Some Shocking Facts That Will Change Your Entire Approach to Social Media.

Social media is fraught with legend, hysteria, and mass confusion. Because of its intensely personal nature, we tend to approach social media with a lot of strong feelings about its effectiveness, lack thereof, best practices, and how things should be done.

Since most of us use Facebook, we think we know how effective it will be, or what kind of posts garner the most attention and interaction. Since we have a Twitter account, we have a sense of knowledge about how it works, and what a business should do (or not do) on Twitter.
All that is great, but how much of our social media behavior is founded upon fact? I decided to dig into the data and do some research. What I’ve extracted below are five surprising data points that will have a profound effect on how you approach social media.

1. Email marketing has an ROI of 4,300%.

Source: Direct Marketing Association
What? A statistic about email? You thought this was about social media, right?
My title is “Five Shocking Facts That Will Change Your Entire Approach to Social Media.” This statistic qualifies as shocking, and it impacts the way we approach on social media.
The basic fact is this: Email marketing has a huge ROI — way better than any social media marketing ROI can ever dream of achieving. Compare 4,300% that with the ROI of social media, which is crawling around on the floor. Is there even a comparison?
Take a look at this chart, released by Custora in 2013. They surveyed the owners of ecommerce sites to find out where these sites got their customers. Here are the top six sources:

Paid and organic search have the highest customer acquisition percentages. The next biggest contender is email. Based on its ROI — higher than paid and organic search — it’s a no brainer. Email marketing is awesome.
According to the chart above, the fascinating thing about email marketing is that its acquisition rates are rising dramatically. It has quadrupled over the past four years. Email marketing’s effectiveness far outranks any social media platform, and its growth outstrips them.
Even the customer lifetime value (CLV) of social media is hardly worth a second glance. Again, email marketing crushes social media by a huge margin:

Simply put, email marketing is way more effective than social media marketing. It has greater effectiveness, better ROI, and higher CLV.
Learn this lesson: Spend more time and money on email marketing than on social media marketing.

2. YouTube has the highest engagement and lowest bounce rate.

Source: Shareaholic
Whenever we think of “social media,” we automatically think of Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.
What about YouTube? Check out these engagement stats!

• Average time on site: 227 seconds
• Average pages per visit: 2.99
• Average bounce rate: 43.19%

How does this stack up against the rest of the social media landscape? Decide for yourself:

The Shareaholic analysis is based on post-click behavior, which refers to clicking on a link that a friend shares socially. As the Shareaholic analysis stated, “YouTube is the undisputed champion. YT drives the most engaged traffic.”
YouTube deserves more of your social media time and effort. You can’t afford not to put more work into creating and adding videos. The more YouTube content, the more you’ll engage your potential customers.
Learn this lesson: If you want engaged traffic, spend time optimizing YouTube.

3. Facebook drives more referrals than any other social platform.

Source: Shareaholic
Want to know which social media site sends you the most amount of traffic? It’s Facebook — by far.
Shareaholic analyzed metrics taken over four months, measuring the effectiveness of social media platforms. There was no contest. Facebook crushed the competition, asserting itself as the most powerful social media referral engine on the planet.

Companies gripe and complain over the way that Pages have been squashed in the Facebook algorithm. I get that. Facebook wants more ad revenue.
But even though page interaction is shrinking, there’s nothing shrinking about the number of referrals that Facebook continues to drive. Simply stated, Facebook still drives more traffic than any other social media site, soaring way above its nearest referral competition, Pinterest.

The reason why I’ve included this in my list of facts is because many marketers have become disillusioned with Facebook.
Kevan Lee of Buffer writes:
Nowadays, when I endeavor to check my Facebook statistics, I do so with the window open, birds singing, a pint of ice cream at my desk, and party jams playing on my jambox….Checking Facebook statistics has been bad news for a lot of us lately as we wrestle with declining numbers and shrinking reach.
While Kevan is staving off Facebook depression with ice cream parties and fresh air, Eat24 just decided to end the relationship with a “How dare you!”

The super long breakup letter that went into overtime with a P.P.P.S.S.S. was full of foodie talk and hurt feelings. But they were gone from Facebook for good.
If you have a fan base below 10,000 (that’s most of us), and only 28 interactions per post, please don’t be discouraged, don’t binge eat, and don’t write a breakup letter. You’re right where you ought to be, as ranked by Social Baker’s average interaction chart.

And if you’re in an unsexy industry like finance or telecom, you can expect your average post interaction to be lower, than say, an alcohol or fashion site.

In spite of the apparent downward spiral of Facebook metrics, I suggest not giving up on Facebook. Though it is fickle, and though your page isn’t featured at the top of everyone’s news feed, and though you may have to turn up your party music while you check your stats, Facebook is still giving you referrals.
As Kevan’s brilliant article concluded — “A counterintuitive way to combat Facebook reach: Stop caring about it.”
Learn this lesson: Stick it out with Facebook.

4. Pinterest pins are worth 78 cents each.

Source: Piquora
First off, a Pinterest disclaimer (or two), and then a Pinterest happy dance.
The first disclaimer is this — Pinterest has high bounce rate (53%) and low engagement. Disclaimer number two: Pinterest doesn’t work for everyone. If you are into food, crafts, photography, weddings, design, fitness, humor, travel, fashion, and inspirational quotes, then Pinterest is killer. It holds promise for some, but not for all.
The happy dance is this — Pinterest is the second biggest social media referral platform. Though it trails Facebook distantly, it still beats out Twitter, YouTube, Google+, and LinkedIn by a sizeable margin.
Now, let’s talk about ROI. Pinterest, as it turns out, does have one. But it’s a delayed reaction. When a pinner curates his or her pinboard, it takes a while for there to be social buildup, let alone revenue. Unlike Twitter, which has a short half-life, Pinterest visits increase as time goes on. It’s like wine. The older, the better.

As it turns out, the revenue doesn’t start happening until more than two months after pinning. Pinners spend more time exploring other people’s pinboards then they do searching for stuff offsite to pin. The average Pinterest pin gets 10 repins, but it takes time for those pinners to start repinning pins. This leads to a corresponding delay in revenue.

Pinterest is money, but it’s slow money. It’s like investing in a CD or a bond. The egg just takes a little while to hatch.
Learn this lesson: Use Pinterest. And be patient.

5. 65% of Twitter users expect a response in under two hours.

Source: Lithium
Customers use Twitter like a company hotline. If you don’t respond within minutes, you’re toast. Here are the lofty chronological expectations of Twitter users, in all their statistical glory:

Image from Hubspot.
The Lithium study that produced this statistic had the headline, “Consumers Will Punish Brands that Fail to Respond on Twitter Quickly.” The flip side, “consumers will reward brands that harness Twitter’s power to meet their rising expectations.”
What kind of punishment are we talking about?

