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Sombre-looking executives at a Japanese frozen dessert maker have appeared in a national television advert to apologise for raising the cost of a popular ice cream -- by 9 cents. Akagi Nyugyo, a brand popular with millions of schoolchildren, increased the price of its GariGarikun lollies on Friday for the first time in a quarter century following years of deflation and falling prices in Japan. Fearing a backlash, the firm took the pre-emptive step of apologising in a 60-second advertisement that ran on nationwide TV channels on Friday and Saturday. It has been watched more than 900,000 times on YouTube. The clip begins with a close up of Akagi Nyugyo's executives staring into the camera,...

Across cities like Auckland, Nelson, and Waiheke Island, fruit trees are intentionally planted in public spaces, including sidewalks, parks, and berms, so anyone can pick fresh produce for free. According to OurAuckland, these trees include apples, plums, feijoas, figs, and even bananas, all grown with support from local councils and community trusts. The movement is part of a broader push for urban foraging, which encourages residents to gather food from publicly accessible trees and gardens. According to Urban Foraging NZ, there’s even an interactive map that lets people locate fruit and nut trees in their neighborhoods, add new ones, and share seasonal updates. Waiheke Island...

Your waistline isn’t the only part of your body that could be putting your health at risk. A growing body of research suggests that neck size may also serve as an early warning sign, indicating a higher likelihood of developing serious conditions like heart disease, diabetes and sleep disorders. Even more surprising: A thick neck appears to spell trouble even in people with a healthy BMI. (Some doctors are already using neck size as a screening tool.PaweÃâ Kacperek – stock.adobe.com) The reason? BMI has several limitations. For example, it can’t distinguish between muscle and fat, nor does it reveal where fat is stored on the body. “A competitive...

In January 1965, Frane was aboard a train travelling through a cold, rainy canyon. At one point of the journey the train was somehow flipped off of its tracks, and tumbled into a river.A bystander rushed to the train’s aid, and pulled Frane out of the river. Unfortunately, 17 people drowned, trapped inside the train as it sank to the river’s bottom. A narrow brush with death. The next year, Frane was aboard the only plane ride he would ever take. During the flight, the plane malfunctioned, and Frane was blown out of the aircraft. He tumbled through the air— and landed safely in a haystack. The plane crashed in a field, killing all 19 of its passengers. Yet another...

China has completed the world's widest underwater roadway, the Jinan Huanggang Tunnel, in a record 110 days. The tunnel, spanning beneath the Yellow River, features a 55.8-foot diameter and was constructed using the Shanhe shield machine, one of the largest tunnel boring machines globally. Designed for six-lane traffic, the tunnel enhances connectivity between Jinan's urban center and key development zones. The rapid completion sets a new world record for underwater shield tunnel construction. Engineering Marvel Beneath the Yellow River Located 98 feet below the surface of the Yellow River in Jinan, the capital of Shandong Province, the tunnel is part of a larger 3.6-mile project...

    (Robert Steiner Magnetic Resonance Unit, Clinical Sciences Centre, Imperial College School of Medicine, Hammersmith Hospital, London, England) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Qualitative decreases in maternal brain size have been observed late in pregnancy. The aim of this study was to quantitatively evaluate changes to the maternal brain during and after healthy pregnancy and to compare these changes with those observed in cases of preeclampsia. METHODS: Three-dimensional T1-weighted MR volume images were obtained in nine healthy participants before and after delivery. Additional images were obtained in some of these participants before pregnancy, during pregnancy, and within...

A man named Mark Zuckerberg is suing Meta because he says his Facebook pages keep getting suspended due to his name. This Mark Zuckerberg is a bankruptcy attorney in Indianapolis and says the page suspensions are hurting his business. While the attorney and the tech titan have different middle names – Steven and Elliot, respectively – the lawyer said having the same name as Facebook’s founder is a nightmare. Zuckerberg is suing Meta for negligence and breach of contract because Facebook keeps shutting down his pages, accusing him of “impersonating a celebrity.” Meta also accuses him of “using a false name,” which Zuckerberg says,...

Light consists of individual particles that propagate in waves. The wavelength determines the color and energy of the light. The human eye can only perceive a small section of this spectrum, approximately the range between 400 and 700 nanometers. Because of that, we humans are unable to see the infrared range, with its longer wavelengths of 750 nanometers to one millimeter. So in order to see infrared light, we have needed comparatively bulky night-vision goggles or night-vision devices with their own energy source — until now. Infrared contact lenses from China Researchers at the University of Science and Technology in Hefei, eastern China, have now developed a contact lens that...

Walter Orthmann, a 100-year-old man from Brazil has been working for the same company since 1938, which officially makes his career worthy of the Guinness Book of Records. Orthman began working for Industrias Renaux S.A., a textile company in Brusque, on January 17, 1938, when he was only 15-years-old. He began as an assistant in the shipping department, but over the years, he was promoted to administrative assistant and, eventually, sales manager. During his 84-year-long career, Walter went on sales trips all over the world, received his paycheck in nine different currency denominations, and used nearly every commercial airline in the history of Brazilian aviation. “You have to...

Japan has unveiled a breakthrough that could reshape the way we think about energy. Engineers at Kyoto University have developed a coin-sized generator that harvests electricity from moisture in the air. Unlike solar panels or turbines, this tiny device works 24/7, rain or shine, producing a continuous flow of clean power. The secret lies in a layered nanofilm that absorbs water vapor and converts it into an electric current. Early field tests in Southeast Asia’s rice paddies proved the generator could power sensors and transmitters for months without maintenance—an achievement that traditional batteries or solar setups often fail to match. Public reaction has been filled...