Category: Feature Stories

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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Some people always seem to underestimate the skills of hackers and carelessly choose passwords that can be guessed without great technical know-how. The top 3 most popular passwords have now been published. Whether for online shopping, email accounts, or social media, passwords have become indispensable for protecting users. Some people make it a little too easy for themselves when choosing their password. Number sequences are particularly commonStoring passwords in browsers is not a good idea, but neither are easy-to-guess combinations of letters and numbers. The Hasso Plattner Institute has determined…

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Airplanes are becoming safer and safer, and flying is generally the safest form of transportation. Regarding flight safety, 2023 was the second safest year on record. The Flight Safety Foundation evaluates incidents and accidents every year. There were 135 accidents, five fatalities, and 105 passenger deaths on the 35 million routes examined. The average over the last five years is 13 fatal accidents and 300 deaths per year. That may sound like a lot, but it’s still dramatically low. A study by Northwestern University in the USA compared the death…

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Everything under 100 euros and two free printers to boot: Who wouldn’t go for it? But, as usual, there is a catch. Online stores with breathtakingly low prices are no longer a rarity. We come across them on almost all platforms, and they are becoming increasingly visible with all kinds of advertising campaigns. The online mail-order company Temu, in particular, has been indispensable in Europe since the beginning of 2023 at the latest and is currently high up on the app charts. According to lawyer Christian Solmecke, partner at law…

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The Henley Passport Index provides an up-to-date insight into the state of freedom to travel worldwide. Based on data from the world’s largest database for travel information, the International Air Transport Association (IATA), among others, the ranking compiled by the consulting firm Henley & Partners lists all 199 passports in the world according to the number of destinations that passport holders can visit without first applying for a visa. Towards the end of 2023, Japan lost its place at the top of the pass rankings for the first time in…

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It’s pretty disgusting! You get up, get dressed, get ready for the day, and then make your bed so that it looks nice and tidy when you go back to sleep, don’t you? Making your bed one of the first things you do when you get up is not a good idea. No, it’s not about taking valuable time out of your morning routine but about your overall health. You’re about to read knowledge that’s been around for nearly 20 years, but it’s about time it became common knowledge. According…

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