• “38% feel more negative about the brand.” As a result, they may no longer purchase from the company.
• “60% will take unpleasant actions to express their dissatisfaction…publicly shaming the brand on social media” In other words, they may spread their grief further on Twitter. It’s easy to tweet off a 140-character-or-less gripe about the company. “74 percent of customers who take to social media to shame brands believe it leads to better service.”

What’s in it for brands who are on the ball, and who respond to Tweets instantaneously?

• 34 percent are likely to buy more from that company;
• 43 percent are likely to encourage friends and family to buy their products;
• 38 percent are more receptive to their advertisements;
• 42 percent are willing to praise or recommend the brand through social media.

There’s a lot to gain by a quick response, and a lot to lose if you don’t. So if you get that Twitter notification on lunch break, don’t wait. Step on it, respond right away, and please your customers’ socks off.
Learn this lesson: If you’re going to use Twitter, stay on top of it.

Conclusion

Here are the five lessons we need to learn

1. For right now, spend more time and money on email marketing than on social media marketing.
2. If you want engaged traffic, spend time optimizing YouTube.
3. Stick with Facebook.
4. Use Pinterest. And be patient.
5. If you’re going to use Twitter, stay on top of it.

Facts are indisputable, and the action points are obvious. Let’s not get lost in the romance and novelty of social media. Let’s stay clear headed, smart, and engaged. There’s power in social media, and we need to handle it in the right way.
What are some of the most compelling social media statistics that you’ve heard?

This Island in Brazil has up to 5 snakes per square meter.

Off the shore of Brazil, almost 93 miles away from São Paulo downtown, is Ilha da Queimada Grande. The island is untouched by human developers, and for very good reason. Researchers estimate that on the island live between one and five snakes per square meter. The snakes live on the many migratory birds (enough to keep the snake density remarkably high) that use the island as a resting point.


"Between one and five snakes per square meter" might not be so terrible if the snakes were, say, 2 inches long and nonvenomous. The snakes on Queimada Grande, however, are a unique species of pit viper, the golden lancehead. The lancehead genus of snakes is responsible for 90% of Brazilian snakebite-related fatalities. The golden lanceheads that occupy Snake Island grow to well over half a meter long, and they possess a powerful fast-acting poison that melts the flesh around their bites. Golden lanceheads are so dangerous that, with the exception of some scientific outfits, the Brazilian Navy has expressly forbidden anyone from landing on the island.
Locals in the coastal towns near Queimada Grande love to recount two grisly tales of death on the island. In one, a fisherman unwittingly wanders onto the island to pick bananas. Naturally, he is bitten. He manages to return to his boat, where he promptly succumbs to the snake's venom. He is found some time later on the boat deck in a great pool of blood.
The other story is of the final lighthouse operator and his family. One night, a handful of snakes enter through a window and attack the man, his wife, and their three children. In a desperate gambit to escape, they flee towards their boat, but they are bitten by snakes on branches overhead.
Marcelo Duarte, a biologist who has visited Snake Island over twenty times, says that the locals' claim of one to five snakes per square meter is an exaggeration, though perhaps not by much. One snake per square meter is more like it. Not that that should ease one's mind: At one snake per meter, you're never more than three feet away from death.

Know Before You Go!!!Presently, reaching the island legally requires the cooperation of the Brazilian Navy. A particularly daring tourist could hypothetically travel to Peruíbe or Itanhaém (approx. 1.5-2.5 hours from downtown São Paulo) and convince a local with a boat to approach the island, but doing so is dangerous and illegal. Golden lanceheads can legally be seen at the Butantã Institute in São Paulo if one asks politely.
#Snakes #Islands

Some snakes survive for up to two years without a meal.

 University of Arkansas researcher Marshall McCue studied Western timber rattlesnakes and two other species and found that they could lower their standard metabolic rates -- a trait never seen before in vertebrates.

Starving snakes employ novel survival strategies not seen before in vertebrates, according to research conducted by a University of Arkansas biologist. These findings could be used in conservation strategies to determine the health of snake populations.

“These animals take energy reduction to a whole new level,” said Marshall McCue, a graduate student in biological sciences in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences. He reported his findings in the journal Zoology.
While scientists knew that some snake species could survive for up to two years without a meal, no studies have examined the physiological changes that take place when a snake goes for prolonged periods without food. McCue examined three snake species – the ball python, the ratsnake and the western diamondback rattlesnake – to study their responses to prolonged periods without food.
The 62 snakes studied went about six months without eating – a time period that could well be duplicated in the wild, where food supplies can be scarce. McCue then looked at physiological, compositional and morphological changes in the snakes.
The results showed that the snakes could lower their standard metabolic rates, some by up to 72 percent.
“Snakes already had low energy demands. We didn’t know they could go lower,” McCue said.
Another surprising finding: The snakes continued to grow despite the lack of food – a counterintuitive finding, but a measurement that again does not appear in the research literature.
“To me, this suggests that there must be a strong selective advantage to growing longer,” McCue said. It also means the snakes have become extremely efficient in their ability to use available resources.
To illustrate the strategies employed by snakes to combat starvation, McCue uses an economic analogy of supply and demand.
“When you’re cut off from resources, you are an organism that still needs to expend energy,” he said. The “demand” end is met by decreasing their metabolic rate. The “supply” end must be met by frugal use of resources they have at hand for energy, which comes from within.
The body composition of snakes includes water, ash, protein, fats and carbohydrates. McCue found that the snakes used up selected fat stores first during starvation, but he also found crucial differences between the snake species. The ratsnakes, which typically have a more abundant rodent supply in their natural environment, began to break down proteins faster than the pythons or rattlesnakes.
“The protein use was higher in the snakes less well adapted to starvation,” McCue said.
Snakes are relatively new on the world scene, having been around for about 100 million years. Yet they currently comprise about half of all reptile species.
“Snakes are very evolutionarily successful,” McCue said. Understanding the physiology that allows them to succeed in low-energy environments will help scientists further their understanding of the snakes’ evolution and their adaptation to their current ecosystems.

 Source:
The above post is reprinted from materials provided by University of Arkansas, Fayetteville

Interesting Facts About Phones.

