Category: Feature Stories

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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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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A striking shade of purple is making its way into Austria’s cafés, dessert counters and social-media feeds. The ingredient behind the trend is ube, the naturally violet yam from the Philippines that is increasingly appearing in everything from lattes and cheesecakes to ice cream. The recent Treffpunkt Österreich zu Mittag segment, “Ube: Die lila Knolle im Trend-Check,” takes a closer look at the ingredient behind the growing culinary trend. According to the programme, purple is becoming an increasingly popular colour in gastronomy, with ube at the centre of the phenomenon.…

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Smartphones quietly exchange data even when we sleep — and while much of it is essential for smooth performance, security experts warn that some background connections reveal far more about our behaviour than most users realise. The biggest mistake is assuming that default settings are automatically safe. Security specialists from NordVPN say many phones send and receive far more background data than necessary — and some of it can be used to build detailed behavioural profiles. Why your phone talks to servers at night Even in standby mode, a smartphone…

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Many Android users in Austria and across Europe have noticed a small N‑symbol appearing at the top of their smartphone screen. It looks cryptic, almost like a hidden system alert. In reality, it points to one of the most useful — and often underestimated — features built into modern phones: NFC, short for Near Field Communication. A tiny icon with powerful capabilities NFC is a short‑range wireless technology that allows devices to exchange data when they are just a few centimetres apart. It has been standard in Android phones for…

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The market for sugar‑free soft drinks is booming. Zero‑products promise fewer calories and a healthier lifestyle, but that impression is misleading. A closer look at the ingredients of Cola Zero reveals that it differs only marginally from regular cola: water, carbon dioxide, colorant E150d, phosphoric acid (E338), sodium citrate, natural flavors, caffeine and a mix of artificial sweeteners. Phosphoric acid: A direct attack on tooth enamel Cola’s characteristic acidity comes from phosphoric acid, added partly to enhance the stimulating effect of caffeine. Analyses show that one liter of cola contains…

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Crab mentality—the socio-cultural phenomenon where individuals actively sabotage the success or advancement of a peer, much like crabs in a bucket pulling down any compatriot trying to escape—remains one of the most persistent and deeply scrutinized traits in Filipino society. Often invoked in casual conversations, corporate post-mortems, and social commentary, it acts as a mirror reflecting the anxieties, scarcity mindsets, and historical wounds embedded within the national psyche. Roots in Scarcity and Survival – Anthropologists and sociologists trace the origins of this behavior not to inherent malice, but to historical…

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The humble dish sponge is one of the most-used items in any kitchen — and one of the most contaminated. Studies show that a single cubic centimetre of sponge can harbour up to 50 billion bacteria from around 350 different species. In fact, many kitchen sponges contain far more microbes than the average toilet seat. The reason is simple: a warm, moist environment combined with food residues trapped deep in the pores creates ideal living conditions for bacteria. Over time, they multiply, produce unpleasant odours and turn the sponge into…

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A new study shows how late‑night meals can disrupt your metabolism — and why shifting your dinner earlier can make a real difference. The long summer evenings in Vienna make it tempting to push dinner back: a late walk, a drink outdoors, a relaxed pace that feels good. But what feels effortless has measurable effects on your body. According to new research, when you eat may be almost as important as what you eat. Your body switches modes in the evening Your metabolism doesn’t run at the same speed all…

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