Impact Lab – Page 1417 – A Laboratory of the Future Human Experience

Sharp Decline in Marriage But Family Remains Resilient

March 15, 2011

The decline of marriage has not knocked family life off its pedestal.

The transformative trends of the past 50 years that have led to a sharp decline in marriage and a rise of new family forms have been shaped by attitudes and behaviors that differ by class, age and race, according to a new Pew Research Center nationwide survey, conducted in association with TIME magazine, and complemented by an analysis of demographic and economic data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Analysis, Business, Latest Trend, Report, Science & Technology News

State of the American News Media 2011: Report

March 15, 2011

Why do networks still do news?

By several measures, the state of the American news media improved in 2010.

After two dreadful years, most sectors of the industry saw revenue begin to recover. With some notable exceptions, cutbacks in newsrooms eased. And while still more talk than action, some experiments with new revenue models began to show signs of blossoming.

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Analysis, Health & Fitness, Science & Technology News

Propecia and Avodart May Cause Irreversible Sexual Side Effects

March 15, 2011

Propecia and Avodart linked to irreversible sexual side effects.

Drugs frequently prescribed to treat hair loss or an enlarged prostate may contribute to irreversible sexual dysfunction in men, new research finds. Use of dutasteride (Avodart) and finasteride (Proscar and Propecia) were linked to erectile dysfunction, depression and loss of libido in a review of existing studies.

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Breakthrough Thinking, Education, Internet, Latest News

Get Paid to Teach Anything With New Online Education Platform

March 15, 2011

Name: Learnable

Quick Pitch: Learnable allows anyone to create and charge for online courses.

Genius Idea: Many schools have started to take online education seriously. By 2006, 66% of postsecondary learning institutions included in federal financial aid programs were already reporting that they offered some form of Internet learning, and a 2009 report from the U.S. Department of education found that those students who studied in online learning environments performed modelstly better than peers who were receiving face-to-face instruction.

This is very much along the lines of what Futurist Thomas Frey predicted in his 2007 paper on the Future of Education.

It’s great news for people who are looking to work toward a college degree, but there are few affordable parallels for people who just want to pick up a skill. Where does one go for affordable online lessons on homepage design? Javascript programming? Guitar? the Irish Whistle?

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Analysis, Birth, Crazy Stuff, Entertainment, Food, Health & Fitness, Human Behavior

10 Weird Pregnancy Facts No One Tells You About

March 15, 2011

So many things happen when you are pregnant

Strange things happen to your body when you are pregnant. Since new mothers tend to worry, experienced women and medical professionals tend to gloss over the things you shouldn’t worry too much about. Oddee tells you some of the things that might surprise you. For example…

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Historical Perspectives, Hot Issues, Latest News, New Viewpoints, Science & Technology News, Space

In Lasers We Trust: NASA Researches 5kW Galactic Trash Disposal System

March 15, 2011

Dealing with space junk.

Space junk is a growing problem — 200,000 pieces and counting — and as the amount of earth’s orbital debris increases, so does the chance some satellite will be involved in a cosmic collision. As this would cause much gnashing of teeth and woe for the affected terrestrial parties, some researchers from NASA’s Ames Research Center have pitched the idea of removing said junk with a laser — once again proving that everything’s better with lasers…

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Alternative Transportation, Breakthrough Thinking, Ecological Products, Great New Product, Green Friendly, Historical Perspectives, New Viewpoints

Pedal Power Meets Photovoltaics via Solarbike

March 15, 2011

Solarbike aims at having electric bikes powered by the sun.

Solarbike specialises in electric conversion kits for bicycles. But the business’s founders, both research scientists at the University of Western Australia, have been working on a way to easily have electric bikes powered by the sun. After some trial and error, which they transparently document, they’ve arrived at reasonably affordable photovoltaic systems that allow electric bike owners to ride like a solar wind…

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Breakthrough Thinking, Business, Entertainment, Historical Perspectives, Latest News, Music

RIP Zune Player, 2006-2011

March 15, 2011

May all your Zunes come true.

Microsoft is not planning on releasing any further Zune devices. Instead, the company plans to focus on Zune software for smartphones.

Microsoft declined to comment on the future of the Zune players, but in a statement to Bloomberg noted that it remains “committed to supporting our devices in North America.”

Zune launched in November 2006 to much fanfare and hopes that it could beat Apple’s iPod. But sales never came close to reaching the levels of Apple’s best-selling and market changing music and media player…

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Architecture, Art, Breakthrough Thinking, Great New Product, Historical Perspectives

Translucent Concrete

March 14, 2011

Concrete with a special twist.

This special concrete tile allows light to pass through. The tile contains optical fibers that make up about 5% of its surface area. The fibers are distributed uniformly throughout the surface to allow an outline to be clearly visible on the other side. The tiles have the unique combination of being nearly unbreakable and translucent.

The material is made with a combination of optical fibers and fine concrete…

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Historical Perspectives, Latest News, New Discoveries, Science & Technology News, Space

The Baikonur Cosmodrome – The World’s Oldest Spaceport

March 14, 2011

A newly “rolled out” Proton-M, carrying the Inmarsat-4F3 spacecraft.

There are, to be frank, not many spaceports on the planet as of 2011. Of the thirty or so only six of them have sent people in to space. Four of those are located in the US, another in China and the sixth and oldest is to be found in Kazakhstan…

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Business, Culture, Economy, Health & Fitness, Historical Perspectives, Money Talk, New Viewpoints

Is A Million Bucks Enough to Make You Feel Rich?

March 14, 2011

You have some bucks, but is it enough?

A million bucks ain’t what it used to be. Heck, it’s not even enough to make (rich) people feel rich anymore:

Some 42 percent of the more than 1,000 millionaires surveyed by Fidelity said they did not feel wealthy.

Respondents had at least $1 million in investable assets, excluding any real estate or retirement accounts…

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DIY, Food, Historical Perspectives, New Discoveries, New Inventions

How to Make Pop Rocks

March 14, 2011

Pop Rocks at home!

Chickflix has posted an Instructable that pierces the veil of mystery and describes how to mix your own Pop Rocks at home. The secret ingredient turns out to be pretty mundane, alas — I always assumed that they were filled with some violent, rare substance that ground its way through my guts on the way out. On the other hand, now that the secret is in the open, it paves the way for exotic Pop Rock flavors, such as French mustard, roast beef, and pineapple…

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