Lose" An Hour! Daylight Saving Time Starts On March 14, 2021

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On March 14, 2021, millions of Americans and Canadians will mark the start of Daylight Saving Time (DST) by moving their clocks forward an hour. The time manipulation - which will result in the loss of sixty minutes of precious sleep or leisure time on Sunday - is designed to enable North Americans to enjoy longer days during the upcoming spring and summer months.

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This book was created and translated to share the life stories of Li Zong Yao. Li has spent more than 40 years working as a professional basketball coach and player. She has made great contributions to the sports of her country by nurturing many young basketball talents, including her daughter who achieved greatly in international basketball competitions; thus, fulfilling her dream for not being able to take part in international competitions. Li's life stories are genuine and touching, which have inspired me to work hard and not giving up on my dreams. I hope her life stories will inspire you to go after and not giving up on your dreams too.

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My Basketball Dream - Flipbook by linzy0210 | FlipHTML5

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This book was created and translated to share the life stories of Li Zong Yao. Li has spent more than 40 years working as a professional basketball coach and player.

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Basketball Science - Flipbook by The Creative Company | FlipHTML5

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Looking for Basketball Science? Read Basketball Science from The Creative Company here. Check 13 flipbooks from The Creative Company. The Creative Company's Basketball Science looks good? Share Basketball Science online.

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12 Reasons to Love Basketball - Flipbook by The Creative Company | FlipHTML5

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Houston Rockets - Flipbook by The Creative Company | FlipHTML5

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San Antonio Spurs - Flipbook by The Creative Company | FlipHTML5

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Los Angeles Lakers - Flipbook by The Creative Company | FlipHTML5

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Dallas Mavericks - Flipbook by The Creative Company | FlipHTML5

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A photo-illustrated biography for early readers on Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry. Describes his childhood, when he started playing basketball, and how he got to be an NBA player. Includes a fact sheet with highlighted accomplishments, table of contents, glossary, books and websites, and index.

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Stephen Curry - Flipbook by The Creative Company | FlipHTML5

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A photo-illustrated biography for early readers on Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry. Describes his childhood, when he started playing basketball, and how he got to be an NBA player. Includes a fact sheet with highlighted accomplishments, table of contents, glossary, books and websites, and index.

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Alysa Liu, 13 (2nd from left), is the youngest-ever national figure skating champion (Credit: usfigureskatingfanzone.com)

Ice-skating phenom Alysa Liu is no stranger to shattering records. In 2016, the then 10-year-old became the youngest intermediate figure skating champion in U.S. history. In 2018, at the tender age of 12, Liu became the youngest to compete in, and win, the U.S. junior championships. That same year, she was also the youngest woman ever to land a triple axel in an international competition.

On January 25, 2019, the pint-sized skater, who stands just 4 feet, 7 inches tall, made history once again as the youngest-ever national figure skating champion at the Geico U.S. Women's Figure Skating Championships held in Detroit, Michigan. The record was previously held by Tara Lipinski, who accomplished the feat in 1997 at age 15.

At the championships, things were going well for defending U.S. champion Bradie Tennell, who was in the lead following the short program on January 24. But things changed the following day when Tennell had a less-than-stellar free skate routine, first stepping out of a triple loop in a combination and then falling during a triple lutz attempt. Meanwhile, Liu, who was in second place and had already impressed the judges with a perfect triple axel in the short program, gave a flawless free skate performance. Her stunning display of eight triples included an unprecedented two triple axels in one skate - making her the first (and youngest) U.S. woman to land three triple axels in competition, as well as two in one program.

The triple axel explained (Credit: Vincent Zhao/govincentzhou.com)

Though Liu made them look easy, triple axels are extremely challenging. For those not familiar with ice skating jargon, an axel is one of six main jumps required in all skating routines. It entails the skater launching from the outside edge of one skate, rotating in the air, and landing on the outer side of the opposite skate. "Double" or "triple" refer to the number of rotations he/she completes before landing. The terms are a little misleading given that the skater has to do an extra half rotation, meaning that for a triple, he/she is actually completing 3.5 rotations, to accomplish the jump. To be successful, the skater has to have both incredible body strength and control to get to the right height and speed to complete the turns before landing back firmly on the ice.

When asked about her phenomenal performance, the modest Liu said, "I was just happy that I beat my personal record, and I did a clean long program." Another thing the young champion was happy about? A trip to Disneyland - a post-nationals ritual for Liu and her family. "It's sooooo much fun," gushed the 13-year-old.

Liu will not be able to compete in figure skating world championships till
2020 (Credit: Jay Adelf/usfigureskatingfanzone.com)

Unfortunately, Liu will not be eligible to compete at the 2019 World Figure Skating Championships in Saitama, Japan due to the minimum age requirement of 15. Ironically, she is also barred from the 2019 World Junior Figure Skating Championships in Zagreb, Croatia because her Aug. 8, 2005 birthday makes her five weeks too young for the July 1 cutoff!

However, that does not appear to bother the California resident. She says, "I'm not too worried about that part because I get more time to work on my jumps, skating skills, spins, and just trying to learn more."

Liu, the eldest of five children, fell in love with ice skating during her first lesson at the Oakland Ice Center. The then five-year-old showed such natural talent that Laura Lipetsky, a former national competitor who was teaching the group lesson, asked her father, Arthur Liu, to enroll her in private lessons.

"You could see how eager she was to learn and the love she had for skating," Lipetsky said. "Over time, I saw she could be good. She wanted to learn, and I wanted to guide." The two have been inseparable since.

Liu, who has been homeschooled since the age of 10, begins her weekdays early to fit in her daily three training session, spaced over eight hours. The young girl gets her homework done between the practices, usually eats dinner in the car on her way home, and is fast asleep by 8:30 pm. Though that might appear to be a lot for someone so young, Liu seems to be taking it in stride. When asked what she does in her free time, the champion replied, "I like to ride my bike, a lot . . . I go to a park and ride my bike with my friends and play tag."

Resources: Olympics.nbcsports.com,USAtoday.com

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13-Year-Old Alysa Liu Is The Youngest-Ever U.S. Figure Skating Champion

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Ice-skating phenom Alysa Liu is no stranger to shattering records. In 2016, the then 10-year-old became the youngest intermediate figure skating champion in U.S. history. In 2018, at the tender age of 12, Liu became the youngest to compete in, and win, the U.S. junior championships.

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Simone Biles' career total of 25 medals has elevated her to the world's most decorated gymnast (Credit: US Gymnastics/Facebook)

Any doubt that Simone Biles is one of the greatest athletes of all time was laid to rest at the 49th FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Stuttgart, Germany. The 22-year-old dominated the competition, which took place from October 4 to October 13, 2019, winning gold in five of her six events. Biles' career total of 25 medals, 19 of which are gold, now exceed Belarus gymnast Vitaly Scherbo's 23 medals, making Biles the most decorated gymnast - male or female - at the World Championships.

"Every year, it feels better and better just because we're adding to the legacy," Biles said. "I feel like I never think of records. I just go out there and do what I came to do, which is compete for the country."

Biles (C) won her 25th medal in the floor routine. USA's Sunisa Lee (L) and Russia's Angelina Melnikova (R) took home the silver and bronze, respectively (Credit: FIG/Twitter)

Biles' winning streak began on Tuesday, October 8, when she helped the American women's gymnastics team take home their fifth consecutive world championship title, tying a record set by Romania from 1994 to 2001. "It means the world to me," Biles later said. "For my fifth, that's kind of unheard of, so it was really exciting. But we finished strong, and we gave it our all. It's super exciting that we had the opportunity to do this."

With her 21st medal at the World Championships - the most for a female gymnast - secured, Biles turned her attention to the all-around title, which she has dominated since 2013. On Thursday, October 10, the young gymnast outperformed 23 competitors in four disciplines to become the first and only woman to win five all-around world titles. With a combined score of 58.999, Biles outscored silver medalist Tang Xijing of China by an astounding 2.1 points.

The amazing gymnast continued to dominate in the individual events. On Saturday, October 12, Biles won the vault by more than half a point averaging 15.399 for her two attempts. On Sunday, October 13, she outpaced fellow US gymnast Sunisa Lee by a full point, in the floor routine, and her balance beam score of15.066 was six-tenths of a point ahead of silver medalist Liu Tingting of China. The only event Biles failed to medal in was the uneven bars in which she placed fifth.

Biles' wins are even more incredible because of her increasingly intricate and complicated routines. Her double-twist somersault on the balance beam during the 2019 US Championships in August was so difficult that the Women's Technical Committee of the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) did not give the athlete the extra credit it deserved. The committee argued that doing so would encourage inexperienced gymnasts to attempt it, leading to serious injuries.

Simone Biles took home five gold medals at the 2019 FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Stuttgart, Germany (Credit: stuttgart2019.de/Dinkelacker)

Given the low score, the gymnast decided not to incorporate the move - dubbed Biles in her honor - to her balance beam routine at the Stuttgart World Championships. However, she did introduce a never-before-done triple twisting double somersault to her floor exercise. Now called Biles II, it is the fourth skill named after her- two on floor and one each on beam and vault!

When asked how she continues to perform at these unprecedented levels, Biles said, "I really don't know how I do it sometimes. Sometimes I wonder how I do it. I feel like it's just like not me. I wish I could have an out-of-body experience to witness it because sometimes I think I'm going crazy."

Resources: CNN.com, NPR.org, Guardian.com

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Simone Biles Shatters More Records At The 2019 Gymnastics World Championships

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Any doubt that Simone Biles is one of the greatest athletes of all time was laid to rest at the 49th FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Stuttgart, Germany. The 22-year-old dominated the competition, which took place from October 4 to October 13, 2019, winning gold in five of her six events.

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On October 12, 2019, Eliud Kipchoge became the world's first person to run a marathon in less than two hours (Credit: Eliud Kipchoge/Facebook)

Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge has been dominating the world marathon stage since winning the Chicago Marathon in 2014. In the years following, the elite runner has won every marathon he has participated in, including the gold medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics. In 2018, Kipchoge made history when he crossed the finish line of the Berlin Marathon in 2:01:39, crushing the existing men's world record by a minute and 18 seconds. On October 12, 2019, the 34-year-old further cemented his legacy by running the 26.2 miles in Vienna, Austria in less than two hours, faster than any other person in history. His time of 1:59:40 required him to maintain an average pace of about 4:35 per mile!

Upon crossing the finish line, Kipchoge, who spent four months training for the unprecedented run against the clock, said, "That was the best moment of my life. The pressure was very big on my shoulders. I got a phone call from the President of Kenya."

Kipchoge's seven pacers helped maintain his speed and shielded him from wind (Credit: Eliud Kipchoge/Facebook)

Kipchoge's sub-two-hour marathon attempt was planned with military precision. The Prater Park course in Vienna, Austria, was carefully selected, taking into account factors like temperature, humidity, wind speed, and elevation to ensure the perfect racing parameters. His speed was maintained by 41 medium-and long-distance runners. Sprinting in a v-shaped formation in alternating teams of seven, they also protected Kipchoge from the wind. An electric car, moving at the pace required to beat the two-hour time limit, followed closely behind the group. Kipchoge was equipped with the latest iteration of Nike's ZoomXVaporfly, which featured carbon fiber plating and extra cushioning. To save time, Kipchoge was fed pre-prepared drinks and energy and caffeine gels on the course at 3.1-mile intervals.

The historic run was Kipchoge's second attempt at breaking the two-hour marathon barrier. The Kenyan runner first tried to accomplish the feat on May 6, 2017, at Nike's Breaking2 event, which took place on a Formula One racetrack in Monza, Italy. However, while Kipchoge's 2:00:25 time was the fastest ever attained by a human, it was not under the desired two hours.

A joyous Kipchoge greets the thousand of fans who had gathered to watch the historic run (Credit: Eliud Kipchoge/Facebook)

Kipchoge's record time, which tested the upper limits of human physical prowess, will not be recognized as an official world record by the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) for several reasons. The marathon was not approved by the IAAF and also not open to other athletes. Additionally, pacers are forbidden, and refreshments can only be taken at prefixed stations, not provided to the competitor while he/she is running.

The lack of acknowledgement does not bother Kipchoge. He says, "I am the happiest man in the world to be the first human to run under two hours, and I can tell people that no human is limited. I expect more people all over the world to run under two hours after today."

Kenyan runner Brigid Kosgei set a new world record at the Chicago Marathon (Credit: Chicago Marathon/Twitter)

Kipchoge was not the only Kenyan runner to make headlines that weekend. On Sunday, October 13, 2019, Brigid Kosgei made history of her own at the Chicago Marathon. Her time of 2:14:04 outpaced British runner Paula Radcliffe 's 16-year-old record by an impressive 81 seconds, earning Kosgei the title of the world's fastest female marathoner!

Resources: NPR.org, standardmedia.co.ke, theguardian.com

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Eliud Kipchoge Is The World's First Person To Run A Marathon In Under Two Hours!

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Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge has been dominating the world marathon stage since winning the Chicago Marathon in 2014. In the years following, the elite runner has won every marathon he has participated in, including the gold medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics.

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Strong serves. Fast volleys. Exciting matches. There are many reasons to love tennis-discover 12 of them! Topics include tennis' royal history, its equipment, scoring, records, the elite competitions like Wimbledon, and champion athletes, such as Serena Williams and Roger Federer. Includes a glossary, index, and editor-curated online resources for up-to-date information.

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12 Reasons to Love Tennis - Flipbook by The Creative Company | FlipHTML5

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Looking for 12 Reasons to Love Tennis? Read 12 Reasons to Love Tennis from The Creative Company here. Check 13 flipbooks from The Creative Company. The Creative Company's 12 Reasons to Love Tennis looks good? Share 12 Reasons to Love Tennis online.

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A-Z Fortnite - Flipbook by Jacob Morales | FlipHTML5

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Looking for A-Z Fortnite? Read A-Z Fortnite from Jacob Morales here. Check all flipbooks from Jacob Morales. Jacob Morales' A-Z Fortnite looks good? Share A-Z Fortnite online.

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Get the ball rolling with this high-interest introduction to soccer, the sport known for its patterned balls and goals. Also included is a biographical story about professional soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo.

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Soccer - Flipbook by The Creative Company | FlipHTML5

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Get the ball rolling with this high-interest introduction to soccer, the sport known for its patterned balls and goals. Also included is a biographical story about professional soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo.

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A great biography on Michael Jordan. And his carrer. Jordan is a NBA basketball player. His best seasons were in the 1990's for any of you that don't know. Did you know that Jordan had two times in his carrer that he won the NBA championship three times in a row. You probably want to know more so read on.

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Michael jordan: A NBA legend - Flipbook by mvs5thgraders | FlipHTML5

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A great biography on Michael Jordan. And his carrer. Jordan is a NBA basketball player. His best seasons were in the 1990's for any of you that don't know. Did you know that Jordan had two times in his carrer that he won the NBA championship three times in a row.

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LeBron James is one of the best players. Think of a person who is great at there job or the best at their company. Well, LeBron James is the best basketball player in the world! Read more to find out more info about LeBron James.

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LeBron James - Flipbook by mvs5thgraders | FlipHTML5

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LeBron James is one of the best players. Think of a person who is great at there job or the best at their company. Well, LeBron James is the best basketball player in the world! Read more to find out more info about LeBron James.

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The Wonderfully Wide World of Wacky Sports - Flipbook by Ivan Estrada | FlipHTML5

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Looking for The Wonderfully Wide World of Wacky Sports? Read The Wonderfully Wide World of Wacky Sports from Ivan Estrada here. Check 2 flipbooks from Ivan Estrada. Ivan Estrada's The Wonderfully Wide World of Wacky Sports looks good? Share The Wonderfully Wide World of Wacky Sports online.

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We have heard of artists becoming famous after launching themselves on YouTube, but a whole new sport being born off a video? That has to be a first. However that apparently is how 'Bubble Football', a combination of soccer and zorbing ( a sport that involves rolling downhill whilst encased in an orb ), has gained popularity not just in its birth country of Norway, but also, all across Europe.

The best part is that the sport was 'invented' as a joke by the Henrick Elvestad and Johan Gold hosts of Norwegian comedy sport show ' Golden Goal'. They thought it would be fun to try play soccer whilst wearing a giant inflatable plastic bubble and posted a spoof video of it on YouTube in 2011. To their surprise, it caught the fancy of thousands of people and a new sport was born! It has become so popular that some online stores have started selling and even renting bubble football gear for people that want to play or try the game.

The rules of the game are almost same as those of normal soccer - Both teams strive to score as many goals as they can, except in this case they also try to knock down their opponents along the way. But with their hands trapped on their sides, just being able to balance is a challenge - The absurdity of the game, which has onlookers in stitches, is probably what has led to the its wild popularity. Be sure to check out the video and see if you too catch the 'bubble football' fever.

Resources: odditycentral.com

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Video Of The Week - Are You Ready For Some (Bubble) Football?

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We have heard of artists becoming famous after launching themselves on YouTube, but a whole new sport being born off a video? That has to be a first. However that apparently is how 'Bubble Football', a combination of soccer and zorbing (a sport that involves rolling downhill whilst encased in an orb), has gained popularity not just in its birth country of Norway, but also, all across Europe.

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Though 25% of the world's population may not have access to electricity, they all have access to a source of energy that is currently being wasted - Kinetic energy released by their bodies when they exert themselves. Now two Harvard alums have figured out how to capture this energy and convert it into electricity - The only equipment needed? A Soccket soccer ball and the desire to have some fun!

The story behind this amazing invention began in 2008 at an unusual undergraduate engineering class where non engineers are challenged to blend art and science and come up with a practical solution to help the world. Two Liberal Arts majors - Julia Silverman and Jessica Mathews decided to give it try.

