6. Interesting Reads
“It’s a refrain that many youngsters know by heart: Don’t drink too much soda. The popular thinking has always been that it’s not the healthiest of beverages, and a new study is lending credence to what many grew up hearing. According to research done by the Boston University School of Medicine, there appears to be a link between diet soda and an increased chance of stroke and dementia, leaving those who drink diet soda daily almost three times as likely to fall victim to one of the two maladies.”
Nearly 15 years after her first space launch, NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson has now spent more time off-planet than any other American, at more than 534 days. Whitson, 57, is a biochemist who has twice commanded the International Space Station. “It is one of those rides that you hope never ends,” Whitson tweeted last night. “I am so grateful for all those who helped me on each of my missions!” Her current ride will last for at least another five months, due to an extension of Whitson’s mission that’s projected to leave her with more than 650 days in space, NASA says.
(NPR.org)
“It may not have a clever name, but Mercedes-Benz’s home energy storage solution looks primed to bring some competition to Tesla’s Powerwall in certain markets. After being announced in 2015, the Mercedes-Benz energy storage unit is ready for deliveries in the UK, and it should be on sale in the US some time this year, as well. Like Tesla’s Powerwall, Mercedes-Benz’s batteries can be used to provide power to supplement traditional grid use.”
(CNET)
“The Galaxy S8 is probably the best Android smartphone you can buy right now. It’s got a fantastic all-screen design and offers a variety of exciting features. Also impressive is the fact that the phone isn’t as expensive as we’d have expected it to be. Unsurprisingly, however, Samsung is already developing its next Galaxy S model. A new report from Korea makes the first mention of the Galaxy S9’s Qualcomm processor. Quoting Aju Business Daily, The Investor says that Samsung and Qualcomm has already started work on a new mobile chip for the Galaxy S9. The chip is likely to be called Snapdragon 845 and should be manufactured by Samsung or TSMC when development is complete.”
(BGR.com)
“Mums and dads, step away from your phones. It turns out that as much as parents worry about their children’s internet use, children worry about their parents’ habits. Thirty-six percent of children between 11 and 18 have asked their parents to stop checking their mobile devices, according to a survey of 2,000 students and 3,000 parents carried out by nonprofit Digital Awareness UK and the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference, a professional association for teachers. Of those children, 46 percent said their requests were ignored and 44 percent said their parents’ internet use upset them.”
(CNET)
“With the vacation season only a couple of months ahead, you might be interested to know what are the 10 best airlines to fly international economy. As we have entered the age of shared economy, lodging has become more accessible, so has the local transportation, and the transportation probably has one of the largest shares of the overall cost of a vacation. According to Hopper, a company that operates a mobile app that provides flight booking services and suggestions when to buy plane tickets, the average plane ticket from the US to international destinations ranges between $420 (to Mexico and Central America) to $880 (to Russia). At the same time, flights to Europe have become cheaper this year (by 16% to $741) due to lower fuel prices and a decline in demand due to the turmoil in the region.”
