Category: Feature Stories

Drinking carbonated water is a popular thirst quencher, but we often hear that it could be unhealthy. But what is the real truth behind this assumption? Carbonated water does contain carbon dioxide, but only a small amount. Most of the CO2 is in the form of dissolved gas. Nonetheless, there are concerns about the effects on the body’s acid-base balance, tooth enamel, and weight. Severe acidosis in the body can lead to hair loss, brittle nails and aching joints. Dentists warn that carbonated drinks can lead to erosion in children…

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Flies circling around you while you’re eating are probably annoying for most people, but nothing you give a second thought to. That could change from now on when you see what flies do when they land on your plate. Instead of taking a large bite of your schnitzel, “they spew a kind of saliva directly onto your food,” according to a YouTube video. That’s because flies can’t chew like humans. “This saliva contains digestive enzymes that break down the food into a slurpable liquid.” The fly then sucks this up…

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Artificial intelligence was on everyone’s lips last year, and that is unlikely to change in 2024. AI is also frequently used in smartphones. What will happen to the smartphone in 2024? We can only speculate about the details at the moment, but major developments seem almost certain. What are the major manufacturers focusing on in their latest models to win over as many customers as possible? Artificial intelligenceThe Federal Ministry of Education and Research describes artificial intelligence (AI) as “one of the most important key technologies”. And AI is also…

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The body needs fats and oils because they provide energy, store body heat, and serve as a means of transport for the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. As fat is also a natural flavor enhancer, we find fatty foods particularly tasty. However, the fats we eat play a role in a healthy diet. Healthy and unhealthy fatsScientists distinguish between monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, and saturated fatty acids. Oils that contain a lot of unsaturated fatty acids are not suitable for frying. Saturated fatty acids are mainly found in animal foods…

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The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe is sounding the alarm: In the first ten months of 2023, 30 times more measles cases were reported in the region than in the entire previous year. More measles and diphtheria cases in AustriaOf the 54 member states in the region, which extends as far as Central Asia, over 30,000 measles cases were reported from 40 countries during this period. In comparison, only 941 cases were registered in the whole of 2022, the WHO office announced on Tuesday. Kazakhstan and Russia…

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Flipping a coin to make a decision is more likely to lead to choosing a new path—and make you happier in the long run. Should I get up, or should I stay in bed? As soon as we wake up, we must make decisions and face the consequences. Because if you stay in bed any longer, you’re too late. But it doesn’t always stop at small decisions. Sometimes, we have to face big changes. Quitting your job, leaving your partner, or moving to another country. These are not easy decisions…

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How well-intentioned tips for online research lead users to even more misinformation—and how to get out of this predicament. “Do some research,” “Think about it,” and “Do not rely on the media” are all examples of well-intentioned advice that is not always beneficial. What appears to be advice on handling information responsibly is especially popular among lateral thinkers, troublemakers, and fake news disseminators. “Do the research” is a QAnon conspiracy theorist mantra. Why do those who spread questionable information themselves recommend that readers verify this information via online research? Users…

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Happiness in life tends to increase up to the age of 70. However, young people aged 9 to 16 are generally dissatisfied with their lives. The very term “midlife crisis” implies that during menopause, not only hormone levels but also moods start to slide. However, according to a German-Swiss study, life satisfaction rises slightly up to 70, with a slight dip well before menopause. The research team led by Susanne Bücker from Witten/Herdecke University analyzed 443 studies in which a total of over 460,000 female test subjects from a wide…

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