1. In Mexico, the drug cartels are capturing technicians and making them build a private cell phone network for them. – Source
2. In 2011, a Norwegian boy escaped from wolves by playing a heavy metal song by Megadeth on his cell phone. – Source
3. Hacker Kevin Mitnick, Dubbed the “most dangerous hacker in the world,” spent 8 months of his prison sentence in solitary confinement because law enforcement officials convinced a judge that he could start a nuclear war by whistling into a pay phone. He listened in on FBI phone calls during the three years he evaded the FBI, left them doughnuts when he narrowly escaped raids and was chased down by a helicopter. – Source
4. Nokia is developing a method of harvesting radio-waves, which would recharge your phone while it’s on standby. – Source
5. Apple co-founder, Steve Wozniak was the first owner of the phone number 888-888-8888, but it proved unusable as he was receiving over 100 wrong numbers a day, mostly from babies playing with the phone. – Source

6. 90 to 95% of mobile phone sales in Japan were waterproof because Japanese young girls are so fond of their mobile phones they even use them in the shower. – Source
7. While Mother’s Day is the busiest for phone calls, Father’s Day is the busiest for collect calls (a telephone call that the receiving party is asked to pay for). – Source
8. If your phone’s GPS tracks itself going over 1,200 mph at an altitude higher than 60,000 feet, it legally is required to deactivate the tracking as it probably means it is being used to guide an intercontinental missile. – Source
9. Carlton Rich, a convict used his one phone call to call his girlfriend, who then called the same jail, with Rich himself on three-way. He pulled an impersonation of a prison official In New Mexico granting himself bail. Rich also orchestrated a fax confirming his release. He was released, but arrested again three days later in the same city at his girlfriend’s house. – Source
10. In 1993, IBM released a mobile phone with touch screen and E-mail. – Source

11. A wanted pimp had such a sophisticated pattern lock on his android phone that the FBI was unable to crack it. They had to serve Google with a warrant to try and help them. – Source
12. A woman in France received a rather substantial phone bill of 11,721,000,000,000,000€ (6,000 times the GDP of France itself). The phone company suggested she pay it off in multiple installments and only admitted their error after further pressing. – Source
13. In 1971, John Draper, a former phone phreak used a whistle found in a Cap’n Crunch cereal box to hack AT&T. This gave him authorization into the phone companies system, essentially giving him operator like control, with the ability to place free long distance calls around the world. – Source
14. Yuri Gagarin, the first human in space, returned to Earth by ejecting from his space capsule at 7 km, parachuting down the rest of the way sans-ship, walking up to a farmer and daughter asking to use the phone to call Moscow. – Source
15. 112 is an international mobile (cell) phone emergency number that redirects you to the local emergency services. – Source

16. The first message sent over the Washington-Moscow hotline (aka “Red phone”) was “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog 1234567890”. To make sure all keys on the teletypes were operational. – Source
17. Google gives its live traffic feeds by using anonymous cell phone data. They collect the speed at which phones are moving and use that data to indicate traffic congestion – Source
18. In 1996, after a rash of unexplained pay phone thefts in Malaysia, authorities discovered that the fishermen were using them as bait. Fishermen would cut off the handsets, connected them to high-powered batteries and lowered them into the water. The electricity passing through the microphones produced a high-pitched sound that attracted fishes into their nets. – Source
19. One ton of mobile phone waste contains 60 times more gold than one ton of gold ore – Source
20. Cell phones have zero effect on airplane equipment. It is the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) that doesn’t want them to be used on airplanes. It is because when you make a call at 10,000 feet, the signal bounces off multiple available cell towers, rather than one at a time. This means too many airline passenger might clog up the networks on the ground, – Source

21. You can use your cell phone’s camera to see if the battery in you television’s remote still has some juice in it. This only works on remotes which use infrared LEDs to communicate with devices. Phone’s camera can detect these infrared flashes when the remote is used.
22. Starting with an old cell phone, a teen used craigslist to keep trading up, ultimately ending up with a Porsche Boxster S convertible. – Source
23. In Japan, Sony sells a mouse that doubles as a phone for Skype. When the phone rings the user simply opens the mouse, cell-phone style, and starts talking. – Source
24. A random phone booth was placed in the Mojave Desert in the 1960s in a location several miles from the nearest paved roads and buildings. A movie filmed about it in 2006. – Source
25. In a 1982, on an episode of SNL, Eddie Murphy decided the fate of a live lobster using two phone lines put on screen. Over 500,000 calls were made, causing such a spike in traffic that AT&T set up communication with the television networks to warn them of future disruptions, which still exists today. – Source

25 Amazing Facts About Mobile Phones Which Will Shock You

We can’t imagine our lives without a mobile phone now.  We are addicted to them, our day starts with them.  Google’s Google Now, Apple’s siri and Microsoft’s Cortana became a part of our life, they made our lives simple and they help us in many ways.  Now let us see the amazing facts about mobile phones.

1.  Have you ever used Nokia 1100? Be proud, it was the bestselling electrical gadget in history with more than 250 million pieces sold.
2.  $4000 is the cost of first mobile phone in US, in 1983.
3.  In 2012 Apple sold more than 340,000 iPhones per day, which is around 4 per second.
Also see amazing facts about Apple Inc., and evolution of iOS.
4.  Be careful while using your mobile phone, it has 18 times more bacteria than toilet handles.
5.  Is your phone water proof?  90% of mobile phones in Japan, are waterproof.
6.  Insomnia, confusion and headaches are caused due to mobile phone radiation. Experts have identified ringxiety, nomophobia, telephonophobia and frigensophobia as conditions that can effect people.
7.  This sounds odd, but you can charge your phone by using urine, scientists developed it.
8.  The first mobile call was made by Martin Cooper in 1973.
9.  Do you know that the present mobile phones have more computing power than the computers used for the Apollo 11 to land on the moon.
10.  In Britain more than 100,000 mobile phones are dropped down in the toilet every year.
11.  In 1993, world’s first Smartphone was debuted at Florida’s Wireless World Conference by BellSouth Cellular, it has a LCD touch screen display.  This was designed by IBM and named as Simon ,priced at $899 and only 2000 Simmons are made at that time.
12.  In U.S., the mobile phone towers and antennas are often disguised. Engineers have developed ways to install the equipment into telephone poles, clock faces, church roofs and even in signs. Even mobile phone tower is often disguised as plastic trees.
13.  70% of mobile phones are manufactured in China.
14.  Around 80% of the world’s population has a mobile phone.
15.  More than 90% of adults have their mobile phone within arm’s reach all the time.
16.  There are more mobile phones than PCs, the ratio  is 5 times.
17.  More than 4 billion people own mobile phones.  But only 3.5 billion use a toothbrush.
18.  Within 3 minutes of delivery, 90% of text messages are read.
19.  More than 80% of adults in U.S. own a mobile phone.
20.  What is your monthly mobile phone bill?  142,000 pounds is the highest ever mobile bill  by Celina Aarons.
21.  According to Guinness World Records, Sonim XP3300 Force is recognized as the toughest phone.  It survived an 84ft drop without any operational damage.
22.  Mobile phone industry is the fastest growing industry in the world.
23.  iPhone 5 Black Diamond is the costliest phone in the world, which costs $15 million.  It will take nine weeks to build, made of 135 gram solid gold of 24 carat and the chassis was inlaid with 600 white diamonds.
24. 74 % of smartphone users use their mobile phone to help with shopping, of which 79% ultimately making a purchase.
25.  Mobile phone users mostly spend their time on games and social networking(49% and 30% respectively).

