A study by American researchers found that certain eco-friendly habits (such as using a reusable shopping bag) are perceived as a “feminine” behaviour. According to the meta-analysis by Pennsylvania State University researchers, gender stereotypes extend all the way to environmentalism - and men are less likely to adopt behaviours viewed as “feminine”. The Huffington Post has more details:

The authors found that certain “eco-friendly” habits, such as using a reusable shopping bag, were perceived as “feminine” behaviours. Others, such as installing insulation for greater heating efficiency, were viewed as “masculine.”

“We were surprised that it was only women who experienced being avoided if they engaged in nonconforming gender-role behaviours,” Swim said. “We can’t say why this is happening, but it is a social consequence.”

The authors of the study emphasized the importance of further study related to gender stereotypes surrounding environmentalism and how they might block the adoption of more ecologically-friendly lifestyles.

image credit: wikimedia commons

An unmanned, solar-powered military plane has now spent more than 719 days in orbit around Earth. This space plane is the US Air Force X-37B, on its fifth mission (Orbital Test Vehicle 5). The nature of its mission remains classified, and the US Air Force uses very general terms when they talk about the space plane. ScienceAlert detailed what is known about this mysterious space plane: 

Some things we do know - X-37B looks a little like a smaller version of NASA's old space shuttle, and the US Air Force has at least two of the solar-powered aircraft, which were built by Boeing.

According to the Air Force, the X-37B's primary objectives are to research reusable spacecraft technologies for America's future in space, and to conduct experiments that can be returned to, and examined, on Earth.

Beyond that, officials haven't given up much actual dirt on the specifics of its orbital experiments.

Regardless of what the plane's mission is, it was initially only designed for an orbit window of 270 days, so the fact that it's been able to more than double that time is a pretty big win for solar-powered aircraft.

image credit: Boeing via ScienceAlert

Love to constantly take personality tests (whether it’s the classic MBTI test or Buzzfeed’s ‘Which Dog Are You?’)? Have you ever wondered whether there is an exact explanation as to why the majority of the current generation have a certain fondness for these tests? Refinery29’s Molly Longman went deep into the rationale behind our love for taking personality tests: 

According to Dr. Dana Dorfman, Ph.D., psychotherapist and co-host of the podcast 2 Moms on the Couch. “Interest in personality tests is not necessarily narcissistic,” she says. “It is reflective of our inherent curiosity about human nature and our innate desire to explain the complex processes of personalities." Basically, Dorfman says that these quizzes and tests help us categorize and summarize who we are based on specific attributes. They assist us in making sense of the ourselves and our place in the world. 

According to Dorfman, it’s human nature. She says we’re constantly trying to balance between individuality and tribalism. That is, we want to be recognized for what makes us unique, but we also need to feel a sense of belonging to a larger "group" of people who share similarities. “Personality tests satisfy both ends of this continuum,” Dorfman says. “They offer an opportunity to reflect on our individual character styles and tendencies, while also providing reassurance that our styles are shared by others.” 

Dorfman says these quizzes give us a lens through which to understand ourselves, and help us achieve a sense of belonging. They help us "anchor the randomness and unpredictability of our lives and relationships," she explains. “We find great comfort in knowing that we are not alone in our preferences. We appreciate similarities with others — this enhances our sense of belonging and connectedness.” 

Whether you take these personality tests to pass the time, or to know what dog breed are you (seriously), there’s no harm or narcissism in taking these tests. Take them if you want to! Now if you excuse me, I need to know which Twice member I am. 

image credit: Ana Larruy via Refinery29

Microplastics are defined as small plastic pieces that are less than 5 millimeters long. These tiny bits of plastic are thanks to the age of plastic that we currently live in. Researchers found that millions and billions of microplastics are shed into the environment in the last decade. In addition, a research team reported that 90% of bottled water sampled contained microscopic plastic fibers. 

These microplastics contain chemicals that can potentially harm organ if released in high concentrations. But for now, the World Health Organization has concluded in a Wednesday report that the tiny bits of plastic in drinking water pose a low health risk to people: 

Tiny bits of plastic in drinking water pose a low health risk to people — for now, concluded a Wednesday report from the World Health Organization, which called for a reduction in plastic pollution to limit the future dangers of such “microplastics.”

“We urgently need to know more about the health impact of microplastics because they are everywhere — including in our drinking water,” WHO’s Maria Neira said in a statement on the report.

“Microplastics in drinking water don’t appear to pose a health risk at current levels,” said Neira, on balance. “But we need to find out more.”

image credit: via wikimedia commons

Scientists at the National University of Singapore have invented the ‘smart’ clothing they believe can boost signals and save battery life. The invention, called “metamaterial” allows radio waves (like Bluetooth) to glide across the material between the wireless devices instead of radiating in all directions. Assistant Professor John Ho explained more details on the new invention: 

“This T-shirt increases the wireless connectivity of devices around my body by 1,000 times,” said assistant professor John Ho, donning a sports shirt laced with comb-shaped strips of the metamaterial textile.

