|  7 Ways to Cheat a Hangover Here are seven wise tricks to ward off a brutal hangover. (Of course, the best way to avoid a hangover is to not down too much booze the night before.) Light-colored drinks, such as gin and vodka, cause a milder hangover than darker drinks, such as bourbon or whiskey, according to research. The reason appears to be what are called congeners, or toxic substances produced during alcohol fermentation. Read More » One-Way Mars Trip: 1,058 Private Martian Colony Volunteers Pass 1st Cut  | Mars One announced Monday (Dec. 30) that it has picked 1,058 aspiring spaceflyers to move on to the next round in its search for the first humans to live and die on the Red Planet. More than 200,000 people applied for a spot on Mars One's list of future colonists by the time the initial application window closed on Aug. 31. The group's co-founder Bas Lansdorp said in a statement it was challenging to separate "those who we feel are physically and mentally adept to become human ambassadors on Mars from those who are obviously taking the mission much less seriously," adding that some even appeared nude their application videos. All told, Mars One is looking at applicants from 107 different countries, according to figures released by the group.
| Read More » An Intrepid Look at Winter with Climate Scientist and Adventurer Felicity Aston  | An Intrepid Look at Winter with Climate Scientist and Adventurer Felicity Aston
| Read More » Champagne Toasts: How Climate Affects the Quality of Bubbly The quality of sparkling wine — including France's famed champagne, Spain's cava, or Italy's prosecco — depends on numerous factors ranging from soil type to bottling practices. Grapes destined to become sparkling wine are picked before they are fully ripe, while still small and tart and containing less sugar than standard non-sparkling wine grapes. On the other hand, too little water early in a season slows photosynthesis — the process by which the grapevines create sugar — and can delay ripening, causing the final product to taste unpleasantly tart. Wine grapes generally thrive in relatively dry environments with just enough rain to keep roots moist and photosynthesis in action. Read More » Mock Mars Mission: How to Pack the Red Planet Way  | OTTAWA, CANADA — I'll admit it: I've become that annoying friend and family member, just in time for the busy holiday season. "Can I nab your warm sleeping bag?" I said to a friend who then had to make a special trip to my place with her precious cargo in the car. "Is it okay if I take your DSLR — and can you show me how to make videos with it?" I asked a long-suffering family member who, despite a punishing schedule, is always being harassed for tech support. I, along with the rest of a University of North Dakota-led crew, will be onsite at the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) starting Jan. 4.
| Read More » Astronauts Wish Earth Happy New Year from Space (Video)  | The people of Earth rang in 2014 with raucous celebrations that reached all the way to space, where astronauts on the International Space Station helped usher in the New Year. Three space station astronauts recorded a video wishing humanity a Happy New Year that was broadcast in Times Square during New York City's epic New Year's Eve bash. The video was introduced by NASA astronaut Mike Massimino from Times Square and featured on the iconic Toshiba Vision screen. In the video, NASA astronauts Rick Mastracchio and Mike Hopkins, joined by Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata, wish people on Earth a happy new year before floating up out of view.
| Read More » LEGO Launches Mars Curiosity Rover, 5 More Toy Brick Spacecraft Await Liftoff  | NASA's Mars Curiosity rover has landed in LEGO's toy catalog and is now available for order. The fifth in a line of fan-created, LEGO-produced building kits, the six-wheeled science laboratory could be followed by the now Pluto-bound New Horizons spacecraft, Hubble Space Telescope, or other space-themed kits, if the public votes for them online. The Curiosity rover kit came to be through LEGO CUUSOO, the company's social creation platform. "CUUSOO," which in Japanese means "imagination" or "wish," is a website that invites enthusiasts to share ideas for new LEGO products.
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