The mystery sphere.
For a few days, people living in a remote area of Namibia heard strange explosions. Then they found this sphere, which about 43 inches in diameter, in an impact crater about 12 feet across. What is it for? Who does it belong to?
Tweets show happiness around the world down
Tweets can be seen as a reflection of an individual’s mood of the moment — as opposed to “a longer-term reflective evaluation” of the person’s life.
Happiness around the world is declining. How do we know? It’s on Twitter.
Continue reading… “Tweets show happiness around the world down”
ShotSpotter – sniper detection technology quietly rolls out across America
ShotSpotter will precisely and instantaneously locate shooters.
Not a single person reports the gunshots ring out in the dead of night. Yet police know exactly where the shots came from, even before they arrive on the scene.
Continue reading… “ShotSpotter – sniper detection technology quietly rolls out across America”
BP drops solar division after 40 years of operations
When the Going Gets Tough, BP Runs…
While it is well-known that the solar industry is highly cyclical, the general trend is definitely in an upward direction, with rapid double-digit yearly growth in production capacity and plenty of money to be made by the smartest players (both Warren Buffett and Google have recently invested in solar power). But apparently, when the going gets tough, BP cuts and runs. After 40 years of existence, now that solar power is more necessary than ever, the giant oil company has decided to drop its solar division. So much for ‘Beyond Petroleum’, a recent BP slogan, eh?
Continue reading… “BP drops solar division after 40 years of operations”
Birth order can affect your job and salary
It‘s just not fair: Middle children are in a bad spot
Throughout your childhood, not only did your big brother steal your Halloween candy, but as an adult he probably makes more money than you, too, say recently released survey findings.
Continue reading… “Birth order can affect your job and salary”
People more likely to lie when texting: study
Study shows people lie when texting.
People are more likely to lie when texting and most honest in video chats, according to a new study.
Continue reading… “People more likely to lie when texting: study”
15 of the best data visualization projects of 2011
This was the year of big data. Data graphics continue to thrive and designers are putting more thought into what the data are about, and that’s a very good thing.
Continue reading… “15 of the best data visualization projects of 2011”
The US Is Trying To Censor Scientific Journals
Hear no pandemic, see no pandemic, speak no pandemic.
The US government has approached the scientific journals Nature and Science in order to censor data on a lab-made version of bird flu, because it could potentially be used as a weapon. That’s not cool!
According to the Guardian, the US National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSABB) asked the journals to publish redacted versions of studies carried out by two research groups…
Continue reading… “The US Is Trying To Censor Scientific Journals”
Extremely creepy taxidermy
Um… it’s graceful looking?
This isn’t the first time we’ve featured questionable taxidermy here at Impact Lab, but artist Enrique Gomez De Molina’s creations may take the cake…
Candy Cane Car
Happy…What The Hell?
Pogo Dave is “not” selling his Candy Cane Car on eBay because he is a contrarian, a “a master of reserve psychology” who does “not” enjoy entertaining people with his car. The 1991 Toyota Camry is covered in red and white reflective tape and has an exercise machine on the roof…
Cocaine on 9 in 10 baby changing stations in the UK
Changing tables are convenient for changing a baby or, apparently, snorting a line.
Those baby changing stations found in public bathrooms often look a little suspect when it comes to cleanliness. But of all the things you might imagine would be mucking up the surface, probably cocaine didn’t cross your mind.
Continue reading… “Cocaine on 9 in 10 baby changing stations in the UK”
Jobs that became a thing of the past in 2011
The Postal Service has considered canceling Saturday delivery, closing post offices and laying off some of its 280,000 workers.
The newest generation of of tech-savvy workers grew up hearing that the jobs they would hold as adults hadn’t even been invented yet. No one mentioned that the jobs they had come to think of as permanent might become a thing of the past.
Continue reading… “Jobs that became a thing of the past in 2011”
