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  Original photo by Unsplash+ via Getty Images Eleven U.S. states have just one area code. As the largest and smallest states by area, Alaska and Rhode Island are in some ways diametrically opposed. But they do share one particular quirk: Each has just one area code. In fact, there are a total of  11 U.S. states  whose residents use the same area code — Alaska, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming — and the reason has to do with the lower population numbers in those locations. In 1947,  AT&T introduced  area codes in an effort to standardize phone numbers across the United States and parts of Canada. The company issued 86 original area codes that are still in use today; the more well populated a state was, the more likely it was to be allotted multiple area codes. Back then, it was common practice for the middle digit to be “0” if the area code covered an entire state, and “1” if it c...

  How humpback whales use bubbles as a tool A new study confirms a theory that humpbacks are a tool-using species, as they deploy nets of bubbles to catch fish and krill. By Bethany Augliere August 26, 2024 Chimpanzees use sticks to  fish for termites , sea otters  crack open clams  with a rock and dolphins  use sea sponges  on their noses for protection while foraging on the ocean floor. A new study adds humpback whales to the list of non-human species that use tools. Humpbacks may not only use a tool, but create it from their environment by blowing bubbles. Around the world, humpback whales ( Megaptera novaeangliae ) use bubble-nets to trap certain prey such as krill, herring, and young salmon, sometimes in coordinated groups and at times alone. The whales dive down below their prey and swim in circles while releasing bubbles from their blowholes to create a rising curtain. The curtain creates a visual barrier that tricks the prey into thinking there’s no...

  The Power of Prayer Bible Reading: 2 Thessalonians 1:3-12 We pray . . . that our God will make you fit for what he’s called you to be, pray that he’ll fill your good ideas and acts of faith with his own energy so that it all amounts to something.   2 Thessalonians 1:11-12, The Message YOU’LL NEVER MAKE right choices without prayer. Regular prayer. Real prayer. Wait! Don’t panic. You may think prayer is a real drag. You may think it’s hard or boring. Your understanding of prayer may come from your childhood or from listening to grown-ups talk to God in thee’s and thou’s or six-syllable theological words you never heard of. Relax. Prayer is simply talking to God about your thoughts, feelings, and concerns. God really does understand modern English (even the bizarre language spoken by your brother or sister). You can be totally confident that God hears you when you pray. In fact, God eagerly waits for you to come to him in prayer. You are his child, and he values every minute y...

 Are the northern lights dangerous? W hat is a solar storm? What causes auroras? And   are the northern lights dangerous?   Travel back in time to   the historic night   that “telegraph communications around the world began to fail.” “In September 1859, miners following the Colorado gold rush woke up to another sunny day. Or so they thought. To their surprise, they soon discovered it was actually 1am and the sky wasn’t lit by the sun, but rather by brilliant drapes of light. The blazing glow was a  solar storm — the largest in recorded history .” Note: This comes directly from their website. Click here for more. 

  4 Secrets of the CIA The Central Intelligence Agency has its fingers in many pies, from counterterrorism to offensive cyber operations and covert paramilitary actions. The mere mention of the CIA brings with it a certain mystique, conjuring up images of secret agents, globe-trotting spies, and clandestine activities. It’s no surprise, then, that the agency has featured heavily in numerous Hollywood movies, from Spy Game and Zero Dark Thirty to The Bourne Identity and Bridge of Spies . The CIA was formed in 1947 by President Harry Truman, partly as a replacement for the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), which was disbanded after World War II. As a civilian intelligence service and part of the U.S. Intelligence Community, it is officially tasked with gathering, processing, and analyzing national security information from around the world. Unlike the FBI, the CIA has no law enforcement function — it’s also not allowed to collect information regarding “U.S. Persons,” although the ...

  8 Interesting (and Weird) Facts About Teeth Science & Technology 6m read by Sarah Anne Lloyd Original photo by  shironosov / iStock Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Email When it comes to teeth, there’s always something new to learn. Innovations like fillings and toothbrushes had a long and rich history before they reached our mouths, and cultural norms can vary wildly — or be oddly similar — throughout place and time. Which famous author became a tooth-removal evangelist? What animals have far more teeth than you’d expect? What kinds of small creatures gather baby teeth in the night? Smile big and read on for eight facts that just might change the way you think about your pearly whites. Credit:  edwardolive / Shutterstock Tooth Enamel Is the Hardest Substance in the Human Body Move over, bones! The outer layer protecting our teeth is the  hardest thing  in our bodies. The next layer down,  dentin , is also stronger than bone. The trade-off...