After more than a century of address-free living, Carmel-By-the-Sea, a California town known for its white-sand beaches is moving ahead with a plan to assign street numbers to homes and businesses. And many long-time residents aren’t happy about it. The town’s residents and visitors must navigate a woodsy 1-square-mile landscape where houses, stores, restaurants and other buildings don’t have numbers. It’s even more difficult at night because the town has few street lights. When asked for...

Soft and stretchable jelly-like strips could be the key to providing electric power on and even inside human bodies. Scientists at the University of Cambridge say the stretchability of their newly developed ‘jelly battery’ could be used in implants in our bodies where it was previously impossible. Stephen O’Neil, a PhD researcher at the University of Cambridge who worked on the study demonstrates: “This is an example of one of the pieces of gel that we use to make up the battery. As you can...

The unprecedented mental health crisis for children in the United States often surfaces where they spend much of their days: school. With that in mind, Google’s philanthropic arm is directly financing high school well-being projects on a classroom crowdfunding platform. Google.org on August 12 flash funded all mental health-related listings on DonorsChoose, an online charity where members help purchase supplies requested by public school teachers. With $10 million in new gifts and the help...

In the name of consumer protection, a slew of U.S. federal agencies are working to make it easier for Americans to click the unsubscribe button for unwanted memberships and recurring payment services. A broad new government initiative, dubbed “Time Is Money,” includes a rollout of new regulations and the promise of more for industries spanning from healthcare and fitness memberships to media subscriptions. “The administration is cracking down on all the ways that companies, through...

Fashion house Dolce & Gabbana has launched a new alcohol-free perfume for dogs called 'Fefé' in honor of Domenico Dolce's poodle, but not all vets and pet owners agree it's safe or appropriate. The perfume costs 99 euros ($108) for 100 milliliters (3.4 ounces) and has been certified suitable for animal use. It follows a Safe Pet Cosmetics protocol designed to ensure a degree of safety of cosmetic products for animals comparable to that required for humans, Dolce & Gabbana...

Older adults find themselves at a unique moment in time with artificial intelligence revolutionizing the technology they use. Classes across the U.S. are now teaching seniors about AI’s ability to transform how they interact with the world—and the threat the technology might pose. Experts from the National Council on Aging in the U.S., an organization established in 1950 to advocate for seniors, say classes on AI for older people have increased in recent years. They’re also at the forefront...

U.S. health officials approved a nasal spray to treat severe allergic reactions, the first needle-free alternative to shots like EpiPen. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said it approved the spray from drugmaker ARS Pharmaceuticals Inc. as an emergency treatment for adults and older children experiencing life-threatening allergic reactions known as anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis occurs when the body's immune system develops a sudden, unexpected reaction to a foreign substance, such as food,...

For a long time, Azerbaijan has attracted tourists with its exotic culture. But now, a new type of luxury traveler is being drawn to the country, located on the border between Eastern Europe and West Asia. A golf course, a rarity for the former Soviet republic, appeared on the slopes of Shahdag Mountain, 160 kilometers away from Azerbaijan’s capital, Baku, in 2013. Designed by John Hunt International Golf Design Group, and built by American company Total Golf, it hosted the European...

Access to braille texts remains a major challenge for many visually impaired students in Africa. Slow progress in the advancement of assistive technology has led to many school dropouts. Now, a group of Ugandan developers has come up with a Blind Assistant app that helps read documents aloud. In the central Ugandan district of Mukono, Sir Apollo Kaggwa Secondary School is among the first to have received training for its 24 visually impaired students and their helpers. According to a 2014...

A study by climate researchers at University College London has found that green roofs planted on the top of buildings are effective at cooling temperatures during the day, but then go on to make the nighttime warmer. In London, many rooftops have been transformed to help cool the city down as temperatures soar. Some are covered in gardens and wildlife, while others are sprayed with white paint to help reflect the heat away. The researchers believe the latter are more effective when it comes...

Hong Kong fencer Cheung Ka-long’s victory over Italy’s Filippo Macchi at the Paris Olympics has sparked an exchange of insults on social media, with Cheung’s supporters celebrating his win with posts about pineapple pizzas—widely considered a culinary blunder in Italian cooking. Cheung made Hong Kong history in July by beating Macchi 15-14 in the men’s foil. That triumph made Cheung, who had won the Tokyo Games in 2021, the first Hong Konger to bag two gold medals. The bout required three...

TikTok has agreed to withdraw a rewards feature that raised concerns about its potential to encourage excessive screen time, particularly among children, the European Union's executive commission said. It was the first resolution of an investigation under the 27-country EU's sweeping Digital Services Act (DSA), which went into effect in February and aims to ensure a "safe and accountable online environment" by regulating large digital platforms. TikTok made the commitment without conceding...

One of the most biodiverse caves in the world has recently received UNESCO World Heritage status. Tourists and scientists alike are celebrating the news as Bosnia’s Vjetrenica Wind Cave system now comes under the global spotlight. It is recognized as one of the most biodiverse caves in the world, formed beneath the unique karstic plains where soluble carbonate rocks dissolve to leave vast underground chambers and passages. The caves have been on UNESCO’s tentative lists for many years, so...

