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Yes, You Can Get Sucked Into A Black Hole–Five Facts About This Fascinating Space Phenomenon

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Black holes are extremely dense gravitational masses in space that have the ability to consume anything in their wake. Here, we’ll take a look at five facts about black holes that you may not have picked up on from your favorite sci-fi movies.

1. Albert Einstein predicted the existence of black holes long before astronomers observed the phenomenon in space.

The first signs of a black hole were detected in 1964, and the first x-rays from a black hole were discovered in 1971–but Albert Einstein predicted the existence of black holes all the way back in 1916. His general theory of relativity predicted that the collapse of space objects must result in a massive gravitational pull.

2. Our galaxy–the Milky Way–is likely home to around 100 million black holes.

It’s difficult for scientists to see black holes, making them much harder to find than stars and other celestial bodies. This means that astronomers have to estimate the number of black holes in an area. The size of our galaxy leads astronomers to believe that there are an incredibly high number of black holes surrounding our solar system.

3. The closest black hole to Earth is referred to as “The Unicorn” by astronomers.

Located about 1,500 light-years away (a light year is the distance that light can travel over the course of one year–1,500 light-years is over 5 trillion miles), the Unicorn black hole has a very low mass for a black hole, about three times that of our sun. The Unicorn is also located in the Monoceros constellation, which is also known as the unicorn constellation.

4. In 2019, the Event Horizon Telescope captured the first recorded image of a black hole.

Astronomers aren’t able to see black holes the same way they see other objects in space. In 2019, an advanced telescope, known as the Event Horizon telescope, captured the first-ever image of a black hole, helping both scientists and laypeople understand the intricacies of these poorly-understood gravitational forces. The image captured (linked above) showed a black hole named Sagittarius A, located at the center of the Milky Way.

5. Once a particle enters the boundary of a black hole, escape is impossible.

Black holes consist of three layers: the outer event horizon, the inner event horizon, and the singularity (the center of the black hole). Once a particle enters the event horizon, the particle is subject to the black hole’s massive gravitational pull, and is unable to escape. The particle becomes a part of the black hole’s mass, adding to it’s gravitational pull. The more gas and dust a black hole accumulates, the larger it becomes.

Why Is My Phone Soo Slow?

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Few things are as frustrating as a slow smartphone. From freezing and glitches in apps to delays when you’re just trying to make a call, you could be dealing with several issues. Whether you’re all about your iPhone or prefer to stick with Android, all types of smartphones are basically a computer you hold in the palm of your hand. That being said, operating systems can get slow, even with your phone. Take a look at five common reasons your phone is slower than it should be and how to tackle the issues.

1. Lacking Space

Hands-down, the biggest reason for a turtle-slow phone is lack of space or memory. In simple speak, everything your phone does is a computing process. These processes require a certain amount of space to happen. If you’ve used up all of your GBs of memory with dozens of apps and a million photos of your cat, the phone will struggle to complete basic processes.

Solution? Free up space by giving unused apps the boot, moving photos and videos to the cloud, and investing in a bigger memory card.

2. Poor Battery Health

The typical smartphone battery is built to give you about 300 to 500 charges. From here, the battery capacity drops by about 20 percent. The thing is, when your battery is low, it changes how quickly the phone can handle certain tasks. Some systems are automatically designed to change certain functions based on battery life in an effort to conserve what juice is remaining.

Solution? Grab a charger for a top-off for the battery or invest in a new battery or phone if necessary.

3. Older Operating System

Just like computers, operating systems (OSs) in phones are constantly getting upgraded to the next-best system. The latest apps are designed to function optimally with the latest OSs. If your phone has an older operating system, this changes how apps function, which can definitely mean certain tasks are slow-going. Even though most companies will update their OS automatically for a while, you don’t really get major OS overhauls.

Solution? If your phone is more than two years old, there is a chance your OS is outdated. Time for a new phone maybe?

4. Multiple Apps Open

You jumped from Insta back to Facebook, played a game of Candy Crush, then checked your cash flow in your mobile banking app, and proceeded to Amazon to grab that new book. Sound familiar? In the span of a few minutes, you could have five apps still running on your phone, and this can definitely slow things down. Also, some apps run in the background all the time, even if you clear them out.

