Bitcoin Is Having An Impact On The Environment And Its Effects Are Huge

Bitcoin, the decentralized cryptocurrency that is "disrupting" the financial sector these days,  actually has an impact on our planet, a physical impact to be precise. No, we are not talking about its potential applications in our daily lives. We are referring to Bitcoin's electricity consumption, which is so huge it can compared to that of countries.

The Surprising Scientific Link Between Trump And Pickup Trucks

What is the least thing one might expect from an AI program? As far as creativity goes, drawing a connection between politics and pickup cars is nothing short of far-fetchedness, or so it seems. But, the truth is, that is exactly what a recent study published in PNAS touched on. No matter how weird you think this conclusion is, as you read this article, you will soon find out that the principle is actually quite simple, yet powerful enough to predict voting results!

New Study Shows Decision-making Capabilities In Plants Under Competition

A vegetative state is a clinical condition that usually refers to patients who have a severe dysfunction of their cerebral hemispheres, resulting in a loss of conscious responses, hence the term vegetative. Well, it turns out we may soon need to update our lexicon as this expression is kind of an insult to plants. Yes, that is because a new scientific study has revealed that plants actually exhibit decision-making behaviors when they are faced with competition.

You Can Now Create A Homemade Muon Detector With As Little As 100 Dollars

With the cyptocurrency market literally exploding every day, the world is steadily moving towards decentralization in almost every aspect of our lives. This decentralization trend is so strong it is affecting domains that were previously exclusively reserved for experts and official institutions. For example, in recent years, we have seen a surge in citizen science projets that aim to empower ordinary citizens by given them an opportunity to contribute to scientific advancements. Citizen science projects range from identifying exoplanets (e.g., Planet Hunters), to bug hunting. Yes, if you have seen an invasive bug and want to help scientists build a system that predicts pests' movements, you can do that at the Big Bug Hunt Project's page. Going back to the actual topic of this article, MIT's physicists have created a muon particle detector that anyone can build using affordable common electronic parts.

The Hows And Whys Of Itching Explained

We all had those moments when an irresistible itch just happens to ignite at the exact time the series' episode we are watching reaches its climax. The vicious itch leaves us with two choices: Either we try to relieve it by scratching and risk missing our favorite TV show's best moments, or we simply resist the urge and call it a day. Oftentimes, this dilemma feels like having to choose between being killed by a firing squad or being burned at stake.

But what does science have to tell us about this unpleasant sensation?

The Real Psychological Reason Why Retail Prices Always End With .99

With the recent release of Microsoft's famous console Xbox One X, it is safe to assume that gamers' and technology enthusiasts' reactions will mostly be on the optimistic end of the scale. Currently priced at $499.99, the console surely brings a lot to the gaming table. However, what most people miss or simply don't notice, is the form in which the price is laid out. By the form, we mean the two 'nines' (e.g., $19.99) at the end of the price.

This pricing formula can be found almost in every shopping center, be it physical or electronic. A fidget spinner for $4.99, a twirling spaghetti fork for £5.99, all these are examples that illustrate the omnipresence of this pricing phenomenon. Despite its widespread use, this pricing method (a.k.a psychological or charm pricing) goes unperceived by most people, as many of them see it merely as a skin-deep practice.

This Fungus Species Has More Than 23,000 Sexes

Fungi, those exotic "creatures" with which we have a love and hate relationship, may seem primitive to most people, but the truth is that they have one of the most uncanny mating systems out there. In order to digest this post as smoothly as possible, a disclaimer is a must. You need to give all your prior knowledge pertaining to gender a rest, because what you are about to witness defy all kinds of conventional conceptions about mating. With that warning out of way, we can now finally talk about sex among fungi.