Having spent the previous summer researching diseases in Tanzania and South Africa, Julia had become aware of the issues faced by the poor in these countries, while Nigerian- born Jessica knew about them first hand. It was therefore only natural that both wanted to do something to help ease the situation.

After their first idea of improving medical record-keeping in third world countries was nixed by the professor, because it required the involvement of bureaucratic government officials, the duo scurried back to brainstorm about other issues they could help tackle - Access to cheap electricity was something that came to mind right away.

That's when Julia, who used to play three sports in high school had what she calls the 'aha' moment - What if they were able to capture some of the energy that generates when playing sports and convert it into electricity? Given its popularity among both young and old in all the African countries she and Jessica had visited, soccer seemed to be the natural sport of choice and the ball, the perfect conduit!

Not only did this brilliant idea win the professor's approval, but it has today also become the passion and life goal of these two young women, who upon graduation founded Uncharted Play Inc., a non-profit company dedicated to improving the lives of the underprivileged in third world countries.

While their first prototype comprised of sticking a shake-to-charge flashlight inside a hamster ball and kicking it around to see if the flashlight would pick up the charge, their second version, tested by delighted kids at the 2010 World Cup Soccer Championships held in South Africa, was a little more sophisticated.

Just five ounces heavier that a regulation soccer ball, the Soccket had the capacity to store enough energy to power up an LED lamp for three hours following just 30 minutes of play. While this may not seem much, it provided a great alternative for people whose only source of light is kerosene lamps that generate fumes that are toxic to both humans and the environment.

The company is not done with the development yet - On September 22nd, they will release the first mass-produced Soccket - One that is six to seven times more energy efficient than the current prototype and has the capacity to store enough energy to power a reading lamp, a water purifier and even an emergency cell phone charger. The best news is that for $60 USD apiece ( includes LED lamp), it will be available to anyone who wants it. The company is also hoping that people not only buy one for themselves but also, donate one to a country in need.

And the young entrepreneurs are not done yet - Once the Soccket is successful, they have many similar ideas combining fun and function, that they plan to develop. As Silverman succinctly puts it - "Just because we get older doesn't mean we have to stop playing, and just because we need important things in our life, like electricity, doesn't mean that we have to be serious when we do it." To read more about the company or order/donate a ball, check out: unchartedplay.com.

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Need Electricity? Play A Game Of Soccer!

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Though 25% of the world's population may not have access to electricity, they all have access to a source of energy that is currently being wasted - Kinetic energy released by their bodies when they exert themselves. Now two Harvard alums have figured out how to capture this energy and convert it into electricity - The only equipment needed?

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Every young soccer player dreams of being part of a world class soccer team - In April, 11-year old Southern Californiaresident, Ben Lederman came one step closer to fulfilling his, by becoming the first American to be offered a spot for a two-year training program at FC Barcelona's Youth Academy.

The invitation-only La Masia academy, is considered to be one of the world's best soccer training schools. Some of its most famous alumni include FC Barcelona midfielders Andre Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez and also, the team's forward Lionel Mess i.

Ben was first spotted by the Spanish coaches in the spring of 2010, when his team FC Barcelona Penya, Los Angeles competed and won against the academy's team. His performance impressed the coaches so much, that in April of 2011, they invited him to try out for a spot at the soccer school.

The youngster whose style of play and ball control skills have been compared to Andres Iniesta, did so well, that he was immediately offered a two-year stint to train with them.

This of course does not guarantee him a spot in the team or even an extension after his initial two-year training period is up - But, it is definitely a step in the right direction and very exciting for the young prodigy who lives and breathes soccer and has been ardent fan of the four-time European champions, since he was a toddler!

Resources: thedenimkit.com,rivals.yahoo.com, east-sports.com, barcelonausa.com

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11-Year-Old American Soccer Prodigy Heads To FC Barcelona's Academy

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Every young soccer player dreams of being part of a world class soccer team - In April, 11-year old resident, Ben Lederman came one step closer to fulfilling his, by becoming the first American to be offered a spot for a two-year training program at FC Barcelona's Youth Academy.

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Phelps at the Rio Games (Photo Credit: By Fernando Frazão/Agência Brasil [CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons)

When Michael Phelps announced his retirement at the 2016 Rio Olympics he really had no intention of swimming competitively again. However, that changed when the decorated athlete was approached by the Discovery Channel to help kick off Shark Week with a race against one of the world's fastest and most efficient predators - a great white!

To prepare for the big event, Phelps, who has set 39 world records and garnered 28 Olympic medals, practiced by racing against a reef and a hammerhead shark - both computer generated, of course. While the swimmer's time of 18.7 seconds was enough to beat the reef shark by 0.2 seconds, he fell behind the hammerhead, which completed the 50-meter distance in 15.1 seconds.

Great white lured with fake seal to estimate its speed (Photo Credit Discovery Channel)

On Sunday, July 23 at 7:00 p.m. ET/PT, over five million viewers tuned in to watch the highly anticipated Phelps vs. Shark: Great Gold vs. Great White. To compete effectively against the ferocious fish that can swim at speeds of up to 25 mph, or about five times faster than humans, Phelps wore a custom wetsuit. It was not only designed to reduce drag, but also featured a fin to mimic the shark's powerful tail.

While television viewers saw the competitors swimming side by side, in reality, Phelps raced by himself in the cold Atlantic waters off of Cape Town, South Africa. The Discovery Channel film crew then inserted his computer-generated opponent simulating a real shark's speed, which was estimated by luring a great white with a fake seal over the same 100-meter stretch of the Atlantic.

Phelps vs. Shark (Photo Credit: Discovery Channel screen capture)

Though Phelps managed to complete the distance in an impressive 38.1 seconds, 9.41 seconds faster than his personal best of 47.51 seconds, he was no match for the great shark, which clocked 36.1 seconds. Like a true champion, the fish celebrated the victory by leaping out of the water. Phelps, meanwhile, took the loss in good humor, tweeting: "Rematch? Next time...warmer water."

The swimmer later said, "Honestly, the first thought that went through my head when I saw the shark, there's probably very little chance for me to beat him."

Final Score (Photo Credit: Discovery Channel screen capture)

While some fans were disappointed that Phelps did not race a live shark in the ocean, staging that would have been dangerous for the swimmer. Besides, Discovery Channel's aim in organizing the stunt was to generate excitement and interest in sharks. Given that it was the highest-rated Shark Week special in the program's 29-year history, they sure succeeded.

This isn't the first time a star athlete has competed against an animal. NFL wide receiver Dennis Northcutt once raced an ostrich, while Olympic 200-meters champion Shawn Crawford sprinted alongside a giraffe. Bryan Habana, a rugby player, went a step further and tried to take on the world's fastest land animal - the cheetah. However, despite a 35-meter head start, he was unable to beat the wild cat that is capable of reaching speeds of up to 70 mph!

Resources: Guardian.co.uk, vox.com,businessinsider.com,bbc.com, vanityfair.com, independent.co.uk

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Swimming Superstar Michael Phelps Races A (Computer-Generated) Great White Shark!

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When Michael Phelps announced his retirement at the 2016 Rio Olympics he really had no intention of swimming competitively again. However, that changed when the decorated athlete was approached by the Discovery Channel to help kick off shark week with a race against one of the world's fastest and most efficient predators - a great white!

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Rodrigo Koxa surfed the world's biggest wave in November 2017 (Photo Credit: Surfer Today)

When Brazilian surfer Rodrigo Koxa flawlessly rode a massive wave in Nazare, Portugal on November 8, 2017, he knew it was the biggest one of his life, thus far. What the 38-year-old was unaware of, however, is that his thrilling descent down the monstrous surge, would set a new Guinness World Record for the largest wave ever surfed.

The World Surf League (WSL) made the announcement at the Big Wave Awards held in Santa Monica on April 28, 2018. The WSL determined that Koxa's wave measured an astounding 80 feet, surpassing the 78-foot wave record set by American Garrett McNamara in 2011. In addition to the world record, Koxa was also bestowed with the Quiksilver XXL Biggest Wave Award, which comes with a $25,000 cash prize and is awarded annually to a surfer who catches the biggest waves by any means - paddling into it or being towed by a jet ski.

Photo Credit: rodrigokoxa.com.br

What makes the achievement even more remarkable is that in 2014, Koxa nearly lost his life while attempting to ride a big wave in Portugal. When accepting the honor, the emotional athlete said, "I've tried to surf big waves all my life and I had a huge experience in 2014 where I almost died at Nazaré. Four months later, I had bad dreams, I didn't travel, I got scared, and my wife helped me psychologically.

"Now, I'm just so happy and this is the best day of my life. Thank you to WSL, it's a dream come true."

According to the Guinness World Records, the record for the largest wave surfed has inched up dramatically since 2004, when American surfer Pete Cabrinha took the honor for riding a 70-foot wave off Maui, Hawaii's North Shore. In 2008, fellow American Mike Parsons surpassed the achievement by surfing a 77-foot monster off the Southern California coast. It took three years for McNamara to best that with a 78-foot giant in 2011, and almost seven more for Koxa to outdo that! While only time will tell if any surfer will be able to ride a bigger wave, it sure will not be for lack of trying!

Resources: guinnessworldrecords.com, LAtimes.com, cnn.com

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Brazilian Surfer Sets New World Record With 80-Foot Wave Ride in Portugal

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When Brazilian surfer Rodrigo Koxa flawlessly rode a massive wave in Nazare, Portugal on November 8, 2017, he knew it was the biggest one of his life, thus far. What the 38-year-old was unaware of, however, is that his thrilling descent down the monstrous surge, would set a new Guinness World Record for the largest wave ever surfed.

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Brazilian pro-surfer Maya Gabeira broke the women's world record for highest wave surfed (Credit: Aleixo/WSL)

Most people would shudder at the idea of getting caught up in a 73.5-foot wave. But for Brazilian pro-surfer Maya, it presented the perfect opportunity to break her 2018 world record for the largest wave surfed by a female. The athlete skillfully maneuvered the massive swell earlier this year, at the inaugural World Surf League (WSL) Nazaré Tow Surfing Challenge in Praia do Norte, Portugal. It was the same site where she established her first world record by riding an equally-intimidating 68-foot wave.

"This wave was during the [WSL Nazaré Tow Surfing] contest, and although I say I'm not a competitive person, I was very in the zone and braver than I usually am on this day," said Gabeira. "I was risking more than I usually like to do. When I let go of the rope, I had a feeling it could be the one but wasn't sure. The speed was very high, but the noise that the wave made when it broke made me realize that this was probably the biggest wave I'd ever ridden."

Though Gabeira completed the incredible feat on February 11, 2020, her record was not announced by the Guinness World Records until September 10, 2020. That's because the WSL officials had to first determine whether it was the Brazilian surfer or her competitor, Justine Dupont, who had ridden the largest wave. The wave's height from trough to crest is usually estimated with the help of photos and videos. However, the proximity of the large swells ridden by the two pro-surfers, and the possibility of a new world record being established, warranted a more rigorous analysis.

To help them with the process, the WSL recruited scientists at the Kelly Slater Wave Company and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. The experts used photogrammetry techniques and other methods to precisely calculate the size of each wave. The findings revealed that Gabeira's 73.5-foot monster was two feet higher than Dupont's wave, earning her WSL's 2020 women's XXL Biggest Wave Award. It was also 3.5 feet higher than the 70-foot wave ridden by the 2020 men's XXL Biggest Wave Award winner Kai Lenny!

The 33-year-old believes her achievement may be a turning point in the perception of the ability of women surfers. "Our sport is very male-dominated, with the performances on the male side [being] often much stronger than ours as females," she told The Atlantic. "So to find a way and a place and a certain discipline to shorten that gap, and to conclude this year that a woman did surf the biggest, tallest wave of the year is quite phenomenal. It opens the idea that in other categories and other areas of surfing, this could be accomplished, too."

Though Gabeira, who has been surfing competitively since she was 15, seemed to effortlessly glide over the monster surf, it has not all been smooth sailing. Her first attempt at pursuing the world's biggest waves in Nazaré, Portugal, in 2013 could have ended the career of someone with less resolve. The surfer suffered a devastating wipeout that broke her ankle and almost caused her to drown. However, the "minor" setback did not diminish her love for the extreme sport and her determination to forge her legacy as one of the world's greatest surfers!

Resources: Pro.org, surfertoday.com, The Atlantic.com

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Maya Gabeira Shatters Her Own World Record For Largest Wave Surfed By A Woman

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Most people would shudder at the idea of getting caught up in a 73.5-foot wave. But for Brazilian pro-surfer Maya, it presented the perfect opportunity to break her 2018 world record for the largest wave surfed by a female.

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A month ago, only avid soccer fans knew who Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar da Silva Santos Jr. were. However, thanks to the just ended FIFA World Cup, the trio have become household names, and rightfully so - After all, Messi was instrumental in getting Argentina to the finals, and Brazil's dismal performance against Germany and the Netherlands highlighted just how important Neymar is to the country's success in soccer. Though Ronaldo did not quite live up to the lofty expectations, he did score one of the two goals in Portugal's final game against Ghana and made a crucial assist in their match against the United States.

Win or lose, it is quite apparent that the three players are extremely passionate about soccer. What is not as well-known is their penchant for cars. Fortunately, with the amount of money they earn playing their favorite game, the trio have the luxury to indulge in several vehicles.

With a net worth of $180MM USD and annual earnings of $64.7MM USD, Lionel Messi, who is considered to be the world's best soccer player, has been able to accumulate a sizable car collection. The four-time winner of the FIFA Ballon d'Or and 2014 World Cup Adidas Golden Ball, has eight cars in his garage. Among them are a Ferrari F430 Spider, Maserati GranTurismo S, Audi R8 Spyder, and MC Stradle.

While those are hardly surprising, his ownership of more staid cars like the Lexus 4x4, Dodge Charger SRT8 and hybrid Toyota Prius, certainly is. They showcase a different side of the star soccer player - that of a devout family man and dad to 20-month-old Thiago Messi! In case you are wondering - this ultra cool collection set him back a mere $1.19mm USD - chump change for someone with his earning potential!

Following Portugal's surprise exit from the World Cup, Cristiano Ronaldo made an early retreat to his home and extensive car collection in Madrid.The 29-year-old who won the coveted Ballon d' Or award in 2013, sports an even more impressive line-up of vehicles that include the environmentally-friendly Koenigsegg CCX which retails for over $545,000 USD.

He also owns a McLaren MP4-12C High Sport and a blue LaFerrari, a limited edition hybrid Ferrari that came to market in 2013. What is missing from the Real Madrid player's $4.9mm USD collection is a 'family' car - Ronaldo seems to prefer taking 4-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo Jr. in his 'cheaper', less flashy, vehicles like the Mercedes-Benz C Class Sports Coupe and Porsche Cayenne.

In comparison to Messi and Ronaldo, 22-year-old soccer phenom Neymar, has a modest car collection that includes a Volvo XC60, Porsche Panamera, and Audi R8 GT. Instead, this youngster who recently signed a lucrative five-year contract with FC Barcelona, prefers to splurge on flashier rides like a personal helicopter and luxury yacht which if rumors are to believed, set him back an astounding $15mm USD!

Resources: auto.ndtv.com, forbes.com, celebritynetworth.com

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Star Soccer Players Sport Some Sweet Rides

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A month ago, only avid soccer fans knew who Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar da Silva Santos Jr. were. However, thanks to the just ended FIFA World Cup, the trio have become household names, and rightfully so - After all, Messi was instrumental in getting Argentina to the finals, and Brazil's dismal performance against Germany and the Netherlands highlighted just how important Neymar is to the country's success in soccer.

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While the rules may be similar, the terrain is not, for there are no well-manicured fields for these soccer players - In fact the muddier and slicker the terrain, the better it is, for here they like to get down and dirty, as they battle it out for the World Cup Championships. Welcome to Swamp Soccer!

Swamp Soccer was started by a team of cross-country skiers in Finland, who used the football matches in knee-deep mud as a way to strengthen their leg muscles. The first organized swamp soccer championships were held in 1997 with 13 teams, all from Finland. The game soon gained popularity all over the world and today, there are over 200 swamp soccer teams, some of who come to compete in the three-day championships held in June each year.

The game is similar to normal soccer with a few modifications, which include shorter play time (only 13 minutes per half). While only 6 players (including the goalie) from each team are allowed on the field at any given time, the team can have up to 12 players on its roster and make unlimited player changes. Also, the penalty area is five meters deep and corner kicks, penalties and throw-ins are made with drop kicks.

Though no shoe changing is allowed, teams can dress up sporting a theme like 'spiderman' or 'rambo', as long as they are all consistent. The teams can be all men, all women, or a mix of both.

Since the swamp is so soft, players have to use unconventional winning tactics. For one, the ball does not roll very far before it sinks, so the only way to get the ball far is either kick it or hit it with the head. Also, unlike professional soccer, anyone can enter the competition, and while it helps to be fit, it isn't a requirement - although having fun sure is!

This year the World Championship took place in late June, in the Scottish town of Strachur, Argyll. Fourty-four teams with names like 'The Jeff Stelling Appreciation Society' and 'Rambo First Mud' participated in the three-day event.

For the second consecutive year, the overall men's trophy and cash prize of $1,000 USD, went to Team Rambo, who now call themselves F.C. Full Gunge. The team's captain said that after three days of grueling matches, they were thrilled to emerge as the winners once again. As to how long it will take them to get the mud off? - One can only guess!

source:swampsoccer.co.uk

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Getting Down And Dirty At The Swamp Soccer World Cup

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While the rules may be similar, the terrain is not, for there are no well-manicured fields for these soccer players - In fact the muddier and slicker the terrain, the better it is, for here they like to get down and dirty, as they battle it out for the World Cup Championships.