Solution? Close what you’re not using. Open app permissions and determine what is running all the time that could be slowing you down.

5. Weak Wi-Fi

Sounds like common sense, but sometimes, weak Wi-Fi is not so easy to recognize as the culprit behind a slow phone. If you’re connected to a network that has a low download speed, it can take forever for things to load. If you’re on a low upload speed, you’ll have trouble posting vids on social media and sending those cute cat pics to your friends. Remember, you can find a ton of free speed-checker apps to use to test your signal strength.

Solution? Switch over to data if you can to test the theory that slow Wi-Fi is to blame. If so, find yourself a better connection.

Phone still acting like a sloth?

If you’ve checked all the above and your phone still acts like a three-toed sloth, you may have bigger problems to contend with. Malware, a dying OS, and even internal damage could be to blame. Get with your local tech geek to get a proper diagnosis.

Trees Hug Back! The Benefits of Being Nurtured by Nature

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Whether you have ever been a self-proclaimed nature enthusiast, a tree hugger, or not, you should know that trees metaphorically hug back. The fact is, nature is good for us. Ecopsychology is a legitimate area of psychological study focused on the link between nature and the human mind. Numerous studies have shown that immersing yourself in a natural environment brings about all kinds of positives for people, both emotionally and physically. Check out the known benefits of spending time in nature.

1. Lowers Stress Levels

Feeling stressed out, anxious, or moody? Slip on your shoes and head outdoors, if you feel like hugging a tree, go for it! Ecopsychology proves that being in nature substantially lowers the levels of stress levels in the body and may even help you respond better to stress. Maybe this is why a study of 2,000 people in the UK found that people in one community who spent more time in nature also enjoyed much lower crime rates in the neighborhood.

2. Enhances Immune System Function

Looking to give your immune system a boost? Good reason to get in some time out in the open air. When you spend time outdoors, you are exposed to tiny microorganisms that basically force the immune system to run practice drills. These practice drills build up the response cycles the body needs when you actually do get sick to help you get better faster.

3. Promotes Relaxation

If you have a hard time winding down at the end of the day, a short walk worked in somewhere during your waking hours may be a good way to rest easy a little, well, easier. Getting in some sunlight and partaking in outdoor activities promotes an overall sense of relaxation, including mental well-being.

4. Makes You Feel Less Alone

One study even found that spending some time out in the great outdoors, especially while gardening, helped people feel less isolated. In fact, being outside seems to encourage pro-social behavior. In other words, if you get out in the grass and among the trees, you may feel more inclined to make friends or spend time with people in general.

5. Good to Your Eyes

Studies have shown that children who spend more time outdoors are less likely to have problems with nearsightedness. When you are out there in the big natural world with much more to look at than what is right in front of you, you give your eyes a workout. This may have long-term vision benefits.

Go ahead—hug a tree!

If you have waddled into a repetitive cycle of sofa-surfing, desk-sitting, and indoor days, it may be time to readjust your everyday habits. Your time outside can be beneficial to both your body and your mind. So, go ahead. Don’t be ashamed to go out and grab the nearest tree for a hug or caress your feet with a soft patch of grass in the sunshine.

5 Ways Astrology Shapes Your Life

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Into astrology? If not, it’s possible you should be, especially when bridging connections to other people. In fact, just knowing someone’s zodiac sign can tell you a lot about that person—things you will probably want to know before fostering any kind of relationship. The Big 5 personality theory in astrology says that your sign influences five huge personality factors. Check them out below.

1. Openness to Experience

How curious are you to try new things? Or, would you consider yourself relatively satisfied to live a consistent life? Your astrological sign may have some influence over this particular personality trait. Some theories suggest that air signs are more open to new experiences or patterns of thought, which would be Pisces, Gemini, Aquarius, and Sagittarius.

