Scientists Say Black Holes Are EverywhereJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, science There are millions of black holes all over the Milky Way galaxy, so be sure to look where you’re going. Trump's Space Council Head is a SpaceX SkepticJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, science Scott Pace will lead an effort to boost the commercial industry, but does he really believe in it? Research marine mammal's move to tourist park causes stirJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, science WAIMANALO, Hawaii (AP) — Compared with other marine mammals, 40-year-old Kina has lived a particularly winding and high-profile life. The German Great Escape: the science of how 83 military officers tunnelled out of a Welsh prison camp in 1945JAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, science Scientists have uncovered a hidden tunnel left in remarkable condition at a now derelict prison in Bridgend, South Wales. Oh, Brother! Guys Feel More Rivalry with SiblingsJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, science Why do some siblings get along while others are at each other's throats? Gender could play a role: A new study finds that men reported having a greater sibling rivalry than women did back when they were children. Lead study author Hillary Murdoch, who conducted the research when she was a psychology student at Albright College in Pennsylvania, had hypothesized that there would be greater rivalry between same-sex siblings. On the Search for Buried Treasure… You Have to Know Where to LookJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, science Local dive captains guard their GPS coordinates for finding likely shark teeth as if what they’re looking for is sunken treasure. The same thing that makes most dive trips all-day affairs is what drives up the value of locations where you can find shark teeth. Anyone hunting for lost shipwrecks filled with treasure is intimately familiar with this issue. You Thought Your Braces Hurt? This Woman's Dental Wire Tore Through Her GutJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, science Most people who get their braces off are happy to forget about their years of dental "train tracks." But one woman in Australia had her braces come back to haunt her when doctors discovered a piece of dental wire tearing through her abdomen, according to a new report. The wire had been in her digestive tract for 10 years before she started showing symptoms, the report said. The woman, who was 30 when the report was written, went to the emergency room after experiencing worsening abdominal pain for two days. Calm down people, the Moscow Mule is probably not going to poison youJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, science Iowa's latest advisory bulletin certainly makes for a catchy headline. The state's Alcoholic Beverages Division stated that, in keeping with Food and Drug Administration guidelines, copper should not come into direct contact with foods that have a pH below 6.0. That includes vinegar, fruit juice, wine, and everyone's favourite brunch cocktail: the uber-popular Moscow Mule. SEE ALSO: Prosecco and rosé popsicles will take your summer to the next level “When copper and copper alloy surfaces contact acidic foods, copper may be leached into the food,” the division notes. High concentrations of copper are known to be poisonous and can cause food-borne illness. So the bulletin triggered nationwide hysteria, with newspapers headlines screaming: "YOUR MOSCOW MULE MUG COULD BE POISONING YOU". So, does it mean you need to kiss your favourite cocktail goodbye for the sake of your health? Probably not. There's no real reason to worry about solid copper mugs killing you slowly. It is true that the Moscow Mule's pH is well below 6.0, due to its mix of vodka, ginger beer and lime, but most commercially available copper mugs are lined inside with tin or stainless steel, making them safe for drinking any acidic beverage. Copper cup manufacturers know this. Most bar and restaurants know this. Iowa's Alcoholic Beverages Division knows this and even stated it in the bulletin: David Werning, a spokesperson for the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals, sought to play down the Moscow Mule-frenzy in a statement to
NBC Connecticut: "It's not that if you drink a Moscow Mule from a copper cup, you're going to die," he said. The bulletin was issued after an inspection of a restaurant in Ankeny, Iowa, found that copper mugs were being used behind the bar. Since the mugs were tarnished and pitted, the Division issued the state-wide advisory to create universal guidelines for public restaurants and bars in line with the Food & Drug Administration — which has generally been adopted in every other state. Most chefs and mixologists already know this, and avoid copper-plated pots because they can alter the flavour of food. Moreover, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that "ingesting high levels of copper can cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, while very high doses can lead to death." The key word here is "high levels." So unless you decide to eat your mug, you'll most certainly be fine. WATCH: Arya stark's evolution to becoming a badass sword wielding pro on 'Game of Thrones' Trump hits back at McConnell for 'excessive expectations' complaintJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, politics Comments by a Trump aide and Fox News host Sean Hannity, a Trump ally, highlight tensions between the White House and the Senate as it takes a four-week recess. Trump endorsement puts new spin on fierce Alabama Senate raceJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, politics Sen. Luther Strange, R-Ala., leaves a vote in the Capitol on July 27, 2017. Sen. Luther Strange, R-Ala., is a big man. The 6-foot-9-inch former state attorney general played college basketball at Tulane and towers over nearly everyone else in the Senate hallways. The @ntiJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, politics There’s no evidence President Trump, in his Twitter persona of @realdonaldtrump, has been paying any attention to Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., or even to @tedlieu. Others are paying attention—Lieu’s 337,000 followers, at least, representing an increase of hundreds of thousands in the months since he began his campaign of answering the deluge of bombast and untruths from the president’s Twitter account with his own stern correctives. Hospital laundry worker earns praise for returning $9,100JAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, odd news PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — A worker at a Rhode Island hospital is earning praise for what he did with money that was literally laundered. Want to live like a Trump? President's old home is on AirbnbJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, odd news Want to live like a Trump? Now's your chance: The president's New York City boyhood home is on Airbnb. The 1940 Tudor-style house in Queens is being offered for $725 a night. The listing says the house ... What Carla Del Ponte's resignation means for search for justice in SyriaJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, world Swiss prosecutor Carla Del Ponte has taken on the Italian and Russian mafias, served as the chief prosecutor in two international tribunals, and spent the last five years fiercely advocating for justice in Syria, scene of some of the worst crimes against humanity the world has witnessed in real time. Ms. Del Ponte announced her resignation with trademark aplomb Sunday on the sidelines of the Locarno Film Festival. Recommended: How well do you understand the conflict in Syria? September 2017 Giveaways: New Start DatesJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, health Find the new start dates here. Outrage over S.Korean stem cell scandal official's new postJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, science Hundreds of South Korean scientists expressed outrage Wednesday after a controversial figure accused of covering up a notorious stem cell research fraud was appointed as the country's top technology official. Park Ki-Young was appointed to head a newly-created science centre, putting her in charge of allocating government subsidies and budgets for research projects. The name is rather a nightmare to science and technology workers," a group of 240 young scientists said in a statement. Why is Mark Zuckerberg getting political?JAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, science The Facebook founder has been visiting political battlegrounds; Peter Doocy has the story for 'Special Report' Rogue elephant tramples 15 to death in India, faces cullingJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, science An elephant that has killed 15 people in eastern India over a months-long rampage could be shot within days if it is not brought under control, an official said Wednesday. Wildlife rangers and hunters assembled in Jharkhand after another victim was trampled to death Tuesday evening, the state's chief forest and wildlife conservator L.R. Singh told AFP. The rogue elephant crushed four victims in Bihar state in March before crossing into neighbouring Jharkhand and killing 11 more. Patagotitan Mayorum: How the Biggest Dinosaur to Walk the Earth Came to Be So HugeJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, science The biggest dinosaur to ever live was discovered in Argentina in 2013. Now, scientists have officially named the 70-ton, 120-foot-long species Patagotitan mayorum, and have discovered it belonged to a group of extra-large titanosaurs that lived around 100 million years ago. Neil deGrasse Tyson Explains Why The Term “GMO” Is MisleadingJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, science The popular scientist hosted a discussion on the topic during the most recent episode of his podcast, StarTalk. 42 Disney apps allegedly spying on kidsJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, science Lawsuit claims entertainment giant is collecting personal data and sharing without parental consent Take a Tour of This Incredible Oceanic Research VesselJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, science Operated by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, the R/V Neil Armstrong is a vessel uniquely equipped to uncover new findings about the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans. Hannity declared a ceaseJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, politics "In light of dangerous NKorea threat, I'm stopping all petty political disagreements for at least next 12 hours," Hannity tweeted. He didn't make it eight. In 1999, Trump wanted to 'negotiate like crazy' to stop North KoreaJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, politics President Trump once told Tim Russert that he would “negotiate like crazy” with North Korea but would ultimately be willing to launch a preemptive strike to stop the country from developing nuclear weapons. Sen. Johnson suggests McCain's brain tumor affected health care voteJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, politics Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., said in a radio interview that McCain’s health and the late hour of the vote may have affected his judgment on the legislation. Want to live like a Trump? President's old home is on AirbnbJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, odd news NEW YORK (AP) — Want to live like a Trump? Now's your chance: The president's New York City boyhood home is on Airbnb. Former exec settles with matchmaking service over bad datesJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, odd news PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A retired corporate executive says in a lawsuit that a high-end matchmaking service set her up with a string of highly unsuitable suitors, including men who were married, mentally unstable or felons. 