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According to the Association of American Publishers, paperback sales country-wide increased by 2.7 percent from 2018 to 2019, while e-books declined by about 4.2 percent. That said, there’s no denying that being able to store hundreds of books on a single device is exceedingly convenient. However, it doesn’t necessarily mean that e-books on a dedicated reading device are more eco-friendly than owning stacks of classic paper books. If you’re deciding whether or not you should make the switch, here are some factors to consider....

There are two color wheels, one for “The Colour Of Song” and one for “The Colour Of Popular Music.” For example: Ruby Tuesday is a dark red on the song wheel and Black Sabbath is a, well, black, on the popular music wheel. But it’s debatable how popular some of that music is, exactly. We Are Dorothy’s Ali Johnson explained how they dug around for musical touchstones. “We started with our own record collections (some of the more obscure psychedelic prog rock bands and tracks are courtesy of [We Are Dorothy colleague] Phil’s collection) and when we exhausted these we consulted books like ‘Martin C....

But on the latest cruise of a submarine controlled on NOAA’s Okeanos Explorer they found an adorable octopod all ready for Halloween on the seafloor near Hawaii’s Necker Island. The team working on the remote-controlled submersible has captured other amazing sea life before but none so spooky as this. The researchers were sending a live stream of their exploration back to shore, where land-based scientists were surprised by the apparition....

Hans-Joachim Weigel, a scientist from the Thuenen Institute, was careful to note that the study shouldn’t be used to undermine attempts to reduce CO2 emissions. Other studies, after all, haven’t linked high CO2 levels with such significant plant growth. Furthermore, within Weigel’s study more didn’t necessarily correlate with better: The increased CO2 levels actually reduced the plant quality. In the future, the researchers are planning to study the effects of rising temperatures on plants, which is a forecasted consequence of increased CO2 emissions....

But there was a problem: almost every company used their own computer programming language to control their digital instruments, making it hard for musicians to pull together different instruments made by different manufacturers. So, in 1983, the industry came together and created a communications protocol called musical instrument digital interface, or MIDI, to standardize how external audio sources transmit messages to computers, and vice versa. MIDI works like a command that tells the computer what instrument was played, what notes were played on the instrument, how loud and how long it was played for, and with which effects if any....

What they want Bed bugs’ diets only contain one food group: Blood, preferably human. The insects, which go through multiple immature stages before reaching reproductive maturity, need a “blood meal” to level up to each next stage. Once they reach adulthood, they must feed every 5 to 10 days to survive. The insects are also particularly sneaky about the timing of their attacks. While they only take a tiny drop of blood with each bite, that mouthful can take up to 10 minutes, says University of Florida entomologist Roberto Pereira....

The whole crew can comfortably gather underneath this 9-foot umbrella, which covers a maximum of six chairs. Choose from seven different colors, including a bright cherry red and baby blue, and enjoy eight steadfast ribs and a wind vent, which helps the umbrella stay put during breezy days. This 10-foot umbrella offers plenty of protection from the sun, covering up to 79 square feet of shade. The straightforward crank design makes it quick and efficient to open and close, while the polyester fabric protects against 98 percent of UV rays....

Soft coolers are also made to accommodate an array of uses, with models perfectly suited for quick lunch breaks or leisurely days alongside breaking waves. Before you seal the deal, however, here’s what you need to know when shopping for your next beach cooler, lunch cooler, or even cheap cooler. Best overall: Yeti Hopper M30Best for lunch: Carhartt Deluxe Dual-compartment Insulated Lunch Cooler BagBest for the beach: NorChill Boatbag Soft-sided CoolerBest for business and pleasure: Yeti Daytrip Lunch BoxBest budget: Coleman Soft Cooler Bag...

Best high-resolution: Rove R2- 4K Dash CamBest high-capacity: BlackVue DR900X-2CH Best with extra safety features: Nextbase 622GW Full 4k HD in Car Dash CamBest large-screen: AUTO-VOX V5PROBest space-saving: Garmin 010-02062-00 Dash Cam MiniBest budget: Pathinglek 3-Inch Dash Cam Things to consider when buying the best dash cams There are so many types of dash cam products on the market that it can be hard to know where to begin. Like most recording devices, dash cams are available in a wide range of recording resolutions and media size compatibilities....

