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Officers’ kindness was a welcome surprise
■ When Phoenix police officer Natalie Simonick saw 18-year-old Christian Felix out after dark in March, she suspected he was violating curfew. But Felix told her he was walking six miles home from his job at McDonald's, as he had ...

The vital job of ‘junk’ DNA
Since the late 1990s, when they began decoding the human genome, scientists have believed that 98 percent of DNA is "junk," with no function. But new research shows that most of this genetic material serves as switches that turn genes ...

For a good night’s sleep, let the dog snuggle up to you
Mayo Sleep Clinic in Arizona surveyed 150 patients about sleep habits Found those who sleep with pets 'feel more safe and secure' But 20 per cent say sleep interrupted by 'wandering or whimpering' Animal lovers have been warned for years ...

Japanese robot can recognize human emotion
Meet "Pepper," said Richard Lawler in Engadget.com. Japanese telecom firm SoftBank unveiled a new, robot last week that it claims "can recognize human emotion" thanks to technology that allows it to "communicate through emotion, speech, or body language." Pepper is ...

Restaurants pay it forward on Thanksgiving
If you are broke and hungry on Thanksgiving Day, George Dimopoulos will feed you. No charge. If you are lonely, he will hug you. Also no charge. Then he will feed you. Dimopoulos owns George’s Senate Coney Island, along Haggerty ...

Israeli woman turns home into bat shelter
On a tour of Noura Lifschitz's home in Tel Aviv, you'll find some unexpected guests hanging out. Lifschitz opened her home to some 70 injured fruit bats and created a shelter where she and volunteers help nurse them back to ...

Positive Emotions Found To Have An Immune Boosting Anti-Inflammatory Effect
Awe-inspiring experiences, such as viewing works of art or overlooking a scenic vista, may have physical as well as mental health benefits, according to a new study. Researchers from the University of California, Berkeley, found that the positive emotions triggered ...

Solar Farm Rejected Amid Fears It Will ‘Suck Up The Sun’s Energy’
A town council in North Carolina rejected plans to rezone land for a solar farm after residents voiced fears it would cause cancer, stop plants from growing and suck up all the energy from the sun. Two citizens reportedly made ...

5 Discoveries That Prove Aliens Were Here
The Antikythera Mechanism: The original mechanism apparently came out of the Mediterranean as a single encrusted piece. Soon afterward it fractured into three major pieces. Other small pieces have broken off in the interim from cleaning and handling, and still ...

Billy Ray Harris – Good fortune for honest panhandler
A homeless panhandler, Billy Ray Harris who returned a diamond engagement ring accidentally thrown into his change cup has had his generosity repaid many times over. Sarah Darling of Kansas City, Mo., mistakenly gave her ring to Billy Ray Harris last ...