Month: October 2019

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This Is Why You Should Never Squash a Stink Bug

If you live in the U.S., there’s a good chance you’ve encountered a brown marmorated stink bug – though the species is native to Asia, it has now been spotted in 43 states since its arrival around 1998.

Though they typically remain outdoors (unless they find themselves carried inside on clothing or other material), they might come inside seeking warmth in the cooler months of fall and winter. Since they’re not small – typically a half-inch long or more – you’ll probably spot them when they do.

But even though our justice against insect invaders is typically swift and mortal, common sense should prevail with stink bugs – don’t squish them.

I mean, unless you enjoy the pungent aroma of skunk or rotten cilantro permeating your rooms.

 

They’re called stink bugs for a reason: the bugs release a terrible scent whenever they feel threatened, and that includes as they die. So really be careful in handling them, period.

Things to try: nudging them alive onto a piece of paper or into a cup, using a vacuum, or leaving out trays of soapy water in the hopes they might take their own lives.

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The world is such a colourful and diverse place, but I’ve decided to narrow my contributions for the @invert_macro #IM_Colourful theme to just yellow. My first photo is of a Green shield bug nymph (Palomena prasina). I cheated a little with this by bending the plant in front of some yellow flowers for the shot. Please make sure to check out the hashtag to see everyone’s contributions, as this promises to be an extra special theme. #yellow #shieldbug #stinkbug #insect #insectphotography #nature #macro #canon_uk #naturephotography #beautiful_insects_japan #macro_freaks #mat_macro #kings_macro #kings_insects #ip_insects #insectguru #naturyst #macro #macro_kings #top_macro #turklikeben_macro #soulmademacro #animals_illife #earthcapture #bbcwildlife

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The good news is that you’ll probably only see a few in your house, if any, so you shouldn’t have to figure out how to handle an army of the little buggers.

Another bright spot, scientists are saying that the samurai wasp – the stinkbug’s natural predator in its native habitat – has arrived in the United States. The parasitic wasp has been spotted in 10 states and is expected to spread.

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Since the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug's arrival in the 1990s, it has caused significant damage to crops such as apples, nectarines, grapes, and soybeans. The Samurai Wasp, (Trissolcus japonicus) was found to be the one predator for the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug and was found to destroy 60%-90% of the larvae in Asia. In 2014-2015, researchers detected the Samurai Wasp in the U.S before any regulatory permission to release them and by 2017, this insect was found spreading naturally in 10 states. Now, there are plans underway for further research into rearing and releasing more of these wasps in the future in hopes of putting a stop to the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug's raid on our country's crops! #Invasive #InvasiveSpecies #StopTheSpread #MSBugBlues #BrownMarmoratedStinkBug #SamuraiWasp

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I’ll let you decide whether or not you consider that good news.

I definitely to do. *shudder*

The post This Is Why You Should Never Squash a Stink Bug appeared first on UberFacts.

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MIT Engineers Say There’s a New Blackest Black Color

Vantablack, the world’s “blackest black” pigment since 2016, has been controlled by artist Anish Kapoor.

But as of now, he no longer owns the blackest black out there because engineers at MIT have developed a new material that is 10 times blacker than Vantablack.

The new material, made of carbon nanotubes, absorbs 99.995% of all incoming light.

They created it by vertically aligning the microscopic carbon filaments, which resulted in a sort of fuzzy forest of trees that they them grew on a piece of chlorine-soaked aluminum.

The results were published in a scientific journal, as well as displayed in an exhibition at the New York Stock Exchange.

The artwork on display is called The Redemption of Vanity and was conceived by Diemut Strebe in collaboration with MIT professor Brian Wardle. Together, they covered one of the shiniest objects they could think of – a 16.78-carat natural yellow diamond worth 2 million dollars – with the new black pigment. This made it appear to be a black void in front of another black background.

Wardle talked a bit about the project and why he thinks it’s important”

“There are optical and space science applications for very black materials, and of course, artists have been interested in black, going back well before the Renaissance. Our material is 10 times blacker than anything that’s ever been reported, but I think the blackest black is a constantly moving target. Someone will find a blacker material, and eventually we’ll understand all the underlying mechanisms, and will be able to properly engineer the ultimate black.”

The scientists made the discovery on accident – they were looking for a way to grow carbon nanotubes on materials that would boost electrical conductivity, not a blacker black than Vantablack – but they couldn’t help but notice how black their substance became as it grew.

Now, they’re applying for a patent for the technology. And word on the scientific street is that the artists who were irked about Kapoor’s monopolization of Vantablack will be pretty happy to have an alternative.

I, for one, am new to the ruckus and completely fascinated.

Blackest blacks and their blacker challengers are a thing scientists and artists throw down over. Who knew?

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Jane Fonda Was Arrested in D.C. for Protesting Climate Change

Jane Fonda has a long history of social activism and her latest cause is climate change.

