Category: Feature Stories

Today, there are more cell phones on the planet than people. It all started half a century ago with the very first call. The phone call that would spark a revolution was, in itself, rather brusque. “Hi, Joel,” Motorola engineer Martin Cooper said to his colleague. “I’m calling you from a cell phone. But a real cell phone. A personal, portable cell phone,” Cooper recalled of the first call from a cellular device ever. Colleague Joel was so stunned, he says, that at first, there was silence on the other…

Read More

“April Fool’s Day!”: Anyone who hears this on April 1 has likely fallen for an April Fool joke. But why do people make April Fools jokes? Even in 2023, April 1 is a day of celebration for all pranksters: today, they fool their fellow human beings with an April Fool joke. But where does the April Fool’s joke originate? The answer is short: we don’t know for sure. But there are four possible explanations – and we present them here. April 1: Why do people make April Fools jokes?One explanation…

Read More

Coffee is one of the most popular beverages globally, but experts still debate its health benefits and harmful properties. The study examined the effects of coffee consumption on blood pressure, risk of heart disease, diabetes and other health issues. The study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine. It showed that drinking coffee can have both health benefits and drawbacks, “People can be assured that there are certainly no imminent dangerous effects of drinking coffee,” as the study’s author reported. A recent study published in the New England…

Read More

Crossing your legs is part of sitting comfortably for many. But according to studies, it has health consequences. If you’re sitting up straight, observe if your legs are crossed. Are your legs crossed at the knees or ankle? If so, you’re among many who perceive this posture as comfortable. But unfortunately, relaxing is not necessarily good for your health, as studies have shown. Crossing your legs: Health effectsIn a 2019 study published in the Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine, the research team found that crossed legs put…

Read More

According to a new forecast, the world’s population could peak at 8.5 billion people by as early as 2040 and decline to about six billion by the end of the century. However, that would require a “giant leap” in investment in economic development, education and health, according to the international initiative Earth4All. The UN assumes a peak of about 10.4 billion people only in 2080. According to UN figures, the world population cracked the eight billion mark in November. The six billion people world population last around the year 2000.…

Read More

Visitors to restaurants sometimes wish they could just eat a snack. However, this wish is often seldom fulfilled due to correspondingly incomplete menus. This is because main dishes are rarely offered in different portion sizes. Those interested can only choose between appetizers and snacks or children’s or senior citizens’ plates. In addition, satiated visitors are still too rarely encouraged to take leftover plates home for later consumption. Yet these are such easy-to-implement measures against food waste. In the context of out-of-home catering, 1.9 million tons of food end up unused…

Read More

A symbol for climate protection: around the world, lights were switched off for an hour in homes and at famous buildings on Saturday evening. In Germany, among other things, the Brandenburg Gate was in the dark for an hour from 20:30. With the “Earth Hour,” the environmental foundation WWF sets a sign for more climate protection every year. Numerous cities in more than 100 countries participated in the 17th “Earth Hour” under the motto “Together for more climate protection.” In Germany, more than 550 cities have registered for the action,…

Read More

The clocks will be changed to Central European Summer Time (CEST) on Sunday night. At 2:00 a.m., all radio-controlled watches should jump to 3:00 a.m.; the others must be turned manually. The switch back to standard time (CET) will take place on the last weekend in October. It is still unclear what will happen with the abolition of the time changeover in the EU, which has been decided in itself. The ball is still in the court of the EU Council of Ministers, and the transport ministers are responsible.Since the…

Read More

“With quite a bit of force” and “earlier than usual,” the pollen season has started this year. Allergy sufferers are suffering more and more from the consequences of climate change. A new app aims to help them mitigate the effects. The intensity of the burden can not yet be predicted, emphasized the Austrian Pollen Warning Service of MedUni Vienna and the information platform Interessensgemeinschaft Allergenvermeidung (IGAV ) on Tuesday. The reason for this is climate change, which confuses plants and affects people with pollen allergies and asthma. Higher temperatures change…

Read More