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In March and September of this year, two different groups of researchers published observations in Current Biology of five different hummingbird species squeaking out their high-pitched song. First, Claudio Mello, a neurobiologist with Oregon Health & Science University published his account of Black Jacobin hummingbirds singing really high notes in the Atlantic Forest in Brazil. Then, Fernanda Duque, a PhD candidate at Georgia State University, published her observations after spending two summers tracking down four different species of soprano hummingbirds in the grasslands and cloud forests of Ecuador....

The first private citizen to buy a ride into space took off on a Space Adventures brokered flight in a Russian Soyuz spaceship to the International Space Station in 2001. That flight, for which California technology entrepreneur Dennis Tito paid $20 million, proved the business case for space tourism, and opened the door to private investment in commercial space travel. Said Space Adventures CEO Eric Anderson, “It showed people around the world that there was a market” for private space travel....

How do you feel about those chili peppers next to menu items? Do you go for items that have three or four? Or do you avoid them? The number of peppers next to a dish indicates a meal’s spiciness. Unlike the five basic tastes—sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and umami—spicy is something different. Spice provokes an immediate reaction, often triggering pain and numbness. In fact, humans have been using the components of spicy stuff for centuries to treat pain....

Ryobi’s lithium-ion batteries are ideal for active DIYers, like the members of Ryobi Nation who have built everything from a Rubik’s Cube chest of drawers to a grocery lift that hauls sacks of food from the car to an apartment complex balcony via a crane. Imagine having to stop halfway during construction of a grocery lift to recharge a dying battery. The new Ryobi lithium-ion batteries alleviate that concern by delivering fade-free power for those tackling projects that require an extended time commitment....

Luckily, upgrading from one phone to another is a lot easier than it used to be, because we now store most of our digital possessions in the cloud. Plus, you can find some key apps to help you switch from one device to another. Here’s what you need to know. Automatic backups Unless you’re planning a full digital detox, you’re going to want to take everything on your old phone—from browser settings to contacts—along with you....

Within hours, images of ISIS barbarity spread throughout the Arab world, sowing fear among Mosul’s residents and defenders. The social-media campaign gave an air of inevitability to the looming seizure of the city, and the atrocities that would follow. Despite the fact that they outnumbered the attacking ISIS force by 15-to-1, the Iraqi army units defending Mosul disintegrated and fled. A militia of no more than 2,000 ISIS fighters captured a city of 1....

Artificial intelligence mastered a lot of tasks in 2018. There are algorithms that win human debates, book dinners, eliminate checkout lines, tend gardens, spot plumbing leaks, and call for help when we trip and fall. But the machines aren’t completely taking over just yet. There’s at least one thing we’re sure even the savviest silicone noggin can’t do: put together Popular Science’s annual list of the year’s most pivotal, influential, and just plain awesome innovations....

The goal is to build up herd immunity in wild populations themselves, reported Veterinary Practice News in 2020. When about half of potential rabies carriers are inoculated, transmission falls dramatically. That in turn means that wild animals won’t infect pets or even humans. Many public health experts credit the program with containing the spread of rabies in the United States. Why does this matter? Soon after COVID-19 exploded into a pandemic, the virus was detected in dogs in Hong Kong....

The new aircraft will eventually join a bomber fleet that currently consists of three different aircraft types: the old, not-stealthy B-52s, the supersonic B-1Bs, and the B-2 flying wing, which is the B-21’s most direct ancestor. Here’s what to know about the B-21 Raider. A throwback to 1988 At the B-21’s unveiling, the US Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, referred to the new plane as “the first bomber of the 21st century....

Best for RVs: Westinghouse Outdoor Portable GeneratorBest for overnight emergencies: Jackery Portable Power Station Explorer 1000Best for CPAP machines: Flashfish Portable Power StationBest for devices: Goal Zero Yeti 200X Portable Power StationBest for small appliances: WEN 56225i 2250-Watt Portable Inverter Generator How we chose the best electric generators To spark our search for the best electric generators, we looked at reviews, recommendations, conducted user testing, and performed heavy research. We also took knowledge from other generator stories—like this one on inverter generators—and applied it here....