A video posted to Twitter shows her being handcuffed and taken away by authorities while protesting for climate action at the U.S. Capitol building.

A spokesperson for the Capitol police confirmed that 16 people were arrested for “unlawfully demonstrating” and charged with crowding, obstructing, or incommoding.

What that is, I don’t know.

Per Fonda’s website, Fonda was “inspired and emboldened by the incredible movement our youth have created.”

“I can no longer stand by and let our elected officials ignore – and even worse – empower – the industries that are destroying our planet for profit. We can not continue to stand for this.”

She plans to hold weekly demonstrations in D.C., called Fire Drill Fridays, and calls Swedish activist Greta Thunberg an inspiration.

“Every Friday through January, I will be leading weekly demonstrations on Capitol Hill to demand that action by our political leaders be taken to address the climate emergency we are in. We can’t afford to wait.”

Being in her 80s isn’t going to stop Fonda from continue a decades-long fight to change the planet and society for the better.

“Our climate is in crisis. Scientists are shouting an urgent warning: we have little more than a decade to take bold, ambitious action to transition our economy off of fossil fuels and onto clean, renewable energy.”

I’m not sure that protests and arrests are going to get anything done in Washington, but they can’t hurt.

And you never know – maybe they will make a difference after all.

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Volunteers Are Taking Elderly People on Rickshaw Rides to Get Them out into Nature

I love this!

This is about as wholesome of a story as you’re gonna see today. A company in Denmark called Cycling Without Age allows volunteers to take senior citizens on rickshaw rides to get them outdoors and into nature.

Ole Kassow explained how and why he started the project back in 2012: “I saw an elderly gentleman sitting in front of a nursing home. As usual, I was on my bike and came up with the idea that maybe he wanted to join me and we could get to know each other. I rented a rickshaw and it took off from there. The man became my friend, his name is Thorkild.”

Kassow pointed out how loneliness and isolation has become an epidemic among older people: “Our modern fast-paced lifestyle means that we value youth and careers and sometimes forget to appreciate the older generation and their wisdom. That means many people become isolated and lonely as they grow old.”

Since its beginnings in Denmark, Cycling Without Age has become so popular that is has spread all over the world and now has 1,100 locations, 1,500 rickshaws, and 10,000 “pilots” who take seniors out for rides in the fresh air.

The program has proved to be a big hit on all sides of the globe. In Scotland, two 95-year-old twins have enjoyed the rides immensely. The manager of the care home where the twins live said,

“Almost all of the residents have been out on the trishaw and it has brought back many memories of days gone by when motorised transport was rare. Sharing stories has been amazing and made staff think how hard life must have been in the 1940s and 50s when the only means of transport for most people was a bike. It was while on the trishaw the funny stories kept coming as Nancy and Janet, who have rooms next door to each other, shared their secrets of the bike rides over the years.”

And in Canada, the program has been lauded for its help with people suffering from dementia. A great idea that is obviously very popular for good reason!

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A Dr. Pepper Cream Soda Flavor Will Hit Shelves in 2020

Got a hankering for something new in the soda game? Well, you’re in luck, friends.

It was recently announced that a Dr. Pepper and Cream Soda flavor will be hitting shelves next year in regular and diet forms.

The new flavors made their debuts at the recent National Association of Convenience Stores trade show (yes, it’s a thing) in Atlanta. Attendees are able to get sneak peeks at new beverages and snacks at the event. One visitor took a photo of the new products and shared her review on Instagram.

The person described the new drink: “New Dr Pepper & Cream Soda in both regular and diet varieties will be out March 2020! Due to the added vanilla flavor, these aren’t as strong on the classic Dr Pepper taste. Therefore, the flavor here is much less polarizing than original Dr Pepper. I actually like this flavor, unlike the original!”

In an email, the folks at Dr. Pepper said, “News this sweet is too good to keep to ourselves. We are excited to confirm Dr Pepper & Cream Soda is REAL, and we look forward to treating our fans to this next-level flavor as it starts to hit shelves nationwide in March.”

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Can we get a replay? #OfficialDrinkofFansville

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There are some other new soda concoctions that are going to hit the shelves soon as well. Cinnamon Coca Cola is available now through the end of 2019 and Winter Spiced Cranberry Sprite is also available now until December 31, 2019.

What do you think? Are you excited about these new products from Dr. Pepper? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

On another note, I really want to be invited to this trade show next year so I can sample all the new snacks and treats…hit me up if you’re going.

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Studies Show That Having a Dog Helps People Have Longer and Better Lives

I’m sure that this won’t be news to some of you.

Dogs and people go together like peanut butter and jelly. Of course, your dog will eat your peanut butter and jelly when you’re not looking, but I digress.

Dogs make us crazy happy, and a recent study gives us even more reason to bring these fuzz balls into our homes. Turns out, dogs help their owners live longer.

