Version 9.0 of Unicode has been released, bringing with it over 72 new emojis including “shrug”, “facepalm”, “fingers crossed”, and “selfie”. According to emoji reference website Emojipedia, the update includes new emoji faces, hand gestures, gender pairings, animals, food, drinks and sports.

A national-scale study of monarch butterfly breeding habitats is being conducted by the Insectarium, the Institut de recherche en biologie végétale (IRBV), the Université du Québec à Rimouski, the University of Ottawa and the University of Calgary. This three-pronged research project is aimed at determining whether the availability of milkweed and breeding sites are limiting monarch reproduction in Canada. First …

Ford Motor Company, the American auto giant has initiated a new experiment, called Driver Behavior Project, to map driver skills and driving patterns in real world conditions. The Ford-led Driver Behaviour Project explores providing drivers with a personal score, based on various driver inputs, and accessed via a prototype smartphone app. This type of research could lead to cheaper car-hire …

Further proving social media’s widespread influence, even 90-year-old Queen Elizabeth is busy tweeting. On Tuesday morning, the royal majesty herself typed up a message on Twitter to thank the public for their “digital wishes” following her birthday milestone. Talk about a tech-savvy royal. She said she was “most grateful” for the “digital messages of goodwill” and endless celebrations, signing off …

Selma Blair issued a statement Tuesday explaining what led up to a bizarre incident that ended with her strapped to a stretcher being taken off her flight home from Cancun to Los Angeles. “I made a big mistake yesterday. After a lovely trip with my son and his Dad, I mixed alcohol with medication, and that caused me to black …

A ‘sea monster’ has been spotted on Google Earth near Antarctica, and it has driven people into a frenzy as they tried to figure out what it is. A viral video on YouTube takes viewers there: Zoom in to Deception Island near Antarctica. Just off the coast, you’ll find what’s described as a “massive disturbance” in the ocean. Once you’ve …

On the homepage for the brain-training game NeuroNation, there’s a spinning, high-tech science-y brain with blinking lights. It says, “Your potential is infinite.” Over at Lumosity, another popular brain game, there’s talk of cognitive abilities, legions of researchers, and establishing your baseline. The games sound so promising and reference how they are “scientifically proven.” But a new study says some …

New study has revealed that a prehistoric asteroid nearly wiped out all mammals along with dinosaurs. New data received has also revealed that the extinction was far more catastrophic than previously believed. The prehistoric asteroid struck Earth with such force that about 93 percent of mammal species became extinct. The asteroid hit took place more than 66 million years ago …

Games dominate the apps economy. But that doesn’t mean that the future of virtual reality will also be dominated by gamers. The 2016 Virtual Reality Consumer Report, set to release today, offers detailed findings from Greenlight VR’s recent survey of mainstream U.S. consumers on topics relating to experiences, attitudes and purchase intentions for VR hardware and content.

Previously, men had to abstain from sex with other men for five years to give blood in Canada. On Monday, Canada’s health department released a statement saying it had accepted proposals from the country’s two blood agencies — Canadian Blood Services and Héma-Québec — to lower the ban to one year. The change will take effect August 15 for both …

Eyeless catfish have been discovered deep inside a cave in Texas, an entirely new area for a rare species and a finding scientists say could mean underground caverns link the US to Mexico. Dean Hendrickson, curator of ichthyology at The University of Texas at Austin, identified the live fish, discovered in a deep limestone cave at Amistad National Recreation Area …