2. Conscientiousness

The more conscientious you are as a person, the more in tune you can be with others. You will be more mindful of other people and how what you say, do, or feel can affect them. Conscientious people tend to be highly self-disciplined, are great with foresight, and are often perceived as mature for their age, possibly even referred to as an “old soul.” Certain zodiac signs tend to be more conscientious than others, including Capricorn, Virgo, Taurus, and Leo.

3. Extraversion

Extroverted people are more open with their inner dialogues and thoughts. This means you are outspoken, don’t hesitate to share your opinion, and potentially let some things slip out without a lot of forethought. You may have a larger social circle than most—it is not at all uncommon for extroverts to be deemed as social butterflies who can talk to just about anyone. A few zodiac signs top the list when it comes to this particular personality trait: Aries, Scorpio, Libra, and Aquarius.

4. Agreeableness

Can you go with the flow fairly easily? Maybe you refrain from rocking the boat on most occasions or can fit in with just about any group of people. Agreeable people have no trouble being altruistic and warm. Most are honest and come off as courteous and highly authentic. If this happens to be the case, you may fall under one of the more agreeable zodiac signs, such as Aquarius, Pisces, and Cancer.

5. Neuroticism

Neurotic people tend to be a little less emotionally stable. They can be happy with all things life in one moment and drawn into the depths of sorrow because of a sad thought the next. Neurotic people can also be quick to express their emotions openly, which often lands them with the frustrating “moody” title. Nevertheless, the more neurotic you are, the more likely you are to also be exceptionally creative in multiple areas. The most neurotic signs of the zodiac? Cancer, Capricorn, and Aries.

So, what’s your sign—does the theory fit?

No matter how you look at it, our zodiac sign could set the stage for what your life looks like. In reality, most people have different levels of all five personality traits, regardless of their zodiac sign. What do you think—does your sign match your personality?

Having a Bad Day? Why Mercury Retrograde Could Be to Blame

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Have you experienced bad luck recently or even had unusual trouble with family and friends? Did you know that many people would say that these could be the effects of the planet Mercury and it’s solar orbit in relation to Earth? Here’s how astrologists think the phenomenon known as Mercury retrograde influences everyday life.

What is Mercury Retrograde?

Mercury retrograde is an astrological event where Mercury appears to be moving in the opposite direction from its usual path. This event has been linked to life and personality changes during its nearly month-long occurrence. Astrologists believe that communication and technology become disrupted during retrogrades. If you’re curious why life seems to be spiraling out of control during a Mercury retrograde period, it’s possible the retrograde could be affecting you in one or more of the following ways:

Issues in Communication

In astrology, Mercury is the planet related to communication. The fact that it appears to be moving backwards creates all sorts of disruptions when it comes to our expression. Mercury’s retrograde can cause us to experience issues such as:

  • Difficulty making and keeping friends
  • Fighting with loved ones
  • Difficulties at work
  • General miscommunication (forgetting to tell someone something, vice versa)
  • General confusion

These are the most common problems people face in the retrograde time period. Events in your work life may be delayed, which could make them more difficult to push through. Miscommunications could happen on the daily — lost emails and unsent texts, people saying things they don’t mean, you saying things you don’t mean. It can seem a little messy. Just remember, with time, things will return to normal.

Emotional Struggles

In these times of communication difficulty, you might find yourself struggling with anger, sadness, or even anxiety. If you have experienced loss, you may find it hard to cope due to the misunderstandings you’re dealing with. Even if it’s minuscule events, they can still mess with your vibration and energy, and make you feel lethargic. Confusion and irritability are totally understandable if you frequently notice miscommunication during the retrograde.

Bad Luck

It can seem as if the world is out to get you when Mercury is in retrograde. Many of us experience misfortune during these times and may find ourselves anticipating the next moment of bad luck. Normally, though, the bad luck attributed to Mercury retrograde isn’t usually too significant, and it often relates back to miscommunication. 

How To Prepare For The Next Retrograde

Going through this astrological event can take a lot out of you, considering the problems it causes with communication. Once life settles back into normalcy for you, you may want to develop a plan for coping with the next one. There are things you can do during the next retrograde to make life flow a bit more smoothly:

  • Reread things carefully.
  • Be open to different thoughts and opinions.
  • Allow yourself room for error.
  • Participate in anxiety-relieving activities.
  • Remember the retrograde is temporary.

