Author: Beth Anne Macaluso

Honda is getting ready to take car and driver interactions to a whole new level. The Japanese automaker has announced plans for an electric vehicle called the NeuV, which will be powered by artificial intelligence and its own “emotions,” The Next Web reports.

Honda is calling the NeuV’s type of A.I. technology an “emotion engine.” The automobile giant has teamed up with telecommunications company SoftBank to develop a series of sensors and cameras, which will work to read a driver’s emotions, then engage with him or her in conversation. Simply put, Honda wants drivers to form a deeper emotional attachment to their cars, allowing people and the machines they rely on to “grow up” and share experiences together.

The NeuV is fully automated and designed with commuters in mind. Honda plans to unveil the ambitious concept car at CES 2017 (Consumer Electronics Show) in early January, as part of their broader “Cooperative Mobility Ecosystem”-themed exhibit.

[h/t The Next Web]

You don’t need to get a group together to enjoy the great outdoors—sometimes the peace and quiet is best enjoyed solo. But heading into remote territory by yourself isn’t something you should undertake lightly. Even for short trips, it’s good to be prepared for the possibility that something might go wrong.and you’ll get even more out of your experience if you start out with some basic wilderness skills.Take a cue from the survival experts on HISTORY’s Alone (the season premiere airs December 8 at 9/8c) by studying these essential skills before your next big adventure.

1. STARTING A FIRE

Whether you’re looking to grill some hot dogs or are trying to survive in an emergency, you’ll need to know how to start a fire safely, especially in less than ideal conditions, like just after a rain. There are several different methods you can master, but the basics should include how to use a single match to start a fire without fail, how to choose materials that will burn well, and the best way to construct your firewood. After a downpour, for example, experts suggest cutting down limbs that are high up, which are more likely to have dry spots than fallen limbs resting on the rain-soaked ground.

As an alternative, look for so-called “fatwood”—dried wood that is “fat”, and nearly petrified, with pine resin. This wood is easy enough to spot, and is often located in the stumps of dead pine trees. The resin is extraordinarily flammable—all the better to quickly build a life-saving fire with.

2. BUILDING A SHELTER

Yeah, you should figure out how to set up a tent before you leave home. But it’s good to have some low-tech ways to shield yourself from the elements, too. You’ll need to find high, dry ground away from trees that are liable to fall in rough weather. The shelter should be small enough to retain your body heat. It’s easiest to build a shelter if you already have something like a tarp, but you can also make a lean-to out of tree branches and leaves or hide out under a crevice.

3. OBTAINING SAFE WATER

You can only survive a few days without water, so it’s vital that you know how to find it when you need it. It’s too heavy to carry enough of it to last for a whole multi-day trip, so you’ll need to figure out other ways to get the water on the go. Heading downhill and looking for dark soil are good places to start as far as finding water sources go, but then you’ll need to boil it or use some kind of water purifier before you start drinking. In cold conditions, you can make snow into drinkable water by mixing it with liquid water and placing the bottle near your body between layers of clothing.

4. IDENTIFYING PLANTS

You should know the difference between poisonous plants (especially ones like poison oak or poison ivy), edible plants, and plants that can be used for first aid purposes. Some moss can be used as bandages or wound treatments; coconut shells can be used to make rope; and others provide a last-ditch food source.

5. KNOWING WHAT TO BRING

When traveling by foot, each extra item you bring adds weight to your pack, making your journey that much harder. Learn what exactly your trip will demand of you, and figure out how to pack accordingly. Even better, learn how to repurpose different items for multiple uses—you’ll be able to save that much more space.

6. WHAT TO DO DURING ANIMAL ENCOUNTERS

Learn to identify poisonous and harmless snakes that frequent the area you’ll be traveling. You’ll also need to learn how to deal with bigger predators, like cougars and bears, should you stumble upon them. Take precautions, like making a fair amount of noise to prevent startling a predator, and keep an eye out for tracks. If you happen to run into a wild cat, keep in mind that though they may be near the top of the food chain, they’re also pretty easily intimidated. If one crosses your path, don’t be afraid to shout, wave your arms, or throw sticks. It will most likely slink away.

