Cacti are surprisingly fragile, and five other intriguing facts about these spiky wonders
Few plant families are as iconic as the resilient, spiky cactus, thriving in the driest deserts and as well as decorating our offices and homes. Their success in both environments comes down to extreme adaptations for surviving with little water—wh.....»»
M4 Mac mini proves Apple has fixed its biggest mistakes of the past
Apple’s M4 Mac mini is a surprisingly and wildly successful product. Per our homepage poll, it’s readers’ favorite product of the year—by far. Why is it such a hit? Because it’s the strongest evidence yet that Apple has learned from past mi.....»»
You can now call ChatGPT using your phone line when cellular data is not available
OpenAI has been announcing a lot of new features and enhancements for ChatGPT in recent days, and the company still has a few more cards up its sleeve. Now OpenAI is introducing an intriguing feature: the ability to call ChatGPT using your phone line.....»»
Z-Wave Long Range and its mile-long capabilities will arrive next year
Few homes will need it, but the (literal) edge cases are quite intriguing. Z-Wave can be a very robust automation network, free from the complications and fragility of Wi-Fi and B.....»»
The best PlayStation 5 games of 2024: Astro Bot, Helldivers 2, and more
Sony may have whiffed with Concord, but the PS5 had a surprisingly fantastic year otherwise......»»
How soil bacteria contribute to the growing global issue of antibiotic resistance
Soil plays a much bigger role in the spread of antibiotic resistance than one might imagine. Surprisingly, the ground beneath us is packed with antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs)—tiny codes that allow bacteria to resist antibiotics. Human activitie.....»»
"News influencers" are racking up billions of views—and not checking their facts
The way many people get their news today would be unrecognizable to broadsheet devotees of decades past. You may read email newsletters, scroll headlines on social media, or go directly to the BBC's own TikTok account to find out what's happening in.....»»
Study finds increased income boosts birthweight outcomes
Higher incomes are often correlated with healthier pregnancies and babies, but is it really the money that matters? Sedimentary rocks that formed 390 million years ago, surprisingly, help provide the answer, at least for those who live above the Marc.....»»
That"s no straw: Hummingbirds evolved surprisingly flexible bills to help them drink nectar
Hummingbird bills—their long, thin beaks—look a little like drinking straws. The frenetic speed at which they get nectar out of flowers and backyard feeders may give the impression that the bills act as straws, too. But new research shows just ho.....»»
Brazilian company still believes it owns the ‘iPhone’ trademark as it awaits trial
As we’ve reported here in the past, Apple is facing an intriguing legal dispute in Brazil when it comes to the “iPhone” trademark as a local company called Gradiente claims to have patented the name long before Apple. As the case still awaits a.....»»
Apple’s foldable iPhone is expected to save a surprisingly declining market
A new report from DSCC highlights the struggles that foldable smartphones are facing in the market. They just endured their first year-over-year decline, and things are expected to get worse. The report notes one reason for optimism though: Apple’s.....»»
Archaeologists reveal musical instruments depicted in Zimbabwe"s ancient rock art
A study published in Azania: Archaeological Research in Africa by archaeologists Dr. Joshua Kumbani and Prof. Margarita Díaz-Andreu explores the intriguing relationship between Zimbabwean rock art and musical instruments......»»
A former Orion manager has surprisingly credible plans to fly European astronauts
"I know it's super hard, and I know it was crazy." It would be easy to be cynical about a German-French startup named The Exploration Company, which aims to build an increasingly.....»»
A former Orion engineer has surprisingly credible plans to fly European astronauts
"I know it's super hard, and I know it was crazy." It would be easy to be cynical about a German-French startup named The Exploration Company, which aims to build an increasingly.....»»
Cash grants are better than earmarked matching grants for businesses in Burkina Faso
Cash grants appear to be more promising than matching grants, especially if the survival of small businesses, rather than innovation, is the key objective in fragile political contexts. This is the result of a study conducted by economists from the U.....»»
Hands-on with Snapchat’s newest AR glasses proves surprisingly delightful
Snapchat unveiled a new version of Spectacles back in September, providing a peak at the future – with augmented reality glasses. I got the opportunity to try them out earlier this week, and honestly, they’re pretty impressive. Far from perfect,.....»»
Growing soybeans has a surprisingly significant emissions footprint, but it"s ripe for reduction
Over the typical two-year rotation of corn and soybeans most Iowa farmers use, 40% of nitrous oxide emissions are in the soybean year, according to a new study by an Iowa State University research team......»»
It"s been 100 years since we learned the Milky Way is not the only galaxy
On Sunday November 23, 1924, 100 years ago this month, readers perusing page six of the New York Times would have found an intriguing article, amid several large adverts for fur coats. The headline read: Finds Spiral Nebulae are Stellar Systems: "Dr......»»
The Onyx Boox Palma 2 is the gadget I didn’t know I wanted
The Onyx Boox Palma 2 looks like an e-reader, but runs like a smartphone. And you know what? It's surprisingly very good......»»
Fun Facts about Teeth across the Animal Kingdom
Anglerfish have invisible fangs, narwhal tusks are extra-long canines, and more facts from the weird and wonderful study of teeth will astound you.....»»
Here’s how to use your old iMac or MacBook as a display for your new Mac mini
I recently shared a post talking all about how you can use your iPad as a portable display for your Mac mini. Surprisingly the number one question i got was “can you use an old iMac or Macbook to do the same thing?” Amazingly, the answer is absol.....»»