A bee; is it an insect to be feared or a mainstay in the production of our fresh food? Well, it depends how your mind perceives it. It’s quite possible to change the way we look at things.
Author Archives: annettebrennan
Wangari Maathai
One of Africa’s leading environmentalists and a political activist, Wangari Maathai was the first African woman (in East and Central Africa) to earn a doctorate degree. And, in 2004 she was the first African woman to receive a Nobel Peace Prize for her work on sustainable development in Kenya among other things.
Three shirts, four pairs of trousers: meet Japan’s ‘hardcore’ minimalists
How important are your belongings and could you live with just what you actually need, rather than what you want? Do you think a minimalist life is for you?
The History of Earth Day
Across many nations, including America, Earth Day is celebrated on April 22. This is a day for people worldwide to focus on the great environment in which we live and breathe, and raise awareness about environmental problems.
These Wild Robots Will Compete to Explore the Last Frontier on Earth
Who dreams up the next, great technology devices? Well, sometimes they are born out of teams of people competing against each other for some serious prize money. The Shell Ocean Discovery XPRIZE is one such global competition searching for the latest ocean exploration technology to help scientists, and us, learn more about the world’s vast oceans.
What Can Magicians Teach Us about the Brain?
Neuroscience informs magicians’ techniques or magicians’ knowledge informs neuroscience. Well, it can work both ways according to this article. Scientists could have a lot to learn about cognitive processes…if magicians are willing to let them in on their secrets!
The Path to Mars: Deep Space Mission
When this video was produced it was thought that the person who will become the very first person to set foot on Mars is probably sitting in a classroom right now. The SLS spacecraft is due to make an unmanned flight in November 2018 but more recently NASA are investigating the risks and feasibility of sending a crew at this time instead of holding off for 2030.
21 Reasons Why Forests Are Important
March 21 was marked as the International Day of Forests in 2012, a day for local communities and organizations to raise awareness and celebrate the importance of forests. The theme for this year is Forests and Energy. Here’s a reminder (or 21 reminders . . .) of why forests are so important to our daily lives and why we should maintain them for future generations.
Navigating Without the Crutch of Technology
You are lost! How do you find your way? Reach for your cellphone and turn on GPS! John Huth, author of The Lost Art of Finding Our Way thinks we should allow ourselves to get lost once in a while to create a better connection with our environment. Click on the link within this article to watch a video clip of John Huth’s view on navigation without maps.
Berlin Duo Launch a Supermarket With No Packaging
Are you sometimes drawn to certain food products because of the flashy packaging? How would you feel about shopping in a store with zero packaging, selecting food based on the quantity you need and paying by the weight of goods?
China Places We Protect: The Yangtze River
The Yangtze River in China is the third-longest river in the world, sustaining life for about 400 million people. But, the aquatic life in China’s principal waterway is under serious threat of extinction from pollution and development.
Fighting for Visibility
Hidden Figures, first a book and now a movie, brings to light the significant role of some of the female African-American mathematicians at NASA during the 1960s, and the challenges faced by the women at that time.
Why It’s Impossible to Predict When That Giant Antarctic Ice Sheet Will Split
There are many factors that will affect when the Antarctic ice sheet named Larsen C will collapse and what the impact will be to sea levels. Larsen A and Larsen B disintegrated in 1995 and 2002.
Book Excerpt from The Mountain: My Time on Everest
Ed Viesturs is an American high-altitude mountaineer who rose to the challenge of climbing over 8,000 meters (26,246 feet) on Mount Everest in 1987 at 27 years old. 18 years later he was recognized as the first American to climb all fourteen peaks in the world higher than 8,000 meters.
Homeless Hero Reader Stories
This collection of anecdotes provides insight into the day-to-day life, thoughts, fears, and hopes of everyday people who have lived or are living without a home of their own.
A student’s perspective on technology in her school and classroom
Read about the benefits of technology for learning from the perspective of a high-school student.
The Neuroscience of Imagination
The power of the imagination knows no bounds! How much work do you think your brain is doing to conjure up a unique, crazy image? Learn about the neuroscience behind this amazing creative tool.
It’s the Season
Humans can tell when a change of season is underway through visual clues like the sprouting of new plants in spring or a sharp drop in temperature in winter. But how do animals know if it’s time to get busy building or to look for a nice spot to snuggle up in for a few months?
Pokémon GO: U.S. Holocaust museum asks players to stay away
Locating, capturing, battling, and training Pokémon can take a person into a whole new virtual world, but should there be limits on where a user can roam in the quest for these creatures?
A moment that changed me – the Christmas I didn’t get any presents
When she was 14 years old June Eric Udorie decided that instead of receiving presents, she wanted donations to buy presents for the children in the local orphanage. Read how she felt about her decision when Christmas day arrived.