7. NAVIGATING WITHOUT THAT SMARTPHONE

It’s relatively easy to navigate by the sun and the moon; people have been doing it for thousands of years. Take a basic natural navigation course to learn how to find your way around without a compass, using the positions of the sun, moon, and shadows, ensuring you never head in the wrong direction for miles. While you’re at it, make sure you know how to read a trail map, and keep the ones you have on hand updated.

Find yourself without a map? Nature provides plenty of hints as to which direction you’re heading. If you’re wandering on a sunny day, place your hand on a nearby rock. In the morning, the eastern-facing side will feel warmer; in the afternoon, the rock’s western face will.

8. ADMINISTERING FIRST AID

Accidents happen, and the wilderness is the last place you want to be caught unprepared. Should you twist an ankle, scrape a leg, or receive a snake bite, you need to know how to take care of yourself before you can make it to help. What you should have in your kit depends on where you’ll be traveling, but in any case, you should be packing bandages and gauze at the very least.

If you’ve been bitten by a snake, remove jewelry or tight clothing in case the site begins to swell. Keep the injury at or below heart level, and allow it to bleed for 10 to 15 seconds. Next, do your best to clean the wound (do not, however, flush it with water), and do your best to seek medical attention as soon as possible.

9. ESTIMATING DISTANCE AND TIME

When you’re out in the wilderness, you may need to track the progress you’ve made in your journey and how much time there is left in the day. A footstep is about 30 inches long, and most people on flat terrain walk at a speed of three miles per hour. You can use your fingers to estimate how much sunlight you have left: if you place your hand between your view of the sun and the horizon, four fingers represent an hour of sunlight left, with every finger after that representing 15 more minutes.

10. RECOGNIZING HYPOTHERMIA

Hypothermia can be incredibly dangerous if left unaddressed. Learn to recognize the signs, both in yourself and in others. Mild hypothermia can result in what some experts refer to as the “umbles”: stumbles, mumbles, grumbles, and fumbles, due to decreased coordination. (Shivering is also a telltale sign.) Severe hypothermia, surprisingly, is marked by a lack of shivering, as well as an inability to form coherent sentences. It’s important to treat mild hypothermia before it gets to that critical point—add layers where you can, hydrate, and try moving around in quick bursts as a way to raise your body temperature.

11. KNOWING YOUR LIMITS

It’s especially important as a beginning hiker, backpacker, or general wilderness enthusiast to be able to recognize what is and isn’t possible for your body and skill set. If you’ve never hiked before and have never needed to use an ice pick, it may not be a great idea to set out on the Pacific Crest Trail. If you’re headed into the desert on a hot day and start running low on water, it may be smarter to turn back than to continue on to finish your hike.

See how 10 survival experts fare in one of the most remote—and most dangerous—places on Earth, Patagonia, on the new season of Alone, airing Thursdays at 9/8c on History.

When we think of the effects of light, we usually think of the influence it has on our visual senses, our mood, or our skin. Too much—and too little—can spark an array of reactions, affecting everything from sleep quality to task performance. But, it turns out, light also has the ability to change our perceptions when it comes to taste.

For a 2009 study, researchers separated groups of wine drinkers, arranging them in rooms lit with red, blue, green, or yellow fluorescent lights. The subjects were then asked to sip wine and report on their impressions. Surprisingly, those bathed in red ambient light said the wine was sweeter, richer, and generally more satisfying than wine ingested in other rooms—and that they’d even be willing to pay more for it.

It turns out all of the study participants were drinking the exact same wine—the light hadn’t changed a thing besides the appearance of the liquid in their glasses. Under red light, it’s possible that the wine appeared darker and richer, creating a corresponding expectation in the minds of the subjects.

