Early Childhood Education

Hidden codex may reveal secrets of life in Mexico before Spanish conquest

One of the rarest manuscripts in the world has been revealed hidden beneath the pages of an equally rare but later Mexican codex, thanks to hi-tech imaging techniques.<p>The Codex Selden, a book of concertina-folded pages made out of a five-metre strip of deerhide, is one of a handful of illustrated …

NASA Just Made All Its Research Free Online

Well that takes care of our Sunday plans.​<p>Yesterday, NASA announced a massive new public project that will make all of its publicly funded research available online for free. A new portal, Pubspace, will host thousands of NASA research articles on topics like the toxicity of lunar dust or the make …

1,075-Year-Old Pine Named ‘Adonis’ Is Europe’s Oldest-Known Living Tree

A Bosnian pine (<i>Pinus heldreichii</i>) growing in the highlands of northern Greece has been dendrocronologically dated to be more than 1,075 years old, living since the time of the Vikings, according to a team of scientists from Stockholm University (Sweden), the University of Mainz (Germany) and the …

Reading at Home: 8 Things Your Kid’s Teacher Wishes You Would Do

Our kids spend most of their days in school, learning how to read, write, and solve math problems that I barely understand. When my son asks for my …

The future of genetic enhancement lies in China — here's why we should care

Would you want to alter your future children’s genes to make them smarter, stronger or better-looking?<p>As the state of the science brings prospects like these closer to reality, an international debate has been raging over the ethics of enhancing human capacities with biotechnologies such as …

Mysterious And Known As The 'Raven': Scientists Identify New Whale Species

For decades, Japanese fishermen have told stories about the existence of a dark, rare beaked whale that they called <i>karasu</i> — the "raven."<p>But now, scientists say they have genetic proof to back up these tales. Long mistaken for its relative, the Baird's beaked whale, scientists say it represents an …

104 newfound alien planets confirmed in cosmic haul

A team of researchers using telescopes in space and on Earth announced a new haul of about 100 previously undiscovered alien planets on Monday.<p>The cosmic "treasure trove" was revealed using data from NASA's Kepler Space Telescope and other observatories on Earth, according to a statement from the …

Boston Dynamics' New Robot Is A Tiny Friendly Dog With An Extra Limb

Cute and alien<p>Robots are not like us. They may inhabit the same spaces, and they may mimic life in their movements, but the kinds of bodies that lend themselves to metal and springs are not the same as those built from flesh and bone. No one knows this better than Boston Dynamics, the formerly …

Christo’s Newest Project: Walking on Water

PILZONE, Italy — It was a long-held dream, but finally, this week, the conceptual artist Christo walked on water.<p>On Thursday, he tried out his latest project, “The Floating Piers,” a walkway stretching three kilometers, or nearly two miles, that connects two small islands in Lake Iseo, in Italy’s …

Scientists just confirmed there's a second layer of information hidden in our DNA

Theoretical physicists have confirmed that it's not just the information coded into our DNA that shapes who we are - it's also the way DNA folds itself that controls which genes are expressed inside our bodies.<p>That's something biologists have known for years, and they've even been able to figure …

Student's service dog gets her own, adorable picture in the yearbook

Your yearbook photo never looked this cute.<p>Presley, a service dog to middle school student Joseph "Seph’ Ware of Monroe, Louisiana, was given her own spot in the yearbook, right by her human's side.<p>Seph was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, which severely decreases a person's mobility, …

By the year 2040, embryo selection could replace sex as the way most of us make babies

Human reproduction is about to undergo a radical shift. Embryo selection, in connection with in-vitro fertilization (IVF), will help our species eliminate many genetic diseases, extend healthy lifespans, and enhance people’s overall well-being. Within 20 years, I predict that it will supplant sex …

The best houseplants to clean the air in your home, as recommended by NASA

Easy to care for, resilient, and a quick way to inject some nature into your living room - no wonder houseplants have recently made a comeback. But did you know they also clean the air in your home? A NASA study found that a plethora of plants neutralise the chemicals found in furniture, household …

Zika Virus Birth Defects May Be 'Tip of the Iceberg', Experts Say

The explosion of cases of birth defects caused by Zika virus may be the "tip of the iceberg," experts said Sunday.<p>Many cases have probably been missed because babies looked normal when they were born. But hidden birth defects are almost certain to turn up as the babies grow, they told a meeting of …

