Zika Virus Found In Common Backyard Mosquito
As the weather turns warmer and skeeters start turning up, theirs some frightening news on the Zika front. The Zika virus is turning up in what researchers call a common backyard mosquito. A new study published in the "Journal of Medical Entomology” shows the virus that causes severe birth defects can show up in the Asian tiger mosquito and its eggs.
Scientists at the University of Florida say they’ve found evidence of the Zika virus in Asian tiger mosquitoes that hatched from eggs gathered during the 2015 outbreak in Brazil. They say the Asian tiger mosquito is found all over the world and has adapted to colder climates.
Researcher Chelsea Smartt of the Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory explains, "Our results mean that Aedes albopictus may have a role in Zika virus transmission and should be of concern to public health.”
Source: Journal of Medical Entomology
ICYMI: April The Giraffe Had Her Baby Yesterday
After over a month of waiting, the internet has shared in April the Giraffe’s birth process.
April the giraffe welcomed a baby boy Saturday morning as more than a million animal lovers tuned in. It's her fourth calf, but the first to be born in the Animal Adventure Park in Harpursville, New York. The newborn's weight is not known yet, but a six-foot calf normally weighs up to 150-pounds.
The zoo began livestreaming video of April's pen on February 10th attracting millions of viewers around the world. She was pregnant for 16-months. Park officials will hold a contest to determine the calf's name.
You can continue to monitor April and her calf via the stream. Since it takes about 14 months to wean a baby giraffe, there will be plenty of family bonding to witness.Source: NPR
Today is Bat Appreciation Day
April 17th is Bat Appreciation Day! Yup, this isn’t about the baseball diamond – we’re talking about the flying mammals that generally haunt our dreams (and vampire movies). Fact is, bat appreciation day? And why not? These flying mammals, though they look a bit scary to some people, are actually most welcome critters, for all of the good they do.
Bats are terrific pollinators and seed-dispersers of hundreds of plant species, and they eat tons of insects – enough to match their own body weight on a good night of foraging.
So on this day, appreciate them we will! Let's have a look at some more of these winged wonders.
Today is National Cheeseball Day
April 17th is National Cheeseball Day! There are several types of cheese balls available. The first are bright orange cheese-doodle balls that make your fingers powdery. The second are classy balls of cheese often served with crackers at parties. These are very fancy, and often include ingredients like cream cheese, cheddar cheese, nuts, salt, pepper, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce. Gourmet versions use bleu cheese, olives, pineapple, sherry, or smoked salmon. According to a legend, a man named Elisha Brown Jr. pressed the first cheese ball at his farm in 1801, weighing at 1,235 pounds. He presented it as a gift to President Thomas Jefferson at the White House. Oh – and then there’s always the third kind of cheeseball: a person who makes corny jokes. Celebrate with whichever one you like!
Today is Blah, Blah, Blah Day
April 17th is Blah, Blah, Blah Day! This just might be the blah-est day of the year. The intent of this day is to do all of the projects and things that people have been nagging you to do. This may include quitting a habit, losing weight, or working on home projects. The "Honey Do" list or job jar is a top target for today.
Husband And Wife Discover They Are Biological Twins After IVF Clinic Performs Routine DNA Test
A married couple discovered they were biological twins after getting a routine DNA test at an IVF clinic because they were struggling to conceive naturally.
The couple, who met in college, had attended the clinic in Mississippi in the hope that it would be able to help them have their own child. But instead the doctor was forced to tell the shocked pair that they were brother and sister.
"During the process we take a DNA sample from both the male and female to get a profile of their genetic backgrounds", the doctor, whose name has been withheld to protect the patients’ identities, told the Mississippi Herald.
“It's just a routine thing and we wouldn't normally check to see if there was a relationship between the two samples, but in this case the lab assistant involved was shocked by the similarity of each profile.”
The doctor said his initial reaction was that they might be first cousins, which he said “happens sometimes” but then he noticed the very close similarities.
He checked the patient file and saw they had the same birthdays listed in the same year – 1984.
He then realized the husband and wife must be biological twins but did not know if they were already aware.
“It was a difficult subject to raise,” he said. “They burst out laughing when I asked them if they were twins.
“The husband said a lot of people remarked on the fact they shared the same birthday and looked similar but they said it was just a funny coincident and they were definitely not related.
The doctor says he continued to insist that the pair were twins and had DNA evidence to back it up, after which the wife "pleaded" with him to admit he was joking.
"I wish that I was, but they had to know the truth," he said.
The couple had met in college and hit it off due to their similar backgrounds – they had both been adopted after their parents had died.