Light can also have the opposite effect: Psychologists have noted that appetites under blue lights appear to shrink, with blue-tinged foods becoming less appealing due to their appearance. In other studies focused on light and how we perceive taste, some people were shown to be attracted to stronger flavors under brighter lights, and more subdued foods when the light is dim.

One theory is that our senses are trying to maintain a balance. If you don’t feel like having something sweet in a dimly-lit restaurant, that might be one reason why. And if you want to be serious about your wine-tasting, there might be something more important than a bottle opener: a neutrally-lit room.

Nobody understands the transformative power of light better than GE. Click here to see how their reveal bulbs can turn the ordinary into something extraordinary.

As the least visited continent in the world, Antarctica is an unknown, mysterious place to most people. Although there are dozens of scientific bases on the White Continent, you don’t have to be a scientist to travel to the remote land. Tens of thousands of tourists travel to Antarctica to see its breathtaking views and wildlife. Read on for just a few of the adventures you can have in Antarctica.

1. RUN IN THE ANTARCTIC ICE MARATHON.

Each November, runners gather at Union Glacier, Antarctica for the Antarctic Ice Marathon and Half Marathon. Runners endure strong winds and cold temperatures to compete in this race, which is the southernmost marathon on Earth. To prepare for the extreme conditions, some runners exercise on treadmills in walk-in freezers or run on sand. And if you’re up for an even more extreme challenge, the Antarctic 100k (approximately 62 miles) is held each January.

2. GO SNORKELING IN THE SOUTHERN OCEAN.

Before you go snorkeling or diving in Antarctica, make sure you’ve got the right gear. Polar snorkelers must receive cold-water certification and wear insulated suits and masks. The water is cold, but the pay-off is incredible. Snorkelers can see icebergs, swimming penguins, shipwrecks, and all kinds of underwater wildlife.

3. KAYAK PAST ICEBERGS AND PENGUINS.

While it can be breathtaking to witness the wonders of Antarctica from a ship, kayaking puts you directly in the middle of the action. Kayakers have the chance to see floating icebergs, leopard seals, penguins, and whales up close and personal. Depending on the weather, the water can be rough and choppy, so wait for a calm day to break out the kayak, and bring a waterproof and freeze-proof camera.

4. TAKE A POLAR PLUNGE.

Although many ships have a plunge pool onboard, filled with cold ocean water and located next to a hot tub, some visitors in Antarctica make a bold statement by taking a polar plunge directly into the icy ocean. Wearing only their swimsuits, people jump into the water, which is often below freezing, and spend a few seconds in the water before getting out. Polar plungers describe the moment their bodies hit the water as an exhilarating rush of adrenaline. For safety, make sure to be tethered to a boat and warm yourself up gradually after the plunge with warm liquids and blankets.

5. CAMP UNDER THE STARS.

Antarctica offers a unique set of challenges—and dangers—to people who want to camp under the stars. Although campers must sleep on the snow in sub-zero weather, they’re not necessarily shivering all night. Campers in Antarctica wear layers of warm clothing and may sleep in a sleeping bag on top of a foam mattress, which provides an extra layer of insulation from the snow. Campers may also sleep in bivy sacs to protect themselves from the wind and cold. Due to Antarctica’s rules aimed at preserving the pristine landscape, campers aren’t allowed to eat, drink anything but water, or go to the bathroom on the land, so be sure you’ve eaten your fill beforehand and packed receptacles for your waste—all of it.

6. TRAVEL IN A SAILBOAT.

Most cruise ships that travel to Antarctica offer luxury amenities, but consider traveling in a sailboat for a more extreme mode of transportation. With fewer passengers and a smaller size than a cruise ship, a sailboat built to navigate polar conditions allows travelers to encounter nature up close and experience the silence and stillness of Antarctica. In a sailboat, you’ll feel more like a part of the landscape rather than an interloper.

7. TAKE A VOLCANIC BATH AT DECEPTION ISLAND.

At Deception Island, tourists can see a former whaling station—complete with abandoned boilers, rusted boats, and decomposing whale bones—located on an active volcano. As you take a thermal bath in one of the island’s natural hot springs, you’ll probably spot several chinstrap penguins. Just be aware of Deception Island’s volcanic alert scheme, which ranges from green (an eruption is unlikely) to red (a major explosive eruption is expected within 24 hours).