- See more at: http://www.spinfold.com/25-amazing-facts-about-mobile-phones/#sthash.8jTynqeQ.dpuf

25 Amazing Facts About Mobile Phones Which Will Shock You

We can’t imagine our lives without a mobile phone now.  We are addicted to them, our day starts with them.  Google’s Google Now, Apple’s siri and Microsoft’s Cortana became a part of our life, they made our lives simple and they help us in many ways.  Now let us see the amazing facts about mobile phones.

1.  Have you ever used Nokia 1100? Be proud, it was the bestselling electrical gadget in history with more than 250 million pieces sold.
2.  $4000 is the cost of first mobile phone in US, in 1983.
3.  In 2012 Apple sold more than 340,000 iPhones per day, which is around 4 per second.
Also see amazing facts about Apple Inc., and evolution of iOS.
4.  Be careful while using your mobile phone, it has 18 times more bacteria than toilet handles.
5.  Is your phone water proof?  90% of mobile phones in Japan, are waterproof.
6.  Insomnia, confusion and headaches are caused due to mobile phone radiation. Experts have identified ringxiety, nomophobia, telephonophobia and frigensophobia as conditions that can effect people.
7.  This sounds odd, but you can charge your phone by using urine, scientists developed it.
8.  The first mobile call was made by Martin Cooper in 1973.
9.  Do you know that the present mobile phones have more computing power than the computers used for the Apollo 11 to land on the moon.
10.  In Britain more than 100,000 mobile phones are dropped down in the toilet every year.
11.  In 1993, world’s first Smartphone was debuted at Florida’s Wireless World Conference by BellSouth Cellular, it has a LCD touch screen display.  This was designed by IBM and named as Simon ,priced at $899 and only 2000 Simmons are made at that time.
12.  In U.S., the mobile phone towers and antennas are often disguised. Engineers have developed ways to install the equipment into telephone poles, clock faces, church roofs and even in signs. Even mobile phone tower is often disguised as plastic trees.
13.  70% of mobile phones are manufactured in China.
14.  Around 80% of the world’s population has a mobile phone.
15.  More than 90% of adults have their mobile phone within arm’s reach all the time.
16.  There are more mobile phones than PCs, the ratio  is 5 times.
17.  More than 4 billion people own mobile phones.  But only 3.5 billion use a toothbrush.
18.  Within 3 minutes of delivery, 90% of text messages are read.
19.  More than 80% of adults in U.S. own a mobile phone.
20.  What is your monthly mobile phone bill?  142,000 pounds is the highest ever mobile bill  by Celina Aarons.
21.  According to Guinness World Records, Sonim XP3300 Force is recognized as the toughest phone.  It survived an 84ft drop without any operational damage.
22.  Mobile phone industry is the fastest growing industry in the world.
23.  iPhone 5 Black Diamond is the costliest phone in the world, which costs $15 million.  It will take nine weeks to build, made of 135 gram solid gold of 24 carat and the chassis was inlaid with 600 white diamonds.
24. 74 % of smartphone users use their mobile phone to help with shopping, of which 79% ultimately making a purchase.
25.  Mobile phone users mostly spend their time on games and social networking(49% and 30% respectively).

- See more at: http://www.spinfold.com/25-amazing-facts-about-mobile-phones/#sthash.8jTynqeQ.dpuf

25 Amazing Facts About Mobile Phones Which Will Shock You

We can’t imagine our lives without a mobile phone now.  We are addicted to them, our day starts with them.  Google’s Google Now, Apple’s siri and Microsoft’s Cortana became a part of our life, they made our lives simple and they help us in many ways.  Now let us see the amazing facts about mobile phones.

1.  Have you ever used Nokia 1100? Be proud, it was the bestselling electrical gadget in history with more than 250 million pieces sold.
2.  $4000 is the cost of first mobile phone in US, in 1983.
3.  In 2012 Apple sold more than 340,000 iPhones per day, which is around 4 per second.
Also see amazing facts about Apple Inc., and evolution of iOS.
4.  Be careful while using your mobile phone, it has 18 times more bacteria than toilet handles.
5.  Is your phone water proof?  90% of mobile phones in Japan, are waterproof.
6.  Insomnia, confusion and headaches are caused due to mobile phone radiation. Experts have identified ringxiety, nomophobia, telephonophobia and frigensophobia as conditions that can effect people.
7.  This sounds odd, but you can charge your phone by using urine, scientists developed it.
8.  The first mobile call was made by Martin Cooper in 1973.
9.  Do you know that the present mobile phones have more computing power than the computers used for the Apollo 11 to land on the moon.
10.  In Britain more than 100,000 mobile phones are dropped down in the toilet every year.
11.  In 1993, world’s first Smartphone was debuted at Florida’s Wireless World Conference by BellSouth Cellular, it has a LCD touch screen display.  This was designed by IBM and named as Simon ,priced at $899 and only 2000 Simmons are made at that time.
12.  In U.S., the mobile phone towers and antennas are often disguised. Engineers have developed ways to install the equipment into telephone poles, clock faces, church roofs and even in signs. Even mobile phone tower is often disguised as plastic trees.
13.  70% of mobile phones are manufactured in China.
14.  Around 80% of the world’s population has a mobile phone.
15.  More than 90% of adults have their mobile phone within arm’s reach all the time.
16.  There are more mobile phones than PCs, the ratio  is 5 times.
17.  More than 4 billion people own mobile phones.  But only 3.5 billion use a toothbrush.
18.  Within 3 minutes of delivery, 90% of text messages are read.
19.  More than 80% of adults in U.S. own a mobile phone.
20.  What is your monthly mobile phone bill?  142,000 pounds is the highest ever mobile bill  by Celina Aarons.
21.  According to Guinness World Records, Sonim XP3300 Force is recognized as the toughest phone.  It survived an 84ft drop without any operational damage.
22.  Mobile phone industry is the fastest growing industry in the world.
23.  iPhone 5 Black Diamond is the costliest phone in the world, which costs $15 million.  It will take nine weeks to build, made of 135 gram solid gold of 24 carat and the chassis was inlaid with 600 white diamonds.
24. 74 % of smartphone users use their mobile phone to help with shopping, of which 79% ultimately making a purchase.
25.  Mobile phone users mostly spend their time on games and social networking(49% and 30% respectively).

