Posts

When you were a kid, you probably did sit-ups at school for an ab workout. But is the sit-up the best ab exercise? Thats actually a simple question. This post originally appeared onStrength Running. If you regularly do a plank workout, you know how simple they are. They can be done virtually anywhere and require no equipment. Theyre perfect for beginnersand even the fastest of runners. I do them regularly as part of theStandard Core Routine....

A new monk has joined services at a Buddhist temple on the outskirts of Beijing. Science and Buddhism are not opposing nor contradicting, and can be combined and mutually compatible, said Xianfan. It was unveiled to the public in October. But Xian’er is not necessarily the social butterfly many believe him to be. He has toured several robotics and innovation fairs across China but rarely makes public appearances at Longquan temple....

Originally, the entire bridge was a floating structure supported by eighty-six huge boats. Today, only the middle section can be opened. It was originally named Kangji Bridge. Soon several magistrates of the prefecture became involved in the bridges construction. Among them, Ding Yunyuan led people and built the most piers. His achievements were most outstanding so the bridge was called Ding Gong Bridge. In 1194, one magistrate built a pavilion at the east coast and named the bridge Jichuan Bridge....

Known as arc lamps, these became the first practical electric lights. New Orleans Riverfront electrically luminated at night, 1883. A total of 6 arc lights were installed boasting a total light output of 24,000 candlepower. Inspired by San Jose, many American and European cities began putting up lighting towers. These came to be known as Moonlight Towers because the way it mimicked the shining moon. One of the main disadvantages of Moonlight Towers was they needed to be serviced throughout the night....

If there is one thing an immersion circulator is good for, it is infusions. This is good for extracting all kinds of things, but today were going to extract some THC. To test out this theory, I tried a few different recipes. Lets see how it all turned out, shall we? Decarbing has nothing to do with carbohydrates. To get started, simply grind up your marijuana and place it in a sealable plastic bag....

They were afraid that if the Germans were to attack, Amsterdam could fall under their superior army. Water defence line offered another advantage in that a large area can be defended with relatively little manpower. Fort Pampus in Lake IJmeer. Forts were built where roads, railways, or dikes crossed through the water line. These forts were positioned a maximum of 3.5 kilometers from each other. The Stelling van Amsterdam was never used in combat....

Marmont called it “Mont Marmont”. Even the erosion-exposed stepped surface was imitated. Construction took a mere 27 days and the structure rose to 36 meters. The apex of the pyramid was flat where was erected a 13-meter-tall wooden obelisk. Marmont was, however, too haste in its construction. There wasnt even a proper foundation to the structure. It was simply a pile of earth and sand. Naturally, the pyramid started to collapse not too long after it was built....

Artists, on the other hand, are often seen as being less rational than the rest of us. This post originally appeared onThe Conversation. Neuroscience hasalready shownthat everyone uses both sides of the brain when performing any task. Thats because the exact interplay of nature and nurture is notoriously difficult to tease out. Psychological research has approached this question by distinguishing between two styles of thinking:convergent and divergent. The emphasis in convergent thinking is on analytical and deductive reasoning, such as that measured in IQ tests....

Plan Ahead for the First Few Times First, lets talk about managing the first time. Marijuana will steamroll you in the beginning if youve never had the stuff beforeespecially edibles. Marijuana can make you paranoid and feel like something bad will happen. Use your friend to help. I also found that keeping a stopwatch handy helps as well. Most likely you will breathe normally and just think youve slowed down significantly....

This is part of Lifehackersbook reviewseries. The tips are all based on food psychology research, most of it from Wansinks own lab at Cornell. You know Wansinks research even if you dont recognize his name. He wrote an earlier book about this research,Mindless Eating. He presents 100-calorie packs (his invention, he claims) as an example of this. Wansink gleefully told food company execs that people willpay moretoeat less, and he turned out to be right....

The Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park in Nevada, United States, is two attractions in one. First, there are ichthyosaur fossils, and second, it preserves a turn-of-the-20th century mining town called Berlin. Ichthyosaurs became extinct in the Late Cretaceous period for unknown reasons. Tour guides are here and willing to give valuable information. Ichthyosaur fossils were discovered in Nevada in 1928. Several specimens were left where they were found and can be viewed by the public....

We dont always get to collaborate with people who have mastered the nuances of communication in the workplace. This post originally appeared onThe Muse. Recently, a marketing firm called to solicit my business. The young marketing rep was explaining all the features and benefits to me. Could he have been more patronizingor less informed about his potential customer? Maybe you know a colleague who regularly employs a similar kind of verbal smackdown....

Approximately seven tons of gold are plastered all over the ceilings and the walls. As with la Compania, the churchs interior is covered with thousands of gold-plated leaves. Photo credit:Jean-Francois Renaud/Flickr