In May, 2025, a new exhibit will open in the departure area of the Darwin International airport, in northern Australia. After paying a fee, passengers can be lowered into a massive tank of water ... with a 5 metre long crocodile. From a protective enclosure, customers can observe the crcodile swimming around and eating. The fee is expected to be approximately 17,000 yen per person. Would you want to partake in such an adventure? Why or why not?

Scientists working in Panama noticed that a particular tropical tree species was frequently struck by lightning, but was infrequently killed by the strikes. Forest ecologist Evan Gora found that Dipteryx oleifera trees were often the last ones standing after a lightning strike, which can kill over 100 trees with a single bolt. His team discovered the giant trees were more electrically conductive than other species, which allows them to not only survive strikes, but also channel lightning into parasitic vines and competing trees around them. Source and credit to: verbatim from CBC Quirks & Quarks

Archeologists have recently published the fact that they unearthed copper cymbals in Oman, which date back 4,200 years. Ancient cymbals have also been discovered in China and parts of the Middle East. Archeologists believe that cymbals, in all these ancient civilizations, were primarily used in religious ceremonies. Today, in addition to still being used in religious ceremonies, cymbals have graduated to many different genres of modern music.

Baby animals in the wild are vulnerable to predators, while their parents are away hunting for food. Chicks of the white-necked jacobin hummingbird have evolved a unique defence against this vulnerability. When they are born, the chicks are covered in long, narrow feathers that make the chick look like a poisonous caterpillars which discourages predators from attacking. Other animals have also evolved this Batesian mimicry technique - where animals look like a more dangerous creature than they actually are.

Many people in the northern hemisphere like to take a bath or swim in icy water during the winter. Doing so, has long been believed to benefit ones health. Now scientists say that this belief is true. Scientists say that benefits may include a decrease in inflammation, better sleep and a boost in mood and cognitive function. Interestingly, scientists have claimed that senior citizens enjoy more health benefits from cold plunging than their younger counterparts.

A team led by the University of Bristol's Fay Clark trained large birds to use puzzles to get food, and they found that the rheas and emus were able to solve the puzzle easily, though the ostriches did not. While researchers don’t know why the larger birds do not seem as intelligent, a multitude of studies have shown that even smaller birds, like crows, are highly intelligent and are able to use logic and problem solve.
Still not sure of the intelligence of birds? Watch a crow on garbage day!

Between mid-February and mid-March, is when Canadians tap maple trees for syrup. Small, metal funnels are hammered into the trees. Sap then slowly drips out of the tree and is captured in buckets attached to the trees.
Did you know that maple sap has no colour? The sap is boiled and it is within this process, that the sap turns a wonderful golden brown. Real maple syrup is much thinner than mass produced, brands.
It takes 151 litres of maple sap to make just 4 litres of maple syrup.
Other than drizzling it over some pancakes, how else do you eat maple syrup?

A man and his father were recently kayaking off the coast of Chile, when a humpback whale mistook the young man for breakfast!
Humpback whales tend to surface, with their mouths open, in an attempt to gather as many small fish as possible, into their mouths. On this day, the whale did so, taking the man AND his kayak into its mouth. The whale briefly went down into the water again, where it spit out the man and his kayak. The young man quickly returned to the surface of the water, where his father encouraged him to remain calm.
Could you have remained calm, under the circumstances? I don’t think I could!

Did you see seven of the planets neatly lined up in the night sky on February 28? Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Venus, Neptune, Saturn, Earth and Mercury were in alignment in an arc, something that will not occur again until 2040.
If you missed this celestial event, four planets will align again on April 17, 2025. Next month, you might be able to see Venus, Mercury, Saturn and Neptune.
Look up on the 17th and …good luck!

Our immune system is what fights infections and disease. White blood cells are vital in this fight. New research at Stanford university has shown that with intense exercise, our white blood cells release little ‘webs’, that circulate throughout the body, capturing pathogens and protecting us from illness.
So next time, rather than walking somewhere, try running to your destination, instead. It’s good for you!

Studies have shown that while you may enjoy that big ice cream cone after a baseball practice in the middle of July, thinking about the ice cream beforehand, also makes you happy.
Kelly Lambert, a neuroscience researcher, found that during the period leading up to a happy event, our brains are ‘bathed’ in chemicals associated with positivity and optimism.
As you are waiting for your next happy event, try to see if you are smiling and feeling happy, even before the happy event occurs!

January and February are the worst months for colds and the flu. Research has found that keeping your nose warm, during cold and flu season, will actually help you!
Your body produces decoy cells in your nose, that attract viruses to them, protecting your ‘true’ cells from becoming infected. When it’s cold, your nose will run and the valuable decoy cells will be flushed out of your nose, along with the extra mucus.
Stay warm and healthy!