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Footage released by The Royal Thai Navy shows the moment the group of missing boys were finally found by British divers inside the Tham Luang cave in northern Thailand (Photo Credit: Royal Thai Navy via Facebook)

On Tuesday, July 10, 2018, the world watched with bated breath as an international team of rescuers safely extracted the two remaining members of the Moo Pa, or, Wild Boar, soccer team from a flooded cave in Thailand. The twelve boys, aged between 11 and 17, along with their coach, Ekkapol Ake Chantawong, had been trapped inside the intricate seven-mile long Tham Luang Nang Non cave system in northern Thailand's Chiang Rai Province for over two weeks.

The 18-day ordeal began after soccer practice on June 23, 2018, when the team headed to the cavern to celebrate player Peerapat Sompiangjai's birthday. While the 2.5-mile trek to their destination was easy enough, a sudden downpour of heavy monsoon rains flooded the subterranean labyrinth, making it impossible to leave. That night, the boys were reported missing, and their bicycles were found outside of the mouth of the cave system. However, any attempt to locate them was hampered by heavy rains that kept the water levels high, blocking access to the chambers where rescuers hoped the group may have found refuge.

Photo Credit: The botnews.com

Miraculously, on Monday, July 2, two British rescue divers found all 13 individuals alive on a muddy ledge in a dry air pocket deep inside the cave. While the boys had lost weight, they were alert and calm and had managed to sustain themselves on the treats brought to celebrate Peerapat's birthday. Though the news was met with much joy, the rescuers knew that extracting all 13 safely was a tricky endeavor, given that about 1.5 miles of the narrow passage to the exit was flooded with water, as deep as 15 feet in some areas. While the Thai Navy SEALs team strategized on the best way to bring the trapped players home, rescue divers brought in food, light, and supplies, and kept the boys' spirits lifted by delivering letters to and from their families.

Rescuers emerge with the players (Photo Credit: Thai Navy SEALs)

The most obvious solution to free the boys was to pump water out of the cave system. However, that effort was abandoned after officials realized that the 35 million gallons extracted seemed to make little difference. Another idea was to drill a hole into the cave and lift the boys to safety. However, the team was trapped 0.5 miles underground in an area covered by dense jungle, and even if their exact location could be determined, it would take several weeks to bore a hole. An effort to find a back entrance to the cave also proved futile in the dense vegetation.

After much debate, it was decided that the only feasible solution was to have the boys swim to freedom. However, given that the journey was arduous for even advanced divers, and the fact that a number of the boys could not swim, this was a risky proposition. The fear was exacerbated by the unfortunate demise of 38-year-old Saman Gunan, a retired Thai Navy SEAL who suffocated while placing oxygen tanks along the underwater route. But with the threat of heavy rainfall, which could increase cave flooding and delay rescue until as late as October, as well as the cave's rapidly dropping oxygen levels, the officials had no other choice.

Boys soccer team found in the cave (Photo Credit; Thai Navy SEALs)

The tricky mission began on Wednesday, July 4 when thirteen specialist divers and five Thai Navy SEALs entered the cave, installed a static, 8mm safety rope, and began teaching the boys and the coach how to dive and swim. The rescue attempt started at 5:40 p.m. local time on Sunday, July 8. Each boy, equipped with a diving suit, boots, gloves, helmet, and a full-face diving mask, was tethered to a lead diver, who also carried an oxygen tank for him, with another diver following. While navigating the dry areas, rescuers carried each boy on a stretcher. It took eight hours for the first boy to emerge and two more for the next three. Four more boys were rescued on Monday, while the final four and the coach were safely retrieved early Tuesday evening.

All 13 Wild Boars were transported to the hospital by ambulance for treatment. Hopefully, they will be able to recover quickly from the ordeal and return to playing their favorite sport. "I'm happy for Thais all over the country, for the people of Mae Sai, and actually just everyone in the world because every news channel has presented this story and this is what we have been waiting for," said Payap Maiming, who provided supplies to volunteers and journalists. "It's really a miracle. It's hope and faith that has brought us this success."

Resources: CNN.com, BBC.co.uk,vox.com, guardian.com

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Youth Soccer Team And Coach Trapped In Thailand Cave For 18 Days Safely Rescued

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On Tuesday, July 10, 2018, the world watched with bated breath as an international team of rescuers safely extracted the two remaining members of the Moo Pa, or, Wild Boar, soccer team from a flooded cave in Thailand.

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While this week it's all about the newly released Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, last week, Potter fans were focused on the muggle version of the Quidditch World Cup - Except, this one was not a figment of Rowling's imagination, but an actual championship played on solid ground in New York City.

Forty-six teams from all across the country descended to the Big Apple to compete in the fourth annual Quidditch World Cup, a two-day tournament, which could only be described as mayhem. Try as they did, they were unable to usurp the three-year reigning champions - Middlebury College, the place where it all began.

Not wanting to be left out, West coast arch rivals ( think Gryffindor vs. Slytherin) Stanford University and University of California at Berkeley, hosted their own mini-version - Who won that epic match? Watch the video below to find out.

Started in 2005 by two history majors, Alex Benepe and Xander Manshel, Muggle Quidditch noticeably lacks the 'magical' touches of wizarding Quidditch ( such as broomsticks that actually fly and Bludgers that ricochet around the pitch on their own accord). However, the human version is just as exciting, combining elements of soccer, basketball, flag football, cross country running, dodge ball and even gymnastics.

Each team comprises of up to 20 players, of which only 7 ( 3 Chasers, 2 Beaters, I Keeper and I Seeker) are on the field at any given time. Even though Muggles cannot fly, brooms have to be tucked in between the legs at all times - Any play without one in position, is rendered void.

A slightly deflated volleyball serves as the Quaffle while red dodge balls serve as Bludgers. As for the Snitch - represented by a tennis ball, it is stuffed inside a long soccer sock that is attached like a tail to the back of a student wearing various shades of yellow and gold. The Snitch carrier spends most of the game in hiding and when pursued by the Seeker, is allowed to run off the playing field as long as he/she remains within predetermined boundaries. As in wizarding Quidditch, if the Seeker succeeds in pulling off the tail, and grabbing the 'snitch', it is game over!

Muggle Quidditch is now a legitimate sport in over 400 colleges that include the likes of Harvard, Stanford and Yale, as well as, universities abroad, all the way from Perth in Australia, to Peru in South America. Over 300 high schools all over the United States also boast a Quidditch team. In fact it is becoming so popular that the organizers are considering registering with the National Collegiate Athletic Association, to turn it into a legit sport just like basketball and football.

If this article has got you itching to hop onto your Nimbus 2000's, Cleansweep Sevens or Firebolts and play some good old fashioned Quidditch, be sure to check out www.internationalquidditch.org and see if there is a team in your neighborhood or better still, find out how to start one in your school.
Sources:Guardian.co.uk,Boston.com,io9.com

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New York City Hosts Quidditch World Championship

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While this week it's all about the newly released Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, last week, Potter fans were focused on the muggle version of the Quidditch World Cup - Except, this one was not a figment of Rowling's imagination, but an actual championship played on solid ground in New York City.

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Watch out Energizer Bunny, here comes Fauja Singh - A 100-year old British resident who is still competing in marathons, without the help of any batteries! What's even more impressive is that this amazing man began his running spree at the ripe old age of 89!

Born on April 1st 1911, Mr. Singh spent most of his life in his native state of Punjab, India tending to his farmland. While he enjoyed running in his early years, he did not take it up as a 'sport' until he moved to England, about 20 years ago.

Bored of the sedentary lifestyle he was leading, he hired a trainer to get him started. Soon, he was challenging other pensioners to races and before he knew it, stong enough to run in the long-distance events. His first marathon, which he ran at the age of 89, took 6hrs 54mins - A full 58 mins faster than the previous record in this age category. And, he has only gotten better with age.

He completed the London Marathon in 6 hrs, 2mins, but his best time, which also happens to be a world record for contestants over the age of 90, is 5hrs 40mins that he established at the Toronto marathon in 2003.

This extraordinary man whose passion is to raise money for charity, trains 10 miles every day and says the secret to his success is eating healthy vegetarian meals, drinking copious amounts of ginger tea and thinking positively. As for the marathon, he asserts that the first 20 miles are a piece of cake. To get through the final stage, the deeply religious man gets his strength by talking to god.

Though he has over seven marathons under his belt, Mr. Singh is not ready to hang up his running shoes. He just walked himself into the record books last week, by becoming the oldest man to sign up for a marathon - The 2012 Edinburgh race that he hopes to compete in as part of a four-man relay team with an average age of 86. Small wonder that this sprightly young man replaced soccer superstar David Beckham, in the Adidas advertising campaign entitled 'Nothing is Impossible!'

Resources: unp.me.com,worldrecordsacademy.org

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100-Year Old Marathon Runner Keeps Going And Going And . . . .

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Move over Energizer bunny, here comes Fauja Singh - A 100-year old British resident who is still competing in marathons, without the help of any batteries! What's even more impressive is that this amazing man began his running spree at the ripe old age of 89!

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The kids that live at the Morro da Mineira slum in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro love to play soccer on the nearby community field. However, thanks to constant power shortages, they could rarely extend their games beyond sunset. Now, thanks to some innovative thinking and extraordinary technology, the young players will be able to use the field all night long if they wish, provided . . . they keep running!

That's because at this newly renovated soccer pitch, all the kinetic energy expended by the players is harnessed and used to power the lights. The hi-tech field, which was officially opened on September 10th by legendary soccer player Pele, was spearheaded by Royal Dutch Shell's "Let's Go" initiative that encourages people to find new ways to deliver energy from cleaner and more sustainable sources.

For this project, the company who was helping re-turf the dilapidated soccer field in this impoverished area of the city, decided to partner with UK-based Pavegen, that manufacturers tiles which harvest pedestrian energy. The tiles work in conjunction with solar panels that have also been installed around the field, to feed electricity to a system of floodlights overhead.

Pavegen officials say that when the 200 tiles were being laid below the astro-turf, the super-excited kids were eager to help test the technology by jumping and playing on them. CEO Kemball-Cook says what really thrilled them was seeing their energy stored and then used to illuminate the field at night. He hopes that the hi-tech soccer field, which has transformed the community into a "real-life" science experiment, will not only help improve the young players soccer skills, but also, ignite their interest in science.

This is not the first time Pavegen tiles have made kids happy. Earlier this year, the installation of eight tiles at New York's Riverdale County School to help power classroom lights and charge electronic devices, had students jumping with joy. The tiles have also been used to harness the energy of runners at the 2013 Paris Marathon and that of commuters at a number of London's Subway stations.

Made largely from rubber and other recycled materials, the tiles are the brainchild of Pavegen's 28-year-old CEO, Laurence Kemball-Cook. While the Industrial designer will not reveal too many secrets about the technology behind the unassuming looking green tile, he does say that it uses a system of cogs, which when stepped on, spin like tops and act as generators.

He asserts that Pavegen tiles are different from other kinetic energy harvesting systems, most of which are based on piezoelectricity. Kemball-Cook believes that piezoelectricity relies on high spikes, which makes it difficult to obtain a consistent flow of energy. His solution, which he describes as a hybrid, is similar to piezoelectricity in that when people walk on the slab, it deflects the top sheet by about 5mm or just enough for it to be converted to electricity. But what happens after that remains a mystery.

At a cost of $500 USD per tile, the technology is still too expensive to be deployed on a large scale. However, Kemball Cook hopes to bring it down by refining the manufacturing process further, so that he can fulfill his dream of using Pavegen tiles to power the entire world!

Resources: gizmag.com,fastcoexist.com,dailymail.co.uk

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No Step Goes Wasted On This Soccer Field

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The kids that live at the Morro da Mineira slum in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro love to play soccer on the nearby community field. However, thanks to constant power shortages, they could rarely extend their games beyond sunset.

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Punxsutawney Phil predicted six more weeks of winter on February 2, 2021 (Credit: Anthony Quintano/ CC BY 2.0/ Wikimedia Commons)

Those hoping for some respite from the powerful nor'easter that is currently pummeling the US East Coast and Mid-Atlantic with heavy snow and near-blizzard conditions are in for a disappointment. On February 2, 2021, aka Groundhog Day, legendary woodchuck Punxsutawney Phil observed his shadow. This - according to folklore - means that the frosty weather will remain with us for an additional six weeks.

The renowned groundhog's annual forecast was whispered into the ears of the members of his "inner circle" at Gobbler's Knob in the Pennsylvania Wilds. Shortly after the gloomy prediction was conveyed to the over 15,000 fans - who tuned in to watch the event online due to the coronavirus pandemic - one of Phil's handlers read a second, more uplifting, message from the groundhog. It stated: "After winter, you're looking forward to one of the most beautiful and brightest springs you've ever seen."

However, those hoping for an early spring should not despair. Phil's most famous and credible rival - New York's Staten Island Chuck - did not see his shadow, which, per groundhog lore, means that warm weather is around the corner. Canada's most famous groundhogs - Nova Scotia's Shubenacadie Sam and Quebec's Fred La Marmotte - also forecast an early spring.

According to NOAA, Phil's prediction powers have only been accurate half the time over the past ten years (Credit: NOAA.gov)

So who should one trust? Given that Phil has been predicting the weather for over 135 years, he is the most experienced and - according to his fans - always accurate. However, human meteorologists beg to differ. An analysis by NOAA's National Climatic Data Center indicates that in the past decade, the legendary groundhog has been right just 50% of the time. An examination of his record since 1887 shows an even lower accuracy rate. The groundhog also appears to see his shadow most years and has only forecast an early spring 20 times during his long, illustrious career.

Staten Island Chuck, who entered the profession in 1981, seems to have had more success and boasts an impressive 85% accuracy rate. Whether the veteran or the newcomer will win this year's groundhog weather prediction battle will be determined on March 20th, 2021, the first official day of spring.

Inaccurate as he may be, Punxsutawney Phil remains the most popular of all the animal meteorologists that emerge to forecast the weather every year on Groundhog Day. The 135-year-old - who owes his longevity to a magic elixir - is also an international celebrity thanks to his starring role in the 1993 movie, Groundhog Day.

Also known aswoodchucks, land beavers, or whistle pigs, groundhogs are the largest members of the squirrel family. They grow between 17 to 20 inches in length and can weigh as much as 13 pounds! With the exceptions of Phil and Chuck, the primarily herbivorous animals live between 6 to 8 years in the wild.

Resources: People.com, CBSnews.com, Guardian.com

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Legendary Groundhog Foresees Six More Weeks Of Winter!

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Those hoping for some respite from the powerful nor'easter that is currently pummeling the US East Coast and Mid-Atlantic with heavy snow and near-blizzard conditions are in for a disappointment. On February 2, 2021, aka Groundhog Day, legendary woodchuck Punxsutawney Phil observed his shadow.

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11-year-old Sky Brown may become the youngest Olympian to represent the UK in 2020 (Credit: IOC Young Reporters/Olympic.org)

At first sight, Sky Brown may appear to be like any other 11-year-old with a passion for skateboarding. However, spend a few minutes observing the young girl on the ramp, and you will realize that she is no ordinary skater, but a prodigy with several accolades under her belt. In addition to clinching the gold at the United Kingdom (UK) National Skateboarding Championship in 2019, she is currently ranked third in the world for women in the "park" discipline.

These achievements, along with a bronze medal at the September 2019 Park World Skateboarding Championship held in São Paulo, Brazil, have all but guaranteed the young girl a spot in the four-person women's team representing the UK in the inaugural skateboarding competitions at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. If Brown, who will turn 12 shortly before the Tokyo Games begin in July 2020, participates in the upcoming Olympics qualifying events and remains injury-free, she will become the youngest British Olympian at the Summer Games. The previous record was held by swimmer Margery Hinton, who was 13 years and 43 days old when she competed at the 1928 Olympics in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Brown is also a good surfer, snowboarder, and dancer (Credit: IOC Young Reporters/Olympic.org)

When asked if she was nervous about her potential Olympic debut, the young girl quipped, "I don't feel any nerves. It will be really cool to be the youngest Olympian. People might think you're too young or that you can't do it, but I want to show that it's not about your size or age. I want to be in the Olympics to inspire other girls to show them you can do anything. I'm excited for Tokyo. I love Simone Biles' attitude. She just goes for it."

Born in Japan to a Japanese mother and British father, Brown began skateboarding when she was just four years old. "At first, I mostly learned from YouTube," she says. "I said to my dad 'please, please, please teach me,' and he taught me a little. But if I want to learn a trick, I'll just search it online and study about it myself."

Brown, who spends most of the year in Huntington Beach, California, is a good surfer as well. The young girl had initially planned to compete in surfing, which is also making its Olympic debut in 2020, as well, but then decided to only pursue just skateboarding. "I like them both the same, they're super similar," she says. "But it's like if you go and get ramen and ice cream - if you eat too much ramen you want to go and get ice cream. I used to be better at surfing, but I've been skating a lot lately, and I've got way better from doing contests. It's made me want to go harder." If that is not impressive enough, she is also an outstanding snowboarder, figure skater, and an accomplished dancer who won the Dancing With The Stars: Juniors competitionin 2018.

The phenom, who has already garnered a Nike sponsorship and appeared in advertising campaigns alongside legendary athletes like Serena Williams and Megan Rapinoe, spends about three months of the year competing around the world. When not traveling, Brown is just like any typical preteen. "I relax, I watch TikTok and Netflix. I love yummy food," she says. "And I go to school. I like music and math. I'm not a great student, but I like learning stuff."

