A couple of news items.

The internet knows everything. Part 3 The human eye can distinguish up to 500 shades of gray. By the beginning of the 21st century, a total of 143,600 tons of gold had been mined on Earth. ...In Israel, the first prayer was created to cleanse a computer and the user's soul from the sin of viewing or even accidentally opening a porn site. ...From 1.5% to 7% of goods in self-service stores are stolen. At the same time, most of the goods (up to 70%) are stolen not by customers, but by managers and sales staff. ...By 2010, the United States may begin using combat ground robots. By this time, General Dynamics will equip the newest American infantry fighting vehicle, Stryker, with an electronic brain that will allow it to operate independently on the battlefield. ...The Spirit and Opportunity rovers exchange information with Earth at a speed of 128 Kbps, which corresponds to the speeds of ISDN technology. ...People spend an average of two weeks of their lives kissing. ...One of the most popular toys in the United States, the Barbie doll, is banned from sale in Saudi Arabia and declared a "threat to public morality" there, and its outfits are considered an "insult to Islam." Meanwhile, two Barbie dolls are sold every second in the world. ...In Finland, the "Union of Fare Dodgers" operates. Its members are guaranteed to have any fine paid for fare evasion on any public transport for only 15 euros per month. The average fine for such an offense in Finland is 50 euros. ...About 40% of computer game fans are women. ...According to the latest research, women prefer "worn" men who are not ashamed of their baldness and do not try to hide it. Women are most annoyed by hair sticking out of their ears and nostrils. ...Scientists from the United States and Portugal have concluded that people could live up to 500 years without a reproductive system. This does not mean castration, but rather changes at the hormonal and genetic level that make people sexless. ...29% of Americans would like to be 30-39 years old. The second most attractive age is 21-29 years old, which was preferred by 28% of respondents. The third place is the age of 40-49 years (15% of respondents). Only 4% of respondents wanted to be a child. ...In Italy, it is believed that the New Year should be celebrated by getting rid of everything old, bad, and sad that has accumulated in the past year. Therefore, most Italians adhere to the custom of throwing old things out of the windows at midnight on December 31, whether it be dishes or furniture. ...Before Peter I's decree of 1700, January was no different from other months for the Russians, as the church New Year, according to biblical canons, began on March 1, and the secular New Year began on September 1. ...According to the latest research, eating late in the evening does not affect the increase in body weight. ...The results of the world's largest study of the medicinal properties of marijuana have proven the effectiveness of this plant in the treatment of multiple sclerosis. ...The brains of modern teenagers are best suited for multitasking. At the same time, it is much more difficult for them to concentrate and work effectively on something, compared to teenagers who lived two or three decades ago. (I agree, I find it very difficult to concentrate on anything. Hmm... is that a good thing?) ...A computer, game console, or mobile phone placed in the bedroom significantly changes the nature of teenagers' sleep. Young people sleep less, and their sleep becomes shallow. The lack of rest is partially compensated for by longer sleep on weekends. ...In Israel, a service for sending messages to God by email has begun to operate. ...70% of Internet users aged 18 to 34 visit at least one porn site per month on average. 55% of all child pornography is located on servers located in the United States, and Russia is in second place with 23%. Among major countries, the situation is best in the United Kingdom - only 1%. ...The American company Enlighted manufactures custom-made women's bras with LED displays that display any messages or animated videos. ...Studies conducted at Harvard University (USA) have shown that regular coffee consumption can significantly reduce the risk of developing diabetes. And smokers who drink large amounts of coffee (from 6 cups a day) are less likely to develop cardiovascular diseases and liver disorders. ...24% of women and 19% of men are willing to trade sex for dinner at an expensive restaurant. 8% of both sexes would prefer reading, movies, or watching football on TV to sex. 4% would rather get a good night's sleep than have sex. 5% of women would prefer a box of good chocolate to sex, and 0% of men. Everything that remains after that from 100% is those enthusiasts who would not trade sex for anything in the world! ...Men who wear a tight tie have an increased risk of developing glaucoma, a disease that can lead to blindness. Scientists believe that this may be due to compression of the jugular vein, which increases blood pressure inside the eye. ...Men will completely disappear from the face of the Earth in about 125,000 years. This is not due to wars and disasters, but to the Y chromosome, which distinguishes male DNA from female DNA. The Y chromosome is less stable and cannot withstand the destructive effects of the environment, so gradual mutations will lead to the complete destruction of male genes in the human community. ...Scientists in the United States have discovered a microorganism that can produce electricity by oxidizing carbohydrates, such as sugar. Theoretically, the energy generated from a cup of sugar should be enough to power a 60-watt light bulb for 17 hours. ...By 2002, Russia ranked seventh in the world in terms of population. China was in first place, India in second, and the United States in third. In 2050, India will become the most populous country in the world, and China, the United States, Indonesia, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Brazil, Congo, and Mexico will also be in the top ten. And Russia will move to 11th place. ...Almost half of the residents of Russia inherited from the soldiers of Genghis Khan's army the gene responsible for processing alcohol. Russians with these genes do not look like Mongols outwardly, but, like Asians, they get drunk quickly, experience severe hangovers, and are highly likely to become alcoholics. (Well, I guess everyone knows that).