Solar-plane pilots say trip was also test of human endurance

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (AP) — The two Swiss pilots taking turns to fly a solar-powered airplane around the world said Sunday the endeavor is not only a demonstration of the importance of renewable energy but also of the many challenges the human body can endure.<p>Pilot Bertrand Piccard completed a …

Newborn puppy that lost its mom finds unusual foster family

After this cute pup named Bobby sadly lost its mother to a car accident, the Michigan Humane Society was able to pair up the dog with a new family — of cats.<p>Bobby was just two days old when its mother was fatally struck by a vehicle, so it was important that the puppy found a new family as quickly …

Returning home is a mixed blessing for victims of Boko Haram

YOLA, Nigeria (AP) — "Bring Back Our Girls," say the placards in the park and the tweets read around the world. But for thousands of girls and women who've escaped Boko Haram's clutches, the message they've sometimes encountered at homecomings has been "Stay Away."<p>As U.S.-backed African governments …

Is your child hopeless at spelling? Don’t panic… 

Shortly after I began teaching, I had my first lesson with a group of mostly dyslexic boys.<p>As soon as I handed something out, a number of them started doodling over it. “Why are you doing that?” I asked. One boy replied, “We’re the dyslexic class, sir. We’re supposed to be creative.” It turned out …

7 iPhone apps for kids that will help them learn something new

Apple introduced a kid's section to the App Store years ago, but it can be difficult to wade through thousands of apps to find those with educational value.<p>To help you out, we sifted through a bunch of kids apps to find the best, focusing on ones that were highly rated and recently updated.<p>The …

The One Thing That Gives Kids Stability In A Stepfamily

Focusing on your marriage will ultimately benefit your kids.<p><i>As part of our Blended Family Friday series, each week we spotlight a different stepfamily to learn how they’ve worked to bring their two families together. Our hope is that by telling their stories, we’ll bring you closer to blended</i> …

10 Beliefs About Vaccinating Kids That Are Dangerous and Wrong

Despite tons of scientific data about kids' shots, these major misconceptions persist.<p>Even before you have a baby — hell, even if you <i>don't</i> have one — you'll hear mixed messages about immunization. The GOP's debating it. Parents like Jenny and Neil Burdett are advocating for vaccines after tragedy …

10 Commandments of Toddlers

If you've lived through the toddler years, you know it's no stroll through the park. Living with toddlers is like getting a sharp stick in the eye and a bikini wax at the same time. Toddlers are good at what they do, despite their lack of real-world experience. The following list is a guide that …

Diesel cars' emissions far higher on road than in lab, tests show

Diesel cars are producing many times more health-damaging pollutants than claimed by laboratory tests, with some emitting up to 12 times the EU maximum when tested on the road, according to a government investigation undertaken following the Volkswagen scandal.<p>A Department for Transport (DfT) study …

22 Science Jokes Only Smart People Will Understand

Old statisticians never die. They just get broken down by age and sex.<p>Via @robynvinter<p>Via @drrichjlaw.<p>Via @jdthndr.<p>Via @kerihw, who wishes to point out that, technically, 2D shapes don’t have faces, they have sides, so his joke doesn’t work.<p>Via @donaldosaurus.<p>Via @jonpinnock.<p>Via @fromoliver.<p>Via …

A Bowl Full of Jelly Bean History

No Easter basket is complete without a sprinkling of jelly beans—though, to be fair, these chewy little tidbits aren’t America’s top pick in Easter-basket candy. Number one is the chocolate bunny, of which 90 million are produced every year; and number two is the appalling, but popular, marshmallow …

43 Presidential Busts Are Sitting in a Remote Field at a Virginia Farm

And they need your help!<p>Like something out of an M. Night Shyamalan movie or a perpetually awkward lucid dream, on a privately owned farm in Croaker, Virginia, the vestiges of 43 presidential busts are waiting for a miracle.<p>Commissioned by Houston-based artist David Adickes, the statues were …

Can you match the country to its flag? [QUIZ]

WATCH: climate change just turned Bolivia's second largest lake into a desert

BOLIVIA’S SECOND-LARGEST LAKE, Lake Poopó, was officially pronounced evaporated in December 2015. Poopó once flourished with a 16-foot maximum depth …

Francois Payard Shares His Cookie Secrets

<b>For more food drink and travel videos visit www.potluckvideo.com</b><p>Francois Payard is a legendary baker, so of course any advice of his is worth listening to. But when it comes to cookies it is even more important to pay attention. Cookies can seem so simple and yet, with so few ingredients, it is …