8. GO HIKING AND SLEDDING.

The payoff at the mid-point of a steep hike is getting to enjoy the views at the top, and Antarctica’s mountains provide particularly majestic views. As you hike through the snow, you may battle fierce winds and difficult terrain as you encounter polar plants and muskoxen, a type of Arctic mammal. After you reach the top, you can hike or sled down the slope. For safety, consider wearing snowshoes or hiking boots and using trekking poles.

9. EXPLORE THE SOUTH POLE ICE TUNNELS.

Since 1956, scientific researchers have worked at Antarctica’s Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station. Besides housing a runway for aircraft, the station has a network of underground ice tunnels containing the station’s utility lines. Although the temperature in the tunnels is negative 60 degrees Fahrenheit, some researchers have gone underground to create shrines by carving into the ice. As you walk through the tunnels, you might spot a dead fish, a pig’s head, and a sled. Tourists can visit the station, but getting access to the ice tunnels isn’t guaranteed.

10. BRAVE THE DRAKE PASSAGE.

As the shortest route by ship to and from Antarctica, the Drake Passage is the body of water between Antarctica and the southernmost part of South America. Known for its danger and unpredictability, the Drake Passage can be extremely turbulent due to its bottleneck position between the Pacific, Southern, and Atlantic Oceans. Unless you fly to and from Antarctica, you’ll probably have to face it. Although not every trip across the Drake Passage is tumultuous, travelers frequently deal with violent waves, strong winds, and changing currents. If you’re up for the extreme nature that is crossing the passage, be sure to take motion sickness medicine and protect your body from plates, bottles, and chairs that might fly towards you when the journey gets rocky.

Who says hardware has to take on a standard, fixed shape? Last year, a team of engineers at MIT’s Tangible Media Group developed a flexible, snake-like robot they dubbed the LineFORM. LineFORM has since evolved into the expandable ChainFORM, which users can now build on using modular links. The innovation is part of an effort to re-imagine computer hardware as something that can change its shape and function according to your needs, according to a report by FastCo.Design.

Created by Ken Nakagaki and Artem Dementyev, ChainFORM is computer and robotics hardware that can theoretically transform into a number of system’s peripherals. Each “block” uses a series of integrated sensors, touch detection, motor actuators, and a low-res display, which are then linked together to be customizable and adaptable on a whim.

Nakagaki and Dementyev believe their system can serve as an ever-changing and expandable computer and mobile device accessory, as well as a tool that can be used in simple robotics. ChainFORM’s small “blocks” are linked and connected to bend and twist into computer inputs, such as a mouse, keyboard, or phone headset; a mobile accessory like a tablet pen; or a tech wearable like a fitness tracker, wristwatch, or even an exoskeleton. The device also uses robotic technology to capture and recreate motion.

ChainFORM’s creators certainly aren’t the first to have engineered a snake-like robot. Others, including teams from Carnegie Mellon and Virginia Tech, have modeled their bots’ movements after the reptiles, hoping they’ll someday be able to scale surfaces no human could, during construction inspections or search and rescue missions.  

The MIT creation is currently in the prototype stage, and can only support 33 building blocks. However, it’s likely subsequent upgrades will let users expand it as they see fit. The only limit? Their imaginations.

[h/t Fast Co. Design]

Smart technology is about to revolutionize the way we shop—and not just online. Two Bay Area malls, Westfield’s San Francisco Centre and Valley Fair mall, recently introduced customer service robots, whose main job is to survey shoppers about their experiences.

The robots, nicknamed Pepper, are a project by Japanese technology corporation SoftBank. And though their primary focus is collecting data via customer surveys, they have several more tricks up their (plastic) sleeves.

