Super El Niño Nears Record Levels as Peak Still Lies Ahead

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A powerful Super El Niño developing in the tropical Pacific has nearly matched the highest daily temperature anomaly ever recorded, raising concerns that its strongest global effects could emerge in 2027. According to an analysis by climate publication Carbon Brief, the current El Niño event reached a Niño-3.4 sea surface temperature anomaly of 3.07 degrees Celsius on September 19, just shy of the previous daily record of 3.08 degrees Celsius set during the major 2015 El Niño episode. The Niño-3.4 index measures how much sea surface temperatures in a key…

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“Hallo” Becomes Austria’s Most Common Greeting, Study Finds

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VIENNA, Austria — “Hallo” has become the most commonly used greeting in Austria, although traditional forms such as “Grüß Gott” and “griaß di” remain widely used across the country, according to a new linguistic study. The research, published in the journal Languages and led by linguist Katharina Korecky-Kröll of the Austrian Centre for Digital Humanities at the Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW), challenges assumptions that regional dialect greetings are disappearing, particularly among younger generations. The study also disputes the common belief that younger people greet others less frequently than older…

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Vienna Bids Farewell to Summer: Autumn Begins Now

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Vienna says goodbye to summer as the calendar autumn officially arrives — but the weather isn’t quite ready to play along. Vienna is preparing to bid farewell to summer, as the calendar autumn officially begins in Austria overnight. According to the astronomical calendar, autumn starts on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, at exactly 2:05 AM. At that moment, the sun reaches the autumn equinox point, when day and night are roughly equal in length. With that, the warm season comes to an end in the early hours of the morning from…

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Study Links Blue as the Favorite Color of Highly Intelligent People, Korean Research Finds

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A recent study from South Korea suggests that people with higher IQs tend to share a common preference: the color blue. The research, titled “Intelligence and Color Preferences: Is There a Connection?”, examined 900 students who were surveyed about their favorite colors and subsequently administered standardized IQ tests. Cold Colors Linked to Higher Cognitive Scores The findings, widely reported across European media outlets including 20 Minuten, Heute, and L’essentiel, indicate that participants with higher IQ scores showed a statistically significant preference for cool colors—particularly blue. Conversely, those with lower IQ…

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Booking.com Scam Warning: Fraudulent Emails Could Cost Travellers Dearly

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Travellers who have booked accommodation through Booking.com are being urged to exercise extra caution when receiving emails related to their reservations, as consumer advocates warn of a sophisticated scam targeting customers. Austria’s Chamber of Labour (Arbeiterkammer, AK) has issued a warning about fraudulent messages that appear to come from legitimate accommodation providers listed on Booking.com. The emails are designed to trick travellers into revealing sensitive information or making payments to criminals. According to the AK, the scam messages may contain accurate personal details and travel information, making them appear authentic.…

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Winter Time 2026: Clocks to Go Back on October 25

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The next seasonal clock change is approaching, with daylight saving time set to end on October 25, 2026. On that date, clocks across much of Europe will be turned back by one hour, marking the return to winter time. People looking to remember the date can follow the usual rule of thumb: the clock change takes place on the last Sunday of October. In 2026, that falls on October 25. In the early hours of Sunday morning, clocks will be moved back from 3 a.m. to 2 a.m. The change…

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Austrian Families Face Financial Squeeze as Family Benefits Changes Take Effect From 2027

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Austrian families will have to adjust to reduced financial support from 2027 after the government approved measures in its 2027-2028 double budget that will affect household finances. While some benefits are not being directly cut, the continued suspension of inflation adjustments means their real value will continue to decline as living costs rise. One of the most significant changes concerns key family benefits, including family allowance and childcare benefits. According to financial portal Finanz.at, neither payment will be indexed to inflation in 2028, marking the third consecutive year without an…

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Researchers Warn: Too Much Coffee May Accelerate Brain Aging

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VIENNA – Austrians are among Europe’s keen coffee drinkers, consuming an average of around 2.75 cups per day, according to a representative survey conducted last year. While moderate coffee consumption is generally considered safe, new research suggests that regularly drinking large amounts of coffee could have negative effects on cognitive health later in life. Scientists from the United States and Australia reported at the 2024 International Conference of the Alzheimer’s Association (AAIC) that consuming four or more cups of coffee daily may accelerate the decline of so-called “fluid intelligence” –…

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Voices United in Faith: Filipino Catholic Community Joint Choir Enriches Peñafrancia Thanksgiving Mass in Vienna

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On Sunday, September 20, 2026, the Filipino Catholic Community in Vienna came together in prayer and thanksgiving at the Filipino Catholic Chaplaincy, where music became a powerful expression of faith, unity and devotion. At the heart of the celebration was the Filipino Catholic Community Joint Choir, whose members from different Filipino Catholic choirs joined their voices to provide the musical accompaniment for the Feast of Our Lady of Peñafrancia and the Thanksgiving Holy Mass of Bishop Cyril “Jojo” Villareal. Hundreds of faithful gathered for the celebration, filling the church with…

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