The young girl aspires to be a skateboarder, surfer and dancer, and even play the guitar when she grows up. However, for now, she is focusing on perfecting a new move - a backside 540, which involves spinning one-and-a-half times towards your toes - for the Olympics. We have a feeling this young girl will be on the Olympic podium for many years to come!

Resources: theguardian.com, Olympic.org,www.bbc.com

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11-Year-Old Skateboarding Phenom Sky Brown May Be Heading To The 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics

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At first sight, Sky Brown may appear to be like any other 11-year-old with a passion for skateboarding. However, spend a few minutes observing the young girl on the ramp, and you will realize that she is no ordinary skater, but a prodigy with several accolades under her belt.

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Fortnite creator Epic Games staged the first Fortnite World Cup at New York's Arthur Ashe Stadium (Credit: Epic Games)

From July 26 to July 28, 2019, New York's Arthur Ashe Stadium hosted the biggest video game competition of all time - the Fortnite World Cup. The event, witnessed by a live audience of over 23,000 and more than 2 million fans online, was the culmination of a 10-week qualification process that whittled down the approximately 40 million hopefuls to the final 200 competitors. In a true testament to the game's universal appeal, the contestants hailed from 34 countries and ranged in age from 13 to 24.

The thrilling competition, which awarded a staggering $30 million in prize money over the three days, comprised four different tournaments. The event began with the Creative Finals that showcased Fortnite's recently launched Minecraft-style mode. The 32 finalists, split into four teams of eight, had to play three unique games designed by their fellow players: Sky Showdown, Junction Juke, and World Run. After four hours of intense battle, it was Jack 'FaZe' Cizzorz and his team 'Fish Fam' that took home the top cash prize of $1,345,000. The rest of the $3 million prize money allocated to the tournament was distributed to the remaining teams based on their wins. Given that members of Cuddle Crew, which came in last, took home $195,000, it was a productive day for all.

Team Fish Fam won the top prize in the Creative Finals tournament (Credit: Epic Games)

Next up was the Celebrity Pro-Am, or professionals versus amateurs, contest. Similar to the previous two Pro-Am events, held on June 12, 2018, and June 19, 2019, 50 celebrities, paired with 50 gamers, competed for a charity of their choice. The list included stars like Toronto rapper NAV, EDM artist Marshmello, and popular professional players like Tyler 'Ninja' Blevins and Nick 'Nickmercs' Kolcheff, both of whom failed to qualify for the World Cup. Though the battles were fierce, it was the reigning champions - musician RL Grime and Twitch streamer Karim 'Airwaks' Benghalia - who earned the top prize of $1 million for their favorite cause. The rest of the $3 million total prize money allocated to the event was distributed to the next eight winners.

The scoring for the duos and solo championships followed the same format (Credit Epic Games)

Though the two events, both of which took place on Friday, were exciting, the highlight of the three-day competition was the duos and solo championships that began on Saturday. They both followed a similar format. Players were required to compete across six 100-player Battle Royale matches and were awarded points based on placement skills.

Thanks to the open nature of the qualifying rounds, which allowed all Fortnite registered users to compete, the final lineup, especially in the duos competition, comprised mostly unknown players. After failing to crack the top ten in the first three matches, 17-year-old Emil 'Nyhrox' Bergquist Pedersen and 16-year-old David 'Aqua' Wang mounted a remarkable comeback in the final three games, to take home the total grand prize of $3 million.

Underdogs Emil "Nyhrox" Bergquist Pedersen and David "Aqua" Wang were the surprising winners of the duos championship (Credit: Epic Games)

The solo tournament was equally exciting. Sixteen-year-old American Kyle "Bugha" Giersdorf outplayed gaming veterans like Turner 'Tfue' Tenney (who finished in 67th place) and Timothy 'Bizzle' Miller (23rd place) to take home $3 million. This is the highest prize money awarded to any individual in e-sports history.

However, unlike the duos championships, Giersdorf, or "Bugha" as he likes to be called, led the competition from the first match. The Pennsylvania teen was introduced to Fortnite two years ago by his father and was instantly hooked. "I saw it, and I was like, 'This is something I'd be interested in playing,'" he said. "And I just started playing with my friends, and it got pretty fun. I started playing every day." The youngster, who now spends six to eight hours on the game daily, intends to invest most of the prize money. He does, however, expect to splurge on a new desk!

Kyle "Bugha" Giersdorf was undisputedly the champion, winning all six games (Credit: Epic Games)

Twenty-four-year-old Harrison 'Psalm' Chang, a full-time gamer since 2016, came in second place, taking home $1.8 million. The Orange County, California native, who has 19 years of gaming experience, also does not have big plans for the winnings. "I've always lived kind of frugally, and I'm not really big into, like, spending big," he said. "I'll use it somehow to make more money, though."

Shane 'Epikwhale' Cotton of Redondo Beach, California took home the third place trophy and $1.2 million. The 16-year-old, who had never played in a major tournament before, practiced for the event for six to eight hours a day during the school year and stepped it up to 10 hours in the summer months leading to the finals. Besides splurging on some new clothes and shoes, the youngster has no big plans for his winnings either.

Professional gamer Harrison "Psalm," Chang and Shane "Epikwhale" Cotton came in second and third place respectively (Credit: Epic Games)

Following the success of the inaugural Fortnite World Cup, developer Epic Games announced a new challenge for fans. Starting with Season X, which was launched on August 1, 2019, players will compete weekly to become the Fortnite Season X champions. Though few details were revealed, the company has promised winners "millions of dollars!"

For those not familiar with the video game, Fortnite is a third-person survival shooter game in which players battle zombie-like creatures called Husks. First unveiled on July 25, 2017, the game's popularity has increased exponentially since the September 2017 launch of the Battle Royale mode. In this mode, teams of one, two, or four gamers are dropped into a large map to defeat other players, while a storm continually shrinks the map. The last player(s) standing wins, and achieves the coveted Victory Royale! Fortnite now boasts over 250 million registered users worldwide, and with the success of the World Cup, the numbers can only increase!

Resources: Theverge.com, CNN, com, wired.com, epicgame.com

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Epic Games Hands Out $30 Million In Cash Prizes At Inaugural Fortnite World Cup

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From July 26 to July 28, 2019, New York's Arthur Ashe Stadium hosted the biggest video game competition of all time - the Fortnite World Cup. The event, witnessed by a live audience of over 23,000 and more than 2 million fans online, was the culmination of a 10-week qualification process that whittled down the approximately 40 million hopefuls to the final 200 competitors.

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Pizza Hut’s Pie-Ordering Sneakers Are Like None Other

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When the 2018 March Madness — the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament — began, Pizza Hut knew that avid fans wouldn’t want to miss a second of the games. So, for the second consecutive year, the company partnered with custom sneaker designer Dominic Chambrone, aka “The Shoe Surgeon,” to crea…

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City Pride Magazine February 2020 Edition is dedicated to Kobe Bean Bryant who was killed in a tragic helicopter crash on January 26, 2020. The world was shocked over the loss of this National Basketball Association retired Los Angeles Lakers star and City Pride Magazine remembers Kobe Bryant in this Special Black History 2020 Edition. City Pride Magazine is honoring Kobe Bryant with this special edition filled with exciting pictures, stories, and poems of remembrance.

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41-year-old basketball legend Kobe Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna (pictured) and seven others died in a helicopter accident on January 26, 2020 (Credit: Kobe Bryant/Instagram)

Sports fans around the world are struggling to reconcile with the sudden loss of American basketball icon Kobe Bryant. The 41-year-old died on January 26, 2020, when his private helicopter crashed into a hillside in Calabasas, California - about 30 miles away from Los Angeles. The crash also killed the chopper's eight other occupants - Bryant's 13-year-old daughter Gianna, her middle school basketball assistant coach Christina Mauser, Orange Coast College baseball coach John Altobelli, his wife Keri and daughter Alyssa, Sarah Chester and her daughter Payton, and the pilot, Ara Zobayan.

The aircraft was believed to be en route to the Mamba Sports Academy, where Gianna and her teammates Alyssa and Payton had an afternoon basketball game. Located in Thousand Oaks, California, the training facility was co-founded by Bryant in 2018 to support young, aspiring athletes.

Los Angeles County fire chief Daryl Osby said paramedic teams rushed to the site after receiving a 911 call just before 10 a.m. on Sunday. "We had one helicopter fly into the incident with firefighter-paramedics on board," he said. "Those paramedics were hoisted down to the incident, early into the incident, they did a search of the area for survivors. Unfortunately ... all on board were determined to have been perished." Though the cause of the crash will take a few weeks to determine, the extremely heavy fog conditions, which had grounded even police helicopters, is believed to have been a factor.

Bryant helped the Los Angeles Lakers win five NBA titles during his 20-year-career with the team (Credit: Lawrence Jackson /Creative Commons.org)Public domain)

Bryant, who spent his entire 20-year-basketball career as a shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers, was born in Philadelphia, PA, to NBA player Joe Bryant and Pamela Cox Bryant. The basketball phenom, who decided to turn professional after graduating from high school, was selected by the Charlotte Hornets with the 13th overall pick, and then promptly traded to the Lakers for veteran center Vlade Divac. At just 18 years, two months, and 11 days old, he was the youngest player to be drafted in NBA history.

The trade proved to be fortuitous for the Lakers. By his third year, Bryant had moved from being a reserve to the starting line-up. He had also firmly established himself as a star, with experts often comparing the 20-year-old's incredible basketball shooting skills to those of Chicago Bulls' shooting guard Michael Jordan, often regarded as the best player in the history of the game. In 2000, under the guidance of Phil Jackson and with the assistance of talented teammates like Hall of Fame center Shaquille O'Neal, Bryant led the Lakers to their first NBA title since 1988. The dream team continued to dominate the league for the next two years, winning the championships in 2001 and 2002!

Bryant with his daughters Natalia (L) Gianna (far right), and Bianca (front) and his wife Vanessa (R) (Credit: Kobe Bryant/Instagram)

In addition to helping the Lakers garner two additional NBA titles in 2009 and 2010, Bryant was also a member of the basketball team responsible for bringing home the Olympic Gold medals in 2008 and 2012. By the time he retired in 2016, the 18-time NBA All-Star had played a total of 1,566 games and scored an astounding 33,643 points - a record surpassed by only three players - Kareem Abdul-Jabar (38,387), Karl Malone (36,928), and Lebron James (33,655) - in the NBA's 73-year history.

But Bryant's life was not just about the sport. Married to his high school sweetheart Vanessa Bryant since 2001, the father of four - Natalie (17), the late Gianna (13), Bianca (3), and six-month-old Capri - was also a devoted husband and dad. In fact, it was his second daughter, Gianna's passion and innate talent for basketball that led the legendary player to begin coaching her middle school basketball team shortly after retiring, in 2016.

When asked about his new post-retirement career by Entertainment Tonight in 2018, an enthusiastic Bryant said, "It's been fun! We've been working together for a year and a half, and they've improved tremendously in that time. I've got a group of great parents, a group of really, really intelligent, hardworking girls, and -- they're all seventh graders, they're all 12 years old -- but they've been playing so well!"

Bryant retired at 41 as the fourth-highest scorer in NBA history (Credit: Keith Allison (CC-BY-SA 2.0 /Creativecommons.org)

In 2018, Bryant became the first professional athlete to be nominated for an Academy Award, and the first African American to win the coveted Oscar for Best Animated Short Film. Entitled Dear Basketball, the uplifting four-minute-long feature is based on a letter Bryant wrote to The Players' Tribune on November 29, 2015, announcing his retirement from basketball. It outlines the player's passion for the sport since childhood and takes viewers on his 20-year journey to achieving his goals.

Though there are many ways to honor Bryant, the best way to pay tribute to one of the greatest sports heroes of all time may be to follow his philosophy on life: "Have a good time. Life is too short to get bogged down and be discouraged. You have to keep moving. You have to keep going. Put one foot in front of the other, smile, and just keep on rolling." - Kobe Bryant, 2008.

Resources:: Yahoo.sports.com, bleacherreport.com, Wikipedia.com, Guardian.com

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World Mourns The Loss Of Legendary Basketball Player Kobe Bryant

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Sports fans around the world are struggling to reconcile with the sudden loss of American basketball icon Kobe Bryant. The 41-year-old died on January 26, 2020, when his private helicopter crashed into a hillside in Calabasas, California - about 30 miles away from Los Angeles.

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Explore the solar system, study astronomy, and discover fun facts about space shuttles with Eye Wonder: Space. From the huge volcanoes of Venus to the massive storms on Jupiter, Pluto, and the comets, plus how astronauts sleep in space, the secrets of the stars, and our future in space, every page lets the reader discover new and fascinating facts about our universe.

A precursor to DK's award-winning Eyewitness series, Eye Wonder was specially developed for children aged 5+, featuring astonishing photography exhibiting subjects within their natural setting and offering a whole new level of information through powerful images.

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Explore the solar system, study astronomy, and discover fun facts about space shuttles with Eye Wonder: Space. From the huge volcanoes of Venus to the massive storms on Jupiter, Pluto, and the comets, plus how astronauts sleep in space, the secrets of the stars, and our future in space, every page lets the reader discover new and fascinating facts about our universe.

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mergedThis is a funny and factual guide for anyone interested in outer space and the work that astronauts do. You'll find out how rockets work, what an average day looks like for an astronaut, and how to use a toilet in space...The book also explores the technology that astronauts use in space, and the experiments they do on the International Space Station.

This is a fun, fact-packed and practical guide to launching your interstellar career! The great illustrations and easy style make it an enjoyable read and it's fascinating to learn what you need to do to become an astronaut.

Publisher: Usborne

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14-year-old Anika Chebrolu's research may help fight COVID-19 (Credit: 3M)

Scientists scrambling to find a cure for COVID-19 may have some help from an unexpected source - 14-year-old Anika Chebrolu. The youngster from Frisco, Texas, was named the winner of the 3M Young Scientist Challenge in a virtual event held on October 12 - 13, 2020, for her groundbreaking research that could lead to a cure for the coronavirus.

Anika, who had been in eighth grade at the time of entry, had initially intended to research a compound that could bind the common flu virus protein and prevent the affliction from spreading. However, after the COVID-19 pandemic hit, she and her 3M mentor - Dr. Mahfuza Ali - decided to focus their efforts on identifying a molecule that could encompass the so-called "spike protein" that coronavirus uses to invade human cells. Restraining the viral protein could potentially stop its entry into the cells and curb the spread of the infectious disease.

"After spending so much time researching about pandemics, viruses, and drug discovery, it was crazy to think that I was actually living through something like this," Anika said. "Because of the immense severity of the Covid-19 pandemic and the drastic impact it had made on the world in such a short time, I, with the help of my mentor, changed directions to target the SARS-CoV-2 virus."

Her extensive research, which included using multiple computer programs to analyze almost 700 million compounds, led to the discovery of a promising molecule. If scientists are able to verify the accuracy of her findings, the molecule could help researchers develop a drug to contain COVID-19.

"This is a virus, and it has many proteins in it, and you need to find a size in that virus so that you can deactivate the virus so that it does not latch onto a human cell," Ali told Good Morning America. "What essentially she's doing is closing the door from the get-go of the coronavirus so that it cannot latch onto the human cell and then it cannot multiply and ... transfer from human to human."

Though thrilled at the accolades she has been receiving, Anika is not done fighting COVID-19. The young girl plans to use a portion of her $25,000 prize money to further develop her research with the help of virologists and drug development specialists. She also intends to donate some of her winnings to her nonprofit organization, AcademyAid, that "helps underrepresented students receive a well-rounded education by encouraging STEM and providing supplies to underserved schools in India."

Now in its 13th year, the 3M Young Scientist Challenge is an annual national competition that invites students in grades 5-8 to find a unique solution to an everyday problem. In addition to the prestigious title of "America's Top Young Scientist," the grand-prize winner receives an exclusive mentorship with a 3M scientist, a $25,000 cash prize, and a special destination trip. The second and third place winners each receive $1,000 in prize money and a special destination trip.

Resources: CNN.com, GMA.com, Livescience.com, Businesswire.com

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"America's Top Young Scientist" May Have Found A Way To Stop COVID-19

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Scientists scrambling to find a cure for COVID-19 may have some help from an unexpected source - 14-year-old Anika Chebrolu. The youngster from Frisco, Texas, was named the winner of the 3M Young Scientist Challenge in a virtual event held on October 12 - 13, 2020, for her groundbreaking research that could lead to a cure for the coronavirus.

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Photo Credit: www.rit.edu

American Sign Language (ASL), has been one of the primary means of communication for the deaf in the United States and many parts of Canada since the 1800s. It is estimated that between 500,000 to 2 million people use the language on a regular basis.

But popular as it is, there are millions of people with normal hearing that do not understand the language. And while most deaf Americans learn to speak with the help of speech therapy, many find it easier to communicate through sign language. Now a team of researchers at the Texas A&M University has created wearable technology that will make it easy for ASL and non-ASL users to converse.

Photo Credit: Texas A&M University

The smart device is the brainchild of a team led by Biomedical Engineering Associate Professor Roozbeh Jafari. It uses two separate sensors to translate intricate ASL gestures into simple English. The first that is fitted with an accelerometer and gyroscope keeps track of the significant movements - the user's hand and arm as he/she tries to communicate.

The second sensor helps distinguish the smaller movements that follow, the larger ones. Called an electromyographic sensor (sEMG), it can recognize various hand and finger movements based on muscle activity. The two sensors working in tandem help provide an accurate interpretation of the gesture.

Image Credit: Quora.com

For example, when an ASL user is gesturing the words "please" or "sorry," the first sensor will pick up the hand drawing circles to the chest, while the second will ascertain if the fist is open ("please") or closed ("sorry").