Pepper can also dance, take selfies with patrons, play games, and provide foreign language instruction (in case you’re the type that likes a side of education with your holiday shopping). It’s even being programmed to serve as an interactive mall directory, providing customers with directions to their favorite stores.

If the Bay Area Peppers prove successful, Shawn Pauli, Senior Vice President for the Westfield Property Group, says his company plans to bring Peppers to their World Trade Center and Paramus, New Jersey, shopping centers. (First introduced in 2014, Pepper is already a fixture at several retail stores and hotels in Japan.)

Steve Carlin, the general manager for SoftBank Robotics America, sees Pepper as a “unique way” of keeping customers informed and entertained as they navigate their local malls. As he told SFGate, “It’s approachable, not intimidating, with a humanoid face but not too human, engaging, but not off-putting.”

[h/t SFGATE]

Of all the game-changing innovators over the past century, the engineers who have eliminated the need to sweep and vacuum manually deserve special recognition for their ingenuity and, dare we say it, heroism. (Pet owners: You know what we’re talking about.) Small, intelligent vacuum bots can navigate living rooms, avoid bumping into furniture, and know better than to try and suction up your cat’s tail. But how do they work?

Although their exact behavior depends on the manufacturer, robotic vacuums generally operate by cleaning as far as they can go in one direction until they bump into an object, turn around, and continue cleaning randomly around a room in shapes resembling the ones your spiral toy used to draw. Robotic vacuums also utilize sensors to help them determine where to clean, as well as which areas to avoid (the top of a staircase, for example).

More intelligent robotic vacuums can actually map out a room to plan out a methodical cleaning path and avoid obstacles before running into them. Some do this using cameras, while others use lasers to navigate. These robots detect reflections on the laser to determine where obstacles are in 360 degrees, allowing the robot to both create a map, and know where it is within the map. These robots track what has been cleaned and what is left to clean until they’ve finished that particular section of your home.

These robots may also boast dirt-detect functions that allow them to take note of how much dirt is being kicked up by their brushes, and give more attention to cleaning those areas. (If you’ve managed to knock over a potted plant, for example, the machine would clean that area more thoroughly.) Many robots also have a wall-following capability; using this method, the robot continues cleaning alongside an obstacle, using an infrared sensor to detect how close to the obstacle the robot can get without bumping into it.

Still on the fence about a robot vacuum? In the future, the carpeting industry may help convince you. Plans are underway to embed sensors under floor padding that will help these machines clean with even greater accuracy.

Don’t sweat the small stuff—leave that to NEATO. The smart robot vacuums from Neato Robotics make light work of messy floors, thanks to their laser navigation technology, powerful suction, and D-shape that gets into and cleans corners. The best part? While they clean, you can get on with the things that really matter. Visit Neato Robotics to learn more about their line of Botvac Connected robot vacuums.

Robots have already proved their utility in space, cruising landscapes no human could—or should—explore on foot. But they may come in handy in dangerous locations here on Earth, too. Students and staff at Duke University’s School of Engineering and School of Nursing have collaborated on a two-armed robot they’ve dubbed the Tele-Robotic Intelligent Nursing Assistant (TRINA, for short). The robot was designed to assist nurses in high-risk healthcare situations, according to The Chronicle, the university’s student newspaper.

The robot nursing assistant, which features a tablet that shows the face of its human operator, was created in response to the Ebola outbreak in 2014. After some healthcare workers were infected with the virus while trying to treat patients, the National Science Foundation put out a call to engineers and scientists to come up with a solution.

At the moment, TRINA is in the early stages of development and can only perform basic tasks, like picking up a glass of water and moving trays of food from one location to another. A team is now working with TRINA in a simulated hospital at the School of Nursing, exploring its capabilities as well as figuring out what tasks subsequent versions of the bot need to learn, from passing out meds to patients to inserting IVs.

TRINA was not built to replace human nurses, but rather to assist and act as a surrogate body. The robot is remote-operated, requiring a human to drive it and make it work. In the future, Duke scientists and engineers hope to use the “robo-nurse” in contexts outside healthcare services, like the cleanup of toxic spills.

