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The innate human biological clock is not a perfect 24 hours, but rather about 24 hours and 12 minutes–not too short of a Martian sol, which rings in at 24 hours and 39 minutes. But our clocks reset daily according to Earth’s light-dark cycle, which keeps us on track, said Steven Lockley, associate professor of medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School. “Our body clocks have not evolved to live on a Martian day, and when we try to force them to do so, it’s very difficult for our body clocks to reset each day,” he said....

But these metals are critical to making the modern world tick. They’re members of a group known as rare earth elements, or rare earths, that support everything from magnets that power clean energy technology to telescope lenses to the screen on device you’re reading this upon. And mining them is difficult and ecologically costly. So, chemists and engineers are trying to make the best use of rare earths that have already been processed by recycling them out of industrial waste and old electronics....

Some tales of Saturn V’s power dramatize the acoustic potency of that explosive moment. Allegedly, the sound of the launch melted concrete and set nearby grass on fire. Aeroacousticians have new calculations that confirm that any such effects were certainly not caused by the sound of the launch, described in a new paper published August 23 in The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America. But, they say, the roars of really big rockets like the Saturn V are increasingly important to understand....

With only a 16-foot tether as his lifeline, the pilot of the Voskhod 2 mission drifted alone through low Earth orbit. But after 12 minutes, awe turned to panic when his suit ballooned to the point where he couldn’t fit back through the shuttle’s airlock door. He feared that as the first to explore the vastness of space in a suit, he might also be the first to get lost in it....

Many tech companies already have systems in place to try to combat misinformation, but have ramped up their efforts in light of the coronavirus. Here’s an overview of what some of the biggest players in social media are doing to stick to the facts. Facebook On March 18th, Facebook launched its Coronavirus Information Center, which acts as a hub to collect updates and content directly from sources such as the World Health Organization as well as other trusted media outlets....

Another way of getting to a website is by using Siri on your Apple Watch. Say “Siri, go to…” followed by the URL you want to visit. A list of web results will appear—just tap Open Page underneath the link you want to open it. This works well for sites with simple URLs that can be easily spoken out, like apple.com or google.com. A warning, though—You’ll definitely come up against limitations and the experience is nowhere as good as it is on a phone or a laptop....

How to change app permissions on Windows Open up Settings from the Start menu, then choose Privacy & security. You’ll see a list of app permissions, including Location, Camera, and Microphone, and you can click on any of these entries to check which apps have access to these tools. With some permissions, you’ll see a master switch that lets you turn access on or off for all the programs on your system....

How email aliases work In general, email aliases act as “fronts” to your main email address, although the exact details vary from service to service. Anything sent to these variations will arrive at the same inbox as messages meant for your main address, while keeping that original moniker hidden from view. That said, the real application here is not anonymity, but easy filtering. Aliases are alternative addresses that still direct messages to your original inbox....

Start by selecting a new background. There are a few built-in options, most of which are image collections that will show you a new photo every day. If you get bored easily, this is an easy way to rotate different and beautiful images without having to think about it much. But if you already have something in mind, you can upload an image file from your computer (including an animated GIF) and use that....

We’re serious. People who’ve tried them say cicadas are an extremely versatile and tasty ingredient. You can fry them, roast them, pulverize them, or even eat them raw, as if they were oysters. If you’re new to entomophagy—also known as eating bugs—you can inconspicuously add chopped-up cicadas to your favorite dish, or grind them and add them to your smoothies for some extra protein. There’s a lot to explore when dinner is served right in your backyard....

The reason for this paradox is that mainstream credit lenders tend to focus more on your income level or employment status than whether you pay your utility bills on time. This is how credit risk models work globally, and it comes with downsides that affect rich and poor countries alike. In the United States, 63 million people—1 in every 5 Americans—are unbanked or underbanked, which means they either don’t have a bank account or have limited access to financial services, according to the Federal Reserve....

Document everything If your first round of calls bounces you from robot to robot, or the customer service representative you do reach turns down your refund request, your next step is to do some research and take stock of your case. “Make sure the facts are on your side,” says Michelle Couch-Friedman, Executive Director of Elliott Advocacy, a consumer advocacy organization. “Read the terms and conditions of the company you’re contacting....

But with everything going on in the world, it can be hard to laugh. Spending time with the people, comedians, movies, or TV shows that make us laugh the most is a good start, but there’s an even easier way to get the benefits of some extra cackles: making yourself laugh through simulated laughter. Laughing is healthy Neuroimmunologists, the scientists who study the interaction between our nervous and immune systems, have shown that laughter can help us get rid of stress faster....

Deciding between Sony’s PlayStation 4, Microsoft’s Xbox One, and Nintendo’s Switch really comes down to your personal gaming tastes, style, and expectations. Here’s how to narrow down the choice. Nintendo is, essentially, the Disney of video games. If you’re a family with small kids that likes to game together, this is the console you should own. Its roster of games includes ample youngster-friendly characters including Link from the Legend of Zelda series, Pikachu and other Pokemon and, of course, their own Mickey Mouse, Super Mario....

Before you go, take a moment to let yourself get excited about all the new things you’ll see, the people you’ll meet, and the food you’ll try. All this diversity might be overwhelming at first, but you shouldn’t worry—embrace it. If you don’t do enough research before you go, you’re likely to miss out on a lot. It’s easy to cross the big tourist highlights off your list no matter where you go, but the most fun things tend to be the smaller places you discover for yourself and cater to your specific interests....

“But, I recycle my wrapping paper” Maybe you do and maybe you don’t. Despite the “paper” in its name, much of that festive wrap does more harm than good when you throw it in the recycling bin. “Paper with coatings, glitter, foil, bows, etc. is generally not recyclable,” says a representative from the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery. “It’s best to check with your local municipality for what’s acceptable to put in the recycling bin....

At around 6:55 a.m. EDT, Lucy makes its debut with observers on the ground in Western Australia (where it will be 6:55 PM). The spacecraft will quickly pass overhead there and be visible without a telescope or binoculars before disappearing at 7:02 a.m. EDT, when it passes into the Earth’s shadow. Lucy will continue its journey across the Pacific Ocean and will emerge from Earth’s shadow at 7:26 AM EDT (a bright and early 4:26 AM PTD)....

Now, you may have never needed or wanted to share your screen with someone on FaceTime, but if you work remotely, live far from your friends and family, or just like to hop on video calls for the thrill of it (we won’t judge), SharePlay can help you out. Of course, before you collaborate on a shared document or try to get a real-time reaction to a ridiculous TikTok video, you’ll need to know how to share your screen....

According to Harvey Sachs of the non-profit American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, the movement of air over the skin is what’s key to keeping the body cool. So instead of turning on that A.C., see which direction the breeze is blowing outside (no matter how minimal it may be), and then open a few windows strategically to try to get it flowing through the house from end-to-end or side-to-side....

If you’re not an avid angler yourself, but want to get the family involved in the sport, you’ll need to make sure it’s fun for them. That means catching fish—lots of fish. Kids just starting out would much rather catch 40 little sunfish than the biggest bass in the lake like you or I would. Fishing with children is all about quantity over quality, and there are several ways to increase your chances of having a big day....