- See more at: http://www.spinfold.com/25-amazing-facts-about-mobile-phones/#sthash.8jTynqeQ.dpuf

25 Amazing Facts About Mobile Phones Which Will Shock You

We can’t imagine our lives without a mobile phone now.  We are addicted to them, our day starts with them.  Google’s Google Now, Apple’s siri and Microsoft’s Cortana became a part of our life, they made our lives simple and they help us in many ways.  Now let us see the amazing facts about mobile phones.

1.  Have you ever used Nokia 1100? Be proud, it was the bestselling electrical gadget in history with more than 250 million pieces sold.
2.  $4000 is the cost of first mobile phone in US, in 1983.
3.  In 2012 Apple sold more than 340,000 iPhones per day, which is around 4 per second.
Also see amazing facts about Apple Inc., and evolution of iOS.
4.  Be careful while using your mobile phone, it has 18 times more bacteria than toilet handles.
5.  Is your phone water proof?  90% of mobile phones in Japan, are waterproof.
6.  Insomnia, confusion and headaches are caused due to mobile phone radiation. Experts have identified ringxiety, nomophobia, telephonophobia and frigensophobia as conditions that can effect people.
7.  This sounds odd, but you can charge your phone by using urine, scientists developed it.
8.  The first mobile call was made by Martin Cooper in 1973.
9.  Do you know that the present mobile phones have more computing power than the computers used for the Apollo 11 to land on the moon.
10.  In Britain more than 100,000 mobile phones are dropped down in the toilet every year.
11.  In 1993, world’s first Smartphone was debuted at Florida’s Wireless World Conference by BellSouth Cellular, it has a LCD touch screen display.  This was designed by IBM and named as Simon ,priced at $899 and only 2000 Simmons are made at that time.
12.  In U.S., the mobile phone towers and antennas are often disguised. Engineers have developed ways to install the equipment into telephone poles, clock faces, church roofs and even in signs. Even mobile phone tower is often disguised as plastic trees.
13.  70% of mobile phones are manufactured in China.
14.  Around 80% of the world’s population has a mobile phone.
15.  More than 90% of adults have their mobile phone within arm’s reach all the time.
16.  There are more mobile phones than PCs, the ratio  is 5 times.
17.  More than 4 billion people own mobile phones.  But only 3.5 billion use a toothbrush.
18.  Within 3 minutes of delivery, 90% of text messages are read.
19.  More than 80% of adults in U.S. own a mobile phone.
20.  What is your monthly mobile phone bill?  142,000 pounds is the highest ever mobile bill  by Celina Aarons.
21.  According to Guinness World Records, Sonim XP3300 Force is recognized as the toughest phone.  It survived an 84ft drop without any operational damage.
22.  Mobile phone industry is the fastest growing industry in the world.
23.  iPhone 5 Black Diamond is the costliest phone in the world, which costs $15 million.  It will take nine weeks to build, made of 135 gram solid gold of 24 carat and the chassis was inlaid with 600 white diamonds.
24. 74 % of smartphone users use their mobile phone to help with shopping, of which 79% ultimately making a purchase.
25.  Mobile phone users mostly spend their time on games and social networking(49% and 30% respectively).

- See more at: http://www.spinfold.com/25-amazing-facts-about-mobile-phones/#sthash.8jTynqeQ.dpuf

25 Amazing Facts About Mobile Phones Which Will Shock You

We can’t imagine our lives without a mobile phone now.  We are addicted to them, our day starts with them.  Google’s Google Now, Apple’s siri and Microsoft’s Cortana became a part of our life, they made our lives simple and they help us in many ways.  Now let us see the amazing facts about mobile phones.

1.  Have you ever used Nokia 1100? Be proud, it was the bestselling electrical gadget in history with more than 250 million pieces sold.
2.  $4000 is the cost of first mobile phone in US, in 1983.
3.  In 2012 Apple sold more than 340,000 iPhones per day, which is around 4 per second.
Also see amazing facts about Apple Inc., and evolution of iOS.
4.  Be careful while using your mobile phone, it has 18 times more bacteria than toilet handles.
5.  Is your phone water proof?  90% of mobile phones in Japan, are waterproof.
6.  Insomnia, confusion and headaches are caused due to mobile phone radiation. Experts have identified ringxiety, nomophobia, telephonophobia and frigensophobia as conditions that can effect people.
7.  This sounds odd, but you can charge your phone by using urine, scientists developed it.
8.  The first mobile call was made by Martin Cooper in 1973.
9.  Do you know that the present mobile phones have more computing power than the computers used for the Apollo 11 to land on the moon.
10.  In Britain more than 100,000 mobile phones are dropped down in the toilet every year.
11.  In 1993, world’s first Smartphone was debuted at Florida’s Wireless World Conference by BellSouth Cellular, it has a LCD touch screen display.  This was designed by IBM and named as Simon ,priced at $899 and only 2000 Simmons are made at that time.
12.  In U.S., the mobile phone towers and antennas are often disguised. Engineers have developed ways to install the equipment into telephone poles, clock faces, church roofs and even in signs. Even mobile phone tower is often disguised as plastic trees.
13.  70% of mobile phones are manufactured in China.
14.  Around 80% of the world’s population has a mobile phone.
15.  More than 90% of adults have their mobile phone within arm’s reach all the time.
16.  There are more mobile phones than PCs, the ratio  is 5 times.
17.  More than 4 billion people own mobile phones.  But only 3.5 billion use a toothbrush.
18.  Within 3 minutes of delivery, 90% of text messages are read.
19.  More than 80% of adults in U.S. own a mobile phone.
20.  What is your monthly mobile phone bill?  142,000 pounds is the highest ever mobile bill  by Celina Aarons.
21.  According to Guinness World Records, Sonim XP3300 Force is recognized as the toughest phone.  It survived an 84ft drop without any operational damage.
22.  Mobile phone industry is the fastest growing industry in the world.
23.  iPhone 5 Black Diamond is the costliest phone in the world, which costs $15 million.  It will take nine weeks to build, made of 135 gram solid gold of 24 carat and the chassis was inlaid with 600 white diamonds.
24. 74 % of smartphone users use their mobile phone to help with shopping, of which 79% ultimately making a purchase.
25.  Mobile phone users mostly spend their time on games and social networking(49% and 30% respectively).

- See more at: http://www.spinfold.com/25-amazing-facts-about-mobile-phones/#sthash.8jTynqeQ.dpuf

100 Weird Facts About Dogs.

Did you know dogs aren’t actually color blind? How about that the Newfoundland has webbed feet to help it swim? Or, that a third of all pet owners have admitted to speaking to their dog over the answering machine when they weren’t at home? Read these and other weird facts about dogs – and some about dog owners in this list from RichStevens.com
100 Weird Facts About Dogs:
1. It is a myth that dogs are color blind. They can actually see in color, just not as vividly as humans. It is akin to our vision at dusk.

