Day length in our solar system

 

Venus is the only planet in the solar system that rotates clockwise. All the other planets rotate anticlockwise. Venus (radius 3,760.4 miles) is similar to Earth (radius 3,963.19 miles) in size and structure but spins very slowly. A day on Venus is 243 Earth days long. Earth is the densest planet in the solar system and the only one not named after a god. 

 

Earth orbits the sun at an average speed of 66,629 mph (107 229 km/h). One year on earth is 365.24 days long. One day is 23 hours, 56 minutes and 4,06 seconds long. The extra day in a leap year was introduced to compensate for the discrepancy in the Georgian calendar. It’s easy to remember the order of the eight planets with this line: My Very Eager Mother Just Served Us Nachos. The capital letters stand for the order of the planets, starting closest to the sun: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune.

 

Source: interestingtopics.net 

Your Body Needs Sleep

Daytime sleepiness is a frequent problem for many involved in a crisis. If a person is getting the recommended eight hours of sleep a night, stress and emotional fatigue can cause excessive sleepiness and frequent dozing off. This can be especially harmful for adults since daytime sleepiness can lead to health problems or dangerous situations when they drive. 

The best solutions for overcoming daytime sleepiness are to stick to a normal sleep routine and get extra rest if your body needs it. When stressed, adults should pay careful attention to what their bodies are telling them, make good judgments about getting to bed earlier and take frequent naps. Lack of concentration, nodding off during quiet activities or having trouble waking up in the morning are signs that a child is not getting enough sleep. Parents should remember that if the sleep schedule is disrupted even one night, a child may experience these symptoms. Children copy their parents’ sleep patterns, so it’s important for parents to maintain consistent sleep schedules and get enough sleep at night. 

Source: interestingtopics.net

How many friends can you have?

Research by Robin Dunbar, professor of Evolutionary Anthropology at Oxford University, shows that throughout history the human brain can only handle about 150 friends. More than that and the relationships might be less meaningful. This fact is known as the Dunbar Number.The number could be of particular interest if you’re from Argentina or Hong Kong. 

According to a Plaxo, Inc., creator of the smart address book, an Argentinian has on average 479 contacts in his/her address book. In August 2006, Plaxo released their Connected Index which ranks the level of connectedness between people, country by country, based on the average number of contacts in their Plaxo smart address book.

Source: interestingtopics.net

Explanation: How Brain Training Can Make You Significantly Smarter

As many people hit middle age, they often start to notice that their memory and mental clarity are not what they used to be.  We suddenly can't remember where we put the keys just a moment ago, or an old acquaintance's name, or the name of an old band we used to love.  As the brain fades, we euphemistically refer to these occurrences as "senior moments."

While seemingly innocent, this loss of mental focus can potentially have a detrimental impact on our professional, social, and personal well-being. 

It happens to most of us, but is it inevitable? 

Neuroscientists are increasingly showing that there's actually a lot that can be done.  It turns that the brain needs exercise in much the same way our muscles do, and the right mental workouts can significantly improve our basic cognitive functions.  Thinking is essentially a process of making neural connections in the brain.  To a certain extent, our ability to excel in making the neural connections that drive intelligence is inherited.  However, because these connections are made through effort and practice, scientists believe that intelligence can expand and fluctuate according to mental effort.

Now, a new San Francisco Web-based company has taken it a step further and developed the first "brain training program" designed to actually help people improve and regain their mental sharpness.  Called Lumosity, it was designed by some of the leading experts in neuroscience and cognitive psychology from Stanford University.

Lumosity, is far more than an online place to exercise your mental skills.  That's because they have integrated these exercises into a Web-based program that allows you to systematically improve your memory and attention skills.  The program keeps track of your progress and provides detailed feedback on your performance and improvement.  Most importantly, it constantly modifies and enhances the games you play to build on the strengths you are developing--much like an effective exercise routine requires you to increase resistance and vary your muscle use.

Does it work?

Apparently it does. In randomized, controlled clinical trials, Lumosity was shown to significantly improve basic cognitive functions. One study showed students improved their scores on math tests by 34 percent after using Lumosity for six weeks, significantly greater gains than those made by other students in the same class, who were not training with the Lumosity program.

The company says its users have reported clearer and quicker thinking, improved memory for names, numbers, directions, increased alertness and awareness, elevated mood, and better concentration at work or while driving.

While many of the games at Lumosity are free, a modest subscription fee is required to use the full program over the long term.

Source:howlifeworks.com

Breaking Da Vinci Code

Historical novel The Da Vinci Code, written by Dan Brown in 2003, provided some food for thought. Long before Dan Brown put pen to paper the concept of Jesus having been married and moving on much was written about the life of Jesus after the crucifixion. From the second century onward almost 5 000 pieces of manuscripts have been found – mostly discovered during the 20th century, that beckoned to be included in the New Testament. 

Since none of the original New Testament gospels have as yet been discovered we continue to be entertained by the many views in the many debates surrounding the fascinating life of Jesus. Described by New York Times as a “riddle-filled, code-breaking, exhilaratingly brainy thriller, ” The Times described it as “littered with misconceptions, howlers and location descriptions straight out of tourist guide books.” The Da Vinci Code garnered effusive, even ebullient, praise from numerous reviewers. The Library Journal raved, “This masterpiece should be mandatory reading”; the Chicago Tribune marveled that the book contained “several doctorates” worth of fascinating history and learned speculation”. 

Source: interestingtopics.net