- A team of astronomers from the European Southern Observatory (ESO) has discovered a black hole lying just 1,000 light-years from Earth. The black hole is closer to our Solar System than any other found to date and forms part of a triple system that can be seen with the naked eye. They say this system could just be the tip of the iceberg, as many more similar black holes could be found in the future.
- Although dog owners believe a smiling dog is a happy one, researchers (Bristol University) say the idea is a myth. Researchers say while it is common for dogs to grin, when a dog grins it is more likely that it is a confused gesture because it is unsure what is expected of it.
- Many may already see France as a nation of grumblers, and a survey shows the French agree. The poll found that 93 percent of French people think their compatriots grumble often, although only 37 percent admit they tend to complain. Men were the grumpier of the two sexes, said 43 percent of respondents, with around one in five men saying they moaned to get what they wanted compared with 16 percent of women. One in four said carping was a way of relaxing.
-A South Carolina man had trouble convincing his wife that his $250,000 lottery win was legitimate. The man and his wife told South Carolina lottery officials they don’t normally play the lottery, but they won $10 on a ticket they received as a Christmas gift and used the money to buy another ticket, which was also a winner. The couple kept their winning streak going until the man stopped for take-out and bought a scratch-off that turned out to be a $250,000 winner. The man had a difficult time convincing his wife the win was real, and for good reason — he had previously pranked her with a fake winning ticket.
CAMPING TIPS
When the pandemic subsides, get out of the house and get back to nature. For maximum enjoyment and minimum mishaps, observe these camping tips:
• When using a public campground, a tuba placed on your picnic table will keep the campsites on either side vacant.
• Unwrap and leave a few chocolate bars out in the hot sun. When the evening comes, you can have chocolate covered ants.
• Lint from your navel makes a handy fire starter. Remove lint from navel before applying the match.
• Take this simple test to see if you qualify for solo camping. Shine a flashlight into one ear. If the beam shines out the other ear, do not go into the woods alone.
• Bear bells provide an element of safety for hikers in grizzly country. Wait until the bears are resting before applying the bells.
THINGS YOU’LL NEVER WANT IN YOUR HOME AFTER COVID-19?
The website BestLifeOnline.com says we’ll never want these things in our homes again after COVID-19. Do you agree?
USED TOYS – While you may have grabbed a used swing set from a friend or brought home a secondhand puzzle from a discount store, that’s unlikely to remain true going forward.
CASH – A recent study (published in The Lancet) found that coronavirus could be detected on banknotes for up to four days. And that’s not even accounting for other germs like MRSA bacteria and E.coli.
SECONDHAND CLOTHING – While shopping secondhand may save you money, your thrift store habit may be put on the back burner after the pandemic passes.
GIFT BASKETS – Getting a gift basket from a friend or family member may have once been a happy occasion, but after the pandemic subsides, you may be second-guessing those presents. Why? According to the website: “People will have to be especially careful with these as they could have been in multiple homes and areas, thus having more chance of holding virus particles on their surfaces and promoting further spread of infection.”
HOMEMADE MEALS – Restaurants are held to relatively high standards when it comes to their cleanliness. Your friend’s kitchen? Not so much — and that’s why accepting a homemade...