With the help of an experienced fishkeeper from the Epic Aquarium website, we managed to gather some great fish tanks to get you started. This 10-gallon, glass aquarium is the perfect medium—manageable enough for beginners and hobbyists, but sizable enough for long-time fish owners. Fill it with a variety of nonaggressive fish—like neon and cardinal tetras—and cute aquarium decor. For a tank this size you’ll want a filter that turns over 40 to 60 gallons per hour....

Below are some of the best games, puzzles, and books I’ve come across this month. I can’t do a favorite games list without including Splendor—it was even on my favorite items of 2018 list. If you’re into addicting card games that don’t take a million years to finish, pick up this one. In it, you collect gem cards and tokens. Certain cards have points on them, and in order to win, you’ve got to collect 15 points....

Designed using low voltage, they are safe and cannot cause any serious injury to the wearer. They use lightweight wiring and rechargeable lithium-ion batteries to discreetly warm your core while appearing to look like a typical, stylish outdoor vest. The thin heating elements are fully concealed within the garment and are protected by a waterproof membrane, so you don’t need to worry about rain. Keep reading for the best heated vests that are warm, safe, lightweight, and will work for hours, allowing you to work and play outdoors this winter in style....

Best for big computers: Thermaltake Massive 20 RGB Best quiet: Cooler Master Notepal XLBest thin: havit Laptop Cooler Cooling PadBest for gaming: KLIM Ultimate Laptop Cooling PadBest for your lap: Targus 16-inch Dual Fan Chill MatBest budget: TopMate C5 Laptop Cooling Pad How we selected the best laptop cooling pads When selecting the best laptop cooling pads, I looked back on all of the pads I’ve personally owned over the years....

Being hacked can feel like a personal attack: You go to log into Facebook, Gmail, or iCloud—and your password doesn’t work, leaving you unable to access your most important online accounts. This worst-case scenario might bring on feelings of nausea and helplessness. Fortunately, you can take action in the face of digital vandalism. If you find yourself locked out of your accounts, major internet services have prepared a few routes for getting back in....

Glass water bottles won’t keep a temperature as long as a stainless steel bottle. Corkcicle’s 20-ounce hybrid canteen is the best of both worlds and combines design and function. Not only does it have removable stainless steel base for insulation to keep your drinks hot or cold, but also has a classier glass top that’s hypoallergenic. It’s flat, silicone bottom prevents the container from slipping. The container is dishwasher safe and has a wider mouth perfect for slipping in ice cubes or fruits for flavor....

The online misinformation ecosystem is complicated, which makes actually improving the situation challenging. Social, psychological, and technological influences drive how fake news and other misleading facts spread across the internet. Here’s one approach: Adding labels about the credibility of the source is a method that social media companies and third party organizations have been using to combat misinformation, although doing so has been contentious. For example, a study from MIT showed that putting false labels on some articles made users give more credibility to unlabeled articles (some of which might not have been checked or verified)....

Once she got the mammogram, the radiologist saw an area of concern—there were some calcium deposits inside the breast tissue and, while it’s not uncommon, the doctors wanted to get a better look. There were more scans, a biopsy, and eventually a lumpectomy for some tissue that could become cancerous over time. Though Gardner considers herself of average risk for breast cancer, she is now a staunch advocate for breast cancer screening; in 2014, she wrote a blog post titled, “My first mammogram saved my life....

In an electric guitar those special guitar strings actually have little magnets in them. And the “pickups” located directly underneath the strings on the body of the guitar have tiny coils of wire inside. When the magnetic string vibrates it induces a current in the pickups that depends on the frequency of the vibration. This electric current then flows through a circuit which contains an amplifier/speaker component. The speaker converts the electrical signal into that rock and roll (sound) that we know and love....