Summer 2023 was the warmest in the north for 2,000 years

According to a study, last year’s summer was the warmest in northern countries for more than 2,000 years. This is shown by a combination of observational data and reconstructions, according to a report by researchers led by Jan Esper from the University of Mainz in Nature. They analyzed the surface temperatures in June, July, and August in the extratropical regions of the northern hemisphere (30 to 90 degrees north latitude). The temperature in this part of the northern hemisphere, which includes Europe – was, therefore, 2.07 degrees higher in the…

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How unhealthy is coffee? This is how you should drink it, according to research

The doctor says: don’t drink too much coffee; otherwise, it’s not good for your health! That’s easier said than done: After all, 86.4 per cent of adults in Austria drink coffee. And that’s an average of three cups a day. For many, the drink is considered a stimulant and a stimulant that should only be drunk in moderation. Its supposedly bad, long-term consequences are too disreputable. But what exactly is the truth? And how should you drink coffee so that it has a positive effect on the body? Coffee can…

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Austria: Stricter rules on family reunification will come into force this week

The stricter rules on family reunification announced by the Austrian government will come into force this week. The number of DNA tests will then be ‘massively increased’ by decree, announced Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) at a press conference on Friday, from the current one per cent to around 50 per cent. The tests will also have to be conducted locally in the relevant embassies, and applicants will initially have to pay for them themselves. ‘We’re doing a planned square,’ Karner used traffic police jargon when promoting the measures. With…

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Rain showers and thunderstorms are on the way

Packaging an umbrella in the west of the country this week is better. Changeable and moderately warm weather is coming to Austria, according to the forecast from Geosphere Austria. On Monday, showers will increase from the west, accompanied by brief thunderstorms, while it will remain mainly dry in the east. On Tuesday, the day will start with showers south of the Alps and later develop into a rainy afternoon in the west. On the other hand, the north and east will remain sunny, accompanied by lively to strong winds. Temperatures…

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Corona has reinvented itself; variants are also with us

The coronavirus has spawned a new strain: KP.2 may not necessarily be more contagious than its predecessors, but it spreads faster and can better circumvent the current vaccination’s immune protection.Sars-Cov-2 does not take a summer break, as we have known at least since the Omicron variant BA.5. Now the virus has evolved again. Things have been quiet around the coronavirus recently. No wonder the winter is over, and JN.1 is probably the highest coronavirus wave ever. The successor to the long-dominant ‘Pirola’ line evaded the frontline defences of immunised people…

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This week’s weather: Changeable and moderately warm

The weather over Austria will be increasingly changeable and moderately warm in the coming week. While it will increasingly rain in the country’s west, it will initially remain mainly dry in the east. It will be five to 13 degrees in the morning, rising to 23 degrees during the day. Tuesday will start cloudy, with rain showers south of the main Alpine ridge. After a precipitation-free start to the day, spring clouds with showers will also develop in the west in the afternoon. In the north and east, it will…

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Solar storm brought northern lights to Austria at the weekend

At the weekend, people in many atypical regions of the world had the opportunity to marvel at auroras in the sky. A massive solar storm ensured the phenomenon could also be seen from Austria on Saturday night—and even partially on Sunday night. In the meantime, the disturbance in the Earth’s magnetic field has weakened considerably. It was ‘too little to see anything in Austria’, Tanja Amerstorfer from Geosphere Austria told APA. ‘There are still solar storms on the way,’ emphasised the deputy head of the Space Weather Office of Geosphere…

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The history of Mother’s Day

‘Mother’s Day is an invention of the flower trade’, say many, but that’s not true. In fact, the ancient Greeks and later the Romans honoured their mothers. However, the founder of today’s Mother’s Day is considered to be the American Anna Marie Jarvis, who established an official holiday to honour mothers in the USA in 1914. The history of Mother’s Day is old: a kind of Mother’s Day festival was held for Roman and Greek goddesses as early as 250 years before Christ. In the 13th century, Henry III introduced…

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Everything for Mom: How Austrians celebrate Mother’s Day

Gifts, flowers, food or outings: A recent survey shows that Austrians spoil their mothers on Mother’s Day. Rituals and traditions around Mother’s Day are a must for many. According to a Marketagent survey (1,000 people), gifts are part of it for 41 per cent, a celebration with the family is a must for 37 per cent, just over a quarter take on certain activities, a fifth go on an outing with mom, and almost as many ‘serve’ her on her day of honour, it was reported on Wednesday. Rituals and…

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