투르크메니스탄의 사막에는 현지인에게 ‘지옥으로 가는 문’이라고 불리는 깊은 구덩이가 있다. 이 땅 구덩이에 들끓는 불은 지난 40년간 한번도 꺼지지 않았다. 투르크메니스탄이 소련에서 독립되기 전인 1971년 소련 지질학자들은 천연가스를 채취하기 위해 이 구멍을 파기 시작했다.  그러나 체취과정에서 굴착기가 쓰러져 직경 70m에 이르는 큰 구덩이가 생겼다. 발굴팀은 유독가스를 배출을 염려해 가스가 모두 연소되도록 불을 지르기로 결정했다. 하지만 현재까지 그 불은 꺼지지 않은 채 구덩이를 밝혀 ‘지옥의 문’을 연상시키고 있다.<영문 기사>In a desert in Turkmenistan, there is a giant hole of fire called “The door to hell” by locals.The

오렌지 주스가 피부미용에 도움이 된다는 연구결과가 나와 화제가 되고 있다.미용 산업 종사자 200여명이 참여한 이 연구는 오렌지 주스를 매일 한 잔씩 마시는 것은 피부와 모발, 손톱 등에 도움을 주는데 그 이유는 오렌지 주스에 들어 있는 첨가물 때문인 것으로 알려졌다.특히, 비타민 씨의 천연 색소는 태양광으로 인해 생기는 피부트러블을 줄이고 피부에 탄력을 주는데 효과적이라고 한다.또한, 이 연구에 참여한 미용 전문가들 중 대다수가 하루에 한 잔 씩 오렌지 주스를 마실 것을 권장하고 있다고 말했다.<영문 기사>A study found that orange juices help become more beautiful.The research conducted by 200 beauty industry workers shows that a daily glass of orange juice improves skin, hair and nails because of the containments

(123rf)세계 인구가 급증하고 고기를 포함한 식량 가격이 계속해서 상승함에 따라 미래에는 곤충과 같은 대안 식량에 의존하게 될지도 모른다고 BBC 매거진이 보도했다.“(육류의) 가격이 계속 오른다는 것은 앞으로 육류를 예전처럼 사치품으로 간주해야 할지도 모른다는 뜻입니다. 따라서 우리는 육류의 공백을 메울 방법을 찾고 있죠”라고 음식 미래학자 모게인 게이가 BBC와의 인터뷰에서 밝혔다. “귀뚜라미나 메뚜기 같은 것이 햄버거 등에 쓰이는 재료가 될 수도 있습니다.”네덜란드 워게닝겐 대학 연구진에 따르면 곤충들은 기존의 가축들보다 키우는 비용은 적게 들지만 동일한 양의 영양분과 단백질을 제공해주기 때문에 대안식량으로 적합하다고 한다.또한 곤충들은 탄소 배출량이 비교적 적기 때문에, 가축들의 탄소 가스 배출에

Figure skater Kim Yu-na has featured in 136 advertisements, the highest number among Korean athletes who have won Olympic medals in the last 20 years, according to advertising company Innocean Worldwide.Products that Kim has advertised include air conditioners, running shoes, beer and dairy products, the company said. Kim’s rank was followed by “Marine Boy” swimmer Park Tae-hwan, who was in 43 adv

Using flirtation during a negotiation appears to create better economic outcomes for female negotiators, a U.S. researcher found.However, study leader Laura Kray of the University of California, Berkeley, Haas School of Management, said female negotiators only had an advantage if the flirtatiousness was perceived as above and beyond friendliness.The researchers examined “feminine charm” in negotia

About 200 people came together in Detroit in a flash mob dance to promote the United Negro College Fund‘s 5K Walk for Education.The participants danced the wobble Saturday at the band shell on Belle Isle, the Detroit Free Press reported.“I think it was good,” Mike Simon, 54, who participated in the dance.UNCF development director Angela Bingham said she was pleased with how the event turned out, e

 In the Pacific Ocean near the coast of Oregon, sites with high caffeine levels have been discovered.Previous studies have also found high caffeine levels in the North Sea, the Mediterranian, Boston Harbor and Sarasota Bay.The unnaturally high caffeine levels are becoming a problem since they harm sea life."We humans drink caffeinated beverages because caffeine has a biological effect on us. So it

