Gopuff is a food delivery company headquartered in Philadelphia which operates in more than 650 US cities. This coming Halloween, Gopuff has promised that they will deliver free candy to anyone if they run out, as long as supplies last. This is in partnership with Mars, Inc. who found in a survey that almost half of Americans feared running out of candy on Halloween. And so, to address this concern, they partnered up with Gopuff so that people wouldn't have to race to the nearest convenience store to get replenishments for their candy stash or even worse, take some of their child's candy to give to trick-or-treaters.

However, in order to have free candy delivered, customers will have to go to the M&M's Halloween Rescue Squad website rather than the Gopuff app. According to the website, you will be able to start ordering candies from 3 PM EST on October 31st, and delivery will take from 30 to 60 minutes. Stocks include fun-size packs and party-size bags of M&M's as well as a variety mix pouch which includes Skittles, Twix, Snickers, Starburst, and M&M's.

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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, someone in the US dies of a stroke every three minutes and 14 seconds. Out of the 795,000 people in the US who have a stroke yearly, 610,000 are first or new strokes. Furthermore, despite the risk of getting a stroke increasing with age, anyone at any age can get a stroke. Looking at the distribution as regards gender, stroke deaths occur about 40 percent in males and 60 percent in females, according to the American Heart Association. So, the question is, why are strokes more common in women than in men?

There are three main factors according to this article from Deseret News. First of all, it takes into account the fact that the likelihood of having a stroke increases with age, and that women, generally, live longer than men. Therefore, statistically, there will be more women reported to have strokes. The second factor involves hormonal changes that also comes with age and with one's lifestyle. And the third is weight gain, which leads to high blood pressure, diabetes, and atherosclerosis, which are all contributing factors to stroke.

To learn more about the signs and symptoms as well as the means of preventing strokes, you may want to check out resources from the CDC and the American Stroke Association.

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It's common knowledge that the sign for hitchhiking is to stick your thumb out. But how did it come to be that? Why not the index finger or simply just hold the entire hand out, fanning it vigorously until the car stops? At Today I Found Out, they explored various angles as to the explanation why the "thumbs up" sign became the universal symbol for hitchhiking and the history of the sign itself.

The most convenient and perhaps reasonable explanation is that it originated from the Flying Tiger brigade of American pilots who picked up the gesture from the Chinese when they were stationed there. After arriving back in the US, it simply caught on, first in the military and then to ordinary civilians. However, that meaning of the "thumbs up" sign only came about after WWII. The odd thing is that records have shown that the terms hitchhiking and "thumb-pointer" (to refer to a hitchhiker) had already been used before WWII.

But generally, it appears that the reason why hitchhikers would stick out their thumb was simply to indicate the direction in which they were going. Considering how awkward the gesture would be if you used any of your other fingers, the thumb sticking out is the best way to go.

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A group of Canadian scientists from different fields have conducted a pilot study aiming to find correlations between the gut microbiota and cognitive ability. The hypothesis is that bacteria present in our digestive system have a certain connection as to how our brain develops, how we think or feel, and even how neurological diseases come about. Some go so far as to say that even consciousness itself may find its link in the gut microbiota.

What they did was they collected samples from dozens of babies' poo and looked into their cognitive development. Brett Finlay, the microbiologist in the team, had shared concerns that if they were to find a strong positive correlation between a particular bacteria or group of bacteria that directly affects babies' cognitive ability, coined "IQ bugs", then it might cause too much of a stir, with parents hankering to give their children these IQ bugs.

Thankfully, the study found nothing of the sort. However, their paper did suggest that the early microbiome has an impact on a baby's brain and behavior development. This opens the way for further research as the area of study associated with the gut-brain axis is quite new in the field, and leaves much to be explored. Who knows? Maybe they might find a correlation between depression and a baby's gut bacteria. If so, it would allow us to target those bacteria such that we can guide a child's development to steer away from going down that path.

In any case, it's a very young field, and it's showing enough promise that a lot of microbiologists are flocking to it. For more details on their research, check it out at National Post.

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I had a friend whose hobby was making personalized clothes, mostly for herself, but she dreams of being able to design clothes professionally as well, and selling her designs to the market. While I was observing her cutting fabrics based on a pattern, I was amazed at how several seemingly disjointed pieces later coalesced to form a nice summer dress. However, I was also a bit annoyed when she asked me to help her clean all the scraps strewn all over the floor.

If the manufacturing process for large-scale clothing brands is the same way, then imagine how many leftovers there are. Jessica Schreiber, founder and CEO of Fabscrap, was similarly concerned about the issue of textile wastes as residue from the manufacturing of clothes, and she decided to develop a model that would make use of these discarded fabric wastes and turn them into fresh, new garments. So, inspired by the concept, Marie Claire Magazine had challenged five designers to turn 10 pounds of assorted scraps into something fashionable. Here's what they came up with.