Whether or not you believe in Mercury retrograde, this is pretty useful advice either way! Whatever the source, tough times can be difficult to get through, but using effective strategies to combat the negative effects – and remembering that, like Mercury retrograde, it won’t last forever! – will help you stay on your feet until it passes.

You Have Everything You Need to Follow Your Dreams

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Everyone has dreams, but they often put those dreams on the back burner, or push them away. They don’t pursue them. Why? Because they don’t think they’re achievable, or that they have what it takes to truly make them a reality. After all, if you can’t bring your dreams to fruition, they can turn into frustrations pretty quickly.

But the good news is that you already have all that you need to follow any and all of your dreams. Everything you need is available to you, and the journey can start anytime you’re ready.

What Kinds of Dreams Do You Have?

What are the dreams you’re holding in your mind? There must be some that are more important to you than others, and some that you’ve been thinking about for a while. No matter what they are, you can work toward making them a reality.

Belief in yourself and the abilities you have are important parts of creating your dreams. When you focus on what you’re really dreaming of, you can begin looking for ways to work toward your goals.

What Fears Are Holding You Back?

When you plan to follow your dreams, it’s normal to be nervous. Depending on the specific dreams you have, your fears could be big or small. But you can’t allow your fears to get in the way. Some of them may be very realistic and worth considering.

Don’t let them make you give up. Instead, look for ways to conquer them. What can you do to mitigate true risk? How can you push through your fear and move forward? Being afraid is an honest reaction to big change, but it doesn’t have to stop you.

Are You Listening to Your Still, Small Voice?

“Going with your gut” is a common term, but it really means listening to that quiet little voice inside, that knows what you really want and what you should do. It’s like flipping a coin and, while it’s in the air, you instinctively know how you want it to land. That voice won’t steer you wrong, and it’s what you need to go after the dreams that matter most to you.

It can be hard to listen, because there’s so much noise from the outside world, but that still, small voice is the one that’s authentically yours. Follow it, and give it the chance to show you how you could make your dreams into reality for the future. You don’t have to settle where you are, if you want to have something more.

Why Not Get Started Today?

You can get started working toward your dreams anytime you want. Make a plan, and let your gut guide you toward the best ways to bring your dreams to pass, just the way you want. Remember, you have all you need to start pursuing your dreams. Along the way you might find that working toward them, and seeing where that effort leads you, is the real value of dreaming, after all.

Best Practices for Extending the Range of Your Wireless Network

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Having a stable Internet connection in your home or office is about so much more than just easily visiting your favorite websites. It’s how we communicate and collaborate with others. It’s how we keep in touch with those who matter most to us. It’s what allows all of our devices access to the Internet, regardless of where we’re using them or what we’re trying to do.

If you’ve recently set up a network in your own home but are running into connectivity issues, there are a few key tips that you’ll definitely want to take advantage of moving forward.

How to Extend the Range of Your Wireless Network: Breaking Things Down

One of the most important things to understand about extending the range of your wireless network is that router placement is of paramount importance.

The Wi-Fi signal being broadcast by your router doesn’t go out into your home or office in a straight line. Instead, it is transmitted in a circle around the device itself. The farther away you get from the router, the weaker (and thus slower) the signal will be.

Therefore, rather than putting that router in a closet on one side of your house (and therefore experiencing signal degradation problems on the other), try to place your router in a centralized location. Doing so can help make sure that the entire environment is covered, including any basements or second floor spaces that you might be dealing with.

If you have a particularly large home and are experiencing network issues, investing in a mesh Wi-Fi system would likely be the best bet for you. Here, you’ll still have a primary router that is responsible for bringing your Internet connection into your home and broadcasting it to all of your devices. However, you’ll also have one to two satellite routers that you can place in strategic locations for maximum coverage.

So if you’re experiencing issues in your master bedroom on the second floor, you can place one of the satellite routers in that space. It will pick up the connection from the primary router and amplify it, making sure that all devices in the area have equal coverage. Many popular hardware manufacturers offer mesh Wi-Fi hardware, with Netgear and Google being just two examples.