Ho, who oversaw a 10-member team that developed the technology over a year, said it could be used for measuring the vital signs of athletes or hospital patients.

It could also keep signals more secure by transmitting sensitive information close to the body and away from potential eavesdroppers on the radio waves, the scientists said.

image credit: screenshot via Reuters

Kentucky Fried Chicken took their known tagline of finger lickin’ good quite literally as they released their own nail polish line in Hong Kong. KFC introduced two chicken-flavoured nail polishes, Original & Hot and Spicy. Food scientists at McCormick (KFC’s spice supplier) collaborated with the nail polish producer to create these polishes. 

The polishes dry with a glossy shine, and are claimed to last for three days with regular licking. As for whether or not the nail polishes are finger lickin’ good, quite a few have said : “gross”. 

(via weirdasianews.com)

image credit : via weirdasianews.com

Nara Japan, is famed for its large population of free-roaming deer, where some of them get up close to tourists to get some of their tasty rice crackers. During the summer, however, you’ll find the deer casually sitting in a particular spot in Nara Park. SoraNews24 detailed this deer summer gathering turned phenomenon, aptly called shikadamari (“deer gathering spot”):

around 6:30 p.m. in the evening, deer had come from around Nara Park to settle on this particular location, opposite the Nara National Museum, which is located in a corner of the park. most baffling about the occurrence is the fact that they come together to sit at the same spot at the same time each day, and for the same amount of time as well.

The deer gathering begins at around 6:30 p.m. and reaches its peak just before 7:00 p.m. The deer sit quietly together, and then, after 7:00 p.m., they stand up and go back to different areas of the park.

A whopping 623 animals at the gathering spot. One of the most plausible explanations for this phenomenon is that the deer come to this particular spot to cool down. After all, there appears to be a large vent in the vicinity, which may provide the animals with some cool air.

As to the reason behind the seasonal deer gathering, Nara Deer Preservation Foundation told SoraNews24 that even they do not know why the deer gather in front of the Nara National Museum. For now, the reason behind the shikadamari will remain as a mystery.

image credit: via SoraNews24

Who doesn’t want to incorporate their favorite things into one of the most special days of their lives? Chritine and Brian made sure to incorporate a favorite into their wedding - Star Wars. From the stormtroopers-dressed entourage to their wedding being held in May 4 (Star Wars day), their wedding was surely a great day for them and their guests. 

The Star Wars franchise had a big impact on the couple, being the first thing that they bonded over. In addition, Christine grew up watching movies with her late father. To also honour her father on her wedding day, the couple made everyone dance to her father’s favourite song ‘Just Breathe’.  

(via Popsugar)

image credit: White Rabbit Photo Boutique via Popsugar

In an article for BBC, Kelly Grovier explored the origins of words that were coined in art history. Some words include “silhouette”, “picturesque”, and surprisingly, “dude”.  What initially was associated with Jeff Bridge’s portrayal of The Dude in the 1998 film The Big Lebowski had actually entered popular discourse in the early 1880s as a shorthand for the male followers of the Aesthetic Movement. Grovier detailed the surprising history of “dude”:

 For the past 20 years, Jeff Bridge’s portrayal of The Dude in the Coen Brothers’ film The Big Lebowski (1998) has epitomised the seductive spirit of dudeness. Dishevelled, stoned and disorientated, The Dude’s laid-back attitude is difficult to square with the artsy origin of the word itself, which seems to have entered popular discourse in the early 1880s as shorthand for foppishly turned-out male followers of the Aesthetic Movement – a short-lived artistic vogue that championed superficial fashion and decadent beauty (‘art for art’s sake’) and was associated with ostentatiously-attired artists such as James McNeill Whistler and Dante Gabriel Rossetti.

It’s thought that ‘dude’ is an abbreviation of ‘Doodle’ in ‘Yankee Doodle’, and probably refers to the new-fangled ‘dandy’ that the song describes. Originally sung in the late 18th Century by British soldiers keen to lampoon the American colonists with whom they were at war, the ditty, by the end of the 19th Century, had been embraced in the US as a patriotic anthem.

Add that to new things you can share as a conversation starter. That’s something you don’t learn everyday! 

image credit: via wikimedia commons

It came as a surprise to the Newman family when their home security camera captured the moment a bear stole a box of mail-order dog food from their porch. The shared video from the family showed the bear grabbing the box from their front porch in Pennsylvania and dragging it off into the woods. 

The bear can have that box of dog food, as Chewy (where the stolen box was from) offered to send a replacement to the Newmans upon seeing the video.

image credit: screenshot via Youtube

It takes a lot of confidence and guts to post a selfie on the Internet, more so to try and pose for one (especially when you’re surrounded by people). With that being said, you might think that selfies can boost your confidence and get people to like you more. However, Washington State University psychologists disagree. A new study by these psychologists shows that people who post a lot of selfies are perceived as less likeable, less successful, more insecure and less open to new experiences. Now that’s quite a downer. 

The study shows that subjects who post more selfies were rated more negatively, as Peta Pixel details:  

The study was based exclusively on self-image posts, comparing selfies to posed photos taken by someone else, which the researchers called “posies.”

