With 370,000 industrial workers, Japan has the most robots in the world. But even these tireless workers are not immune to the recession. A 40 percent decline in production in Japanese factories means many robots are dormant, while orders for new robots have fallen by almost 60 percent. The upside (at least if you’re not a [...]
By Early To Rise | Thu, Jul 30, 2009
From the annals of unnecessary scientific research and “that’s quite a reach” conclusions… University of Edinburgh psychologists have determined that you stand the best chance of getting back a lost wallet if there’s a picture of a baby in it. They “planted” 240 wallets on highly trafficked city streets, and were pleasantly surprised to [...]
By Early To Rise | Wed, Jul 29, 2009
In times of economic uncertainty, people look for an escape from their financial worries – and Hollywood magic has become a popular refuge. A recent study by the National Association of Theatre Owners showed that movie ticket sales were up in the first quarter of 2009, a 9 percent increase over the first quarter of 2008. [...]
By Early To Rise | Tue, Jul 28, 2009
Smash your finger with a hammer or slam your knee on a coffee table… and, if you’re like many people, you can’t help but let loose a string of expletives. It turns out the swearing could be beneficial. A new study published in the journal NeuroReport found that spewing out bad language may actually relieve [...]
By Early To Rise | Mon, Jul 27, 2009
Before you turn in a job application, check what you wrote. And check again. A recent survey of senior executives found that more than 20 percent of them would automatically dismiss an application with just one typo. Twenty-eight percent said they would permit one, but not two. Only 19 percent said four or more typos [...]
By Early To Rise | Sat, Jul 25, 2009
When Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon 40 years ago, it was a huge technological feat. Here are a few fun (and little-known) facts about the mission: The computers on the mission had less processing power than a cellphone does today. Neil Armstrong’s “one small step” was actually a 3.5 foot jump [...]
By Early To Rise | Fri, Jul 24, 2009
You’re in Paris, snapping a series of pictures as the sun sets behind the Eiffel Tower. You’re sure you must have captured the perfect image… until you check and notice an “intruder” in every shot: a fellow tourist, the rear wheel of a passing bicycle, a stray bit of debris in the foreground. And that’s [...]
By Early To Rise | Thu, Jul 23, 2009
Eco-watchers say that traditional wood caskets can have a negative effect on the environment as a result of all the metal, plastic, and other “trimmings” that end up buried in the ground. Enter the eco-alternative: a casket made of wool on a cardboard frame. The Swaledale coffin – co-produced in England by a coffin manufacturer and [...]
By Early To Rise | Wed, Jul 22, 2009
You know the five-second rule, yes? If you drop some food on the ground, it’s okay to eat it… as long as you pick it up within five seconds. According to a study by Clemson University, turns out that thousands of bacteria could attach themselves to that errant bit of muffin in just five seconds [...]
By Early To Rise | Tue, Jul 21, 2009
It may surprise you to know that you can thank the U.S. Army for your good dental health – at least, in part. People in this country didn’t pay much attention to dental hygiene until after World War II. But American soldiers were required to brush their teeth twice a day – [...]
By Early To Rise | Fri, Jul 31, 2009
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