Spring Doesn’t Happen at the Same Time for Everyone: You probably already know that the Earth rotates on its axis, an imaginary pole that goes right through the middle of the planet. That rotation is why we have day and night — when one half of the planet is facing the sun, it’s day. When it’s turned away from the sun, it’s night. But the axis also helps explain why we have seasons and why the seasons are opposite in the Northern and Southern hemispheres. Because the Earth is tilted on its axis, different parts of the planet get more direct sunlight — with warmer, longer days and stronger sunshine — than others at different times of the year. The Northern Hemisphere gets spring beginning in March because the northern half of the Earth is tilting toward the sun. The Southern Hemisphere has spring in August, when the southern half of the planet is tilted toward the sun.
Smells Are Stronger in the Spring: Have you noticed that springtime has a different smell than winter? There are so many scents in the air — new flowers, cut grass, and the rich smell of earth, just to name a few. But did you know that the weather helps you smell things more strongly? In the spring, there’s more moisture in the atmosphere. The extra moisture not only helps keep scents in the air longer, but it also makes it easier for you to smell them.
MARCH MADNESS AT THE OFFICE _ Nearly 1 in 5 workers have participated in March Madness pools at work. Men are more likely to get in on March Madness in the office than women. 24 percent of male workers said they have participated in March Madness pools in the office, compared to 11 percent of females. Some quick tips: Tune out what the “experts” are predicting. The experts have no better of an idea who’s going to win it all than you do. Seriously. In fact, they may even have less confidence in their picks than you. It’s their jobs to be bold and take risks. As is the case with preseason football predictions, it does the talking heads on TV no good predicting the favorites to win every game. Avoid everyone’s “sleeper” picks. A “sleeper” team is usually a squad seeded from 6 to 12 that is expected to make a run in the tournament. If everyone’s buzzing about a particular “sleeper team” your best bet is to stay away. Value coaching experience. Bright shining stars make for great stories, but experienced coaches are better bets. BY THE WAY: According to experts, there is more money wagered on March Madness games than on any other sporting event in America.
CAFFEINE GREAT FOR SOLVING PROBLEMS, DOESN’T BOOST CREATIVITY _ Where would so many of us be without caffeine? Probably still in bed. A hot cup of joe is an essential for millions each morning, but besides being a breakfast staple, many people turn to coffee or another form of caffeine at all hours when they have something important to get done. Researchers at the University of Arkansas investigated caffeine’s helpful effect on certain tasks, and discovered it’s more beneficial when it comes to focusing on and solving a concrete problem in comparison to creative endeavors. In many cultures, caffeine is stereotypically associated with creative occupations and lifestyles, from writers and their coffee to programmers and their energy drinks. Researchers found caffeine helped with concrete problem solving, like finding the correct answer to a math equation. But the caffeine offered no real improvement with thinking of unique or novel approaches to a situation.