Best overall: Dell Alienware AW2721DBest ultrawide: Samsung Odyssey G9 SeriesBest 4K: LG 27GN950-B 27-inch UltraGear Gaming MonitorBest 1440p: Samsung Odyssey G7 SeriesBest high refresh rate: Dell Alienware AW2521HBest budget: ASUS TUF VG27AQ1A What is Nvidia G-Sync? While the name may evoke a geriatric knockoff of N-Sync, Nvidia’s G-Sync technology, introduced in 2013, is one of two features found in monitors to manage variable refresh rate. G-Sync (and AMD’s rival technology, FreeSync) synchronizes the refresh rate of a monitor to the best frame rate your GPU can handle at that moment to provide gamers with a smooth, fast gaming experience....

When shopping for a backpack, consider weight, price, and volume—that is, how much the backpack can carry. Backpack makers also include all sorts of conveniences, like extra pockets, organizational tools, and lids that can be removed to use as day packs. Here’s some more advice about what to look for. Weight: Hiking backpacks used to be limited to those with bulky metal frames that weighed you down. Thankfully, today’s designs come with no shortage of innovations that have made packs not only lighter, but also more ergonomic and functional....

Best electric: Whynter ICM-15LS Automatic Ice Cream MakerBest old-fashioned: Elite Gourmet Electric Motorized MakerBest for soft-serve: Cuisinart Mix It In Soft-Serve Ice Cream MakerBest for kids: Play and Freeze Ice Cream BallBest budget: Hamilton Beach 68330N Automatic Ice Cream Maker Things to consider when shopping for the best ice cream maker The best ice cream makers of every type operate upon the simple principle of taking a sweet mixture, exposing it to very cold temperatures, and constantly moving it around....

So how do you go about choosing the best laptop for college? None of us want to be bogged down by outdated software, slow-running programs, or faulty battery packs, so it’s essential that your tech is outfitted with the latest tools to keep it running quickly. You also don’t want a mammoth laptop that will weigh you down when going from class to class—a lightweight pick will be much easier to transport to and from campus and between classes....

Because open floor plans are becoming more popular—and because the Popular Science crew is moving to an open office this week—it seemed wise to do some research to determine the best gear for this new working environment. Clearly, the first stop on this gear tour is headphone town. If you have people working 18 inches from either shoulder, you want to block out their noise (who knew breathing could be so loud?...

For my money, the best rebar tool is the hydraulic bolt cutter. It’s affordable ($150), lightweight and silent. With a dozen pumps I can build up enough pressure for the blade inside to cleanly slice right through a 3/8-inch (aka #3) rod. I love that no extension cords or batteries are required. I use this cutter frequently for small jobs. Then there’s my little Makita angle grinder with a cutting wheel....

There are also a lot more features to take into consideration. For example, modern vacuums allow you to choose between filtration bags or bagless, attached electrical cords or rechargeable cordless, as well as a multitude of various accessories and attachments geared towards removing dirt and dust from every corner and crevice of your home or vehicle. But with so many options to choose from, buying a vacuum cleaner can also quickly become overwhelming....

Best overall: NordVPNBest free: ProtonVPNBest for phones: ExpressVPNBest for Chromebook: TunnelbearBest for studying abroad: CyberghostBest budget: Surfshark What is a VPN? A virtual private network (VPN) creates a private server that allows you to access the internet without automatically transmitting information about yourself, including your location. When bad actors and companies collect data about you, including your internet service provider, they get the information provided by the VPN instead. Think of it like a mask your computer puts on before it walks into a crowded room: People can see that someone is there and that you’re wearing a mask, but they can’t necessarily tell who it is....

Underworks’ Tri-Top is one of the strongest medical grade compression binders that fits right, feels good, and hides discretely underneath your clothing with no seams or bunching. The fabric is a nylon-spandex blend and comes in three basic colors—black, white, and beige. Binder sizes range from XS to XXXL for people with 28 to 52 inch chests. Plus, every Underworks purchase goes towards helping donate a binder to a trans person in need....

First of all, many of us approach budgeting with the wrong attitude. “Most of the time, we don’t have a goal in mind,” says journalist Kristin Wong, author of Get Money: Live the Life You Want, Not Just the Life You Can Afford. “People come up with a budget and then say, ‘I’m done, that’s taken care of.’ But they don’t realize that budgeting is an ongoing process.” According to Wong, you should make a habit of regularly revisiting your budget....

The 2022 Premium Microsoft Office Training Certification Bundle You may think Microsoft Office is nothing new, but that’s not true. There’s a lot more to the program than what you learned in your elementary school computer class, believe it or not. Though you’ve been putting it on your resume for quite some time, actually learning how to use powerful programs like Excel and PowerPoint might just be your superpower. Take either 20 or 30 percent off of The 2022 Premium Microsoft Office Training Certification Bundle, which is currently on sale for $29....