2. Dogs DO have better low-light vision than humans because of a special light-reflecting layer behind their retinas

3. A German Shepherd guide dog led her blind companion the entire 2100 mile Appalachian Trail

4. If never spayed or neutered, a female dog, her mate, and their puppies could produce over 66,000 dogs in 6 years!

5. Dogs’ only sweat glands are between their paw pads

6. Like human babies, Chihuahuas are born with a soft spot in their skull which closes with age

7. The breed Lundehune has 6 toes and can close its ears

8. Teddy Roosevelt’s dog, Pete, ripped a French ambassador’s pants off at the White House

9. President Lyndon Johnson had two beagles named Him and Her

10. Franklin Roosevelt spent $15,000 for a destroyer to pick up his Scottie in the Aleutian Islands

11. In Roman times, mastiffs donned light armor and were sent after mounted knights

12. The Russians trained dogs during WWII to run suicide missions with mines strapped to their backs

13. A dog’s mouth exerts 150-200 pounds of pressure per square inch

14. … with some dogs exerting up to 450 pounds per square inch.

15. A one year old dog is as mature, physically, as a 15 year old human

16. The U.S. has the highest dog population in the world

17. France has the 2nd highest

18. The average city dog lives 3 years longer than a country dog

19. 87% of dog owners say their dog curls up beside them or at their feet while they watch T.V.

20. Dogs can be trained to detect epileptic seizures

21. 15 people die in the U.S. every year from dog bites

22. In 2002 alone, more people in the U.S. were killed by dogs than by sharks in the past 100 years

23. Gidget is the name of the Taco Bell dog

24. Newfoundlands are great swimmers because of their webbed feet

25. Basset Hounds cannot swim

26. Greyhounds are the fastest dogs on earth, with speeds of up to 45 miles per hour

27. Bingo is the name of the dog on the side of the Cracker Jack box

28. The bible mentions dogs 14 times

29. Three dogs survived the sinking of the Titanic – a Newfoundland, a Pomeranian, and a Pekingese

30. The Labrador Retriever is the #1 favorite breed in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K.

31. Obesity is the #1 health problem among dogs

32. An estimated 1,000,000 dogs in the U.S. have been named as the primary beneficiaries in their owner’s will

33. An American Animal Hospital Assoc. poll found that 33% of dog owners admit to talking to their dogs on the phone and leaving answering machine messages for them while away

34. Dog’s nose prints are as unique as a human’s finger prints and can be used to accurately identify them

35. At the end of the Beatles’ song “A Day in the Life”, a high-pitched dog whistle was recorded by Paul McCartney for his sheepdog

36. 70% of people sign their pet’s name on greeting and holiday cards

37. 58% put pets in family and holiday portraits

38. There are only 350 Cisky Terriers in the world – perhaps the rarest breed

39. The phrase “raining cats and dogs” originated in 17th century England when it is believed that many cats and dogs drowned during heavy periods of rain.

40. Dogs have no sense of “time”

41. Humans have kept dogs as pets for over 12,000 years

42. The largest breed of dog is the Irish Wolfhound

43. The world’s smallest dog breed is the Chihuahua

44. The St. Bernard is the heaviest

45. Only dogs and humans have prostates

46. But dogs do not have an appendix

47. Every dog on earth likely descended from a species knows as the Tomarctus – a creature that roamed the earth over 15 million years ago

48. The oldest known breed is likely the Saluki – originally trained by Egyptians to help them track game.

49. In 1957, Laika became the first living being in space via an earth satellite

50. … while JFK’s terrier, Charlie, father 4 puppies with Laika’s daughter

51. An African wolf dog known as the basenji is the only dog in the world that cannot bark

52. There are 703 breeds of purebred dogs

53. Dachshunds were originally bred for fighting badgers

54. The world’s smartest dogs are thought to be (1) the border collie, (2) the poodle, and (3) the golden retriever

55. … while the dumbest dog is believed to be the Afghan hound

56. A dog’s smell is more than 100,000 times stronger than that of a human’s

57. … which they need because their eyesight is not as keen as a human’s.

58. Dogs judge objects first by their movement, then by their brightness, and lastly by their shape

59. Chocolate contains a substance known as theobromine (similar to caffeine) which can kill dogs or at the very least make them violently ill

60. George Washington had thirty six dogs – all foxhounds – with one named Sweetlips

61. All dogs are identical in anatomy – 321 bones and 42 permanent teeth

62. Smaller breeds mature faster than larger breeds

63. Female dogs are only ready to mate – “in heat” – twice a year for a total of roughly 20 days

64. Puppies sleep ninety percent of the day for their first few weeks

65. Rin Tin Tin was the first Hollywood dog star

66. … and he really signed his movie contracts – all 22 of them – with a pawprint

67. The Wizard of Oz’s Toto was played by a female Cairn Terrier named Terry

68. Their vision is not fully developed until after the 1st month

69. Dogs have two times as many muscles to move their ears as people

70. The longer a dog’s nose, the more effective it’s internal cooling system

71. An elderly woman was saved by her 12 pound Yorkshire Terrier who fought off an 80 pound Akita and survived with only 9 stitches

72. U.S. Customs dogs “Rocky” and “Barco” were so good at patrolling the border that Mexican drug lords put a $300,000 bounty on their heads

73. Dogs are all direct descendants of wolves

74. Wolves and dogs can mate to produce fertile offspring

75. Female wolves have been known to travel great distances to regurgitate full meals for their hungry pups

76. Cerberus was the tri-headed dog that guarded the underworld in Greek mythology

77. Female dogs bear their young for 60 days before they’re born

78. Dogs’ sense of hearing is more than ten times more acute than a human’s

79. Humans can detect sounds at 20,000 times per second, while dogs can sense frequencies of 30,000 times per second.

80. The earliest dog fossil dates back to nearly 10,000 B.C.

81. Bloodhounds are prized their ability to single out and identify a number of scents simultaneously

82. Dalmatian puppies are born completely white.

83. The Ancient Chinese carried Pekingese puppies in the sleeves of their robes

84. Boxers are so named because of their manner of playing with their front paws

85. All breeds of dog have been found to attack livestock – from 3 month old puppies, all the way up to thirteen year old poodles

86. A dog’s heart beats up to 120 times per minute, or 50% faster than the average human heartbeat of 80 times per minute