Turbulence is knocking a beloved instant noodle offering off Korean Air's economy menu. Cups of Shin Ramyun instant noodles, a favorite among Korean Air travelers over the years, are no longer available for economy-class passengers as of August 15, a spokesperson for the Seoul-based airline said. "This decision is part of proactive safety measures in response to increased turbulence, aimed at preventing burn accidents," Korean Air said.  The instant noodles are currently part of Korean...

A new museum has opened in London promising visitors one of the best selfie experiences in the capital. The Paradox Museum specializes in special effects and mind-boggling optical illusions, and visitors are actively encouraged to snap away to their hearts’ content. It is the brainchild of co-founder Miltos Kambourides, a Cypriot entrepreneur with a background in luxury resorts. He wanted to create a museum that could combine science with a true entertainment experience—and generate a lot...

On a typical summer day, tourists flock to the historic Marais district of Paris, wandering through charming medieval lanes dotted with ultra-chic boutiques, gazing at stunning private mansions and the elegant 17th-century Place des Vosges, and filling humming eateries and bars. But this summer was hardly typical, and those streets, shops, and cafes were markedly emptier in the days leading up to the Paris Olympics—leaving businesses like Stolly’s Stone Bar, a pub catering to the Anglophone...

The warm, soggy summer across much of the Midwest has produced a bumper crop of wild mushrooms—and a surge in calls to poison control centers. At the Minnesota Regional Poison Center, calls from April through July more than tripled over the same period last year, said Samantha Lee, the center's director. “The center took 90 calls for potential exposures over that period, compared to 26 calls for the same months in 2023. Exposures include people who have had actual or suspected contact with...

The White House is coming out in favor of “open-source” artificial intelligence (AI) technology, arguing in a report that there’s no need right now for restrictions on companies making key components of their powerful AI systems widely available. “We recognize the importance of open systems,” said Alan Davidson, an assistant secretary of the U.S. Commerce Department, in an interview with The Associated Press. As part of a sweeping executive order on AI last year, President Joe Biden gave...

Planting vegetables, Benson Wanjala and his wife are working to cultivate their two-acre plot of land on the outskirts of Nairobi. This is a significant change from Wanjala's farming activities two and a half decades ago, when he farmed a 10-acre plot in his native western Kenya village, 370 kilometers away. Back then, Wanjala's land yielded a bountiful harvest of 200 bags of corn each season. But this abundance dwindled over the years to a mere 30 bags. Wanjala attributes this decline to...

Massachusetts has agreed to provide about $30 million to help support the operations of six hospitals that Steward Health Care is trying to turn over to new owners after declaring bankruptcy earlier this year, according to court filings. The latest update comes as Steward announced in July that it was closing two hospitals—Carney Hospital and Nashoba Valley Medical Center—because it received no qualified bids for either facility. In a court filing, Steward announced it had received a...

A court case could soon settle a spicy dispute: Who invented Flamin' Hot Cheetos? A former PepsiCo executive is suing the company, saying it destroyed his career after questioning his claim that he invented the popular flavor of Cheetos snacks. PepsiCo said it has no comment on the lawsuit, which was filed on July 18 in California Superior Court.  According to his lawsuit, Richard Montañez began working for PepsiCo as a janitor at its Frito-Lay plant in Rancho Cucamonga, California, in...

Ever wondered how people spend their spare time? A new exhibition celebrating the U.K.'s hobbies opened on July 18 in Croydon, featuring over 14,000 items, including collections and creations. It's the idea of Hetain Patel, himself a dedicated hobbyist, and the organization Artangel who have taken over Grant's Entertainment Centre with the exhibition. Called "Come As You Really Are," it displays people's passions—whether it's collecting plastic bags or creating cosplay costumes. Patel says...

It’s becoming a struggle for Australians to afford food which, in turn, affects their health. In Tasmania, a dietician is helping locals cook nutritious dishes at low prices. Enhancing the confidence to cook is what this community cooking class is all about. Cooking has always been a passion for Nalini Burge and, in the class, she’s being taught recipes that incorporate more affordable ingredients. "We cook here and then when I go to the supermarket, it's always in my mind, and then I go...

A small West Virginia school will remain open for now after a court temporarily blocked an effort to relocate classes due to the town’s contaminated groundwater being added to a national cleanup priority list. Last June, Wetzel County Schools Superintendent Cassandra R. Porter announced that students, faculty and staff at Paden City High School would be relocated to existing schools in nearby New Martinsville when classes resume this month. However, attorneys representing a group of those...

Deceptions such as phony emails from people impersonating online retailers like Amazon are nothing new. But phishing attempts increase amid the heavy spending seen during significant sales events, whether it's Black Friday or Amazon Prime Day, according to the Better Business Bureau. “This is a huge moment on the retail calendar,” Josh Planos, vice president of communications and public relations at the Better Business Bureau, previously told The Associated Press. "And because of that, it...