640,000 NYC warrants for unpaid summonses tossed in 1 dayJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, odd news NEW YORK (AP) — In a single day, New York City courts have thrown out over 640,000 arrest warrants for people who didn't pay tickets for minor offenses years ago. Roadside egg poacher caught on tape and cops are on the huntJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, odd news HEREFORD TOWNSHIP, Pa. (AP) — Authorities are trying to crack the case of an egg thief who's been stealing from a roadside stand in rural Pennsylvania. How North Korea wars with itselfJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, world As North Korea’s capability for nuclear war has grown, so too has its war of words with the United States. The rhetorical warfare peaked this week with President Trump promising “fire and fury” if North Korea makes more threats. Amid the nuclear brinkmanship and the tit-for-tat diktats, it is important to remember where North Korea is at its weakest and most vulnerable. Across the Arab world, a 'Women’s Spring' comes into viewJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, world On July 26, Tunisia voted to criminalize sexual harassment and discrimination against women. On Aug. 1, Jordan’s Parliament voted to scrap a law that allowed rapists to escape punishment if they married their victims. Lebanon and Iraq now look to follow suit later this year and end their marry-your-rapist laws and criminalize violence against women. Bilingual Infants Can Differentiate Between LanguagesJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, science “By 20 months, bilingual babies already know something about the differences between words in their two languages,” Casey Lew-Williams, an assistant professor of psychology and co-director of the Princeton Baby Lab said. How to set up a strong passwordJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, science The man who wrote the book on creating passwords says he 'blew it' UNEP chief urges China to do more on climateJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, science The world's biggest polluter China has a "big job" ahead of it in the global fight against climate change, the UN's environment chief said Wednesday. Since US President Donald Trump's decision in June to quit the Paris agreement on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, Beijing has proclaimed its willingness to stick to the pact. Analysts say the US move gives China an opportunity to establish its credibility and strengthen its diplomatic clout ahead of future negotiations. Trump boasts of U.S. nuclear power in warning to North KoreaJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, politics A day after warning that any threat to the United States will be met by "fire and fury," the president appeared to tamp down the rhetoric on Twitter. Scientists name prehistoric croc after Lemmy from MotorheadJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, odd news LONDON (AP) — Scientists have named a prehistoric crocodile described as "one of the nastiest sea creatures to have ever inhabited the earth" after late Motorhead frontman and British heavy metal icon Lemmy Kilmister. Braves player trips jogging over chalk line, hurts kneeJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, odd news ATLANTA (AP) — Rookie shortstop Johan Camargo suffered a bone bruise in his right knee while jogging onto the field before Tuesday night's game against the Philadelphia Phillies. Can 'Sin Taxes' Solve America's Obesity Problem?JAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, health It seems like a simple solution: To curb the obesity problem, make unhealthy foods more expensive and people will eat less of them. Local governments around the country—including Philadelphia, Sa... Tesla CEO Elon Musk now plans to build his own HyperloopJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, science Although Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk originally birthed the idea of the Hyperloop, the entrepreneur was never officially tied to one particular Hyperloop project. Instead, other start-up companies borrowed Musk's blueprint and got to work on the concept. Following "verbal approval" to build a Hyperloop to connect New York and Washington D.C., Bloomberg reports the project will be personally undertaken by Musk. Dramatic images from the 2014 Ferguson protests sparked by the police shooting of Michael BrownJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, politics One of a series of killings of black men, mostly by white police officers, that set off a nationwide debate about the use of police force, especially against minorities. Aug. 9, 2017 marks three years since that day. Wounds are still raw in Ferguson, three years after Michael BrownJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, politics Three years after the fatal police shooting of Michael Brown, a community struggles to come to terms with its political and psychological aftereffects. Bentology