For now, TRINA is getting ready for clinical trials at the Duke Clinical Research Unit. “We need to establish a better interface with the human and the robot to make them work together and be more comfortable,” Duke engineering student Jianqiao Li explained to The News & Observer.

[h/t The Duke Chronicle]

Banner and header image courtesy of iStock

Lighting is more important than it might seem. Besides being functional, the light fixtures, lamps, and sconces in your home can add style to your abode and create a cozy vibe. But lighting can also affect your emotions in complex ways, impacting everything from your mood to your productivity. Take a look at these seven ways you can use lighting to make your home a happier place.

1. BRIGHT LIGHTING CAN HELP YOU FOCUS.

Although most people dislike living and working under harsh, fluorescent ceiling lights, some type of bright lighting is essential when you need to be alert and focused. Bright light stimulates your brain and increases serotonin levels, which can help you concentrate. So if you’re working from home or paying your bills, make sure your ambient lighting is bright enough to energize you and help you focus. Consider using halogen, LED, or compact fluorescent bulbs in your home.

2. DIMMER SWITCHES CAN IMPROVE YOUR SLEEP.

When it’s dark, your brain’s pineal gland secretes melatonin to promote sleep and regulate your body’s sleep-wake cycle. Spending time in bright light in the evening can interfere with your natural cycle, wreaking havoc on the quality of your sleep and overall health. To help your brain and body wind down in the evening, dim the lights and use energy-efficient light bulbs. Besides using a dimmer switch, try to avoid staring at your devices. Studies have shown that the short-wavelength blue light emitted from phones and computers interferes with your circadian rhythm, making it harder to sleep.

3. TASK LIGHTING CAN HELP YOU AVOID EYE STRAIN.

Whether you’re applying makeup, chopping onions, or reading in bed, task lighting allows you to better see exactly what you’re doing. Having an additional, focused source of light also improves the contrast between the object you’re directing your attention to and the surrounding environment, helping you avoid eye strain and headaches. To achieve ideal task lighting in your home, put a reading lamp on your nightstand and desk, and make sure that your bathroom mirror, kitchen counters, and dining room table are adequately lit.

4. BRIGHT LIGHTING CAN MAKE YOU FEEL WARMER.

According to a series of studies, bright light can make people feel as though they’re warmer, even when the temperature of the room stays the same. So to feel warmer on a cold day, turn on all the lights in your home. But be aware that feeling warmer seems to also heighten whatever emotion you’re feeling, whether it’s happiness, excitement, sadness, or anxiety. When participants were under bright lighting, they rated people as more attractive, reported that they liked spicier sauce on chicken wings, and reacted more strongly to positive and negative words. In other words, the bright light increased the intensity of their emotional response as well as making them feel physically warmer.

5. LETTING IN MORE NATURAL LIGHT CAN STAVE OFF DEPRESSION.

A 2006 report explained the link between sunlight, our circadian rhythms, and mood. People with seasonal affective disorder (SAD) experience depression during the fall and winter months because their serotonin levels drop when there’s less sunlight. Even if you don’t have SAD, less exposure to sunlight can also mess with your melatonin levels and circadian rhythm, causing you to become sleep-deprived and grumpy. To maximize your home’s natural light and keep your serotonin levels up, position mirrors next to or across from windows to bring in sunlight, and clean your windows to let the most sunlight through.

6. ACCENT LIGHTING CAN LET YOU SHOWCASE YOUR FAVORITE THINGS.

Most art museums make ample use of accent lighting to illuminate paintings and sculptures. Even if you don’t have valuable art pieces in your home, you can still use accent lighting to draw people’s eyes to whatever you want to show off—whether that’s a vase, plant, fireplace, or your collection of baseball cards. To highlight your favorite things in your home, consider installing track lighting or mounting picture lights on the wall.

