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Study Finds Breastfeeding Leads to Good Behavior in Childhood
Breastfeeding, the act of feeding an infant directly from the human breast, is known to be good for children. There are formulas available which can simulate a mother’s milk, but can never perfectly replicate the natural act of breastfeeding. In the past, studies have shown inconsistent results as to whether or not breastfeeding really improves…
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Toys ‘R’ Us To Build Largest Rooftop Solar System in North America
Toys”R”Us, Inc. announced plans to build the largest rooftop solar power installation in North America at its distribution center in Flanders, NJ this week, with construction of the 5.38-megawatts (MW) installation expected to begin this summer. The system will cover roughly 20 acres of rooftop space and is estimated to generate 72% of the electrical…
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Green as a Status Symbol: Why Increased Prices May Increase Sales
A commonly heard, and personally experienced, critique of the sustainability movement is the relatively high cost of green products compared to traditional products. I can spend .99 cents on a bottle of shampoo that cleans my hair but has 25 ingredients listed on the back, most of which I have trouble pronouncing let alone knowing…
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Chicago rivers must be cleaned up, says US EPA
Chicago waterways long used to carry away the city’s waste must be cleaned up expeditiously so residents can play in them, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency told state officials on Thursday. “A decade of investments in walkways, boat ramps and parks has provided people with access to the water — and now we need to…
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Barred Owls
The Barred Owl is a large typical owl. It goes by many other names, including eight hooter, rain owl, wood owl, and striped owl, but is probably known best as the hoot owl. Barred owls may be more abundant in coniferous forests of the Pacific Northwest than previously recognized, according to research published today in…
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Japan’s U-Turn on Nuclear Power: Reaction
Yesterday, Japan’s prime minister, Naoto Kan, announced that the government was scrapping a planned expansion of nuclear power, which currently provides about a third of Japanese electricity. Instead, the government would redouble efforts to expand its renewable energy portfolio, Kan said. The turnaround followed Kan’s urging last week that a reactor in Hamaoka, near an…
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Belief and butchery: how lies and organized crime are pushing rhinos to extinction
Few animals face as violent, as well organized, and as determined an enemy as the world’s rhinos. Across the globe rhinos are being slaughtered in record numbers; on average more than one rhino is killed by poachers everyday. After being shot or drugged, criminals take what they came for: they saw off the animal’s horn.…
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Book Review: Winged Obsession: The Pursuit of the World’s Most Notorious Butterfly Thief
When I first picked up Winged Obsession: The Pursuit of The Worlds Most Notorious Butterfly Thief by Jessica Weart, I wasn’t very excited. A book about butterfly collectors, how exciting can that be? When I think butterfly collectors, I think of an uptight old man, passively smoking a pipe, listening to classical music, nothing exciting.…
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What makes humans special? The Power of communication. New from BBC Earth
A human’s need to communicate, can be observed from the first moments of life. The intuitive reaction of a newborn to cry, lays the stepping-stone for a process which at its heart, will enable every human to successfully communicate their experience of being alive. It has been said that words are man’s greatest achievement. With…
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Chimps Are Self Aware
Chimpanzees are self-aware and can anticipate the impact of their actions on the environment around them, an ability once thought to be uniquely human, according to a study released Wednesday. The findings, reported in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B, challenge assumptions about the boundary between human and non-human, and shed light on the…