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Lenin's Mausoleum is a wooden tomb built on Red Square in Moscow, the place where the actual body of Vladimir Lenin is interred. For almost 100 years, the Russian government has yet to make a decision about what to do with the body of Lenin.

Originally, the wake was only scheduled to be for a week after Lenin's death, however, since people continued pouring in to visit, the government decided to postpone the funeral. Then, officials thought that it would be a good reminder for future generations about Russia's history, so instead of burying the body, they preserved it through an experimental long-term type of embalming at the time, and here we are a century later.

For many tourists who come to Russia, that's one of the things that they cannot leave Russia without. They had to see Lenin's body, but for what reason? Sofia Polyakova of Russia Beyond asked tourists their reasons for wanting to visit Lenin's Mausoleum, and the reasons were pretty much the same throughout. Read more about it on RBTH.

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We learned about the talented musician and songwriter behind ABC's hit 70's children's educational program Schoolhouse Rock!, Bob Dorough, a few years ago here on Neatorama. Not only were the songs educational and factually correct, but they were also very catchy, adding to the memory recall for children even after decades. However, did you know the story behind the concept of Schoolhouse Rock!? It was a very cool concept indeed, but the reason why the show decided to turn concepts from mathematics, science, grammar, etc. into rock and pop songs was because David McCall, one of the creators, wanted his son to learn his multiplication tables.

McCall was concerned that his son still hadn't memorized his multiplication tables at school but equally surprised that his son had excellent recall of songs by the Rolling Stones and other major rock bands at the time. So, an idea popped up in his head to make songs that would help his son learn. Being an advertising agency president, he commissioned the help of their jingle writer who churned out a generic-sounding jingle that didn't suit his taste. So he enlisted the aid of a colleague George Newall who was a musician, who in turn sought jazz bassist Ben Tucker, who knew Bob Dorough, and said that he (Bob) could put music to anything. And that gave birth to the very first song of Schoolhouse Rock!, "Three is a Magic Number".

However, they didn't initially plan on creating a TV series out of the project. It was supposed to be an album and a book. But no publishers were biting, so the ad agency shifted directions. They noticed ABC was one of their clients, so they drew up storyboards and presented it to Michael Eisner, then VP for Children's Programming at ABC. And the rest was history.

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It's a common home remedy that our mothers would have us eat when we have a cold or the flu: chicken soup. It seems almost every culture in the world has some variation of the chicken soup remedy, but does it really work? Can chicken with some noodles, vegetables, and broth really cure our upper respiratory illnesses and bring down that fever? Or is it just some placebo?

Colby Teeman, an assistant professor of dietetics and nutrition at the University of Dayton, answers that question. And the answer is not as complicated as we might think. Remember that our bodies have a defense mechanism that can stave off and eradicate any kind of infection, the immune system. The only way to help the immune system fight off illnesses is to give it the proper fuel, and we do that by eating food. However, while we're sick, what generally happens is a loss of appetite, and so we're not able to provide ample energy and nutrients for our immune system to kill the pathogens. That's where chicken soup comes in. And not just any old chicken soup. Prof. Teeman suggests homemade chicken soup is the best way to go.

For a more detailed explanation as to how homemade chicken soup helps us feel better when we're sick, check out his article on The Conversation.

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Growing children need their calcium, and we all know that the best source for calcium is milk. I remember when I was younger, my parents used to buy me milk which contained gingko biloba and it tasted like soy milk. I actually liked it and I could drink several cartons in one sitting though I tried not to. However, it was quite delicious so there were times when I would have more than I should.

Unlike me, a research had found that majority of Japanese school kids, being provided milk by Gifu-based dairy manufacturer Seki Milk, were not finishing their milk, thus they were not getting their daily dose of calcium. In order to address the issue, the company had turned to manga. Particularly, they had drawn manga on the bottles with white ink, so that the only way for one to read the whole scene was to drink the whole bottle. Now, that's one way to get children to finish their milk.

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We know Mars as the red planet. We know that the reddish coloration of Mars is due to the presence of iron oxide on its surface. The planet was first discovered by Galileo Galilei in 1610, and the first successful Mars landing was done by the Soviet Union's Mars 3 in 1971. These are only a few of the facts we have learned about Mars since we began to explore it. But these barely scratch the surface of the discoveries we have made about Mars.

Shi En Kim, a writer with Smithsonian Magazine, shares with us the seven most amazing discoveries uncovered throughout the past 50 or so years of exploring Mars. Some of these might seem pretty obvious while others can be quite thought-provoking. To me, I think the fact that Mars was once a lot like Earth seems to be the most fascinating. This is probably the reason why many astronomers and astrophysicists consider Mars as a potential habitat for humans. You may read about the other six discoveries here.

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For someone who is not an expert in the kitchen, I cannot tell you the difference between stock and broth, because to me, they refer to the same thing. However, there is a difference between stock and broth, and you may want to throw in bone broth and bouillon into that mix as well. From Zoe Denenberg and the editors of Epicurious, they give us a short rundown of the nuances between the two.

