People have often marveled at how an elephant, so large and heavy, can walk calmly through swamps where other animals would struggle.
It turns out that this is due to the unique structure of its legs. An elephant’s foot is essentially encased in a leathery pouch. The bottom of this pouch is firmly attached to the bones of the foot, while the walls rest freely on the muscles. When the elephant steps down, it bears its full weight on the leg, causing it to swell and expand. Then, as it lifts its …

A pair of psychologists from Chicago discovered that most people tend to remember the same artworks from those they are shown. Trent Davis and Wilma Bainbridge conducted three types of experiments to learn more about the memorability of art pieces, and the results surprised them.
Logic suggests that viewing art is a personal experience. Most people looking at a painting or statue have their own thoughts or feelings about the piece. This is tied to the human tendency to bring personal experience…

In the forests of Burma, where valuable teak wood is harvested, elephants take on all the tasks that machines handle in other logging operations. They are busy felling trees and, instead of tractors, they transport heavy logs to the river. An elephant can grasp a log that is one and a half to two times the circumference of its trunk, roll it onto its tusks, and carry it away.
But even in the sawmills where the wood is processed, you can see elephants at work. Here, they might be better describe…

Older adults with weakened health can significantly improve their well-being by walking at least 10 to 15 steps per minute faster than their usual pace. This was stated by a team of researchers from the University of Chicago.
“Fast walking is a well-known factor in reducing mortality rates. Older adults who walk faster tend to live longer,” emphasized Dr. Daniel Rubin, an associate professor of anesthesiology and critical care, and the lead author of the study.
As Dr. Rubin explained to BBC Sci…

An elderly man from Moscow bought a duck at the store. When he brought it home, his wife began to prepare the bird. But as she cut into the gullet, four shiny stones fell out along with some leftover food and sand. They were yellow, very heavy, and could easily be scratched with the tip of a knife.
It turned out that the duck had been carrying gold nuggets in its gullet.
People began to wonder where Moscow had sourced this particular bird. It came from various regions—Rostov, Kurgan, Belgorod…

Research has shown that consuming negative news is linked to mental health issues such as feelings of anxiety, insecurity, and vulnerability. Bad news can make a person more pessimistic about themselves, others, and life in general, claims Reza Shahabahang, a media psychologist and researcher at Flinders University in Australia.
According to him, sometimes absorbing a large amount of distressing news can even lead to psychological trauma. This means that a person may experience symptoms of post…