87. The oldest dog on record – a Queensland “Heeler” named Bluey – was 29 years, 5 months old

88. Davy Crockett had a dog named Sport

89. Dogs were first domesticated by cavemen

90. Dogs live 15 years on average

91. Many foot disorders inn dogs are simply an issue of long toenails

92. More than 5,000,000 puppies are born in the U.S. every year

93. More than 1 in 3 American families own a dog

94. Average body temperature for a dog is 101.2 degrees

95. The Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts both offer merit badges in dog care

96. Dogs are natural pack animals

97. They are naturally submissive to any creature with higher pack status – human or canine

98. After birth, puppies’ eyes do not fully open until they’re about 12 days old

99. Dogs with little human contact in the first three months typically don’t make good pets

100. The Chihuahua was named after the state in Mexico where they were discovered

Source: Dogington

10 Fun Facts About Charles Darwin.

 

Everyone knows about Charles Darwin and his theory of natural selection, but did you know that he once ate an owl, just for kicks? Or that he almost didn't make it aboard HMS Beagle because of the shape of his nose? Behold Neatorama's 10 Fun Facts About Charles Darwin:

1. Darwin Once Ate an Owl

Darwin was an inquisitive man. Sure he was curious about nature and all that science stuff, but he's also a guy. So when he saw strange animals, he often wondered what they would taste like. The difference between Darwin and the rest of us is that he actually ate 'em!
While he was at Cambridge University, Darwin joined the "Gourmet  Club," which met once a week to eat animals not often found in menus, like hawk and bittern (a type of wading bird in the heron family). His zeal for weird food, however, broke down when he tried an old brown owl, which he found "indescribable."
But that one episode didn't end Darwin's weird gastronomic proclivities. During the voyage of the Beagle, he ate armadillos and agoutis (the rodents were "best meat I ever tasted," he said).
In Patagonia, South America, Darwin ate a puma (it tasted like veal) and an ostrich-like bird called a Rhea. Actually, Darwin had been looking for this particular species of Rhea, only to find that he had been eating one all along. He sent back the uneaten parts to the Zoological Society in London, which named the bird Rhea darwinii after him!
In the Galapagos, Darwin ate iguanas and giant tortoises. He liked it so much he loaded up 48 of them aboard the Beagle, to be eaten on the journey back!
Sources: Darwin's Dinner at Quite Interesting | The Life and Letters of Charles Darwin by Charles and Francis Darwin

2. Darwin Wanted to Be a Doctor, But He Couldn't Stand the Sight of
Blood

Darwin attended Edinburgh University in hopes of becoming a physician like his father, but soon abandoned the idea because he couldn't stand the sight of blood. So he decided to study divinity instead and become a rural cleric, which would fit his hobby of being a naturalist just fine
(Source).

3. Darwin's Nose Almost Cost Him The Voyage on the Beagle

The Captain of HMS Beagle, Robert FitzRoy, was about to embark on a survey expedition to South America, but he was afraid of the stress and loneliness of such a voyage (indeed, they have driven the previous captain of the ship to commit suicide). So FitzRoy asked his superiors for a well-educated and scientific gentleman companion to come along as an unpaid naturalist whom he could treat as an equal. The professors at Cambridge recommended then 22-years old Charles Darwin for the trip.
At first, Charles' father Robert objected to the appointment - after
all, such a voyage would take years and would get in the way of him being a clergyman. But Darwin's uncle was able to persuade him not only to let his son go, but also support him financially.
Darwin and FitzRoy got together well, but later Darwin found out that he almost didn't get picked for the voyage ... on account of the shape of his nose!

"Afterwards on becoming very intimate with Fitz-Roy, I heard that I had run a very narrow risk of being rejected [as the Beagle's naturalist], on account of the shape of my nose! He was an ardent desciple of Lavater, and was convinced that he could judge a man's character by the outline of his features; and he doubted wheather anyone with my nose could possess sufficient energy and determination for the voyage. But I think he was afterwards well-satisfied that my nose had spoken falsely." (Source: Charles Darwin: His Life Told in an Autobiographical Chapter, and in a Selected Series of His Published Letters, by Charles Darwin - 1902)

4. Best Birthday Gift Ever: a Mountain!

Mount Darwin in Tierra del Fuego, Photo: Victory Adventure ExpeditionsFor Darwin's 25th birthday on February 12, 1834, Captain FitzRoy named a mountain after him. Yup, Mount Darwin. It is the highest peak in Tierra del Fuego.
A year earlier, Darwin and his shipmates were on a small island in the Tierra del Fuego archipelago when a huge mass of ice fell from the face of a glacier and plunged into the ocean, causing a huge wave. Darwin ran to the shore and saved the ship's boats from being swept away. For saving everyone from being marooned, FitzRoy named the area Darwin Sound.
And as if one mountain isn't enough, Darwin got three more named after him: There are other Darwin Mountains located in California, Tasmania, and Antarctica.

5. The Full Title of "On The Origin of Species"

Larger photo: University of SydneyYou probably know that Darwin's most famous work, outlining his theory of evolution, is On the Origin of Species.
But what most people don't know is the full title: On the Origin of Species by means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life. It was published in 1859, twenty years after his epic voyage (yes, he took his sweet time in publishing his work, which he only did because Alfred Russell Wallace came to the same conclusion of evolution and Darwin didn't want to be left behind). A total of 1250 copies were printed and it went on sale for 15 shillings.
It's now valued at around $23,000.
In the 6th edition, the title was changed to The Origin of Species.

6. Darwin Didn't Invent the Phrase "Survival of the Fittest"

That was Herbert Spencer, a philosopher and contemporary of Charles Darwin. After reading Darwin's On the Origin of Species, Spencer wrote Principles of Biology in 1864. He coined the phrase "survival of the fittest" and extended Darwin's theory of natural selection into the realm of sociology, ethics, and economics.
Darwin himself used the phrase in his 5th edition of The Origin and gave full credit to Spencer.

7. Darwin Married His First Cousin

Darwin was a logical man, and he approached the important issue of marriage like he would any problem. In The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, Darwin made careful pro and con list of marriage to his first cousin, Emma Wedgwood:

Image: Cambridge University Library - The Complete Work of Charles Darwin OnlineUnder the title "This is the Question," Darwin wrote in the "Marry" Column:

Children — (if it Please God) — Constant companion, (& friend in old age) who will feel interested in one, — object to be beloved & played with. — —better than a dog anyhow. — Home, & someone to take care of house — Charms of music & female chit-chat. — These things good for one's health. — Forced to visit & receive relations but terrible loss of time. —
W My God, it is intolerable to think of spending ones whole life, like a neuter bee, working, working, & nothing after all. — No, no won't do. — Imagine living all one's day solitarily in smoky dirty London House. — Only picture to yourself a nice soft wife on a sofa with good fire, & books & music perhaps — Compare this vision with the dingy reality of Grt. Marlbro' St.

