Look Up! A Blue Moon in May

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (Ivanhoe Broadcast News) -- The term "once in a blue moon" means a rare occurrence, but what does it really mean? On May 31st, there will be a real blue moon in the sky, but many people still don't know what it means.

Movie Magic

SAN FRANCISCO (Ivanhoe Broadcast News) -- A character's movement can look very real in movies, but animators admit it is hard to make the faces look as expressive as human faces. Animators are now working hard on new technologies to make it almost impossible to tell the difference between cartoons and real-life. Ken Pearce, a computer scientist with Mova Contour, admits, "We recognized that facial animation is really one of the last big challenges of computer animation."

Math in the Movies

RICHMOND, Calif., (Ivanhoe Broadcast News) -- Most students in high school dread their math classes and wonder when they will ever use the information in "real life." Now, with so much work being done on computers, the algebra and trigonometry learned in high school is actually being put to good use.

The Right Mix of Trees

SYRACUSE, N.Y., (Ivanhoe Broadcast News) -- Global warming is a highly debated political issue these days. Many people wonder what one person can do to help. Planting trees can play a powerful role in cleaning up the local environment, but they're disappearing from cities across America.

Faster Flu Test

ROCHESTER, N.Y., (Ivanhoe Broadcast News) -- Every year, up to one in five Americans will get the flu. It's not always easy to make an accurate diagnosis and as many as 90 percent of patients who really have the flu will be prescribed antibiotics, drugs that will not help flu viruses. New, faster flu tests will help doctors diagnose patients quicker, which can cut down on needless antibiotic use.

Saving Electricity, Saving $

TROY, N.Y., (Ivanhoe Broadcast News) -- Lighting an office building can cost a lot of money, and sometimes those lights are left on even when natural sunlight is pouring through the windows. Now, an easy solution, called DaySwitch, makes the most of those sunny days at work and soon, at home.

Bringing Sunlight Inside

TROY, N.Y., (Ivanhoe Broadcast News) – Solar energy technology is advancing daily. Now, a new, high-tech system is working to efficiently harness the power of the sun and drastically reduce harmful carbon dioxide emissions.

Diabetes Discovery

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (Ivanhoe Broadcast News) -- Diabetes affects over 20 million Americans. It can cause many serious health problems, including blindness. Treatment for eye problems is possible, but can be extremely painful. Now, thanks to chemical physics, there is a new laser technology, called PASCAL, can treat patients in just five minutes, and virtually pain-free.

What Causes Motion Sickness?

MINNEAPOLIS (Ivanhoe Broadcast News) -- There are plenty of treatments for motion sickness, but no one really knows what causes it. And why are some people affected, but not everybody? Human factors researchers at the University of Minnesota are conducting experiments to discover exactly what causes motion sickness.

Breakthrough In Brakes

Malta, N.Y., (Ivanhoe Broadcast News) -- City driving is a pain, and just to add more fuel to your fury, your car's cast iron brakes cost you money every time you drive.

What's In Our Air?

BOULDER, Colo., (Ivanhoe Broadcast News) -- Scientists at NOAA confirmed pollution controls put in place 10 years ago are impacting us today. Now, the scientists say, with certainty, the "Clean Air Act" regulations that went into effect in 1999 are working today.

Searching For Planets

SANTA CRUZ, Calif., (Ivanhoe Broadcast News) -- There are 209 known planets outside our solar system, but there are even more out there, and astronomers need help finding them.

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