Contrary to intuition, adding pockets of water to solids can actually make them stronger. This finding, the result of research by Yale scientists, offers “a new knob to turn” for engineers, the researchers say. Engineers will be able to add exciting new properties to composite materials–such as electromagnetism–by embedding droplets of liquid, and, on a … Read more
Women feel what is happening to their partners over three times as much as men do. According to new research, the difference between the empathy felt by women and men was the biggest of many factors analyzed. “In our work, we were trying to measure how partners affect each other’s mental health through life events,” … Read more
Outside a police station in Amchok, Tibet today, a 33-year-old man self immolated in protest of Chinese rule. The man, one Sangye Khar, self immolated during a time of celebration in Tibet which had been marked by self immolations in the past, and his body was carried away by Chinese military police. Tibetans nearby protested the removal … Read more
As gas prices plummet and many O&G workers face unemployment in the upcoming year, a new report has charted the transition from oil and gas to green energy in Canada. Better prospects for jobs–sun, wind and water are more widely distributed across the nation than oil fields–and clean energy business opportunities exist in many areas that have so … Read more
For Japan’s Premier Shinzō Abe, Abenomics, a three point economic strategy to revive Japan, will be the first task he has to attend to after his landslide victory in the Lower House election was announced on Monday this week. Abe’s conservative Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and New Kōmeitō Party, its junior ruling coalition member, swept … Read more
The 113th Congress has passed legislation allowing losses incurred by derivatives trading to be covered by the FDIC. President Obama is expected to sign the new budget into force, which includes provisions that permit financial institutions to trade certain financial derivatives from subsidiaries backed by the FDIC that were previously restricted by Title VII of … Read more
A drink before bed? Around 50 million adults in the US take a drink to help them fall asleep, but that drink is being advised against by researchers at the University of Missouri School of Medicine. Their research has found that alcohol actually disrupts sleep–even if it causes people to nod off. It disrupts sleep … Read more
A unique study of landscape factors–in particular, mines–as regional sources of stress has been conducted by Michigan State University researchers. The study involved waterways in 33 U.S. states and 22,000 fish community samples. The researchers were themselves surprised by the results: even a single mine can damage fish habitats in larger rivers downstream, and the effects … Read more
The United States has almost completed the passing of the law that will provide Ukraine with $350 million in military support–including US military equipment–to continue its fight against Russia and pro-Russian separatists in Eastern Ukraine. Russian foreign ministry official representative Alexander Lukashevich commented on the “openly confrontational character” of the US’s assistance to Ukrainian fighters. The US … Read more
Leaps of faith? Gambling on Sundays may be more risky than churchgoers are aware, because, according to research by Radboud University, Netherlands scientists, activation of the concept of God in the minds of individuals increases their propensity to take risks. “Risk taking is influenced by subtle environmental factors. It might not be a good idea … Read more
Small businesses that fear competing giant neighbors may need to think again. According to research by a joint team of university scientists, having a large competitor nearby may actually boost the sales of small businesses, but this depends on whether a small business can successfully “stick it to the man” in “framing the game.” “When the … Read more
In La Vega, Dominican Republic, a grassroots campaign has been demonstrating for a declaration that Loma Mirada hill become a National Park. Last week, Salesian priest Rogelio Cruz–who has led the months-long for a park to be created on the site of Glencore Falcondo’s planned nickel mine–led a march of hundreds of Dominicans from La Vega towards … Read more