In the event that you need to employ a series of Wi-Fi extenders throughout your home (which are different from mesh Wi-Fi), there are a few things you’ll likely want to keep in mind. An extender simply takes a signal and “boosts” it in terms of range – but you’re still dealing with the fact that the farther you get from the primary router, the slower your connection will be. For the best results, you’ll likely want to contact your Internet service provider and increase the speed of your connection before network extenders are employed. That way, you can still make sure that the devices that are the farthest away from the network have a stable connection to function as intended.

The Many Uses for Bodies Donated to Science

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Most people think of medical schools when they think of donating their body to science. And that is very common. However, there are other ways that a cadaver can be used when it is donated. Some are very surprising!

What happens when you donate your body to science?

The body donation process usually begins while the person is still alive. The choose an accredited donation program that can be through a university or nonprofit. The program screens the person while they are still living.

During this screening they go over the person’s medical history including illnesses, surgeries, drug use, and other issues. Age is not a factor in body donation, but if the body is too thin or too obese it can bar them from donating. Diseases like HIV and Hepatitis can also be dealbreakers.

The organization keeps the file on the person until they pass away. Then they conduct a second medical assessment before approving the donation. If the body meets the requirements of the program, its accepted.

A donated is not embalmed like it would be for a funeral home. It undergoes a special process that will preserve it for several years. Once the donor’s time is up, the remains are cremated. If the family wants the ashes, they are returned to them with a death certificate.

How is a Donated Body Used?

There are actually many ways that a donated body can be used. It all depends on where they make the donation. These are a few of the most common.

The Medical Industry

Medical professionals, researchers, and students have long used cadavers to train future doctors, further research, and more. It has come a long way since the grave robbing days when the bodies were in short supply for training and research.

Here are some of the more common ways that cadavers are used in medical environments.

  • Train medical students
  • Further medical research
  • Advance surgery procedures
  • Train surgeons
  • Test laser treatments
  • Train first responders

The Crash Test Cadaver

The Wayne State University School of Medicine fields the donations, but if the person wants their body to be part of the safety testing, they are sent to the Bio-Mechanics lab. Then their body can be used to provide information on crashes and how they impact the human body in ways that plastic crash test dummies simply cannot.

The Museum Exhibit

Mutter Museum in Philadelphia or the University of New Mexico’s Maxwell Museum of Anthropology will use donated bodies for their exhibits. The Maxwell Museum has a large skeleton collection.

The Body Farm

The University of Tennessee Forensic Anthropology Center, called “The Body Farm,” has hundreds of skeletons and cadavers that is uses to research the stages of decay in various environments. The 2 ½ acre farm helps law enforcement and anthropologists answer vital questions about determining time of death and body identification.

If you want to live on after you pass and make a contribution to humanity by donating your body, you have many options. Before you make the decision though, you should talk to your loved ones and iron out any details because some donations require that the donor foots the transport bill. So, make sure you understand the program and all of its requirements and processes so your donation can go smoothly.

 

 

Helping Someone Else Can Relieve Depression

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You’ve probably heard the saying that when you are down in the dumps the quickest way to feel better is to help someone else.

Turns out, there’s some truth to that.

The Low Self-Esteem and Depression Link

Research shows that there is a major link between low self-esteem and depression. In fact, low self-esteem is often a predictor of depression later in life. However, while a poor self-image can lead to depression, when depression improves so does self-image. It is a strange and difficult cycle.

Counseling that focuses on increasing self-esteem can help to prevent depression but finding ways to do that is a bit tricky. Outside validation is fickle and fleeting. One day people could have a positive opinion of a person and the next day it could flip to negative. So, it seems that the best way to accomplish this is to raise self-esteem internally and not worry about outer influences.

This is easier said than done though because if a person is already feeling depressed, they are likely going to have a hard time building themselves up.

This is where intrinsic rewards become valuable.