Once the device that is worn on the user's right wrist has captured the gesture, it transmits the appropriate signals to a laptop via Bluetooth. A complicated algorithm translates them into English and displays the word on the computer screen.

Jafari, who unveiled the prototype at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 12th Annual Body Sensor Networks Conference this past June, says there is still some work to be done before the technology can be used in the real world.

For one, it currently recognizes just 40 primary ESL signs, which means that it has thousands more to learn. Also, the smart device only translates one word at a time making ordinary conversations painfully slow.

The research team also realizes that not all communication takes place around a laptop. They hope to eliminate the need for one by incorporating a computer into the wearable. The computer will then send the translation to a smart device, allowing two people "speaking" different languages to have a coherent conversation.

Photo Credit: Texas A&M University

Additionally, each device has to be custom programmed, which means that the individual has to "train" the wearable by repeating every ASL sign a few times. This is a time-consuming process and can only get worse as the translator's vocabulary expands. Jafari hopes to reduce the learning time or eliminate this requirement altogether in the product's next release. Despite the numerous challenges the researcher is not worried. After all, it took his two graduate students just a few weeks to come up with the first impressive prototype.

Photo Credit: Motion Savvy/Indiegogo

The Texas team is not the only one working on making conversation between ASL and non-ASL users easier. MotionSavvy has a product that uses a smart device camera to translate gestures into speech. In China, researchers have created a motion sensing device that translates Chinese Sign Language into both spoken and written words. With so many brilliant minds focused on finding a solution, communication difficulties experienced by ASL users may soon be a thing of the past!

Resources: engineering.tamu.edu, smithsonianmag.com

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Smart Device Translates American Sign Language To English

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American Sign Language (ASL), has been one of the primary means of communication for the deaf in the United States and many parts of Canada since the 1800s. It is estimated that between 500,000 to 2 million people use the language on a regular basis.

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Space has fascinated mankind from the earliest days of civilization, and as we keep

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Travel with Sam as he explores Thor's Well - a mysterious marvel of nature! Take a look inside Mocomi TimePass Magazine Issue 89 to find out more. Every issue has something fun for everyone. In each magazine you will find folktales, trivia, puzzles, health tips, jokes and much more!

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Amazing answers to more than 200 questions about space and the universe, featuring pictures from NASA as well as the latest space exploration news.

Did You Know? Space answers all the questions about space that kids ask. What are shooting stars? Why is Jupiter striped? Is anyone else out there? Covering the solar system, stars, galaxies, planets, and beyond, each spread is structured around a question that inquiring young minds ask, with text broken up in manageable chunks designed for providing young readers with a reassuring and fantastic route into space.

Series Overview: Designed for ages 5-9, the Did You Know? series gives kids answers to the questions they really want to know about! Broken down into bite-size nuggets of information in a Q&A format, each book gives the answers to more than 200 questions.

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From the Big Bang to space exploration and stargazing, young readers will see everything there is to know about space as they blast off on this extraordinary journey with Space Visual Encyclopedia.

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Every year, sports-related concussions affect several hundred thousand athletes - both professional and amateur. What's worrying is that despite advances in protective gear technology, the numbers are only increasing. According to CDC, emergency room visits relating to sports related injuries including concussions among children and adolescents, has increased by 60% in the last decade. While the fact that football and ice hockey players are the most susceptible to the head injury is not surprising, the high concussion rates in non-contact sports like lacrosse and soccer is certainly worrisome.

The good news is that concussions, which are described as "mild" brain injuries are usually not life-threatening. However, they are sometimes severe enough to result in permanent brain damage and even death. That is why impacted athletes should not be allowed to return to the field without receiving proper medical attention.

Surprisingly though, surveys indicate that a significant amount of student athletes -16% or more - return to a game right after sustaining a head injury.

To try and combat this worrying trend, Kirkland, Washington, based i1 Biometrics has devised a smart mouthguard. Called Vector, it looks and feels just like a normal mouthguard, except for one thing - it is fitted with advanced accelerometers and gyroscopes, which can wirelessly relay information from the mouthpiece to a computer program that can run on a tablet or smartphone.

Because the Vector mouthguard is attached to the upper jaw, it accurately measures skull movement and the acceleration and deceleration of the brain during impact and transmits an alert each time a player is hit, informing the coach of his/her name, the G-force and location of the injury.

In addition, the coaches also receive a 3D rendering of the player's head with the impact details. This allows them to closely monitor the athletes that are sustaining the most hits during a game and also help correct their form, like if they are using the crown of their helmets to tackle - a strategy that is both unsafe and illegal in football. Additionally, the data gathered is also useful to help the continuing studies on enhancing the safety of the sport.

The Vector Mouthguard is currently being tested by twenty players on Louisiana State University's football team. While the program is still in its initial stages, Jack Marucci, the director of athletic training is happy with the accuracy and the data he receives from this smart device. He plans to send a full report of his team's findings to the NCAA, in hopes of reducing injuries at the fall camp "two-a-day" practices, which are known for hard-hitting tactics. Senior associate athletic trainer Shelley Mullenix concurs, describing the alerts from the mouthguard, as a "second set of eyes."

If all goes well in this final phase of testing, Vector Mouthguards will be in stores by fall 2015. Priced at $199 USD, the device is not cheap, but it is a small price to pay to protect players from life-threatening injuries. Besides, it is extremely durable, which means that most high school players will only need to buy it once! The best news is that will be available in various sizes so that even athletes as young as 12, can be protected.

i1 Biometrics is not the only company that has come up with a smart mouthguard. Arizona State University football players Anthony Gonzales and Bob Merriman, are also working on a prototype. Called FITGuard, it is designed to indicate when a blow to the head is serious enough to warrant further attention. The device is fitted with a green LED strip on the front that turns blue when it detects a medium force impact and red when there is an above-50 percent chance the athlete has suffered a concussion. The data sent by FITGuard can be downloaded on to an app for the trainers to analyze and decide on the best course of action.

Though mouthguards are currently worn primarily by athletes involved in contact sports, there is no reason why they can't be used to monitor the increasing injury rates for soccer and basketball players. Hopefully, these smart devices will encourage more athletes to start thinking about wearing the mouthpieces.

Resources: huffingtonpost.com,digitaltrends.com

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Are Smart Mouthguards The Solution To Sports-Related Concussions?

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Every year, sports-related concussions affect several hundred thousand athletes - both professional and amateur. What's worrying is that despite advances in protective gear technology, the numbers are only increasing. According to CDC, emergency room visits relating to sports related injuries including concussions among children and adolescents, has increased by 60% in the last decade.

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Apollo 10 Astronauts (Photo Credit: NASA)

On May 18, 1969, NASA astronauts Thomas Stafford, John Young, and Eugene Cernan blasted off from Cape Canaveral aboard the Apollo 10 lunar module, the fourth manned mission in the US Apollo Space program and only the second after Apollo 8 to orbit the moon. Its mission was to circle the moon and thoroughly test the components and procedures to pave the way for the first lunar landing. The mission went flawlessly and without incident - At least that's what everyone believed.

However, that view has changed somewhat since February 22, after NASA released a digital recording of strange 'music' heard by the space travelers. The astronauts experienced the eerie whistling sounds for almost an hour when the shuttle was on the far side of the moon and therefore, out of radio range from NASA's mission control.

Photo Credit: NASA/Project Apollo Archive

In the transcript of the mission released to the public in 1998, the astronauts discuss the sound intermittently as they go about performing their tasks. Then as they are re-entering the zone where they can communicate with ground control, one of the astronauts asks if they should report it. In response, Stafford expresses his doubts if anyone will even believe them.

But they needn't have worried. When NASA experts listened to the recordings, they attributed the strange whistling sounds to radio interference caused by the two receivers located tens of kilometers apart in the lunar module and the command-service module. According to the US space agency, the whistling sound was a result of the different antennas and communication systems of the radios.

Photo Credit: NASA/Project Apollo Archive

Michael Collins, the Apollo 11 pilot who orbited the moon solo, while Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong were conducting the moon walk also mentions the sounds in his 1974 book An Astronaut's Journey.' He says that the only reason he was not spooked upon hearing them was because he had been forewarned by NASA officials. Collins also said that the music stopped as soon as the lunar module landed on the moon.

So why did it take NASA over 40 years to release the digital recording of the eerie music and that too only after it was featured in a recently aired episode of the television series 'NASA's Unexplained Files'? The US Space Agency says they have not been hiding them. In the press release that accompanies the release of the recording, NASA officials state, 'The Apollo 10 audio clips were uploaded in 2012, but the mission's sound recordings have been available at the National Archives (for anyone that wanted to hear them) since the early 1970s.'

Photo Credit: NASA/Project Apollo Archive

Gene Cernan, Apollo 10's pilot who heard the sounds firsthand, also released a statement saying, "I don't remember that incident exciting me enough to take it seriously. It was probably just radio interference. Had we thought it was something other than that we would have briefed everyone after the flight. We never gave it another thought."

showcased Sunday night in a show on the cable channel Discovery, as part of a series called "NASA's Unexplained Files."

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2016-02-nasa-strange-music-heard-astronauts.html#jCp Astronaut Gene Cernan, who was piloting the Apollo 10 mission and heard the music firsthand says,"I don't remember that incident exciting me enough to take it seriously. It was probably just radio interference. Had we thought it was something other than that, we would have briefed everyone after the flight. Cernan goes on to say that neither he nor the other astronauts "gave it another thought."

While most people are ready to accept this logical explanation, there are some that believe otherwise. They speculate the music proves the presence of aliens. Among them is Apollo 15 astronaut Al Worden, who thinks the sounds came from a source in outer space. In the episode of 'NASA's Unexplained Files', that discusses the origin of the strange music, the astronaut says, "Logic tells me that if there was something recorded on there, then there was something there."

Alien music or radio interference? You decide!

Resources: Phys.org,metalfloss.com,telegraph.co.uk

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NASA Says 'Eerie' Sounds Heard By Apollo 10 Astronauts Was Radio Interference, Not Alien Music

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On May 18, 1969, NASA astronauts Thomas Stafford, John Young, and Eugene Cernan blasted off from Cape Canaveral aboard the Apollo 10 lunar module, the fourth manned mission in the US Apollo Space program and only the second after Apollo 8 to orbit the moon.

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A camera aboard the Perseverance rover captured this hi-resolution image of the historic Mars landing (Credit: NASA,/Public domain/ Wikimedia Commons)

The NASA Perseverance rover's 293 million mile (472 million km) journey to Mars ended successfully on February 18, 2021, with a picture-perfect landing inside the Jezero Crater. The car-sized, six-wheeled rover, nicknamed Percy, is the US space agency's biggest and most advanced explorer to date. Its primary mission is to search for signs of ancient microbial life on Mars.

"Touchdown confirmed! Perseverance is safely on the surface of Mars, ready to begin seeking the signs of past life!" Swati Mohan, the guidance, navigation, and controls (GN&C) operations lead for the Perseverance mission, declared at about 3:55 p.m. EST. Upon hearing the confirmation, the anxiously-waiting double-masked engineers in the mission control room at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) broke out into cheers. Moments later, the hazard cameras attached to the spacecraft sent back a clear black-and-white image of the Martian surface with the rover lurking in the shadow.

An image of Mars' surface with the rover in the shadows (Credit: NASA,/Public domain/ Wikimedia Commons)

Though NASA scientists made it look easy, landing on Mars is extremely tricky. The Red Planet's gravitational pull causes approaching spacecraft to accelerate to high speeds, while its thin atmosphere - just 1 percent that of Earth's - does little to help dissipate the energy and slow it down as it approaches the surface.

The scientists had to use a series of tricky maneuvers to reduce Percy's 12,000 mph (19,000 kmh) speed to a safe landing speed of less than five mph - in just six and a half minutes. The target entry angle also had to be a precise 12 degrees - any steeper, and the spacecraft would burn up; any flatter, and it would bounce off the atmosphere and get lost in space. It is no wonder that the final approach is often referred to as the "seven minutes of terror."

Upon attaining a manageable speed, Percy briefly hovered over the Martian surface to seek out the perfect landing spot. Its sophisticated navigation system rapidly scanned the area and matched it with maps in its database to find the optimal location. The spacecraft then used its hovering-landing sky crane system to gently alight on flat ground just 114 feet (35 meters) away from hazardous boulders. "We did successfully find that parking lot and have a safe rover on the ground," said Allen Chen, the head of the rover's landing team at JPL.

The arrow indicates Perseverance's landing spot (Credit: NASA/Public domain/Wikimedia Commons)

The NASA scientists will spend the next two months testing Percy's state-of-the-art scientific instruments. Once ready, the rover will begin its two-year-long mission to explore the ancient crater's lakebed and river delta - which scientists believe were once filled with water - for fossilized microscopic Martian life. The rock and sediment samples collected will be carefully stored and brought back to Earth for analysis in subsequent missions, conducted in partnership with the European Space Agency (ESA).

"Perseverance is the most sophisticated robotic geologist ever made, but verifying that microscopic life once existed carries an enormous burden of proof," said Lori Glaze, director of NASA's Planetary Science Division. "While we'll learn a lot with the great instruments we have aboard the rover, it may very well require the far more capable laboratories and instruments back here on Earth to tell us whether our samples carry evidence that Mars once harbored life."

Whether Percy succeeds in finding any evidence of ancient alien life remains to be seen. However, we can look forward to some spectacular footage of the Red Planet from the rover's 19 high-definition cameras. Since they are also equipped with microphones, we will also be able to hear - for the first time - what Mars really sounds like.

Resources: Mars.NASA.gov

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NASA's Perseverance Rover Successfully Lands On The Red Planet

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The NASA Perseverance rover's 293 million mile (472 million km) journey to Mars ended successfully on February 18, 2021, with a picture-perfect landing inside the Jezero Crater. The car-sized, six-wheeled rover, nicknamed Percy, is the US space agency's biggest and most advanced explorer to date.

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Installation of the 10,000-year-old clock in Texas (Photo Credit: Longnow.org)

Future generations take note - deep inside the heart of a Sierra Diablo mountain, along the Texas-Mexico border, lies a 200-foot-tall, mechanical clock that ticks once a year, has a century hand that advances once every 100 years, and a cuckoo which will emerge once every 1000 years! Meet the 10,000 Year Clock!

Photo Credit: Longnow.org

The extraordinary timepiece is the brainchild of American inventor Danny Hillis, who first thought of the idea over 20 years ago in 1995. Since then, the engineer and his team have built several prototypes, including an 8-foot-tall version that helped usher in the year 2000, and is now on display at the London Science Museum.

However, it was not until 2011, when Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos agreed to fund the project's $42 million cost that work on a full-scale version of the 10,000-year clock began in earnest. As you can imagine, designing a clock that can keep accurate time for such an extended period was no easy task. On February 20, 2018, Bezos announced that installation of the 500-foot-tall timepiece had finally begun.

Housed in a 500-foot-tall tunnel drilled inside a mountain owned by the billionaire, the clock will only be visible from the peak through a sapphire glass cupola that attaches it to the shaft. Made using durable, long-lasting materials like marine grade titanium, ceramic, and stone, the time machine will be driven by giant gears and powered by thermal energy harnessed from changes in the mountain's day and night temperatures.

The timepiece's bell will chime ten times a day, playing unique melodies that the inventors claim will never be repeated over the course of its 10,000-year lifespan. Unfortunately, given they will never emanate beyond the mountain's walls, the countless musical scores will go unappreciated.

Photo Credit: Longnow.org

Five room-sized chambers carved inside the mountain will commemorate the clock's one-year, ten-year, 100-year, 1000-year and 10,000-year anniversaries. At the end of the inaugural year, the first chamber will animate an 8-foot-tall model of the solar system. While Bezos and his team are seeking ideas to celebrate the clock's ten-year anniversary, they will let future generations decide the best way to mark its 100-year, 1,000-year and 10,000-year birthdays.

However, the celebrations may never happen given that the remote mountain is far from any airport. Even if some brave souls do make it there, they will have to hike up a steep 1,500-foot hill to get to the double steel door entrance. They will then ascend in total darkness up a spiral stairway so steep, that it had to be constructed by a stone-slicing robot invented specifically for the job. Along the way, they will encounter massive stone disks the size of a car that act as counterweights to the clock's drive system. Further up, will be the horizontal windlass that can be wound up manually to hear one of the clock's thousands of unique chimes. However, thanks to its massive size, it will take two or three people to accomplish the task. Those who persevere all the way to the top will be handsomely rewarded with the clock's 8-foot-wide face, which artistically depicts astronomical time with stars and planets.

Bezos says he hopes the clock will "change the way humanity thinks about time and encourage people to take a longer view of things." The entrepreneur quips, "Over the lifetime of this clock, the United States won't exist. Whole civilizations will rise and fall. New systems of government will be invented. You can't imagine the world - no one can - that we're trying to get this clock to pass through."

The face of the 10,000-year-old clock (Photo Credit: Longnow.org)

It turns out Bezos is not the only one who thinks the 10,000 Year Clock is a brilliant way to connect us with future generations. Hillis expects to build many more and says his non-profit, The Long Now, has already garnered funding for a second one, which will be housed inside a mountain in eastern Nevada's Great Basin National Park.

Resources: longnow.org. wired.com

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Massive Clock Buried Inside A Texas Mountain Will Keep Ticking For 10,000 Years!

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Future generations take note - deep inside the heart of a Sierra Diablo mountain, along the Texas-Mexico border, lies a 200-foot-tall, mechanical clock that ticks once a year, has a century hand that advances once every 100 years, and a cuckoo which will emerge once every 1,000 years!

