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University of Chicago to Open Library of the Future

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The Joe and Rika Mansueto Library

The University of Chicago will be opening a new  library tomorrow that will use a massive automated retrieval system, turning the whole library experience on it’s head. The Joe and Rika Mansueto Library is designed to accommodate the way people study and research today — online. The structure’s large spaces are made for computer work and have no traditional bookshelves. (pics and video)

 

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Daniel Kish Uses Sound To See

Daniel Kish Sound To See

If you had no eyes to see with, how would you navigate your surroundings?

Daniel Kish had both eyes removed at the age of 13 months after being diagnosed with retinoblastoma, an aggressive form of cancer. He didn’t let that slow him down. Though blind he can mountain bike, navigate the wilderness alone and recognize a building as far away as 1,000 feet. Kish is president of a nonprofit organization called. World Access offers training on how to interact with one’s environment, using echolocation as a primary tool. Kish hears echos and interprets their meaning to visualize objects, similar to the way bats, beluga whales and dolphins  ”see” objects…

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Argentine Farmer Makes Giant Guitar With 7,000 Trees

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Extreme guitar tribute to Argentinian farmer’s wife.

Pedro Martin Ureta, a 70-year old Argentine farmer from General Levalle, has used 7,000 cypress and eucalyptus trees to create a giant guitar in memory of his late wife, Graciela, who died in 1977, when she was only 25. He consulted a number of landscapers, but none of them were interested in such a daring endeavor, so the farmer just had to do it himself…

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One Day Will People Be Living In Shroom Houses?

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New construction material will be made out of mushrooms.

Construction material manufacturing often produces hazardous byproducts that are either toxic or difficult to recycle, as are many of the materials themselves. Brooklyn based Planetary ONE is experimenting with the idea of grow-your-own construction materials by making bricks from mushrooms.

Their latest project, Mycoform, places mushroom roots known as mycelium spores into a mold and feeds them with agricultural byproducts like buckwheat husks. In just over a week at 80 degrees, the spores grow to fill the form, resulting in a light yet solid structure. The brick is heated to 100 degrees when complete to kill the spores, preventing further growth.

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CDC Confirms Lemon Eucalyptus Oil as Effective as DEET

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Mosquitoes can be a huge problem.

It’s easy to say you’ll never use DEET, that is until you come down to South Carolina. My home state boasts mosquitoes that rival your house pet in size and stature. But even still, many fear the toxicity of DEET and try to avoid it even with those mini-monsters landing on you noon and night. According to the CDC, lemon eucalyptus oil could be a much safer and more natural weapon.

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The Fall of Book Publishing: The Rise of New E-Book Business Models

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Experimenting Our Way to Success – Reinventing Publishing Models

Futurist Thomas Frey:  Amazon revolutionized book reading in 2007 when it introduced its Kindle book reader. Within the past three years, the explosive sale of book readers has caused a massive surge in the sale of e-books, already outpacing the sale of hardcover books, with a prediction by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos that they will outsell paperbacks within the next year.

 

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Health Insurers Make Huge Profits While Many Americans Postpone Care

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Health insurers propose double-digit increases in their rates, citing a need for protection against any sudden uptick in demand once people have more money to spend on their health.

Major health insurers in the U.S. are heading into a third year of record profits.  Their earnings have been enriched in recent months by a lingering recessionary mind-set among Americans.  Many who are postponing or forgoing medical care.

‘Made in America’ Making a Comeback: Study

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2015 global manufacturers will view the U.S. as equal to if not better-than China.

In March, U.S. exports hit a record $173 billion, up 15% from a year-ago and 37% from 2009. According to a new study from The Boston Consulting Group (BCG), the good times for “Made in America” are just getting started. (video)

 

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