The research proceeded in two phases. During Phase 1, 30 undergraduates’ actual Instagram posts were classified as either selfies or posies, and then screenshot. During Phase 2, 119 undergrads from a different university rated the screenshots from Phase 1 on 13 attributes including self-esteem, extraversion, successfulness, loneliness, etc. Importantly, none of the Phase 2 students knew the Phase 1 students, nor were they able to see the number of followers of the people they were evaluating.

image credit: via wikimedia commons

London-based visual artist Max Siedontopf’s latest series depicts what lies beyond the frames of a passport photo. Inspired by ridiculous restraints on the small image (no smile, glasses, or anything interesting), he created an alternate reality for these regulation passport images. 

From shoulders up, the recreated images are what anyone expected from a regular passport image- rigid, straight-faced, and serious. From the shoulders below however, is where the fun and chaos begun. Siedentopf had people balance wine glasses on their arms, and some were taped to the wall. 

image credit: Max Siedontopf via Colossal

More than 140 meme-focused accounts on Instagram woke up to find they were unable to login to their accounts. Apparently, the purges are Instagram’s attempt to stop violations of Instagram's terms of service, such as the buying and selling of usernames, and copyright, and intellectual property rules. Paper magazine commented that this might be the app’s attempt on reposters, but this has caused a lot of frustration: 

However, many users who had their accounts deleted say they were meticulous about crediting creators, and don't understand why they're being targeted. "These waves of attacks on our right to free speech are not only affecting the repost accounts who have made a living off of posting memes, but they also are affecting the creators who have spent years of their lives organically growing a following from original content" reads one petition on Change.org to reinstate the purged accounts.

Memers are frustrated with the lack of transparency and clear answers about the deactivations.

"Every email or notification from Instagram support is bland and vague, explaining that the details aren't to be disclosed, but we want answers. We want change. And most importantly, we want our accounts back" the Change.org petition continues.

With the hit of backlash, Instagram has made attempts to try and win back its memers - with the establishment of a meme manager to work together with Instagram: 

This "meme manager" or "meme officer" as the position's been nicknamed online will essentially be a diplomat and allegedly, an advocate for the meme community, stationed at Instagram HQ. The job description says they'll be "an internal advocate within Facebook and Instagram for partners," and responsible for working with "relevant internal teams to ensure Instagram is considering partner input..." In addition they'll "manage strategy, implementation and optimization of Instagram's strategic partnerships with select digital publishers" and work with memers to "develop innovative and high impact partnerships, and drive operational management of projects."

image credit: makeameme.org

What started as an internet romance between a Japanese woman and a man who claimed to be a US Army Captain stationed in Syria turned out to be $200,000 scam. The woman, who was identified as FK in court documents, estimated that she made 35 to 40 payments over the 10 months that she had a relationship with the Captain, who introduced himself as Terry Garcia. CNN detailed how the demands for payment started: 

Demands for money started after he told her he'd found a bag of diamonds in Syria and needed her help to smuggle it out of the war-torn nation. He said he was injured and could not do it himself -- and introduced her to associates he said would help facilitate the transfer, court documents allege. One said he was a Red Cross diplomat who could get the diamonds shipped to FK, court documents show.

Shortly after, another man who claimed to work for a shipping company asked FK for money to ensure the package was not inspected at customs, the complaint alleges. Requests for additional money kept coming, with the fraudsters citing different reasons each time on why the package was stuck at customs.

Federal officials told CNN that this international online scam, that was not only focused on dating sites but also businesses, where they would hack company email systems, impersonate employees and direct payments that funnel money back to themselves was ran by two Nigerian men who lived in California, with the help of associates in the area and in other countries.

For now, 14 out of the 80 people charged have been arrested, including the two key suspects who oversaw the whole scam. 

image credit: screenshot via CNN

In the age comfort viewing for shows and films, where some are available with just a simple click on a streaming platform, there are a lot of original and exclusive shows on streaming platforms. Platform exclusives such as Stranger Things (Netflix) and Good Omens (Amazon Prime) are available, along with other fantastic recent additions. But even amidst the wide variety and choice of recent shows, why are people still opting for a rerun of old shows? The answer: comfort. Some watch it for the sake of nostalgia - a show they can turn back to when they want to relax, or want to avoid the pressure of social commentary on latest shows (also, spoilers). They can watch these shows at their own pace, and under no pressure at all. 

Matthew Ball comments on this phenomenon by pointing out what streaming sites such as Netflix are for - it isn’t for what they contain, but what they provide: 

Matthew Ball, a US venture capitalist and sharp commentator on the streaming platforms, calls it “tonnage”. For him, the idea that it is “quality” driving the shift to streaming is a misconception. “Netflix’s biggest shows drove subscriber growth and branding, but most of its success comes from enabling audiences to easily watch large volumes of all types of content wherever they are, without fail, and at a low cost,” he says. “Netflix isn’t ‘hired’ for Stranger Things, but for entertainment at large.”

image credit: via wikimedia commons