The Self-Image and Compassion Study

A 2017 study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology looked at how interpersonal goals can shape relationships as well as depression and anxiety symptoms. The researchers theorized that trying to maintain certain self-image goals can create problems in relationships while increasing depression and anxiety symptoms. On the other hand, pursuing compassionate goals such as helping others may have the opposite effect.

The participants in the study found that when they focused on extrinsic rewards such as gaining status or approval of others while avoiding vulnerability while interacting socially, they experienced conflict in their relationships and experienced more depression and anxiety symptoms.

On the other hand, when they focused on intrinsic rewards such as pursuing compassionate goals which included helping others and avoiding behavior that was self-centered or selfish, their relationships were better, and they experience fewer depression and anxiety symptoms.

The message is clear. When you help others and practice compassion, you are happier, and it can lessen your depression and anxiety symptoms.

Ways to Practice Compassion and Help Others

When you turn your attention to others and help them you not only make yourself feel better, but you also make the other person feel better. Here are some ways to practice compassion.

  • Let others know you care about them.
  • Be supportive of other people.
  • Lend a helping hand whenever you can.
  • Encourage others with your words.
  • Avoid self-centeredness.
  • Do something nice for someone.
  • Avoid doing something that would hurt another person.
  • Have compassion when someone makes a mistake.
  • Mind your words and avoid saying hurtful things.

Helping others does not mean spending money on them or doing something expensive. It can be as simple as sending a handwritten note to someone who is ill or visiting someone who is socially isolated. It could mean complimenting someone or helping them put their groceries in their car. There are so many opportunities to help others – all we have to do is look around.

 

 

Why Setting Goals and Achieving Them Isn’t Working for You

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Goals.

How many times in your life have you heard that you just need to “set a goal”, work at it, and you will achieve it! 

Need to lose weight? Set a goal.

Want to start a garden in your backyard? Set a goal.

Want to graduate from college? Set a goal.

No matter what it is you want to do, it seems like all you need to do is master goal setting, and you can do it!

If you’ve been taken in by the idea of goal setting and achievement, this article is for you. Read on to learn more.

Why Goals Don’t Work

The first question we have for you concerning goals is: “How’s it been going for you so far?”

That is, How many specific goals have you set and achieved so far in your life?

Not many, you say?

Hmm.

In fact, that isn’t very surprising. 

Now, this isn’t to say that if you haven’t been able to “set attainable goals and achieve them” you’re a failure. Not at all. In fact, what we are saying is that the way you were taught to go about improving your life (with goals) doesn’t work.

Why? Because goal setting doesn’t identify the messy stuff that’s required for change.. 

Learning anything new, developing any type of new habit … it’s messy. If you want to attain a new skill, stop yourself from repeating bad habits, or alter the physical world around you, you have to slow everything down and actually change the way you think and make decisions.

Goal setting only talks about the end result. 

For example, if you want to lose 50 pounds, the goal is a 50-pound weight loss. But what goes into that? 

This type of achievement is way more complicated than just stating that you want to lose 50 pounds.

If you want to lose 50 pounds, you’re going to have to change the way you eat. This will mean taking a multitude of extremely small, detailed, and well thought-out actions. 

For example, you may need to start taking your lunch to work, which will mean you’ll need to change your nighttime routine to incorporate lunch-making. You may need to start buying different foods at the grocery store, which will mean researching which foods you’ll need and which foods you shouldn’t get. You may need to stop going to Thursday Night Happy Hour with your coworkers, which will mean explaining to everyone why you aren’t going.

And what does all of this come down to: Problem solving

Problem Solving: Opening Up Space to Make Different Decisions

Instead of worrying about your goals and goal achievement, it’s time to start focusing on solving your problems. What are the problems that are continually keeping you away from progress and away from your “goals”?

Identifying and solving each of these issues — no matter how small — ultimately means pausing when you come up against one and deciding consciously to change your behaviors, thoughts, and actions.

The way to start is with a pause. From there, you can see what problem or issue lies before you. And after that, you can decide to either do the thing that will get you closer to your “goal” or do the other thing that will keep you further away from your “goal”. 

Slow down, pause, realize, and make a new decision. Then repeat. Your life will change for the better in ways you cannot even imagine.