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Solar energy is becoming more and more prevalent every year, and nowadays almost everyone is at least vaguely familiar with the concept. As of mid-2017, the U.S. has a total solar power capacity of 47.1 gigawatts, which is enough to power 9.1 million homes, and that number has only grown since then. Solar panels have known to last more than 30 years of continuous renewable production. Clearly solar energy is more popular than ever as people continue to make the switch to renewable energy sources. But how does solar energy work? What goes into making solar panels, and what other forms of renewable technology are there? Solar Energy: The Basics Simply put, solar panels and solar energy systems convert the sun's light into usable electrical energy. This form of renewable energy creates no b...

As you're wrapping up your spring cleaning, you might have found a surprising number of old family photos sitting around your house. You could put them in an album and forget about them again until next year when you're cleaning your home. Instead, use these tips to store them the right way and keep them well-preserved so you can treasure them for years to come. Watch the temperature: Just like pharmaceutical products, which can be damaged by even a two degree Celcius variation in temperature, photographs are sensitive to heat as well. When picking a place to store your photos, keep the average temperature in mind. The lower the temperature the longer your items will last because cooler temperatures slow the rate of chemical decay and reduce insect activity. Keep the temperature below ...

There are more vehicles on the roads today than there ever have been, and approximately 77% of those vehicles are in need of maintenance and repairs. And with Americans driving their cars and trucks an average of 10,000 miles every year, there has been a heavy focus on making vehicles more eco-friendly. The past few years have seen vast improvements in increasing efficiency and reducing pollution. And now, MIT researchers have introduced a way to power heavy-duty trucks, like 18-wheelers, that would further reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Research scientist Daniel Cohn and principal research engineer Leslie Bromberg have developed a new concept that could potentially power large trucks solely with batteries. Their research found that a plug-in hybrid engine system, primarily powered by b...

Although many seniors are able to gain additional healthcare coverage once they qualify for Medicare, it's not all good news -- especially for their teeth. Despite the fact that the U.S. dental industry has grown by 2.5% during the last five years, the majority of Medicare recipients do not gain dental care coverage through their insurance policies. In fact, 65% of all Medicare beneficiaries (equal to 37 million people throughout the nation) have no dental coverage at all. Since Medicare does not pay for cleanings, fillings, dentures, or crowns -- the preventative and restorative treatments seniors are likely to need most -- many older Americans are forced to pay for these services out of pocket. Medicare members who visited a dentist during 2016 paid $922 on average for these services,...

CBD products, like oils and candies, are becoming increasingly popular. As one of over 115 chemical compounds called cannabinoids, CBD can be used for medicinal purposes -- from helping with depression and anxiety to managing pain, people are finding CBD to be helpful for a variety of ailments. In fact, around 62% of CBD users reported using it to treat a medical condition. And with CBD product manufacturers getting more creative with their products, it's no surprise that CBD jelly beans have been released. With Easter just around the corner, people are starting to pick up their favorite Easter sweets, like chocolate bunnies and Peeps. And now, CBD jelly beans can be added to that list. The creator of Jelly Belly jelly beans has released his unique CBD jelly beans for people to buy in tim...

Data tells us that approximately 28% of Americans -- or roughly 80.2 million people -- over the age of six are physically inactive. But according to a few recent studies, doing some light exercise for just 10 minutes every week could be enough for those sedentary residents to extend their lives. A study conducted by the British Medical Association found that coronary heart disease was reduced by 50% when people cycled 20 miles a week. Another study, which was published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, has revealed that even a short period of exercise performed on a weekly basis could reduce your risk of death. Based on existing data from more than 80,000 American adults who participated in the National Health Interview survey between 1997 and 2008, the analysis showed that tho...

There are so many important aspects that homeowners need to focus on in order to avoid structural damages, financial issues, and all kinds of stress. For instance, homeowners need to keep residential humidity levels between 30% and 55% to maintain optimum air quality, keep refrigerators and cupboards stocked with plenty of groceries each week, handle all the daily, weekly, and monthly expenses, and so much more. Perhaps the number one thing property owners need to focus on, however, is the safety and protection of not just your home, but your entire family. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), a burglary happens every 15.4 seconds in the United States. Despite the fact that burglaries are so common, only a small percentage are actually reported and as much as 90% o...

Despite the fact that used vehicles make up three of four automotive sales in the United States, dealers would still love to push newer models on their customers. However, due to recent tariffs that have been put in place, auto sales are taking a significant hit. According to Forbes, since tariffs are hitting auto dealers so hard, they are being forced to push buyers to consider used options instead. A great deal of the steel produced in the world is used by the automotive industry, and global production of steel reached over 1,600 million tons in 2016. The tariffs made it 25% more expensive to buy foreign steel in hopes that it would boost business for American steel producers. Across the U.S., car dealers are expecting much higher prices and lower sales thanks to President Donald ...

At any given moment, there is an average of 9,782 planes carrying 1.27 million people in the air. Though airlines are used to transport people all across the globe, they are also widely used to transport various items. Everything from toys and tools to medications and food supplies are transported daily via air. But that's not the only method of transport. There are approximately 6 million shipping containers filled with automobiles, heavy machinery, and much smaller products being transported across the world's oceans. According to Business Insider, Amazon, a transportation behemoth, increased its worldwide shipping costs fifteenfold from 2009 to 2018, increasing its net sales by sevenfold during that same timeframe. Whether it's through air or sea, Amazon is excelling at global trans...