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Artist's imaging of the areas on the Moon (in red) where hints of hematite were found (Credit: Shuai Li/University of Hawaii)

Researchers have long been aware of the presence of rust, or hematite, on Mars caused by the chemical reaction between the iron ore on the planet's surface and water and oxygen from the ancient past. However, they had never expected to find the reddish-brown iron oxide on the Moon, given that our satellite is missing two of the three key components - moisture and oxygen. Now, a new study, based on recent data from India's Chandrayaan-1 Moon-orbiting spacecraft, suggests that the Moon is displaying signs of rust and it may be Earth's fault.

The discovery of the rust is even more astonishing given that the Moon is constantly being bombarded with solar winds - which mainly comprise charged hydrogen particles - from the Sun's corona. Hydrogen is a reducing agent, meaning that it 'donates' electrons to the materials it interacts with. However, for iron to rust, an oxidizer - such as oxygen - that removes electrons needs to be present. While Earth also gets its fair share of solar radiation, it is protected by the magnetic shield that deflects most solar particles before they reach the atmosphere.

"It's very puzzling," said planetary scientist Shuai Li of the University of Hawaii, who led the study, which was published in the journal Science Advances on September 2, 2020. "The Moon is a terrible environment for hematite to form in."

This composite image of the moon, from the Moon Mineralogy Mapper, showed hints of hematite at the poles. (Credit: ISRO/NASA/JPL-Caltech/Brown Univ./USGS)

The researcher stumbled upon the rust while studying data from the Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3) instrument onboard the Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft. When Li looked closer at the Moon's poles, he found that its iron-rich rocks had spectral signatures that closely resembled those from hematite. To confirm his suspicion, Li shared the analysis with Abigail Fraeman and Vivian Sun from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).

"At first, I totally didn't believe it," said Fraeman. "It shouldn't exist based on the conditions present on the Moon. But since we discovered water on the Moon, people have been speculating that there could be a greater variety of minerals than we realize if that water had reacted with rocks."

Further study of the poles revealed that the hematite was mostly found on the Earth-facing side of the Moon, leading the scientists to suspect that it may somehow be linked to our planet. Previous research has found that 25 percent of the lunar surface is shielded by the Earth's magnetic field during its six-day full moon phase, when the satellite is between the Earth and the Sun. The researchers speculate that during this time, traces of terrestrial oxygen may be transferred to the Moon along an elongated extension of the planet's magnetic field called a "magnetotail." The magnetotail also protects the Moon's surface from 99 percent of solar winds, forming a temporary curtain that allows enough time for the rust to form.

The red specks on the map of the moon indicate where the traces of hematite were found (Credit: Shuai Li/University of Hawaii)

"Our hypothesis is that lunar hematite is formed through oxidation of lunar surface iron by the oxygen from the Earth's upper atmosphere that has been continuously blown to the lunar surface by solar winds when the Moon is in Earth's magnetotail during the past several billion years," said Li.

With the plausible source of the oxygen explained, the researchers turned their attention to the next essential component for hematite to form - water. Though there is some evidence of ice water in the craters on the Moon's far side, it is nowhere near where the rust has been found. The scientists, therefore, hypothesize that the meteoroids that constantly collide with the Moon might be carrying water molecules themselves, or releasing the water molecules locked in the Lunar surface layer. "It could be that little bits of water and the impact of dust particles are allowing iron in these bodies to rust," Fraeman said.

The researchers still have no answer for the presence of rust on the Moon's far side, which Earth's oxygen cannot reach. They also need to better understand how the water on the Moon is reacting with the lunar rock. To get to the bottom of these, and other unsolved mysteries, NASA is building a new version of the instrument that collected all this existing data about the satellite's mineral composition. The tool will also map water ice on the Moon's craters and "may be able to reveal new details about hematite as well," NASA said in a press release.

Resources: Jpl.nasa.gov/Space.com, CNN.com

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Could Our Earth Be Causing The Moon To Rust?

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Researchers have long been aware of the presence of rust, or hematite, on Mars caused by the chemical reaction between the iron ore on the planet's surface and water and oxygen from the ancient past. However, they had never expected to find the reddish-brown iron oxide on the Moon, given that our satellite is missing two of the three key components - moisture and oxygen.

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This Year’s Largest And Fastest Asteroid Is About To Zoom Past Earth

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On March 21, 2021, Earth will have its closest encounter with 2001 FO32 — the largest and fastest-known asteroid scheduled to fly past our planet this year. The space rock, estimated to be between 2,526 feet ( 0.47 miles) and 5,577 feet (1.05 miles) in diameter, will zip past Earth at a staggering…

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The futuristic Lunark habitat is designed to provide future space travelers with a comfortable home (Credit SAGA Space Architects)

NASA's Artemis program not only hopes to land the next man and the first woman on the lunar south pole by 2024; it also expects them to spend up to seven days in the inhospitable environment, collecting samples and conducting experiments. To provide the pioneering scientists - and future space travelers - with a comfortable shelter, two enterprising Dutch architects have built a habitat capable of withstanding the Moon's harsh conditions.

The origami-inspired Lunark, designed by Sebastian Aristotelis and Karl-Johan Sørensen of SAGA Space Architects, comprises a sturdy, but lightweight, aluminum frame that can be efficiently compressed for transport to the Moon. Once the astronauts reach their destination, they can easily unfold the 607-cubic-foot mobile home, which is fitted with a bathroom, living quarters with built-in desks and shelving, and two soundproofed crew cabins. 328 solar panels on the frame help recharge the battery, ensuring uninterrupted power, while an airtight flexible seam protects residents from temperatures as low as -49° F (-45° C) and wind speeds of up to 55 miles an hour.

Lunark's origami-inspired design makes it easy to transport to space (Credit: SAGA Space Architects)

Though the physical comforts are impressive, even more so are the features dedicated to the astronauts' psychological well-being. A weather simulator that uses solar panels and built-in speakers to recreate varying weather patterns, like storms, rain, and a sunny day, helps alleviate the weariness of conducting repetitive tasks and looking at the same environment for extended amounts of time. To maintain a roughly 24-hour circadian rhythm, the cabin glows brightly each morning and emits warm pink, or orange, hues when it's time to sleep.

Aristotelis and Sørenson, who spent a year designing and building a prototype, recently put their creation to test in Moriusaq, Greenland. Located in an isolated region of Northern Greenland, the area boasts hurricane-force winds, temperatures of -22 °F (-30 °C), and - thanks to its location near the North Pole - 24 hours of darkness during the winter.

Aristotelis and Sørensen dragging the collapsed Lunark prototype to test in Moriusaq, Greenland (Credit: SAGA Space Architects)

The space architects, who spent two months inside the capsule - from October 2 to November 30, 2020 - tried to simulate a lunar mission as much as possible. Their daily meals consisted of coffee, cold protein shakes, and hot soups, all made using powdered ingredients and water defrosted from the surrounding ice. To avoid getting tired of each other in the close quarters, they woke up and went to bed at different times. They also left their cellphones and computers at home and carried only two satellite phones for emergencies.

While they need to make a few tweaks to the final design, Aristotelis and Sørensen say the prototype exceeded their wildest expectations. "The structure itself performed really well - we could sustain a comfortable indoor climate even to the very end of the expedition, which got quite a bit colder and windier than we had anticipated." Aristotelis told the Daily Mail.

An aerial view of the Lunark habitat (Credit: SAGA Space Architects)

More importantly, Lunark was easy to unfold and set up without any special skills or tools, making it ideal for space tourists. Aristotelis says, "We are civilians, and if we are looking at a future with more civilians in space, that's one of the most important things for us as architects to figure out."

Now if scientists could only figure out an economical way to send tourists to space, life would be perfect!

Resources: Newatlas.com, pressnewsagency.org, Lunark.space

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Origami-Inspired "Lunark" Aims To Provide A Comfortable Abode For Space Travelers

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NASA's Artemis program not only hopes to land the next man and the first woman on the lunar south pole by 2024; it also expects them to spend up to seven days in the inhospitable environment, collecting samples and conducting experiments.

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Most single-use plastic items cannot be recycled and end up in landfills (Credit: Plasticfreechallenge.org)

The invention of plastic has been a double-edged sword for humanity. While the cheap, versatile material has made life convenient, it is virtually indestructible and takes centuries to decompose. Since avoiding plastic is impossible, companies worldwide are coming up with innovative ways to repurpose the millions of tons of polymer waste that end up in our landfills annually. Among the latest is California-based TechniSoil Industrial, which has devised an ingenious way to reuse plastic waste to repave roads.

Road resurfacing is an expensive undertaking that starts with using special equipment to extract and grind the topmost 3-to-6 inches of asphalt. Since the recycled material is not strong enough to use on its own, half of it is discarded and replaced with fresh hot asphalt. The combined product is mixed with bitumen - a sludge-like petroleum residue that acts as a binding agent - and relaid on the surface. Repaving a single lane mile requires 42 truckloads of new material and hauling out a similar amount of unusable waste.

TechniSoil's Neo binder replaces petroleum-based bitumen with repurposed plastic (Credit: TechnoSoil)

TechniSoil's process is both streamlined and sustainable. Four large construction vehicles work in unison to extract the top road layer, grind it for recycling, and mix it with the company's Neo binder - liquefied polymer made by chemically recycling discarded plastic bottles and other single-use containers. The blended product is instantly deposited back on the road, paved, and rolled over. Given that each lane mile requires the equivalent of 150,000 plastic water bottles, wide-scale implementation of the product could make a substantial difference to the world's plastic pollution.

"The advantage with recycling in place is that we avoid all of the truck traffic in and out of the construction zone," Sean Weaver, the president of TechniSoil, says. "That eliminates the emissions from those trips and makes it faster to complete the job. We can do this work very seamlessly at night. The standard process requires heat, but the new process works cold, saving more energy."

Plastic-repaved roads are also more resistant to potholes and cracking and last about three times longer than ones resurfaced with standard asphalt, saving cities and states a substantial amount of money. "Traditional asphalt roads rely on rock for the strength of the road," Weaver told Fast Company. "With our pavement, it relies on the matrix of a plastic binder for the strength, and the rock is simply a filler."

Technisoil's Neo binder has proved to be extremely effective in pilot projects with the California Department of Transportation (CalTrans) and the Los Angeles Bureau of Street Services (StreetsLA). The former has already slated the eco-friendly method for repairing highways throughout the state, and StreetsLA also anticipates incorporating Neo binder in future paving projects in Los Angeles. "This is an exciting technology and a sustainable technology," said StreetsLA Assistant Director Keith Mozee, "And it's something that we believe going forward could be game-changing if we deploy on a large scale."

The California company is not the first to use plastic waste to resurface roads. Dr. Rajagopalan Vasudevan, a chemistry professor in India, came up with the idea in 2001. He has since convinced officials to resurface over 9,900 miles (16,000 kilometers) of highways in his home state of Tamil Nadu with plastic waste. The technology has also been used in varying degrees on roads in the Netherlands, Indonesia, England, and South Africa.

TechniSoil's streamlined process being applied on highway 162 in Oroville, California (Credit: CA.gov)

However, not everyone is convinced that plastic roads are the solution to eliminating polymer waste. Some experts assert the the toxic fumes released when plastic is liquefied could be harmful to humans. But Dr. Vasudevan maintains that since the recycled polymer only has to be heated to 338° F (170° C), no harmful substances are released. The expert says, "Plastic decomposes to release toxic fumes only if it is heated at temperatures above 518° F (270° C). So there is no question of toxic gases being released."

There is also concern that the road polymer will eventually disintegrate into microplastic particles and enter our soil and waterways. However, experts say that is unlikely since the blend of asphalt and liquefied plastic is extremely resilient to light and heat.

Weaver is undeterred by the naysayers and stongly believes that his technology may help solve the world's plastic pollution crisis. The CEO says, "We're turning something meaningless into the single most valuable piece of infrastructure. We can consume all of the world's waste plastic into our system, and we can do that within the next eight years."

Resources: Neopava.com, Plasticstoday.com, Cnet.com, Dailyadvent.com

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California Company Hopes To Pave The World's Roads With Recycled Plastic

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The invention of plastic has been a double-edged sword for humanity. While the cheap, versatile material has made life convenient, it is virtually indestructible and takes centuries to decompose. Since avoiding plastic is impossible, companies worldwide are coming up with innovative ways to repurpose the millions of tons of polymer waste that end up in our landfills annually.

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Photo Credit: Allan Ajifo (CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

The next time you are asked to swap that computer game for a crossword puzzle, remind your parents that according to intelligent scientists, the former will be more efficient in making your brain 'smarter'!

This is just one of the facts revealed in a new book called 'Welcome to your Brain: The Science of Jet Lag, Love and other Curiosities of Life,' written by neuroscientists Sandra Aamodt and Sam Wang.

Here are some other fun facts vs. myths revealed by Sandra and Sam in their book.
Myth or Fact? - You can't tickle yourself!
Fact - Your brain focuses on what's going on around you and ignores all those thousands of messages that are always being sent by your own body.
Myth or Fact? - Yawning wakes you up!
Fact - Remember this one the next time your teacher/parent accuses you of not paying attention just because you let out a big YAWN! - Since a yawn actually opens up the windpipe and allows more oxygen into your blood system, it is your body's way to try become fully alert!
Myth or Fact? - Doing a crossword puzzle or playing Suduko is better for the brain than playing soccer
Myth - Playing soccer or just any kind of physical activity helps to increase the oxygen level and glucose in the brain neurons, which in turn assist the brain function better!
Myth or Fact? - Blind People can hear better
Myth - blind people do not hear any better than people with sight, but, they do remember more because they can't use their sight as a backup.
Myth or Fact? - Computer Games are good for you
Fact - This is the one we know you will like the best! We live in a world where there is a lot of stuff going around us and hence requires multi-tasking. Computer games, especially the fast, action-packed ones, allows the brain to practice reacting and absorbing multiple things at one time and are therefore good for you.
Myth or Fact? - A bigger Brain is a better Brain
Myth - A larger brain doesn't mean you are smarter. Rather, intelligence is determined by the spaces between the brain cells, which constantly change as your grow.

Myth or Fact? - Listening to Mozart will make you smarter than listening to Hannah Montana

Myth - The kind of music you listen to will have no bearing on how smart you will be - however, playing a musical instrument will definitely help your brain!

So play your action-packed computer games, hang out on the soccer field as long as your heart desires, beat those drums as loud as you can and YAWN as much as you want - it'll all make you smarter! Who says Science is boring?

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The next time you are asked to swap that computer game for a crossword puzzle, remind your parents that according to intelligent scientists, the former will be more efficient in making your brain 'smarter'!

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A team of mini cheetah robots entertained MIT students on November 10, 2019 (Credit: MIT)

On November 10, 2019, nine agile mini cheetah robots, built by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), were let off their leash to demonstrate their superior athletic abilities. The four-legged machines, controlled by their human creators, began with a warm-up run across the field in full formation. They then took turns maneuvering a soccer ball. As often happens in games, a couple of the team members got into a skirmish and jostled with each other until they both fell onto their backs. Fortunately, they reconciled for the grand finale - a perfectly synchronized backflip, one that would make even a world-class gymnast like Simone Biles proud!

First unveiled in March 2019, the robots are mini versions of the larger and heavier Cheetah 3, which was introduced in 2014. The inventors at MIT's Biomimetics Robotics department say though they may resemble their predecessors, the new four-legged machines are much more resilient and "virtually indestructible." Weighing in at just 20 pounds (9 kilograms), the limber robots can bend and swing their legs wide, giving them the ability to walk either right-side-up or upside down. They can also traverse through uneven terrain at about twice the speed of an average person's walking pace. As showcased on November 10, the machines can quickly right themselves if kicked to the ground and perform incredible 360-degree backflips from a standing position.

The mini cheetah robots are much more resilient than their larger, heavier predecessor: the Cheetah 3 (Credit: MIT)

Unlike the Cheetah 3, the mini robots are built using cheap, easy to find, modular parts. This means that if a limb or motor breaks, it can be easily replaced using off-shelf parts. "In Cheetah 3, everything is super integrated, so if you want to change something, you have to do a ton of redesign," says lead developer Benjamin Katz. "Whereas with the mini cheetah, if you wanted to add another arm, you could just add three or four more of these modular motors." He adds, "You could put these parts together, almost like Legos."

The team, which currently has ten of the four-legged machines, plans to build additional units and loan them, in sets of ten, to other university robotic labs. "A big part of why we built this robot is that it makes it so easy to experiment and just try crazy things, because the robot is super robust and doesn't break easily, and if it does break, it's easy and not very expensive to fix," says Katz.

MIT researchers hope to distribute teams of the mini cheetah robots to other university researchers (Credit: MIT)

He believes this will enable other engineers to teach the robots different skills. "Eventually, I'm hoping we could have a robotic dog race through an obstacle course, where each team controls a mini cheetah with different algorithms, and we can see which strategy is more effective," Katz says. "That's how you accelerate research."

The MIT team's reason for developing the robots extends beyond entertainment. They hope that some day packs of "cheetahs" will assist first responders with search and recovery missions following natural disasters like earthquakes and tornadoes, work alongside firefighters, and even respond to military emergencies.

Resources: news.mit.edu, newatlas.com

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MIT's Mini Cheetah Robots Showcase Their Soccer And Gymnastic Skills

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On November 10, 2019, nine agile mini cheetah robots, built by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), were let off their leash to demonstrate their superior athletic abilities. The four-legged machines, controlled by their human creators, began with a warm-up run across the field in full formation.

