Pee Power, Coffee Shortages and Split-Second Decisions - Today on HowStuffWorks NOW

Jan 20, 2016 10:30 am   Today on HowStuffWorks NOW   Would You Pee Into Your Socks to Power Your Phone, Save Your Life? "Stranded on a desert island" scenarios may vanish thanks to urine-powered socks that could allow you to send a life-saving text even if there's no outlet to plug into.       Why Fears of an Impending Coffee Shortage May Be Justified Increased production in Asia and Central America may not be enough to offset Brazil's coffee losses due to drought. What does the future hold?       Researchers Illuminate the Science of Split-second Decisions Life-or-death moments are tricky. Researchers now have a better idea of what's happening in the brain during those moments, and how to control it.       More U.S. Brides Are Keeping Their Maiden Names, for New Reasons Even so, those numbers aren't quite as high as you might think.       Why Scientists Put Tiny 3-D Glasses on a Praying Mantis It's not to entertain the insect. Figuring out how mantises perceive the world could lead to tiny, energy-efficient robots with depth perception, too.       Astronomers Investigating Planetary Birth Make Discoveries Around Baby Stars Over billions of years, the universe has produced a lot of worlds. How does it happen? Astronomers are studying young stars and the exoplanets forming around them.       Bison Embrace Democracy, Often Following Female Leaders Groups of European bison make movement and grazing decisions by popular vote, choosing to follow or ignore potential leaders' suggestions.       6 Civil Rights Struggles Going on Right Now We often think of the civil rights movement as just part of the 1960s. On Martin Luther King Day, we explore some civil rights issues going on in the U.S. today.       Ridiculous History: The Time We Erased One of the World's Biggest Waterfalls A placid lake above a hydroelectric dam on the border of Brazil and Paraguay was once site of Guairá, among the world's most awe-inspiring. Why'd we get rid of it?       So Close! SpaceX's Falcon 9 Just Misses Sticking Landing on Drone Ship The SpaceX team and its Falcon 9 rocket made history today when they attempted a very difficult landing at sea. Learn more at HowStuffWorks Now.       Kangaroo Anthropomorphism Crushed by Mother Nature Once more, humanity's attempts to view other animals as human lands us in a difficult spot, as this week's widely circulated photo of a "grieving" kangaroo illustrates.       How We Grieve Our Famous Dead 'Parasocial interaction' describes the real emotions people feel for celebrities. Are the grief and mourning process after a famous death just as real?       Kodak Is Bringing Back Film, and It's Super The 8 mm format is making a comeback, thanks to Kodak.       Big Families vs. Small Families: A Matter of Quantity vs. Quality? A trio of economists reports that kids in larger families may have more to worry about than simply sharing a room or dealing with hand-me-downs.       Driver's License on Your Phone? There's an App for That Soon, the state trooper at your car window might ask you for your vehicle registration, proof of insurance — and your smartphone.       Ranch Dressing: Delicious, Ubiquitous and Slightly Mysterious Part salad dressing and part condiment, ranch is so popular in the U.S. that some people might consider it a food group. What in the world is ranch dressing actually?     Copyright © 2016 InfoSpace LLC, All rights reserved. HowStuffWorks, 675 Ponce de Leon Ave, Atlanta, GA 30308 Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list