Lunch Kit GiveawayJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, health Enter for a chance to win an Emoji Bento Kit from Bentology! Anders' Attic GiveawayJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, health Enter for a chance to win a Friday Night Lights pillow from Anders' Attic! Wembley Football from JCPenney GiveawayJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, health Enter for a chance to win a Wembley Football from JCPenney! Rice to riches: Vietnam's shrimp farmers fish for fortunesJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, science With a flashy gold watch and a chunky matching ring, Tang Van Cuol looks a far cry from the average Vietnamese farmer as he slings back a shot of rice wine and boasts about his projected earnings. After years scratching a living growing rice and onions or farming ducks, the 54-year-old says his life was transformed in 2000 -- by shrimp. The Mekong Delta, long renowned as the "rice bowl of Vietnam", is now also home to a multi-billion-dollar shrimp industry and burgeoning numbers of farmers are building fortunes from the small crustaceans. Newborn Hawaiian monk seal to be moved out of WaikikiJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, science HONOLULU (AP) — State and federal authorities plan to move a newborn Hawaiian monk seal away from congested Waikiki so it can remain a wild animal and won't become accustomed to interacting with people. Donald Trump's EPA website still doesn't have a climate change sectionJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, science On April 28, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) disabled the climate change section on its website, one of the federal government's largest online repositories of climate science and policy information. The website was taken offline ostensibly for edits to bring it in line with the Trump administration's new policies. But it's been more than three months, and there is still no new EPA climate change website. The old webpage, which is backed up online and was in existence for more than 20 years, explained the basics of what causes climate change and how it affects human health, among other key pieces of basic scientific information. The old section also contained numerous critical datasets and climate change indicators, from greenhouse gas emissions to Arctic sea ice loss. In contrast to what Trump and his EPA administrator, Scott Pruitt, have said about climate change (they don't believe it's mostly human-caused), the previous website repeatedly noted how humans have contributed to climate change. SEE ALSO: EPA to actually hold 'red-team' climate debates, in a new level of 'head-in-the-sand bullshit' "Research indicates that natural causes do not explain most observed warming, especially warming since the mid-20th century. Rather, it is extremely likely that human activities have been the dominant cause of that warming," the previous webpage stated, according to the archived version. Now, however, visitors to epa.gov/climate and epa.gov/climatechange are directed to this page: Current EPA climate change website as of Aug. 8, 2017.Image: epa.gov/climateGiven what Pruitt is doing to the EPA — slashing its budget, laying off staff, scrapping the Clean Power Plan to regulate greenhouse gas emissions, and eviscerating the agency's scientific advisory boards — one can only imagine what a new climate change section may eventually look like. “As EPA renews its commitment to human health and clean air, land, and water, our website needs to reflect the views of the leadership of the agency,” said J.P. Freire, associate administrator for public Affairs. “We want to eliminate confusion by removing outdated language first and making room to discuss how we’re protecting the environment and human health by partnering with states and working within the law.” Pruitt has already taken the position that human emissions of greenhouse gases are not the main cause of global warming, which is contrary to the findings of his agency's scientists, as well as experts around the world. Might his views be reflected on the site, as part of bringing it into agreement with the administration's policies? The EPA press office did not return a request for comment. Boasts could expose culprits in decapitation of Australian dinosaur replicasJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, odd news (Reuters) - Australian police on Tuesday said they expected the individuals who decapitated three dinosaur replicas at a museum to boast about their trophies to friends, so bringing about their own exposure. The theft of the heads of three raptor models was discovered on Sunday in an outdoor display area at the National Dinosaur Museum in Canberra, police in the Australian capital territory said on their website. Police said the miscreants, shown by preliminary investigation to have used a hacksaw or angle grinder, might be planning to keep the fibreglass heads as trophies. VIDEO: Bay Area scouts ask astronaut questions about life in spaceJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, science There was a very special conversation in Lafayette on Monday from Earth to outer space. Using biology to justify the gender gap in tech is wrong—and not just because the science is badJAY GORY, MANAGING EDITOR, science There are a lot of controversial statements in the leaked diversity memo written by Google engineer James Damore—most notably, his theory that the gender gap in tech could be attributed to biological differences between men and women. “The distribution of preferences and abilities of men and women differ in part due to biological causes and… |