7. CANDLES AND TWINKLE LIGHTS CAN MAKE YOUR HOME COZIER.

To make your home an expression of your personality, taste, and style, get creative with your lighting. Beyond choosing floor and desk lamps in colors and designs that complement your home, consider using additional sources of light such as candles, twinkle lights, night lights, or DIY Mason jar lamps. These decorative light sources can make your home feel cozy, mellow, and warm. Let there be light!

When bears cross paths with humans, just about anything can happen. Here are eight stories about encounters that probably didn’t go as either party expected.

1. BEAR CUB STICKS ITS HEAD THROUGH CAT DOOR.

Douglas Harder has grown accustomed to getting visits from bears at his condo in Sandpoint, Idaho. “You know it’s very common, I live up on a mountain and this is the wilderness,” he told ABC news. In the spring of 2015, a mother black bear and her two cubs made a habit of emptying the birdfeeder on Harder’s second-story deck.

The following August, he returned home from a brief trip out of town to discover that some local ursid had broken into his kitchen through a partially open sliding door. Once inside, the intruder scratched up a wall and gobbled up some junk food before taking its leave. No sooner had Harder cleaned up the mess than a bear cub shoved its face through his cat door. One night later, the cub gave the tiny door another try, allowing Harder to snap some hilarious photographs that made the rounds on American news outlets.

2. PICKY POLAR BEAR STEALS WINE, IGNORES MARMITE.

A film crew sent to capture new footage for the 2015 nature series The Hunt was caught off-guard by a hungry polar bear who made a habit of dropping by their cabin in Svalbard, Norway. Within a 24-hour period, the animal barged into the building on no fewer than three separate occasions. During these forays, it devoured nearly all of the team’s food supply, eating everything from their dried pasta to a jar of the producer’s olives. And at one point, the crew returned to find the bear sleeping peacefully by the doorway with some of their red wine smeared across its face.  One of the few things that wasn’t eaten, however, was a lone jar of Marmite—a yeast-based food spread whose slogan, appropriately enough, is “Love it or hate it.”

3. URSID LICKS YOGA ENTHUSIAST.

Kristen Jones of Knoxville was visiting her parents in Burke County, North Carolina last June when she decided to do some yoga on the banks of a nearby lake. Popping in her ear buds, Jones sat by the shore and began the exercise routine. That’s when her day took an unexpected turn. “I felt a sniff on my right shoulder and a lick up my neck,” Jones later recalled. Assuming that the neighbor’s dog had wandered over, Jones reached backwards to hug the animal—and received the shock of her life. As the Tennessee woman turned around, she spotted a full-grown black bear walking away. Terrified, Jones stumbled backwards into the lake while her visitor lumbered off.

4. ORPHANED CUB BOARDS RAFT.

Early in July 2015, numerous guests and staffers of the USA Raft Company on the Nolichucky River sighted a dangerously skinny bear cub patrolling the river’s banks all by herself. “There was no sign of a mama bear,” general manager Matt Moses told the Knoxville News Sentinel. “She was obviously malnourished and appeared to be in distress. My guides kept coming back to me and saying they had no idea what to do.”

The bear was just as interested in the rafters. With each passing day, the little creature grew more intrepid, walking or swimming closer and closer to passing rafts. After four consecutive days of progress, she finally clambered into the raft of Danny Allen, a veteran guide who delivered the underweight animal to Moses. The Tennessee Wildlife Agency was called in short order, and the cub was given some much-needed medical attention. Once she’d regained some of her former strength, the animal was handed over to Appalachian Bear Rescue, a care facility based in Townsend. By then, her story had gone viral on Facebook, where she received the nickname “Noli Bear” (“Noli” being short for Nolichucky).

