Brian McCarty is a war photographer. But his pictures are not of bombed-out buildings or mangled bodies. His images show the horrors of war through the eyes of children and re-created with toy tanks and tiny dolls. Faith Lapidus has his story. …
your ad hereAccordion Group Celebrating 80 Years, Sees Resurgence of Instrument
The American Accordionists’ Association celebrates its 80th anniversary this year, gathering in Alexandria, Virginia, to showcase performers of all ages and abilities. From Alexandria, VOA’s Jill Craig has more. …
your ad hereBezos’ Blue Origin Sends Spacecraft Higher Than Ever
Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin rocket company shot a capsule higher into space Wednesday than it’s ever done before. The New Shepard rocket blasted off from West Texas on the company’s latest test flight. Once the booster separated, the capsule’s escape motor fired, lifting the spacecraft to an altitude of 389,846 …
your ad hereThai Elephants Help Spread Jungle Fruit’s Seeds
Massive fruit trees in the Thailand evergreen forest need massive herbivores to help spread their seeds, according to a new study. Based on the diets and habits of mammals, scientists found that elephants are the best allies for the Thai Annonaceae tree to spread its seeds. In the diverse environment …
your ad here50 Years After Concorde, US Start-Up Eyes Supersonic Future
Luxury air travel faster than the speed of sound: A US start-up is aiming to revive commercial supersonic flight 50 years after the ill-fated Concorde first took to the skies. Blake Scholl, the former Amazon staffer who co-founded Boom Supersonic, delivered the pledge this week in front of a fully-restored …
your ad hereCritics See Japan Anti-Smoking Law as Lax
Japan on Wednesday approved its first national legislation banning smoking inside public facilities, but the watered-down measure excludes many restaurants and bars and is seen by critics as toothless. The legislation aims to lower secondhand smoking risks ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics amid international calls for a smoke-free event. …
your ad hereElon Musk Apologizes for Comments About Cave Rescue Diver
Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has apologized for calling a British diver involved in the Thailand cave rescue a pedophile, saying he spoke in anger but was wrong to do so. There was no immediate public reaction from diver Vern Unsworth to Musk’s latest tweets. Musk’s initial tweet calling …
your ad hereCute Robots Invade Smithsonian Museum
Known as the largest education, and research complex in the world, the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC is a collection of 19 museums that house more than 140 million unique items. It’s no wonder it’s been called “the nation’s attic.” But there’s a novel addition to the venerable complex — …
your ad hereCan Polio Workers Overcome Complacency, Conflict, Donor Fatigue to End the Virus?
The world is close to eliminating the threat from polio, but to eradicate the disease, it must be eliminated everywhere. Health officials say that’s the tricky part, because if the virus responsible for the crippling disease exists anywhere, it can still spread worldwide. Sadie Witkowski reports on the challenges that …
your ad hereCan Polio Workers Overcome Complacency, Donor Fatigue to End Virus?