Published in the American Heart Association journal Circulation, the study looked at cardiovascular research from between 1950 and 2019 for evidence that dogs decrease the risk of heart disease in owners.

Photo Credit: Needpix

Well, they found it in droves. People who had survived heart attacks were less likely to have another heart related event and were also less likely to ultimately die from cardiovascular disease if they owned a dog. In fact, owning a dog was shown to boost heart health.

But researchers found it wasn’t just heart conditions dogs improved. The data from millions of patients over all those years of study also showed owning dogs lowered the rates of death from any cause. The study stated that dogs decreased the risk of dying by anything by 24 percent.

Health aside, according to a different 2019 study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, dogs can also be credited to improving your overall quality of life.

Which is good, because if you’re going to live longer, you want a high quality life.

Photo Credit: Pxhere

Even participants who suffered from chronic pain reported more socialization and lowered rates of depression and anxiety.

Dogs are also shown to help people manage emotional and mental health, says a 2016 study published in the journal BMC Psychiatry. When participants mapped out their social structures, dogs consistently were placed as most central to their social lives.

Another 2019 study, this one published in the journal Aging and Mental Health, showed that older people received mental health benefits when they owned dogs. Having a pet around gave them purpose and decreased feelings of loneliness.

Photo Credit: Max Pixel

Another segment of society benefitting from dog ownership is youths experiencing homelessness. The animals create a barrier to getting into shelters, but the yong people studied reported feeling more loved than those who didn’t have dogs, according to a 2015 report in Child Psychiatry and Human Development.

What about people who cannot responsibly take care of dogs in their current environment or situation? All is okay. Current Opinion in Psychiatry research from 2015 tells us that even interacting with someone else’s dogs or volunteering to take care of other dogs can be hugely beneficial.

So, the science is in: dog love is a health tonic.

Take a dog for a walk, scratch his ears, rub her tummy and soak up all the healthy goodness for a longer and happier fur-filled life.

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Some Hospitals Are Using Clear Drapes for C-Sections Instead of Opaque Ones

C-sections are grueling, and they can be really tough on new moms. One especially disappointing part is that, typically, moms are not able to see their new baby right away. Because there’s a drape obscuring their view of the surgery itself, they can only hear their babies, not see them.

That’s why some hospitals are beginning to use clear drapes.

It may sound scary to have a clear drape instead of an opaque one. Nobody wants to see themselves being operated upon!

But these drapes are actually only partially clear. The lowest part is still opaque, so it completely blocks the mom’s view of the operation. The upper part is clear, so she can see when doctors pull the baby out of her womb.

Clear drapes are amazing. <3 I love that they are more accepted for cesarean births now! Watching my client see her…

Posted by Tracy Abney, Birth Doula on Tuesday, April 3, 2018

 

Tracy Abney, a doula, mom and birth photographer, is a huge advocate of clear drapes. She had a typical C-section with a solid drape and told Parents that she felt “disconnected.”

“Everyone saw my daughter before I did. I could hear her, but not see her,” Tracy said. “I didn’t see her until she was cleaned up and wrapped in a blanket, then she was taken away and I didn’t see her for a long time.”

“Clear drapes help the mother feel like she is part of the birthing process,” she added. “She can see the baby when everyone else does, the moment the baby is born.”

That clear drape, though. <3

Posted by Tracy Abney, Birth Doula on Thursday, May 17, 2018

Clear drapes are one aspect of the new “gentle C-section” trend, which aims to make C-sections more like the traditional birthing experience. Doctors pull the baby out slowly and immediately bring the baby to the mom for skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding, if it is medically safe to do so.

Anything that helps is well worth the adjustment!

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15 Funny Tweets That Should Put a Smile on Your Face

Life got you a little beaten down at the moment? Why the long face?

Well, I have just the thing.

Tweets! Funny tweets! Funny tweets that are gonna make you smile!

1. That’s never a good sign.

2. Five very solid films.

3. Read the whole thing…

4. Here we go…

5. A total failure.

6. Sad but true.

7. Hadn’t thought about that…

8. I like the sound of that.

9. Can you please stop eating?

10. You’re good, keep going.

11. They don’t exist.

12. I think you nailed it.

13. Here I am!

14. Who are you?

15. It’ll be an interesting day.

Is that a smile I see?

Good, then we did our jobs today!

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In 1994, a student at MIT bought a carton…

In 1994, a student at MIT bought a carton of milk but forgot to use it, and rediscovered it 10 months later. Instead of binning it he threw a ‘birthday’ for it. A cult following developed for this legendary expired dairy product. In 2015 it celebrated its 21st birthday.

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Top Gun was produced in collaboration…

Top Gun was produced in collaboration with the Pentagon to rebrand the US military’s image post-Vietnam war, and attract new Navy recruits. Top Gun was the first full-blown collaboration between Hollywood and the US military.