Okay, I had no idea that lemons and grapefruit are actually hybrid mixes of other fruits. How did I get to age 31 and miss this? Better yet, both citruses were born accidentally, of illicit love affairs not arranged by human hands. Lemons are the love child of citron and orange. Grapefruit the natural daughter of Asian pomelo and Barbados sweet orange. (Via David Despain)
The secret lives of citrus fruit
Building the world's biggest and deepest swimming pool… for science!
The Blue Abyss is a deep sea and space research training facility that will be constructed near the Cornwall Airport Newquay in England. Holding nearly 1.5 million cubic feet of water, the Blue Abyss will be the world's largest and deepest swimming pool of its kind. Unfortunately, it's unlikely most of us will have a… READ THE REST
This animal was revived after being frozen for 24,000 years
This is a bdelloid rotifer, a common microscopic animal that lives in freshwater all over the world. But the one seen here is unique in that it was frozen in Arctic permafrost for 24,000 years and just revived by scientists. Once thawed, the rotifer was able to feed and reproduce. The Russian researchers had collected… READ THE REST
People can learn to echolocate like bats in just ten weeks
We've posted several times about how people who are blind who have learned how to "see" and navigate the world using echolocation like bats, shrews, and whales. The skill involves making loud clicking noises with the tongue and then listening for the echo to judge not only distance but sometimes even determine the material of an object. New research… READ THE REST
Amazon can't beat the prices on these killer portable monitors
There's only so much squinting you can do at a tiny smartphone screen before you start wondering why we ever thought it was a good idea to build devices so small in the first place. Sure, portability is a plus, but when you're trying to watch videos on your phone, that itty-bitty baby screen won't… READ THE REST
The AquaSprouts Garden is a fascinating, self-contained world, and it can even make you salad
It's not often that life comes into such extreme focus that you can see it all playing out right in front of your eyes. And it certainly doesn't happen often right on your desktop. Or on a window sill. Or perched on your coffee table. Yet, that's the joy of the AquaSprouts Garden. Wired called… READ THE REST
Check out these 12 learning bundles that are on sale for just $20 apiece
So, how's this for a plan? We've rounded up 12 sets of career redefining training with top-notch instructional material. These course bundles contain guidance in coding with Python, creating in Adobe CC, building video games, investing in cryptocurrency, and so much more. All 12 bundles would cost less than $300. Now, we aren't endorsing that… READ THE REST