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Fabbio plays saxophone after tumor is removed ( Photo Credit: University of Rochester/YouTube screenshot)

Asking a patient to hum piano melodies and play an instrument while undergoing brain surgery may sound like a strange request from a doctor. However, that is precisely what a team of brain specialists, led by University of Rochester Medical Center's Web Pilcher, requested Dan Fabbio to do as they were removing his tumor.

Fabbio's brain map (Image Credit: U of Rochester)

The chain of events that led to this unprecedented medical feat began in 2015, when the then 25-year-old professional musician was diagnosed with a low-grade brain tumor. Though the swelling was benign, it was located in the part of the brain known to be active when people listen to and make music. "Removing a tumor from the brain can have significant consequences depending upon its location," Pilcher says. "Both the tumor itself and the operation to remove it can damage tissue and disrupt communication between different parts of the brain."

Fabbio, therefore, feared the surgery would cause him to lose his musical ability, which was not just his means of livelihood but also his passion. To prevent that from happening, Pilcher and his colleague Brad Mahon, a cognitive neuroscientist, spent six months mapping the functional and structural organization of the musician's brain.

They devised numerous tests, including asking Fabbio to listen to piano melodies and hum back the tunes during MRI scans. This enabled the physicians to pinpoint the region that is crucial for music and language processing and create a three-dimensional map of Fabbio's brain.

Though that was a great starting point, it was not a foolproof way to prevent Pilcher and his medical team from inadvertently impacting the area responsible for the young man's musical talent. The only way to do that was to keep the patient awake and ask him to hum piano melodies during the surgery so that the surgeons could identify the areas to avoid. To ensure Fabbio was accurately repeating the tunes being played to him, they asked Elizabeth Marvin, a professor of music theory at Rochester University's Eastman School of Music, to score each cognitive test in real-time.

Pilcher shows Fabbio his brain map (Photo Credit: everbetter.rochester.edu)

While the surgery went without incident, the real test came when Fabbio was asked play a song on his saxophone. The tune had been modified to ensure that it would not require too much exertion and cause harm to the stitches in the brain. "He played it flawlessly, and when he finished, the entire operating room erupted in applause," says Marvin. "It made you want to cry."

The researchers, who outlined the procedure in detail in the September 11, 2017 issue of Current Biology, say that a year after the groundbreaking surgery, Fabbio's musical abilities are as good as they were before the tumor formed. The young musician can once again hear melodies in everything - even his electric toothbrush!

Resources: NPR.org, Current Biology

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Musician Plays Saxophone While Undergoing Brain Surgery

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Asking a patient to hum piano melodies and play an instrument while undergoing brain surgery may sound like a strange request from a doctor. However, that is precisely what a team of brain specialists, led by University of Rochester Medical Center's Web Pilcher, requested Dan Fabbio to do as they were removing his tumor.

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A two-story model home is Belgium is the world's first 3D structure printed in one piece (Credit: Jasmien Smets/ Kamp C)

The 3D printed structure was 60 percent cheaper and three times stronger than a conventional home (Credit: Jasmien Smets/ Kamp C)

The two-story, 986-square-foot, home, which was unveiled in July 2020, has a small kitchen, two living rooms, a foyer, and a bathroom, as well as numerous human-installed eco-friendly features, such as underfloor heating and solar panels. Open to the public until the end of September, it is part of the European C3PO project to showcase emerging 3D printing technologies and to encourage the continent's construction industry to adopt them in its construction techniques.

The two-story home took just three weeks to build (Credit: Jasmien Smets/ Kamp C)

"Printing this building is mainly a statement," Ascione told Digital Trends. "It shows the construction industry the accessibility and potential of this technique. The benefits of additive manufacturing are already paying off in a wide range of other industries. It's about time that housing caught up with them."

Kamp C says the 3D printed structure cost about 60 percent less than a typical brick home and was also much sturdier. "The compressive strength of the material is three times higher than the classic rapid building block," Kamp C's Marijke Aerts told Design Boom.

Resources: ec.europa.eu, newatlas.com, www.kampc.be

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Two-Story Model Home In Belgium Was Produced In One Piece With Europe's Biggest 3D Printer

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Experts have long predicted that 3D printing will revolutionize the construction industry by making home builds cheaper, faster, and more environmentally-friendly. However, the uptake has been slower than anticipated because 3D technology to create fully-functional homes has been considered lacking.

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The June solstice marks the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere (Credit: Yvonneh/Pixabay/CC0)

With the days getting progressively longer and warmer in the Northern Hemisphere, summer may appear to be well under way. However, though the meteorological season began on June 1, 2019, the astronomical season will not start until June 21, 2019. Also known as the June solstice, it is the day when the North Pole is most inclined toward the sun, which means that everyone living north of the equator will experience the year's longest day and shortest night. For Southern Hemisphere residents, the date heralds the official start of winter, resulting in the shortest day and longest night of the year.

Though all North Americans will enjoy at least 12 hours of daylight, residents of Fairbanks, Alaska, which lies just 140 miles south of the Arctic Circle, will be able to bask in the sunshine for the entire 24 hours! Across the pond, in the United Kingdom, the sun will last for over 18 hours, while those living in Stockholm, Sweden, will experience a 21-hour day. Those wishing for additional lengthy days will be thrilled to know that while the June solstice is the longest day of the year, the days before and after the event are only a few seconds shorter.

The Northern Hemisphere's summer solstice occurs when the sun is directly over the Tropic of Cancer (Credit: www.weather.gov)

Interestingly, the year's longest day does not coincide with the earliest sunrises or latest sunsets. Those occur a week before and a week after the solstice, respectively. The mismatch is due to our planet's elliptical orbit, which causes it to revolve around the Sun at different speeds. As a result, solar days are sometimes shorter or longer than our 24-hour days, which are based on the Earth's rotation around its own axis. The equation of time - the discrepancy between solar time and clock time - is the reason that the earliest and latest sunrises and sunsets do not fall on the same days as the solstices. The precise dates on which they occur depend on the country's latitude.

A graph depicting the equation of time - above the axis, a sundial will appear fast relative to a clock showing local mean time, and below the axis, a sundial will appear slow (Credit: Zazou /CC BY-SA 2.5/ creativecommons.org)

Though the June solstice technically occurs at a single point in time - when the sun is directly over the Tropic of Cancer, or 23.5° north latitude - the celebrations often last for days. One of the oldest and most revered parties takes place at Stonehenge, a prehistoric monument in Wiltshire, England. Constructed by our Neolithic ancestors in three phases between 3000BC and 1600BC, the ancient stone structure draws thousands of visitors each year. Though the main attraction is observing the rising sun on the summer solstice, the event lasts for four days and includes live music performances, bonfire activities, and yoga.

Since 2014, Reykjavik, Iceland, has been celebrating the June solstice with the Secret Solstice Festival. The 96-hour-long event, which this year takes place from June 21 to June 24, features music and dance performances by emerging and famous artists from across the world.

Reykjavik, Iceland's Secret Solstice Festival attracts thousands of visitors annually (Credit: Iceland.is)

The Swedes will celebrate the day by giving their loved ones flower wreaths and crowns, which are believed to bring good health. Many will also mark the occasion with traditional dances around a maypole, or midsummer pole, decorated with greenery and flowers.

In Poznan, Poland, residents will release colorful candle-lit paper lanterns inscribed with messages from their creators. New Yorkers, meanwhile, will commemorate 2019's longest day by performing their best "Downward-Facing Dog" pose at the free "Mind Over Madness Yoga" celebration held in the city's bustling Times Square.

For the 114 th consecutive year, Fairbanks, Alaska, will host the Midnight Sun Game, an amateur baseball match that will start at 10:30 pm, two hours before sundown, and end at 1:30 pm the following day. Does your town or city have a fun activity to celebrate the year's longest (or shortest) day? Be sure to share the details with us in your comments below.

Resources: earthsky.org,weather.org, the summer solstice.blog, wikipedia.org

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With the days getting progressively longer and warmer in the Northern Hemisphere, summer may appear to be well under way. However, though the meteorological season began on June 1, 2019, the astronomical season will not start until June 21, 2019.

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The Sound Shirt allows deaf people to experience live music real-time (Credit: CuteCircuit)

Though not as mainstream as devices like smartphones and fitness trackers, more companies are now experimenting with the concept of connected garments. Among the pioneers is London-based CuteCircuit, which has been creating fashionablesmart clothing since 2004. The company's latest innovation is the "Sound Shirt," which allows deaf people to "feel" live music by transforming the tunes into touch sensations in real time.

The fashionable jacket achieves the incredible feat using software that converts the music into data and wirelessly sends it to the 16-micro actuators embedded inside the clothing's fabric. The devices vibrate in sync to the intensity of the music being played, allowing the wearer to feel each instrument individually. For example, violins can be felt on the arms, while the deeper, heavier bass notes can be felt close to the stomach. "We mapped intuitively how we thought the music would map to the body," says CuteCircuit CEO Ryan Genz. The series of touch-like sensations across the wearer's torso enables them to feel the entire composition, resulting in a fully immersive musical experience.

The Sound Shirt is fitted with actuators that vibrate in synch with the music's intensity (Credit: CuteCircuit)

To ensure the shirt is comfortable, the designers opted to leave out wires and instead wove conductive textiles into the garment's fabric. Francesca Rosella, co-founder, and chief creative officer of CuteCircuit, explains, "There are no wires inside, so we're only using smart fabrics - we have a combination of microelectronics [and] very thin and flexible, and conductive fabrics. All these little electronic motors are connected with these conductive fabrics so that the garment is soft and stretchable."

CuteCircuit, which has been testing the Sound Shirt for three years, expects to make it available to the general public shortly. Priced at $3,673 (3,000 pounds), the smart jacket will not be cheap. However, twin sisters Hermon and Heroda Berhane, who lost their hearing at a young age, believe the hi-tech garment is a worthwhile investment, especially for deaf people with a passion for dancing. "It's almost like feeling the depth of the music," says Hermon. "It just feels as though we can move along with it." Heroda concurs, adding, "I think it could definitely change our lives."

This is not CuteCircuit's first groundbreaking smart garment. Over the years, the company has unveiled hundreds of stunning connected outfits. Among them is an interactive concert dress for American musical artist Nicole Scherzinger that displayed tweets from her fans. Also fun is the HugShirt which enables people to send hugs to loved ones who are not physically in the same area.

Resources: cutecircuit.com, reuters.com

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CuteCircuit's Sound Shirt Allows Deaf People To "Feel" Music

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Though not as mainstream as devices like smartphones and fitness trackers, more companies are now experimenting with the concept of connected garments. Among the pioneers is London-based CuteCircuit, which has been creating fashionable smart clothing since 2004. The company's latest innovation is the "Sound Shirt," which allows deaf people to "feel" live music by transforming the tunes into touch sensations in real time.

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The Heartwarming Story Behind Nike’s First Hands-Free Sneaker

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Matthew Walzer, who was born with cerebral palsy, had overcome most of the mobility and motor skills challenges associated with the congenital disorder by the time he turned 16 in 2012. However, with limited dexterity in his right hand, one essential task remained elusive — tying his shoelaces. Rea…

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The futuristic Wakanda (Photo Credit: Marvel Studios)

Marvel's Black Panther superhero T'Challa, the king of East African dynasty Wakanda, is not the only one ascending to the throne. Since its February 16 release, the film has collected over $1.2 billion at the box office worldwide, making it the 14highest grossing movie ever. It is also the fourth highest grossing superhero movie, surpassed only by Iron Man 3 ($1.215b in 2013), Avengers: Age of Ultron ($1.4b in 2015) and The Avengers ($1.5b in 2012).

The movie's success can be attributed to many factors - its superb cast, skillful direction, and of course the spectacular Vibranium-powered technology. While we do not have access to the rare, fictional metal, which was first introduced as a key component of Captain America's shield, some of the technology it powers is not as far-fetched. Here are some of the Wakandan wonders that are, or will soon be, available to people worldwide.

Magnetic Levitating Subway

Black Panther has no shortage of futuristic modes of transportation, but perhaps one of the most prominent is the Vibranium-powered levitating trains. Designed by King T'Challa's tech-minded sister Shuri, they zip throughout the Golden City and its expansive mines. Though not (yet) comparable to the speed and efficiency of their Wakandan counterparts, magnetic levitation (maglev) trains are already a reality. The vehicles hover slightly above the ground thanks to magnetic attraction and are propelled forward by surges of electricity. With no friction from the wheels, they can accelerate to incredibly high speeds. The first operational one was built in Birmingham, England in 1984, and Japan is now home to Chuo Shinkansen, the world's fastest train, which can attain speeds of up to 375 mph (603.5 kph).

Also in the works is Elon Musk's proposed Hyperloop, which could allow people to travel T'Challa-style in underground vacuum tubes that move at speeds of up to 760 mph (1,223 kph). The technology is in very early stages, but SpaceX's student prototype competitions will hopefully hasten the process.

Holograms

Black Panther Hologram technology (Photo Credit: Marvel Studios)

Wakandan citizens don't have to depend on phones to communicate. Using the hi-tech Kimoyo beads, they can instantly summon crisp, clear holograms of the person they wish to speak with. While the floating 3-D displays are far from becoming a reality, Microsoft is working on "Holoportation." Users will be able to project a full-body likeness of themselves to a remote location, seeing, hearing, and interacting with others as if they are in the same room. However, the technology, which requires 3D cameras and virtual reality headsets to operate, is not as seamless as the one used by the Wakandans.

Invisibility Cloak Technology

Invisibility cloak invented by University of California, Berkeley (Image Credit: UC Berkeley)

The residents of Wakanda not only use Harry Potter-like cloaking technology to hide their ships and themselves, but also their city. Though we may never be able to render an entire metropolis invisible, scientists have made some inroads in developing invisibility cloaks. In 2015, researchers from the University of California, Berkeley unveiled a fragile metamaterial that scatters incoming light to make it appear as though the light is coming from a flat surface, rather than a small 3-D object the material is covering. Though there is still a lot of work that needs to be done before they can create material big enough to hide a person, we sure can hope. Even more exciting is that this technology could potentially be applied in reverse to generate holograms.

Storing kinetic energy for future use

Photo Credit: Marvel Studios

Black Panther's Vibranium-lined suit saves the kinetic energy expended by his enemies for future use. As a result, he sustains minimal injury while delivering impossibly powerful blows. While UK-based PavGen has managed to create tiles that harness the kinetic energy generated by people that walk over them and transform it into electricity, the technology has yet to be adopted in clothing. The closest company to bring the idea to life is sportswear manufacturer Blue Design Limited, which is trying to create material that can distribute stored kinetic energy to absorb shock to specific body parts, potentially reducing the impact of sport-related injuries.

Vibranium

Image Credit: 825 Technologies

Mined from a meteorite that landed in Wakanda, powerful Vibranium is the most resilient ore on the planet and charges all of Wakanda's ingenious inventions. While some of the rare metal's properties are impossible to replicate, graphene comes close as a suitable, real-world substitute. Made of a single sheet of carbon atoms, the two-dimensional material is a million times thinner than paper - making it invisible to the naked eye - while being 200 times stronger than steel. Impermeable to everything except water, the Nobel Prize-winning discovery could be used to desalinate ocean water or as a superconductor to run everything, from large power grids to personal electronics, more efficiently. Now, if scientists could only find a way to mass produce this difficult-to-make material, we could replicate the marvels of Wakanda!

Resources: businessinsider.com,mashable.com, gizmodo.com,designboom.com

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You Could Be Using "Black Panther's" Cool Tech Sooner Than You Think

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Marvel's Black Panther superhero T'Challa, the king of East African dynasty Wakanda, is not the only one ascending to the throne. Since its February 16 release, the film has collected over $1.2 billion at the box office worldwide, making it the 14th highest grossing movie ever.

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Conservationists devised a novel rescue plan to save eight stranded giraffes in Kenya (Credit:Ami Vitale / Save Giraffes Now)

In 2011, conservationists moved eight Rothschild's giraffes to Longicharo Island, a rocky peninsula on Lake Baringo in Western Kenya. The scientists hoped the isolated area would save the endangered animals from poachers and allow their numbers to multiply. However, intense rainfall in August 2020 caused the lake water levels to rise substantially, cutting the area off from the mainland and reducing the once lush, 100-acre habitat to about eight acres.

Local rangers from the nearby Ruko Community Wildlife Conservancy, initially transported food for the starving giraffes, but as the island continued to shrink, it became imperative to relocate the animals to a safer habitat.

While giraffes can swim, Lake Baringo's crocodile-infested waters meant the animals would have to be ferried across. In December 2020, the rangers teamed up with UK-based non-profit organization Save Giraffes Now and the Kenya Wildlife Society (KWS) to construct a custom barge - one that David O'Connor, president of Save Giraffes Now, calls an engineering marvel. "The rectangular steel structure was designed and built specifically to carry tall, heavy giraffe," he says. "The barge floats atop a series of empty drums for buoyancy. Reinforced sides kept the animals from jumping out as the barge was gently maneuvered by boats."

Asiwa, a Rothschild's giraffe, had to be gently sedated and hooded to keep her calm (Credit: Kieran Avery/Save Giraffes Now)

Their first priority was to save Asiwa, a female giraffe, who was stranded alone in a marshy part of the island with no food sources. However, convincing the gentle giant to get on the barge was not easy. "The giraffes don't know that you're trying to help them," O'Connor says. "They think you're a predator. So they're really trying to work against you, which makes it even harder."

After several attempts to lure Asiwa aboard the ferry with succulent mangoes and other treats failed, the scientists had no choice but to sedate her. While the technique is frequently used to transport large animals, it is not the preferred method for giraffes since the change in blood pressure could damage their brains, or they could choke on their own saliva. "It's not like an elephant or a rhino where you just dart it, it flops over, and it's fine," O'Connor said. "The giraffes, they're kind of like a Formula One car. You can't mess with their innards too much, or they really have problems."

