It's hard keeping up with the news. Even if we limit ourselves to the technology and science worlds there are so many reports within a single day that even the most dedicated reader is bound to miss numerous important, interesting, or just plain weird revelations.
The situation isn't any different here at iTech Post, where so many stories are published even our staff can have difficulty keeping up with reading them all. That said, we've decided to do you, our reader, a favor and compile some of the most talked-about and interesting stories right here.
At the end of each week, our Hits & Misses column brings you two lists of articles that are worthy of your attention. "Hits" is pretty self-explanatory, as it includes five of our most popular pieces from the last week. "Misses," meanwhile, will contain noteworthy and quirky articles that weren't quite as popular, but are worthy of your attention anyway.
Hits
1. Some of the biggest movies at the box office these days are comic book thrillers, so it's no surprise that fans gobble up every little tidbit out there. This week, a new fan-made trailer for Captain America 2 impressed the Internet, and Joss Whedon had something impressive to say about Iron Man 3, whose leaked trailer revealed some big secrets.
2. In the world of smartphones and tablets, it often seems like people care about the next product more than the current ones. The iPad mini 2 is no exception. A Retina display sits atop the typical wish list for Apple's next tablet, but we also rounded up four other reasons to get excited for Apple's iPad mini 2 reveal.
3. Archaeology doesn't usually break into mainstream news, but this week the field got its moment in the sun when researchers discovered the Gate to Hell described in Greek and Roman mythology. The cave was thought to be a portal to the underworld, and is so packed with carbon dioxide that it killed birds who flew in too close.
4. Cancer is one of the leading causes of death among us, and a research breakthrough might help us fight it off for good. Scientists successfully mapped the "fountain of youth" telomerase enzyme, which could potentially slow down or reverse aging. It also plays a significant part in the development of cancer, and researchers think this'll allow for quick identification of the disease.
5. These days it seems like everyone is making a new video game console. Sony, Microsoft, Valve, Ouya, NVIDIA; Samsung is making a controller for the Galaxy S4, and now rumors are circulating that Apple is going to enter the gaming field later this month.
Misses
1. On Thursday, April 4, beloved film critic Roger Ebert passed away at the age of 70. His 45 years of dedication to the Chicago Sun-Times was impressive, of course, but even moreso was his ability to endure and transform himself after being ravaged by illness. We gathered five of our favorite Ebert moments here to celebrate his life.
2. The United States Senate recently voted to consider imposing an Internet sales tax on online retailers, but not everyone is happy about it. We spoke with eBay's global director of public policy, as well as a New York small business owner, about what they think is wrong with the legislation.
3. For years, building solar panels required more energy than they created, until now. Prices have fallen enough that 2012 was the first year in which solar panels contributed more energy than manufacturing them required. That can only mean good things going forward.
4. The latest strain of bird flu has already killed six people in China and infected another 14. The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention is hard at work developing a vaccine for the disease, but until it's proven that the sickness can be transmitted person-to-person production won't begin.
5. NASA announced this week that it plans to capture an asteroid and draw it in near the moon for further study. If it's successful, it'll be the first time humans manipulate an object in space to this extent.
