Today's Daily Brain Teaser (Aug 30, 2013)

Defy Gravity



The following is an advertisement for a common item. The ad agency, however, is trying to entice buyers by making the item sound more impressive than it really is. Can you tell what is being sold here?



DEFY GRAVITY!

As you command water - or any liquid - to flow upwards! Could you be tampering with the secrets of the Earth? Your friends will be amazed! Just $1.99.





Check Braingle.com for the answer.

Today's Daily Trivia Quiz (Aug 30, 2013)

Catch the Phrases and Sayings 2

How well do you know some of the most used phrases and sayings? I'll give you part of the phrase or saying; see if you can match up the missing portions. Good luck and have fun!



Take the Quiz at Braingle.com

Vocabulary : Split Infinitives

An infinitive is an unconjugated verb preceded by the word "to". For example:



"I decided to go to the party."

"I was forced to eat the vegetables."



A split infinitive occurs when "to" and the verb are separated. For example:



"I decided to not go to the party."

"I was forced to unfortunately eat the vegetables."



These sentences can easily be "fixed" by rearranging the words (eg. "not to go", "unfortunately to eat"). It is somewhat controversial whether or not split infinitives are considered to be proper grammar. They are fairly common in speech and can sometimes help to reduce ambiguity in a sentence, but some strict grammarians still consider them to be grammatically incorrect.

Memory : Neurotransmitters

A neurotransmitter is a chemical in the brain that helps regulate the electrical signals between neurons. Neurotransmitters exist in little pockets, inside the nerve cells, called vesicles. When an electrical signal triggers the neuron, these vesicles float to the cell membrane and release their neurotransmitters. The neurotransmitters then jump across the synapse and bind to receptors on adjacent neurons.



How the adjacent neuron reacts to the neurotransmitters depends on a number of factors. There are many different types of neurotransmitters produce different results. Some cause the adjacent neuron to trigger and others suppress triggering. It is the combined effect of all the neurotransmitters that determines what happens to the signal.

Creativity : Opposite Point of View II

People tend to classify a situation quickly, which causes us to think and respond to it in predictable ways. A creative thinker will think about situations from different angles.

Try this exercise to think of these situations from the opposite point of view.



1. You just found a $10 bill on the ground. List five reasons why this is unfortunate.

2. You just had a fight with your best friend. List five positive things about this.

3. Your sink is full of dirty dishes. List five reasons why this is good.

4. Your significant other surprises you with a romantic dinner. List five reasons why this is bad.

'Terror Bird' Was Just a Scary-Looking Vegetarian

Prehistoric terror birds looked ferocious, but they likely spent most of their days feasting on plants. Continue reading →



via Discovery News http://news.discovery.com/animals/prehistoric-terror-birds-prove-vegetarians-can-look-scary-130829.htm#mkcpgn=rssnws1

DNews: Why Do People Cut Themselves?

Depression is a terrible psychological condition. Some reports claim nearly one in 12 teenagers harm themselves. Laci tries to find out why.



via Discovery News http://news.discovery.com/human/videos/why-do-people-cut-themselves-video.htm#mkcpgn=rssnws1

Predator Drone Joins Yosemite Wildfire Fight

A National Guard Predator drone is being called into action for the Rim Fire in California. Continue reading →



via Discovery News http://news.discovery.com/earth/weather-extreme-events/predator-drone-joins-yosemite-wildfire-fight-130829.htm#mkcpgn=rssnws1

Boston Marathon to Host Extra 9,000 for 2014 Race

Boston 2014 may see the second-largest number of runners ever and many are hoping to pay tribute to the 2013 victims by running. Continue reading →



via Discovery News http://news.discovery.com/adventure/activities/boston-marathon-increases-field-for-2014-race-130829.htm#mkcpgn=rssnws1

Curiosity Drives Itself, Captures Eclipse

NASA's Mars rover uses its auto-navigation system for the first time. Destination: Mount Sharp Continue reading →



via Discovery News http://news.discovery.com/space/curiosity-catches-martian-moon-eclipsing-sun-130829.htm#mkcpgn=rssnws1

Trojan Ahoy! Uranus Has a Plus-One

Uranus, despite its odd, sideways orbit around the sun, has a tag-along companion. Continue reading →



via Discovery News http://news.discovery.com/space/astronomy/uranus-has-a-plus-one-130829.htm#mkcpgn=rssnws1

Transparent Artificial Muscle Plays Music

Scientist have combined a transparent hydrogel with a conductive polymer to create an artificial muscle that produces sound.



via Discovery News http://news.discovery.com/tech/nanotechnology/transparent-artificial-muscle-plays-music-130829.htm#mkcpgn=rssnws1

