Category: General Interest

Our “hinge” between the head and body is exposed to massive strain when we use our cell phones frequently. This puts pressure on the so-called “atlas vertebra.” People stare at their smartphones for hours on end. Whether on the subway, in a café, or at home on the couch—their gaze is directed downward, their head tilts forward, and their posture becomes tense. Doctors are sounding the alarm because this habit can have serious consequences. The atlas vertebra, known as C1 in technical terminology, is the topmost vertebra in the cervical…

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Do you feel the same way? It feels like just yesterday we were putting our bare feet in the grass, sand, or water—and now that summer is over, thick socks are the order of the day. At least in the morning hours, which will really give us the cold shoulder in the coming week: By Friday, we could even see the first sub-zero temperatures in northern Styria, and even in Graz, the highest temperatures will be around 2 or 3 degrees Celsius when we get up in the morning. At…

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In the first half of 2025, houses and apartments became significantly more expensive again. According to Statistics Austria, prices rose by an average of 2.8 percent compared to the same period last year. New houses and apartments saw particularly strong growth, rising by 3.6 percent. Existing residential properties also became 2.6 percent more expensive on average, after prices had declined in 2024. Prices for houses and apartments rose in the first half of the year For existing residential buildings, the price increase in the first half of the year was…

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A rising number of severely overweight people, increased problematic alcohol consumption, and liver disease as a significant health problem: in many parts of the world, these developments are placing a strain on healthcare systems – and, in most cases, on the lives of those affected. Lifestyle changes are crucial for the treatment and prevention of these diseases. Understanding how alcohol consumption, an unbalanced diet, and other lifestyle factors are interrelated is, therefore, essential, researchers emphasize in a newly published study. How alcohol preferences influence overall lifestyle Surveys repeatedly show that…

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People who regularly consume caffeine are usually in a better mood after a cup of coffee, especially in the morning. This has been confirmed by a new study conducted at Bielefeld University and the University of Warwick in the UK. The researchers explain the mood-lifting effect as follows: Caffeine blocks the adenosine receptors in the brain, making you feel more alert and energetic. Receptors are a kind of tiny antenna—and they often dock with a substance that makes us tired, namely adenosine. The scientists also investigated whether coffee has different…

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Rice is one of the most popular ingredients in the world, but according to cookbook author and travel expert Tove Nilsson, few people know how to prepare it properly. In Japan, rice is revered; in Iran, there are special rice dishes for weddings; and in France, the nutrient-rich red rice “Canavere” is cultivated. But in Sweden? Here, rice is often drowned in sauce and cooked incorrectly, says Tove. “It’s time we learned to appreciate delicious rice and stopped treating it like an anonymous carbohydrate,” she says, as reported on the…

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Do you open your eyes a few minutes before your alarm goes off? This is not luck, but a biological phenomenon that is well known to researchers. A well-regulated internal clock According to the National Institutes of Health, the human body functions on a circadian rhythm, a roughly 24-hour biological clock that regulates sleep, appetite, body temperature, and many other functions. If you wake up at the same time every day, your brain anticipates the wake-up signal and adjusts the release of certain hormones. The key role of cortisol A…

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According to a new study, young people in Austria generally have a high level of life satisfaction. However, social media can reduce this, as shown by the responses of around 14,500 young people. According to communications scientist Tobias Dienlin from the University of Vienna, the respondents, whose average age was 14, spent around four hours a day on their cell phones. While the use of messenger services, online games, or the consumption of news had no effect on life satisfaction, this was not the case with streaming services or, in…

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But not everyone wants to buy expensive fertilizers—and they don’t have to. A sustainable solution can be found right in the kitchen: eggshells. Eggshells are rich in calcium—an essential nutrient that supports plant growth and prevents blossom end rot. Instead of throwing the shells in the trash after breakfast, they can be reused as natural fertilizer. This not only saves money but also protects the environment. The application is very simple: first, the eggshells should be washed thoroughly to remove any egg residue. They can then be either air-dried or…

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