5. BEER-GUZZLING BEAR TAKES NAP IN TREE.

Back in 2004, rangers at Washington’s Baker Lake found themselves dealing with a boozy black bear.  The trouble began when this critter opened up several unattended coolers on the campgrounds. As he foraged these campsites, the bear drank his way through the beer cans he came across—or at least some of them, anyway. “He drank the Rainer, but wouldn’t drink the Busch beer,” said resort bookkeeper Lisa Broxson. Reportedly, the ursine thief downed 36 cans of the former beer while deliberately ignoring all but one can of the latter. “

I’ve known them to get into cans,” Sgt. Bill Heinck of Fish and Wildlife told reporters, “but nothing like this… it definitely had a preference.” Noticeably buzzed, the bear didn’t put up much resistance when park rangers arrived to shoo him away. However, instead of leaving, he scaled a nearby tree and took a four-hour nap in its branches. Once the bear woke up, park employees were finally able to scare him off, only to see the big fellow come back for another round the next day. Undaunted, the rangers used donuts, honey, and—of course—two cans of Rainier to lure their bear into a humane trap. Following his apprehension, the four-legged lager enthusiast was successfully relocated.

6. BEAR GETS ITSELF TRAPPED INSIDE CAR.

On the morning of July 28, 2016, David Meurer of Evergreen, Colo. walked down his driveway en route to a church meeting. Along the way, Meurer couldn’t help but notice that the door of his wife’s SUV was slightly ajar. Closer inspection revealed an even bigger surprise: Somehow, a good-sized black bear had crawled into the car overnight. With Meurer watching, the intruder abruptly made its presence known to the whole neighborhood, shaking the vehicle and honking the horn as it thrashed about in the car’s cabin. The racket woke up a neighbor who cracked open the SUV door and then banged on some pans to scare the animal off.

7. CUB CATCHES FORTY WINKS AT PIZZA PARLOR.

Palmer High School in Colorado Springs nearly went into lockdown mode last year when a black bear cub was sighted near the grounds. However, when Blanca Caro, the school’s police resource manager, set out to locate this potentially dangerous animal, she couldn’t turn up anything on campus. So she ventured into the surrounding area.

While walking down Boulder Street, Caro was approached by a perturbed pizzeria employee who told an amazing story. Apparently, the bear had waddled into the eatery through a side door and made a beeline for the prep room. Foregoing the pizza ingredients, this hungry little critter lapped up some cinnamon bread icing before taking a nap on the backroom shelves. An officer from Parks and Wildlife arrived in short order to tranquilize the adorable freeloader. Nicknamed “Little Louie” after the pizza shop he’d invaded, the bear spent four months at the Wet Mountain Wildlife Rehabilitation Center before being released into the wild in January, 2016.

8. LAID-BACK POLAR BEAR PROTESTS PAPARAZZI.

In his 2011 book The Great White Bear, science writer Kieran Mulvaney retells the true story of a polar bear who took umbrage with the flash unit on one very expensive camera. Former marketing director Robert Buchanan helped found the conservation group Polar Bears International in 1992. Now a world-renowned organization, PBI has come to play a big role in expanding our scientific knowledge of the Arctic’s most charismatic predator. As part of this research, its members have captured hundreds of original polar bear photographs over the years. Today, PBI cameramen snag ursine close-ups from the safety of a wooden cage. However, as Buchanan explained to Mulvaney, the process used to be a lot more complicated. “Before we built the cage, we tried to take photographs with a camera that was on the end of a long pole that I’d lower down [from a height],” Buchanan said.

One day, things went awry when the camera’s flash went off right in a bear’s face. Naturally, the animal didn’t appreciate this startling burst of light, but its reaction was rather low-key. Rather than swipe at the camera, the bear calmly extended one arm. Then, with a single outstretched claw, it touched the lip of the camera’s lens. “[He] didn’t try to hit it or anything,” Buchanan recalls, “…he just hooked that claw in there and was not going to let go of that camera.” In vain, the conservationist jerked the pole around, desperately trying to free his camera. But the bear stubbornly clung on, moving its paw in concert with the unit. After fifteen minutes of tug-of-war, Buchanan was about to give up when something remarkable happened. “I’d just written off that camera, and then he looked up at me as if to smile and… took the paw off as if he was saying ‘Just don’t flash me.’”

Buchanan was more than happy to comply. “They’re very smart,” he observed. “They’re just incredibly smart.”