Category: Breakthrough Thinking

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Meteorites reveal another way to make life’s components

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A meteorite analyzed in the study at its collection site in Antarctica.

ScienceDaily (Mar. 9, 2012) — Creating some of life’s building blocks in space may be a bit like making a sandwich — you can make them cold or hot, according to new NASA research. This evidence that there is more than one way to make crucial components of life increases the likelihood that life emerged elsewhere in the Universe, according to the research team, and gives support to the theory that a “kit” of ready-made parts created in space and delivered to Earth by impacts from meteorites and comets assisted the origin of life.

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Breakthrough Thinking, Health & Fitness, Historical Perspectives, Hot Issues

Planting trees in the Mongolian Desert to fight dangerous dust storms in Seoul

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A nomadic family outside their ‘ger’ (yurt) in the Gobi desert near Choir, Mongolia.

It’s not quite the proverbial butterfly flapping its wings creating a hurricane across the world, but desertification in Mongolia is generating dangerous dust storms thousands of miles away.

Former South Korean Ambassador to China Kwon Byong Hyon made the connection more than a decade ago, and has helped spearhead an effort since then to plant trees in Mongolia, hoping to improve both the lives of nomadic desert herders there and the air quality his own children are exposed to back home in Seoul…

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Analysis, Animals, Breakthrough Thinking, Education, Historical Perspectives, New Discoveries

Insects have ‘Personalities’ too, research on novelty-seeking honey bees indicates

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Some honey bees, too, are more likely than others to seek adventure.

A new study in Science suggests that thrill-seeking is not limited to humans and other vertebrates. Some honey bees, too, are more likely than others to seek adventure. The brains of these novelty-seeking bees exhibit distinct patterns of gene activity in molecular pathways known to be associated with thrill-seeking in humans, researchers report…

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Baby Gadgets, bicycle, Breakthrough Thinking, Green Friendly, People Making a Difference

Bicycle buses let Dutch kids pedal together to school

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A little more in back!

It’s been said that the most important lessons in life are not learned in the classroom, and perhaps in no place is that more true than in the Netherlands where the act of heading to school is itself so enriching. In an age of rising gas prices and skyrocketing cases of childhood obesity, Dutch educators have devised a wonderfully positive way to get kids to and from school — by letting them pedal there themselves on a brand new fleet of bicycle buses…

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Analysis, Breakthrough Thinking, DIY, Economy, Health & Fitness, Human Behavior

Frugal food: 10 DIY tips to save money while eating better and healthier

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Here’s some great money saving tips.

Pretty much all of us are fond of all things handmade, and of clever ways to stretch one’s household budget. As the cost of staple foods and happy indulgences like coffee continue to rise, now is a good time to explore ways to save money on food with DIY smarts. Here’s a list of 10 proven ways I’ve managed to cut my household budget—feel free to share more of your own in the comments. Also, apropos of nothing? Cats…

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Analysis, Brain, Breakthrough Thinking, Education, Entertainment, Historical Perspectives, New Discoveries

Why you have your best ideas when you’re least productive

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Ideas happen at the darnedest times.

We all have our favorite times to power through work; some of us are up at the crack of dawn toiling away, while others feel more productive when the sun’s setting. But a new study suggests that out best ideas actually come to us when we’re not at our best.

Researchers have been studying how innovation and creativity varies with circadian rhythms—the natural patterns that make you a morning person or an evening type—and the findings are suprising…

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Animals, Breakthrough Thinking, Education, Historical Perspectives, New Discoveries

Individual dolphins identify themselves to new dolphins they meet

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Dolphins are able to carry on multiple conversations simultaniously.

Dolphins apparently have a system of identifying themselves to each other similar to the way you and I use names.

Scientists have actually known since the 1960s that this system existed. Basically, each dolphin creates their own “signature” whistle when they’re very young. In studies of captive dolphins, they used this whistle mainly when they got separated from the rest of the group. It was like a way of saying, “Hey, I’m over here!” Or, given the environment, perhaps some version of “Marco! Polo!”

But at Not Exactly Rocket Science, Ed Yong writes about a new study of wild dolphins that has really increased our understanding of signature whistles and how dolphins use them…

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Analysis, Breakthrough Thinking, Culture, Current Events, Historical Perspectives, Hot Issues

Anonymous, decentralized and uncensored file-sharing is booming

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Other means of sharing are available if worst case scenarios becomes reality

The file-sharing landscape is slowly adjusting in response to the continued push for more anti-piracy tools, the final Pirate Bay verdict, and the raids and arrests in the Megaupload case. Faced with uncertainty and drastic changes at file-sharing sites, many users are searching for secure, private and uncensored file-sharing clients. Despite the image its name suggests, RetroShare is one such future-proof client.

The avalanche of negative file-sharing news over the past weeks hasn’t gone unnoticed to users and site operators.

From SOPA to Megaupload, there is a growing uncertainly about the future of sharing….

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Discover the Hidden Patterns of Tomorrow with Futurist Thomas Frey
Unlock Your Potential, Ignite Your Success.

By delving into the futuring techniques of Futurist Thomas Frey, you’ll embark on an enlightening journey.

Learn More about this exciting program.