Lbarnoti was thrilled to take a ferry ride to safer grounds (Credit: Credit: Ami Vitale / Save Giraffes Now)

To prevent any mishaps, the rescuers gave the giraffe a light sedative and then quickly guided her onto the barge. To ensure Asiwa would not panic, they covered her head with a burlap hood and put socks in her ears to block out sound. "The wonderful part was watching her gently amble off the boat once the blindfold was released as if nothing had happened," said photographer Ami Vitale who documented the rescue. "It really was a scene that could have been biblical."

The following day, a young giraffe named Pasaka was ferried away in a similar fashion. A third giraffe, a male named Lbarnoti, was rescued on January 27, 2021. However, unlike Asiwa and Pasaka, he was eager to get on the barge and munch on delicious acacia pods during the entire journey. Susan Myers, CEO of Save Giraffes Now, says, "Each giraffe has its own personality. Some are very timid while others are brave and go onto the barge readily."

Weather permitting, the rescuers hope to relocate the island's remaining six giraffes, including Lbarnoti's calf Noelle, by March 2021, to the 44,000-acre Ruko Community Wildlife Conservancy. "Once we rescue them, that's not the end of it," O'Connor says. "That's actually just the beginning of trying to repopulate the entire Western Rift Valley with this type of giraffe, where they became locally extinct 70 years ago."

Endemic to South Sudan, northern Uganda, and western Kenya, Rothschild's giraffes, which grow up to 19 feet tall, are one of the tallest members of their species, second only to Masai giraffes. The herbivorous animals are easily distinguishable from other giraffes due to their coat, which comprises dark orange and brown patches with beige areas. They also have no markings on their lower legs. While the animals once roamed the plains of Kenya and Uganda in abundance, loss of habitat, drought, and poaching have severely reduced their population. Save Giraffes Now estimates there are fewer than 3,000 Rothschild's giraffes left in the wild - about 800 of which are in Kenya - making them the most endangered members of their species.

Resources: Atlasobsucura.com, Business Insider.com, savethegiraffesnow.com

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Conservationists Rescue Endangered Giraffes Trapped On Kenyan Island

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In 2011, conservationists moved eight Rothschild's giraffes to Longicharo Island, a rocky peninsula on Lake Baringo in Western Kenya. The scientists hoped the isolated area would save the endangered animals from poachers and allow their numbers to multiply.

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Blue dragons are sea slugs that live in the warm waters of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans (Credit: Sylke Rohrlach / CC BY-SA 2.0/ Commons.wikimedia.org)

Since early May, visitors to the Padre Island National Seashore off the coast of South Texas have been discovering specimens of the rare blue dragon, or Glaucus atlanticus. Though the name evokes images of flying, fire breathing monsters, the delicate creatures are a type of sea slug that spend their lives in the temperate and tropical waters of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans.

However, while the mollusks, which typically measure just three centimeters long, may not look as fierce as the legendary mythical creatures, they are not to be taken lightly. The sea slugs have the unique ability to store the stingers of their favorite prey - the jellyfish-like Portuguese man o' wars - and use them for defense when touched or disturbed. Even worse, blue dragons concentrate the stingers together, making their stings even more painful than those inflicted by the Portuguese man o' wars.

Blue dragons, which swim upside down, use their bright blue bellies to confuse airborne predators. Their dull gray backsides blend with the bright sea surface, keeping them hidden from predators in the water (Credit: Taro Taylor/ CC BY SA 2.0/ Commons.wikimedia.org)

Blue dragons, which spend their lives floating in the ocean waves on their backsides, use their coloring to their advantage. The vibrant blue underbelly provides a perfect camouflage in the water and helps deter airborne predators, while the dull gray backside seamlessly blends in with the ocean's surface, keeping the sea slugs hidden from potential predators under the sea.

The park officials, who have never encountered the stunning blue dragons in the area before, are unsure why so many are suddenly washing ashore. Their advice to visitors fortunate enough to see them? "Be amazed as they are a rare find, but also keep your distance!"

Resources: CNN.com, Padre Island National Seashore Facebook,

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Rare Blue Dragons Are Washing Up On Padre Island National Seashore

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Since early May, visitors to the Padre Island National Seashore off the coast of South Texas have been discovering specimens of the rare blue dragon, or Glaucus atlanticus. Though the name evokes images of flying, fire breathing monsters, the delicate creatures are a type of sea slug that spend their lives in the temperate and tropical waters of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans.

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Silver Winner for the Best Children's Book in the Junior Design Awards 2017.

For little animal lovers who want to know everything. From birds and frogs to sharks and dogs, this book is perfect for the curious little animal lover in your life.

Mixing photography and charming illustration, kids will discover important facts about the wonderful world of animals - from what they eat and where they live, to why people are animals too.

My Encyclopedia of Very Important Animals is a friendly book that gets children learning, reading, and laughing!

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my encyclopedia of very important animals (dk)

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My Encyclopedia of Very Important Animals (DK) - Flipbook by junskiefranco | FlipHTML5

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Looking for My Encyclopedia of Very Important Animals (DK)? Read My Encyclopedia of Very Important Animals (DK) from junskiefranco here. Check all flipbooks from junskiefranco. Junskiefranco's My Encyclopedia of Very Important Animals (DK) looks good? Share My Encyclopedia of Very Important Animals (DK) online.

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From the creators of How It Works, World Of Animals is a new and exciting magazine

that features hundreds of Earth's most colourful and loved creatures every issue.

Entertaining, spectacular and suitable for the whole family, you can download and

enjoy World Of Animals today! With a new issue released 13 times a year, every edition of World Of Animals includes stunning photography and illustrations of the world's favourite animal wildlife in action, alongside fun facts and captivating stories.

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How It Works - World of Animals, Issue 44-17 - Flipbook by junskiefranco | FlipHTML5

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Looking for How It Works - World of Animals, Issue 44-17? Read How It Works - World of Animals, Issue 44-17 from junskiefranco here. Check all flipbooks from junskiefranco. Junskiefranco's How It Works - World of Animals, Issue 44-17 looks good? Share How It Works - World of Animals, Issue 44-17 online.

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WORLD ANIMALS - EXTREME ANIMALS - Flipbook by NORHAYATI BINTI ABBAS Moe | FlipHTML5

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Looking for WORLD ANIMALS - EXTREME ANIMALS? Read WORLD ANIMALS - EXTREME ANIMALS from NORHAYATI BINTI ABBAS Moe here. Check 155 flipbooks from NORHAYATI BINTI ABBAS Moe. NORHAYATI BINTI ABBAS Moe's WORLD ANIMALS - EXTREME ANIMALS looks good? Share WORLD ANIMALS - EXTREME ANIMALS online.

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Following the recent release and success of The Amazing Spiderman, stores are over-flowing with all kinds of red and blue superhero costumes. However, this lucky reptile does not need to depend on any kind of fake attire - It is naturally born with an uncanny resemblance to Spiderman.

The male Mwanza Flat Headed Agama lizard sports the exact color mix as Spidey - A bright red head and torso and a beautiful blue body. Just like the superhero it changes its attire depending on the situation. In the lizard's case it happens to be the sun's heat that brings out its superhero colors. At night or in situations where it perceives danger, the lizard changes to a deep brown, so that it can easily camouflage itself in the natural surroundings. Female Agama lizards do not have the same capabilities - Their coloring remains just plain brown.

Native to Tanzania, Rwanda and Kenya, the reptiles can life for up to 15 years in the wild. Though the lizards originally resided in the forests and African bush, they have been able to adapt to the loss of their habitat and can now be found inside thatched roof huts and other small spaces, from where they emerge periodically, to feed.

The omnivores that can grow up to a foot long, dine on insects like locusts and crickets, as well as, seeds, berries and sometimes even the eggs of smaller lizards. They are fast runners and just like the superhero, can scale walls quite rapidly. What's cool is that if caught at the right moment, they even pose like him.

While these gorgeous lizards do make great pets and are popular in certain parts of Europe especially Britain, in order to survive, they need to be kept in a special temperature controlled environment and fed a balanced diet of the insects they are accustomed to in their natural African habitat. As to whether the reptile species was the inspiration behind the creation of our favorite superhero? That's a question only his creators Stan Lee and Steven Ditko can answer - But it sure seems plausible, doesn't it?

Resources: Huffingtonpost.com metro.co.uk,thelizardlounge.com,Wikipedia,org,dailymail.co.uk,

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Move Over Spiderman, Here Comes Spiderlizard! (VIDEO)

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Following the recent release and success of The Amazing Spiderman, stores are over-flowing with all kinds of red and blue superhero costumes. However, this lucky reptile does not need to depend on any kind of fake attire - It is naturally born with an uncanny resemblance to Spiderman.

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Wonderful senses help sharks to find their prey. There are not many animals on earth that can locate prey and track it down as well as a shark can. Even in murky water, or in complete darkness, a shark can tell where prey is. It can tell whether the prey is hurt or not. And it can even find prey that is buried under the sand!

Sharks are not the stupid eating machines that many people think they are. They are very sensitive to everything that is going on in the water around them. And they can react very quickly to the information that their senses bring to them.

Wonderful senses help sharks to find their prey. There are not many animals on earth that can locate prey and track it down as well as a shark can. Even in murky water, or in complete darkness, a shark can tell where prey is. It can tell whether the prey is hurt or not. And it can even find prey that is buried under the sand!

Sharks are not the stupid eating machines that many people think they are. They are very sensitive to everything that is going on in the water around them. And they can react very quickly to the information that their senses bring to them.

Some sharks actually use electricity to help them catch their prey. They are able to pick up very small electrical impulses through hundreds of tiny holes in their faces. The holes are called the ampullae of Lorenzini. All living creatures give off small electrical signals as they breathe or move, so the ampullae can guide the shark to its prey at close range.

Hearing is probably the best of all a shark's senses. Some sharks may be able to hear prey in the water from 800 feet away. They use their ears to learn which direction the sound is coming from, and then turn to swim toward it.

On the sides of their bodies, sharks have lines of small holes that are sensitive to small movements in the water around them. These are called lateral line organs. When fish swim nearby, the motion of their bodies causes small movements in the water. The lateral line organs pick these up, and the shark knows where the fish are, even if it cannot see them.

The eyes of sharks are very sensitive to light. They are made for seeing things under the water, where light can be very dim. As a shark closes in on its prey, the eyes work with all the other senses to help guide the attack.

When a shark is a few hundred yards from its prey, it probably uses its nose to find its way. Sharks have been called "swimming noses" because their sense of smell is so good. Some kinds of sharks can smell one part of blood in 100 million parts of water. And by turning their heads from side to side, they can tell the direction that a smell is coming from.

One look at a shark's brain will tell you how important smell is in finding prey. The part of the brain devoted to smell can be two-thirds of the total brain. In a human brain, the area devoted to smell is much smaller.

Some sharks actually use electricity to help them catch their prey. They are able to pick up very small electrical impulses through hundreds of tiny holes in their faces. The holes are called the ampullae of Lorenzini. All living creatures give off small electrical signals as they breathe or move, so the ampullae can guide the shark to its prey at close range.

Hearing is probably the best of all a shark's senses. Some sharks may be able to hear prey in the water from 800 feet away. They use their ears to learn which direction the sound is coming from, and then turn to swim toward it.

On the sides of their bodies, sharks have lines of small holes that are sensitive to small movements in the water around them. These are called lateral line organs. When fish swim nearby, the motion of their bodies causes small movements in the water. The lateral line organs pick these up, and the shark knows where the fish are, even if it cannot see them.

The eyes of sharks are very sensitive to light. They are made for seeing things under the water, where light can be very dim. As a shark closes in on its prey, the eyes work with all the other senses to help guide the attack.

When a shark is a few hundred yards from its prey, it probably uses its nose to find its way. Sharks have been called "swimming noses" because their sense of smell is so good. Some kinds of sharks can smell one part of blood in 100 million parts of water. And by turning their heads from side to side, they can tell the direction that a smell is coming from.

One look at a shark's brain will tell you how important smell is in finding prey. The part of the brain devoted to smell can be two-thirds of the total brain. In a human brain, the area devoted to smell is much smaller.

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Wonderful senses help sharks to find their prey. There are not many animals on earth that can locate prey and track it down as well as a shark can. Even in murky water, or in complete darkness, a shark can tell where prey is. It can tell whether the prey is hurt or not.

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Getting food is usually easy for eagles. They are so good at it that they often spend only a few hours a day hunting. After that, they may spend the rest of the day loafing. Or they may soar into the air and do tricks to amuse themselves.

Often, the bodies and hunting methods of eagles are specialized in some way for the kind of prey they hunt. As shown below, the claws and feet of many eagles are just the right size and shape for grabbing their prey.

Eagles don't always swoop down on their prey at great speed. Instead, they may simply spread their wings wide and float slowly down-dropping out of the sky so silently that the prey can't hear them coming.

Snake eagles have short, strong toes-just the thing for holding on to wriggling snakes. The snakes are usually swallowed whole.

Some booted eagles catch small prey. They have smaller toes and claws.

Other booted eagles have larger feet and claws and can take larger prey. Crowned eagles often hunt monkeys.

Harpy eagles have huge claws that can be used for grabbing very big prey. The talons may be five inches long.

Fish eagles and sea eagles have rough bumps on their toes that help them hold on to slippery fish.

Bald eagles are fish eagles. They usually catch fish by flying low over the water and snatching the fish out of the water with their talons. This method is only good for taking fish that are swimming close to the surface.

During the coldest part of winter, eagles that live in the far north sometimes have trouble finding prey. At such times, in Alaska, bald eagles may even show up at a dump to look for bits of human food.

Some eagles let other birds do their hunting for them. They wait until pelicans, herons, or other birds make a catch-and then steal the catch from them. Here, an African fish eagle is about to pounce on a pelican. In order to escape, the pelican will drop the food from its mouth.

As a rule, eagles hunt alone or in pairs. But bald eagles in Alaska gather by the hundreds when salmon are running in the rivers. The salmon are weak from their long swim upstream and are easy to capture.

Large eagles can hit their prey very hard. A bald eagle can strike with twice the force of a rifle bullet.

As powerful as they are, eagles aren't as big as most people think they are. An average bald eagle weighs about nine pounds-or two pounds less than the average house cat.

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Grabbing Lunch is Usually Easy - NWF | Ranger Rick

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By Getting food is usually easy for eagles. They are so good at it that they often spend only a few hours a day hunting. After that, they may spend the rest of the day loafing. Or they may soar into the air and do tricks to amuse themselves.

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Long-distance flying is something that most waterfowl do very well. In fact, many species are famous for their long migrations. Every year, they travel thousands of miles to reach good sources of food and good places to hatch and raise their young.
To guide them during these long flights, waterfowl use methods of navigation that scientists don't yet fully understand. The birds may use the sun and stars-and possibly other means-to find their way, as explained at right.

Some scientists think that waterfowl use the earth's magnetic field to guide their migrations-in the same way that people use compasses.

When they get close to their destination, the birds may use local landmarks to guide them for the final miles. This is similar to the way that you use familiar buildings and streets to find your way home. But waterfowl may use rivers, mountains, and other natural landmarks instead.

You may have seen waterfowl flying in a "V" formation, like a squadron of airplanes. As they fly, they "talk" to each other by honking, quacking, and making other noises. This helps to keep the members of a flock together, even in dense clouds or at night. Each member of the flock can always hear where the others are. When swans and geese fly, they usually hold their long necks straight out in front of them.

Waterfowl seem able to use the position of the sun in the sky to tell them where they are. Like the pilots of long-distance airplanes, they may use the sun to make sure they are flying in the right direction.

Some waterfowl may fly night and day when they migrate. At night, they probably use the positions of the stars in the sky to guide them, as human sailors do. This is a very complex thing for people to do, and it is amazing if these birds can do it.

In the far north, the summer may be very short. For this reason, birds that are hatched in the north must grow fast. They must be ready to fly south when the cold weather comes. Young Ross's geese are ready to fly when they are only 40 days old.

When waterfowl migrate, they use specific routes-"highways in the sky" that are called flyways. In North America, there are four main flyways, as shown below. Different groups of waterfowl all have their own routes. They use the same routes to fly north in the spring and south in the fall. Some of the flyways have been used by waterfowl for an incredibly long time-perhaps more than a million years.

In the fall, 100 million waterfowl move down out of Canada and Alaska to spend the winter in warmer places. Many of them stop in the southern United States, but large numbers go on to Central and South America. When they make these long journeys, most waterfowl stop to feed and rest from time to time. But some species may fly more than 2,000 miles without stopping.

Some waterfowl have been known to migrate more than 7,000 miles from Canada to South America. When waterfowl migrate over long distances, they sometimes fly very high and very fast. Some of them fly more than 4 miles up in the air, and they may go faster than 50 miles an hour.

Canada geese begin their annual migration in the spring. In huge flocks, they leave their winterin ground and head north.

When they arrive in the north, they build nests and lay eggs-early enough so the eggs will hatch when the days are long and the weather is warm. This gives the chicks the best chance to survive.

After about 27 days the precocious chicks will hatch wide-eyed and with downy feathers.

Within hours, the chicks are able to swim, dive, and find their own food.

The young geese grow fast, and at summer's end, they are able to fly with their parents and the rest of the flock to their southern wintering grounds.

Here, they will eat and grow fat for their return journey north.

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Most Waterfowl Fly Long Distances Very Well - NWF | Ranger Rick

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By Long-distance flying is something that most waterfowl do very well. In fact, many species are famous for their long migrations. Every year, they travel thousands of miles to reach good sources of food and good places to hatch and raise their young.