A fleet of X-ray telescopes in space has identified a rare breed of dead, spinning star that may be a pulsar or a magnetar, European astronomers say.Magnetars are a type of neutron star, the dead cores of massive stars that collapse in on themselves after burning up all their fuel and explode as dramatic supernovas, showing persistent X-ray emissions and the most intense magnetic fields known in t

Women who want to lose weight should faithfully keep a food journal and avoid skipping meals and eating in restaurants, U.S. researchers advise.Dr. Anne McTiernan and colleagues at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle said study participants were given the following tips for keeping a food journal:　-- Be honest, record everything you eat.　-- Be accurate, measure portions, read lab

A Florida man allegedly drove a vehicle into his girlfriend and her family, killing her mother and injuring her, her father and three siblings, police said.The Palm Beach County Sheriff‘s Office said Diego Francisco Pascual, 26, of Lake Worth had decided he wanted to “scare” and “hurt” his live-in girlfriend and her family after an argument with her, The Palm Beach Post reported.Pascual was being

(123rf)Police in Paris said a 10-foot dead snake pulled from the River Seine was likely a pet abandoned by its owner when it became too large.Investigators said Wednesday the snake was badly decomposed but was likely a python, Radio France Internationale reported Friday.The discovery raised concerns about people throwing their dead pets into the Seine.Police said they have noted a growing problem

A cat named Stubbs has been the mayor of a small Alaskan town for about 15 years, locals say.Known locally as “Mayor Stubbs,” the part-manx was named mayor of Talkeetna shortly after he was born, KTUU-TV, Anchorage, Alaska, reported.As the story goes, about 15 years ago, some residents of Talkeetna were unhappy with the candidates who were running for mayor, so as a joke, they encouraged others to

  This photo is not directly related to this story. (AP)A turtle that lived 60 million years ago in what is now northwestern South America was nearly round with a shell the size of a big truck tire, scientists say.Paleontologists at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama and colleagues at North Carolina State University and the Florida Museum of Natural History discovered the new sp

A Chinese couple forced to abort their child at seven months in early June was paid an $11,200 settlement by the local government Wednesday.Deng Jiyuan said the government agreed to pay $11,200 after already firing two officials, sanctioning five officials and issuing a former apology for forcing Deng‘s wife, Feng Jianmei, to have an abortion when she was seven months pregnant, The New York Times

 U.S. researchers say a new "smart" headlight design will help drivers in rainy condition by constantly redirecting light to shine between raindrops.Scientists at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh say the system, successfully demonstrated in lab tests, prevents the distracting and dangerous glare of headlight beams reflected by precipitation back toward the driver."If you're driving in a th

(Center for Orangutan Protection-UPI)An Indonesian zoo's orangutan may be moved to a small island with her mate to help her quit smoking, officials said.The Center for Orangutan Protection and officials at Solo's Taru Jurug Zoo said getting Tori the orangutan to quit smoking has been difficult due to zoo visitors throwing cigarettes into her cage, the Jakarta Globe reported Thursday."We have propo

 An study of stable outpatients at risk of or with coronary disease found those ages 45-80 who lived alone had an increased risk of death, U.S. researchers say.Dr. Jacob A. Udell of Brigham and Women‘s Hospital, Harvard Medical School in Boston, and colleagues examined whether living alone was associated with increased mortality and cardiovascular risk in a global study involving 44,573 people --

The body of a 3-year-old Memphis boy was found in a dumpster two days after his father reported him missing. The father, Maurice Brown, has already been charged with child endangerment, The (Memphis) Commercial-Appeal reported. Memphis Police Director Toney Armstrong said he could face new charges once the medical examiner reports on his son’s death. A police officer searching for Maurice Brown Jr

Canadian researchers say they're studying diving seabirds in Hudson Bay to better understand the aging process.Brunnich's guillemots reach their 30s and then die quickly and suddenly, showing few signs of aging prior to death.The guillemots, which look similar to penguins, expend substantial energy when diving. Researchers say their high metabolism and frequent dives should produce oxidative stres