The main difference is simply the amount of time it takes for the liquid to simmer. Broth usually takes a relatively shorter time to simmer, from around 45 minutes to 2 hours, meanwhile stock takes 4 to 6 hours to simmer. What this does for the stock is that it allows the flavors to be fully brought out, and the longer simmer time also adds to the consistency of the mix. Apart from these two, they also elucidate the peculiarities of bone broth, bouillon, and even vegetable broth. To learn more, check out their article here.

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Weddings are usually very simple ceremonies. There's the bridal procession, then the minister begins. The bride and the groom say their vows, and then they end the ceremony with a kiss to seal the deal. They run out together, the family takes photos, and everybody heads for the evening reception. Traditionally, that would be how weddings are conducted these days. Many couples who prefer to have a little bit of spice in their weddings add gimmicks to make it exciting, entertaining, and just a day to remember for everybody present, as much as it is a memorable for them.

Some go for themed weddings, others have their weddings in places other than a chapel or a church, and there are some with unusual wedding traditions like the log cutting ceremony in Germany or plate smashing in Greece. For this one couple, they wanted to go way outside of the box, and into the mountains. Alicia and Crystal Blakely wanted to go on an adventure to start their life together, and so they hiked 273 miles through the state of Vermont, and climbed Camel's Hump, Vermont's third highest mountain, before getting married at the summit.

Both are hikers and have hiked many trails together before, and so they wanted to commemorate their special day by going on the Long Trail, which was Crystal's grandfather's last hike at the age of 88. To top off their unique wedding, they hiked the whole trail for 23 days in their wedding dresses, which were tailor-made to make it easier to hike in. Afterward, they celebrated at Crystal's parents' house with close friends and family.

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In many parts of Africa, finding a clean and safe toilet to use, especially at night can be a dangerous prospect if you're a little girl. Apart from the possibility of falling into a pit, as latrines are the most common toilets found in remote parts of Africa, there is also the chance of being assaulted. However, the risk can be somehow reduced if the areas were lit, so that girls can become more aware of the surroundings to better respond to what might happen as they try to pee. In this regard, scientists from the Bristol Bioenergy Center have tested the method they have developed to convert urine into energy in Seseme Girls School in Kisoro, Uganda.

With the ingredients found in urine, scientists put microorganisms that breakdown urine into components which can be used to power a fuel cell which then generates electricity. Dubbed "pee power" by the Seseme girls, a survey showed that there was a high level of acceptance for the technology as it made them feel safer at night. Several also expressed the hope that the technology can be introduced to their village. Launching the field trials at the school also helped in lowering the cost of electricity at the school. The next step for the project is simply to mass-produce the fuel cells, so that they can be rolled out. It would require more investment and funding, but the benefits are well worth the costs.

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Many groups and individuals have been trying their best to find solutions for climate change, by reducing their carbon footprint. One company's attempt is by creating concrete that, not only supposedly minimizes carbon emissions but also captures carbon from the atmosphere and absorbs it. That company's name is Partanna, and their latest project is building a house made from carbon negative concrete in the Bahamas for former Lakers player and co-founder of the company Rick Fox.

After retiring from professional basketball, Rick Fox turned to Hollywood and pursued an acting career. But now, he has a new passion project in Partanna, specifically developing a new method of creating concrete that will combat climate change. With the help of architect Sam Marshall, they founded Partanna and worked with material scientists to create the process of manufacturing concrete without using cement. Without revealing much about the process, Partanna says that they use brine and slag as ingredients for their concrete, and with this mixture it allows them to reduce the amount of carbon by-product.

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There are a few exams in the world notorious for their difficulty. You might have heard of the California Bar Exam, considered the most difficult bar exam in the United States. Mensa, the organization of individuals whose IQ must be within the upper two percent of the general population, also gives out a brain-racking exam. And if you are a fan of Korean drama, you might have heard of the suneung (an equivalent of the CSAT in Korea), which has taken on an identity in and of itself, with the whole country pausing for a single day as thousands of high school students sitting for the exam in the hopes that they could get scores good enough to enter their dream universities.

But nothing can quite compare with China's Gao Kao and civil service exam, both of which go all the way back to an ancient Chinese institution called Keju, or the imperial civil service exam. Though it sounds similar to the Japanese monstrosities of mythical proportions, the Keju was a different beast in its own right. It was a sign of prestige in ancient China, as only 400 in roughly a million examinees get through to the final round of tests, and even then, only very few eventually receive their degrees. Nobility coveted the Keju as most, if not all, the prime ministers finished at the top of the Keju.

Despite the prestige and benefits conferred on someone who passed the Keju, the journey toward completion was a grueling one. The test was based solely on memorization of the Confucian classics, which meant thousands upon thousands of characters and phrases. No wonder only those with the highest mental fortitude and capacity were able to pass it, and eventually become the leaders of the nation. They had definitely succeeded in building a strong nation, however, at what cost? Yasheng Huang explores the impacts of the Keju in Chinese society today in his article at Aeon.

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