The move to end polio started in 1985 with Rotary International. At that time, polio paralyzed hundreds of thousands of children every year. There is still no cure, but two scientists developed vaccines against the virus in the 1950’s. Dr. Jonas Salk produced one with an inactivated virus that could …
your ad hereCute Robots Invade the Smithsonian
Known as the largest education, and research complex in the world, the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC is a collection of 19 museums that house more than 140 million unique items. It’s no wonder it’s been called “the nation’s attic.” But there’s a novel addition to the venerable complex — …
your ad hereMuseum of Natural History Provides Glimpse of New Dinosaur Display
The fossilized skeleton of a ferocious Tyrannosaurus Rex dinosaur will be on exhibit next year in the new fossil hall at the Museum of Natural History in Washington. Excavated in Montana, it is one of the largest and most complete T-rex skeletons ever discovered. The dinosaur, called the Nation’s T-rex, …
your ad hereMuseum of Natural History Provides a Glimpse of New Dinosaur Display
The fossilized skeleton of a ferocious Tyrannosaurus Rex dinosaur will be on exhibit next year in the new fossil hall at the Museum of Natural History in Washington. Excavated in Montana, it is one of the largest and most complete T-rex skeletons ever discovered. The dinosaur, called the Nation’s T-rex, …
your ad hereWhy is Facebook Keen on Robots? It’s Just the Future of AI
Facebook announced several new hires of top academics in the field of artificial intelligence Tuesday, among them a roboticist known for her work at Disney making animated figures move in more human-like ways. The hires raise a big question — why is Facebook interested in robots, anyway? It’s …
your ad hereBoeing Gets $3.9B Contract for New Air Force One Jets
Boeing has received a $3.9 billion contract to build two 747-8 aircraft for use as Air Force One by the U.S. president, due to be delivered by December 2024 and painted red, white and blue, officials said on Tuesday. The Pentagon announced the decision on Tuesday, saying Seattle-based Boeing’s previously …
your ad hereFashion Firms Upend Design Routine to Focus on Speed, Trends
Prototypes? Passe. Fashion company Betabrand saw that knitwear was a hot style in sneakers and wanted to quickly jump on the trend for dressier shoes. It put a poll up on its website asking shoppers what style they liked, and based on that had a shoe for sale online in …
your ad here‘McQueen’ Examines Career of Brilliant, Troubled Designer
The London fashion world didn’t know quite what hit it when Alexander McQueen’s disheveled models staggered down the runway at his 1995 “Highland Rape” show, their Scottish-inspired clothing ripped to expose breasts and nether regions. It was exactly the reaction that McQueen, then in his 20s and subsisting on fast …
your ad hereTrade Pain: US Small Companies Hit by Import, Export Tariffs
Time and effort have gone down the drain for Steve Gould, who is scrambling to find new customers for his gin, whiskey and other spirits since the United States has taken a tough stance on trade issues. Before the European Union retaliated against new U.S. tariffs with taxes of its …
your ad hereGrandson Shares Mandela’s Life Lessons in New Book
An entire generation has been born since Nelson Mandela’s 1990 release from a South African prison, where he spent almost three decades for his anti-apartheid activism. Ndaba Mandela wants to make sure those young people understand his grandfather’s role – and his values – in fighting for racial equality and …
your ad hereSolar Power Seen as Tool Against Extremism in Sahel
Grinding poverty and climate change are pushing communities in West Africa’s Sahel region into the arms of extremist groups like Boko Haram, but providing people with clean energy could help slow that trend, said a top international official. Rachel Kyte, CEO of Sustainable Energy for All, set up by the United Nations, learned …
your ad hereUniversal Music Group to Open Nigeria Division
Vivendi’s Universal Music Group (UMG) will launch a new division in Nigeria as part of efforts by the world’s largest music label to expand into Africa’s most populous nation and the wider region. The music entertainment group said on Tuesday its new strategic division, Universal Music Nigeria, will operate from …
your ad hereJupiter’s Moon Count Hits 79; One New Find Is Tiny ‘Oddball’
Astronomers are still finding moons at Jupiter, 400 years after Galileo used his spyglass to spot the first ones. The latest discovery of a dozen small moons brings the total to 79, the most of any planet in our solar system. Scientists were looking for objects on the fringes of …
your ad hereTwitter Suspended 58M Accounts in Last Quarter of ’17, AP Says
Twitter suspended at least 58 million user accounts in the final three months of 2017, according to data obtained by The Associated Press. The figure highlights the company’s newly aggressive stance against malicious or suspicious accounts in the wake of Russian disinformation efforts during the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign. Last …
your ad hereEPA Proposal to Limit Science Studies Draws Opposition
Democratic lawmakers joined scores of scientists, health providers, environmental officials and activists Tuesday in denouncing an industry-backed proposal that could limit dramatically the scientific studies the Environmental Protection Agency considers in shaping protections for human health. If adopted by the Trump administration, the rule would allow an EPA administrator to …
your ad hereIceberg Looming Over Greenland Village Spotted From Space
An iceberg that has drifted perilously close to a remote Greenland village is so big it can be seen from space. The European Space Agency released an image Tuesday showing the giant iceberg just off the coast of Innaarsuit in northwestern Greenland. Dozens of residents were evacuated to higher …
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