FifaWorldcuo2022

Explore the Amazon rainforest’s flying rivers, and dig into why these invisible waterways are essential to life on Earth. -- The largest rainforest in the world, the Amazon, exists between two rivers — but not in the way you might think. At ground level, the Amazon River and its tributaries weave their path. But above the canopy, bigger waterways are on the move. These flying rivers are almost invisible, but are essential to life on Earth. Iseult Gillespie explores how this crucial system keeps the rainforest alive.

Explore how sperm whales use an array of complex vocalizations to communicate with each other, hunt, and assess their surroundings. -- Soon after whaling ships began operating in the North Pacific, an interesting trend emerged. Within just a few years, whalers saw a 58% drop in their successful strikes. Sperm whales had suddenly become harder to kill— they had begun fleeing the boats instead of forming their usual defensive circles. Were whales communicating new strategies to each other? David Gruber and Shane Gero investigate.

Dig into common mistakes that tree-planting programs make, and explore strategies that can successfully re-green the planet. -- In fighting climate change, few solutions are discussed more than planting lots and lots of trees. It sounds simple enough: trees absorb CO2 from the atmosphere, so planting more should help eliminate greenhouse gasses. The trouble is, tree planting efforts don’t always work as planned. So, when is it bad to plant trees? Carolyn Beans explores strategies to successfully re-green the planet.

Explore the common scientific theories about why humans laugh, and how this universal behavior evolved. -- Isn’t it odd that, when something’s funny, you might show your teeth, change your breathing, become weak and achy in some places, and maybe even cry? In other words, why do we do this bizarre thing that is laughter? Since there’s no archaeological record of laughter, it’s impossible to say exactly how and why it evolved, but scientists have some theories. Sasha Winkler digs into the reflex.

Explore the psychology of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, and dig into how these forces contribute to our drive. -- Motivation is complicated. Psychologists define motivation as the desire or impetus to initiate and maintain a particular behavior. But sometimes, no matter how passionate you are about a goal or hobby, finding the motivation to actually do it can be difficult. Why is motivation so fickle? Explore intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, and dig into how these forces contribute to our drive.

Dig into the history of poker, from the game’s invention in the American South to its explosion of popularity across the world. -- From its earliest incarnations, poker has always been a contest of guile, guts, and gambling. The game first emerged around 1800 in the melting pot of New Orleans, and soon spread up the Mississippi, Ohio, and Missouri rivers. So, how did this simple game of the American South skyrocket in popularity? James McManus shares how the card game became an international affair.

Is it possible to lose weight fast— in a healthy way? Dig into how different forms of dieting affect your body.