DNews: What Happens When a New Element is Discovered

To the dismay of high school students everywhere, yet another element has been discovered and added to the ever-growing periodic table. Trace shows us what goes into discovering a new element and how one is added to the official list.



via Discovery News http://news.discovery.com/earth/videos/what-happens-when-a-new-element-is-discovered-video.htm#mkcpgn=rssnws1

Video Games Are The Perfect Way To Teach Math, Says Stanford Mathematician - Forbes

Video Games Are The Perfect Way To Teach Math, Says Stanford Mathematician Forbes That is not to say that everyone who plays will walk away having learned a multiplicity of skills, but rather that the game offers puzzles that work on multiple levels. Therefore, players are able to practice and develop math skills and comprehension ...

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Five Disease Outbreaks Linked to Vaccine-Shy Parents

Measles isn't the only disease being spread in clusters of people who refuse vaccinations.



via Discovery News http://news.discovery.com/human/health/outbreaks-linked-to-vaccine-shy-parents-130829.htm#mkcpgn=rssnws1

Internet Crash: 6 Unthinkable Scenarios

Jitters are at an all-time high after recent outages to Google, Twitter, NASDAQ and The New York Times.



via Discovery News http://news.discovery.com/tech/internet-crash-6-unthinkable-outcomes-130729.htm#mkcpgn=rssnws1

19th-Century Shipwreck Off N.J. Coast Identified

First discovered in the 1970s, the wreck site finally has a ship's name to go with it.



via Discovery News http://news.discovery.com/history/us-history/shipwreck-identified-off-nj-coast-130829.htm#mkcpgn=rssnws1

Home Made Drone Beams Wi-Fi

A do-it-yourselfer built a drone that provides a Wi-Fi connection wherever he goes. Continue reading →



via Discovery News http://news.discovery.com/tech/robotics/home-made-drone-beams-wi-fi-130829.htm#mkcpgn=rssnws1

DNews: Can Money Really Buy Happiness?

"Can't Buy Me Love," but what about happiness? Is there an ideal amount of money that a person can earn to live a perfectly satisfying life? Turns out, yes. Anthony shows us what a satisfying life really costs all over the world including the U.S.



via Discovery News http://news.discovery.com/human/videos/can-money-really-buy-happiness-video.htm#mkcpgn=rssnws1

Controlling Weather with Lasers

Need some rain? Fire up the laser and zap a cloud. Could it be that easy? Continue reading →



via Discovery News http://news.discovery.com/earth/weather-extreme-events/controlling-weather-with-lasers-130829.htm#mkcpgn=rssnws1

Fastest-Spinning Man-Made Object Created

Scientists have created a microscopic sphere and set it awhirl at a blistering 600 million rotations per minute.



via Discovery News http://news.discovery.com/tech/gear-and-gadgets/fastest-spinning-object-created-130829.htm#mkcpgn=rssnws1

Mysterious Texas 'Blue Dog' Claimed to be Chupacabra

Is a strange, blue-skinned dog found years ago in Texas evidence of a vampiric monster call the chupacabra? Continue reading →



via Discovery News http://news.discovery.com/animals/mysterious-blue-dog-in-texas-claimed-to-be-chupacabra-130829.htm#mkcpgn=rssnws1

Ancient Mega-Fish No Longer the One that Got Away

For more than a century, the mystery of the true size of a gigantic dinosaur-era fish, Leedsichthys, seemed like the one that got away for paleontologists. However, a recent study documented an ancient whopper Leedsichthys that may have been the largest fish ever at 16.5 meters (54 feet). Continue reading →



via Discovery News http://news.discovery.com/earth/ancient-mega-fish-no-longer-the-one-that-got-away-130829.htm#mkcpgn=rssnws1

Do Migraines Change Your Brain?

A migraine leads to more than intense pain, says new research. Continue reading →



via Discovery News http://news.discovery.com/human/health/embargoed-wed-4pm-est-do-migraines-change-your-brain-130828.htm#mkcpgn=rssnws1

Horse and Rider Enter State of Co-Being

Horses and their human riders can enter a state that affects both mind and body, with each physically conforming to the other over time.



via Discovery News http://news.discovery.com/animals/pets/horse-rider-enter-co-being-130829.htm#mkcpgn=rssnws1

Five Top Volcano Mysteries: Solved!

Here are the top five volcano-related questions that have all been answered in the last decade.



via Discovery News http://news.discovery.com/earth/rocks-fossils/5-volcano-mysteries-solved-130829.htm#mkcpgn=rssnws1