Well, each years has special events that make it, well, special. Each year, we also learn new things. These are some of the scientific/technological things we’ve learned in the past year.

1. U.S. life expectancy in 2005 inched up to a record high of 77.9 years.

3. Blue light fends off drowsiness in the middle of the night, which could be useful to people who work at night.

7. At 68.1 percent, the United States ranks eighth among countries that have access to and use the Internet. The largest percentage of online use was in Malta, where 78.1 percent access the Web.

15. Americans spent almost $32 billion on toys during 2005. About a third of that was spent on video games.

24. At least once a week, 28 percent of high school students fall asleep in school, 22 percent fall sleep while doing homework and 14 percent get to school late or miss school because they overslept.

39. The common pigeon can memorize 1,200 pictures.

50. Researchers from the University of Manchester managed to induce teeth growth in normal chickens - activating genes that have lain dormant for 80 million years.

Yes, they’re random. Yes, it’s worth reading (although not all are worth reading in depth, all are worth a glance.) Read the rest of the list here

http://www.tbo.com/life/MGBUFCRF5WE.html