The pair’s biological parents had died in a car crash and, due to a filing error, neither of their adopted families were told they had a twin.
According to the doctor, the husband and wife are now considering their future together but are thought to be exempt from facing criminal charges for incest due to the unusual nature of their case.
Link: http://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/husband-and-wife-discover-they-are-biological
Pranksters Getting Sued Over Morning Show Appearances
Gray Television Group Inc does not appreciate a prank. In case you missed it, the parent company of two Wisconsin morning shows is suing Nick Prueher and Joe Pickett for appearing on the shows as "imagined characters."
The duo, who are the creators of the Found Footage Festival, appeared on “Hello Wisconsin” as “Strongman duo Chop & Steele,” where they smashed rackets on the floor and hit a tire with a bat. According to Gray's suit, Prueher and Pickett performed “ridiculous bits” to promote their own brand.
What's more, Prueher appeared on another show as "Chef Keith Guerke,” who was promoting “Leftovers Right: Making a Winner of Last Night’s Dinner," a cookbook that doesn't exist. One of the recipes? Mashed-potato ice-cream cones.
Gray Television Group is accusing the pair of fraud and conspiracy to commit wrongful activity. What's more, the footage of the duo's pranks have been shown as part of their festival, which breaks copyright law.
Source: New York Post
Running Just Two Hours A Week Could Extend Your Life
Not all forms of exercise are created equally. The sweat sesh you choose might have plenty of health benefits, but there’s one that will help you live longer: running. Researchers have known that runners tend to stick around longer, but now they’ve figured out just how long.
In reviewing past data, researchers found that runners live an average of 3.2 years longer than non-runners. And it wasn’t just marathoners who got the longevity boost, most people in the study only ran for about two hours a week. For most runners, two hours equals about 12 miles, which isn’t too bad if you break it down into two or three smaller runs a week.
And the scientists even took it a step further, figuring out that for every cumulative hour you run, you get seven more hours of life. That’s super specific, and a great incentive to lace up your shoes and hit the road or the treadmill.
Sure, other forms of exercise increase your years on the planet, too. Cycling and walking were up there as well, but running has the biggest boost to life span. And they say that runner's high thing is real, so maybe it’s time to get our sneakers on and give it a try.
Source: Shape
‘Cushioning’ Is The New Term For Cheating
Have you heard of ‘cushioning?’ Neither had we, but it’s another one of those new dating terms like “benching” and “breadcrumbing,” that we need to get familiar with so we’re up to date on all relationship lingo. And ‘cushioning’ doesn’t have anything to do with adding pillows to your sex life, it’s about creating a cushion of people.
According to Urban Dictionary, cushioning is “a dating technique where along with your main piece you also have several ‘cushions,’ other people you’ll chat and flirt with to cushion the potential blow of your main break-up and not leave you alone.”
So basically, it’s keeping some “just in case guys” around who you text and chat with, and plan to pursue if things fall apart with the person you’re dating. It’s not cheating really, but more like pre-cheating. Some might think it’s harmless, but if you found out your S.O. was cushioning you with a few people they were stringing along on the side, it probably wouldn’t feel so innocent.
Sure, it would soften the blow of a breakup to have an instant rebound person there to ease your pain, but is it worth deceiving the person you’re seeing now? Probably not. Dating is hard and being dumped is awful, but cushioning is pretty bad too.
Source: The Berry
How To Pick The Cleanest Toilet In The Public Bathroom
Nobody likes using a public toilet, but let’s face it, it’s pretty darn near impossible to avoid. There's no doubt a lot of people, myself included, who know the cleanest public restrooms to use in their neighborhood, but it’s still really gross when you think about it. So, when you are faced with the inevitable task of relieving yourself in a public place, what is your best bet for choosing the cleanest cubicle? Well, Dr. Oz thinks he has the answer.
The TV doc recently shared his thoughts during a Q&A on the medical advice forum Share Care, and it seems the best choice is probably the last one you think of. Apparently, Dr. Oz suggests always using the first stall in a restroom because most people tend to skip them for ones farther from the door for more privacy.
“Because the first stall is used least often, it contains the lowest bacteria levels,” he notes. “Instead of skipping the first stall, choose it to help avoid possible infections.”
- But that answer may not always be true. Previous scientific research suggests that may be the right plan of action if you’re going to go in the ladies room, but for men it’s likely different, because men tend to use the first stall more often. For this reason, men should probably opt for the stall farthest from the door if they want the one that likely contains the least amount of germs.
Source: The Daily Mail