... and in the "Not Marry" column:

No children, (no second life), no one to care for one in old age.— What is the use of working 'in' without sympathy from near & dear friends—who are near & dear friends to the old, except relatives
Freedom to go where one liked — choice of Society & little of it. — Conversation of clever men at clubs — Not forced to visit relatives, & to bend in every trifle. — to have the expense & anxiety of children — perhaps quarelling — Loss of time. — cannot read in the Evenings — fatness & idleness — Anxiety & responsibility — less money for books &c — if many children forced to gain one's bread. — (But then it is very bad for ones health to work too much)
Perhaps my wife wont like London; then the sentence is banishment & degradation into indolent, idle fool —

He concluded that he should marry, and wrote:

Marry - Marry - Marry Q.E.D.

It is ironic that the man who gave rise to the importance of genetics in natural selection chose to marry his first cousin (Darwin wasn't alone in this - Einstein also married his cousin), but one thing is for sure: Darwin cleverly avoided adding more relatives to visit!

8. How Darwin Lost His Faith in Christianity

Darwin was actually quite a religious fellow when he began his voyage on the Beagle (he was fresh out of divinity school). Aboard the ship, Darwin was known to quote passages from the bible to rowdy sailors on board.
But something happened during the trip that made him less religious. Darwin saw slavery firsthand as well as the wretched living conditions of the natives of Tierra del Fuego and wondered why God allowed such inhumanities to happen (Source). Darwin became skeptical of the history in the Old Testament, yet still believed in the existence of God.
Darwin lost his faith when his daughter Annie caught scarlet fever and died at the age of 10. He wrote "We have lost the joy of the household, and the solace of our old age ... Oh that she could now know how deeply, how tenderly we do still & and shall ever love her dear joyous face." The heartsick Emma filled a small box with Annie's small treasures and kept it until her own death. (Source)
From then on, Darwin continued to help the local church with parish work, but would go on walks while his family attended church on Sundays. When asked about his religious views, Darwin denied that he was an atheist, but called himself agnostic.
In 1915, Lady Hope claimed to have visited Darwin and witnessed his deathbed conversion back to Christianity. This was refuted by his children, who noted that his last words were to Emma: "I am not the least afraid of death - Remember what a good wife you have been - Tell all my children to remember how good they have been to me." (Source)

9. Darwin was a Backgammon Fiend

After his return from South America, Darwin developed a life-long illness that left him severely debilitated or bed-ridden for long periods of time. Darwin consulted with more than 20 doctors, but the cause of his disease was never discovered (Wikipedia has an interesting list of possible illnesses).
Over the years, with the help of Emma, Darwin developed a strict routine that seemed to help in alleviating the symptoms. AboutDarwin.com has an interesting glimpse into what everyday life was like for Darwin.
Of note is Darwin's strict schedule for playing backgammon. Every night between 8 and 8:30 PM, Darwin would play 2 games of backgammon with Emma. He even kept score of every game he played for years!

10. Church of England Finally Apologized to Darwin

When Darwin's work on the theory of evolution came out, the church attacked him vociferously. Now, 126 years after his death, The Church of England has apologized to Darwin:

Charles Darwin: 200 years from your birth, the Church of England owes you an apology for misunderstanding you and, by getting our first reaction wrong, encouraging others to misunderstand you still. We try to practice the old virtues of 'faith seeking understanding' and hope that makes some amends. But the struggle for your reputation is not over yet, and the problem is not just your religious opponents but those who falsely claim you in support of their own interests. Good religion needs to work constructively with good science – and I dare to suggest that the opposite may be true as well. (Source)

Looking At Cute Animal Pictures At Work Can Make You More Productive, Study Claims

Japanese researcher Hiroshi Nittono just made the Internet’s day. According to a new study lead by Nittono for Hiroshima University, looking at pictures of puppies and panda cams and grumpy, grumpy cat videos at work doesn’t just improve your mood, it can also increase your productivity.

Results show that participants performed tasks requiring focused attention more carefully after viewing cute images. This is interpreted as the result of a narrowed attentional focus induced by the cuteness-triggered positive emotion that is associated with approach motivation and the tendency toward systematic processing.

Published online last week in the journal PlosOne, the Japanese research paper, entitled “The Power of Kawaii: Viewing Cute Images Promotes a Careful Behavior and Narrows Attentional Focus,” concluded that looking at cute images at work can boost attention to detail and overall performance.
In Japan “kawaii” (Japanese for cute) is a cultural phenomenon (think, the Hello Kitty craze). With their large heads and eyes, these type of images are thought to stir positive feelings because they resemble babies, according to LiveScience.com.
For the study, Nittono and his colleagues studied three different groups of students as they completed various tasks, one of which was similar to the American board game “Operation.” Each group attempted its respective task twice: the first time without viewing any images, and then after looking at a series of pictures, which could have included baby animals, adult animals, or some other neutral subject (like foods).
The students who looked at cute animals did far better at the game then did peers who observed adult animals or food, outperforming their peers by a “significant margin,” according to Gawker.
Researchers theorized several reasons for the improvement. One reason considered and dismissed was linked to a behavior tendency in adults to slow down speech when talking to puppies and kittens.
Another reason may be connected to nurturing instincts. “If viewing cute things makes the viewer more attentive, the performance of a non-motor perceptual task would also be improved,” the study stated.
On the other hand, past studies have shown that short breaks of all kinds, whether to look at that adorable corgi slideshow or to check out the latest “Gangnam Style” parody video, can help keep you more focused throughout the work day.
“Web browsing can actually refresh tired workers and enhance their productivity, compared to other activities such as making personal calls, texts or emails, let alone working straight through with no rest at all,” reports The Wall Street Journal.
This view is bolstered by a 2009 University of Melbourne study which concluded that “short and unobtrusive breaks” made workers more productive than counterparts who refused to give in to the call of the web.

Shocking Abortion facts and figures.

Abortion: facts and figures

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· One in three women in the UK have an abortion in their lifetime.
· Around 180,000 abortions a year take place in England. About 10,000 are on women from other parts of the world including Ireland, where it is illegal. 10,000 are performed in Scotland.
· Women between 20- and 24-years-old are the largest users of abortion services.
· Since being legalised under the 1967 Abortion Act, on average around one fifth of all pregnancies in the UK have ended in abortion.
· World-wide, around one quarter of pregnancies end in abortion - nearly half are illegal.
· 70,000 women world-wide die each year from back-street abortions.
· Almost 90% of abortions take place in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.
· Contrary to the hype, late abortions are rare. Only 1.6% of abortions in the UK happen after 20 weeks - and they need compelling reasons.
· 76% of adults in the UK are pro-choice.
· The NHS is not required by law to perform abortions.
· In England nearly a quarter of women pay for their abortions because NHS services are restricted.
· Abortion on request is the general rule in most European countries and in the US but not in the UK where the permission of two doctors is required.
Source: Abortion Rights, UK
For more facts and figures and details go to: Daily Facts