Category: General Interest

Expired tea: usually still drinkable even after the best-before date – tips on storage, taste, and health benefits. When it gets colder outside, a hot cup of tea provides warmth and comfort. But, like spices, teas often end up in the back of the pantry, where they are forgotten for months. When a packet is finally dug out again, few people think about how long it has been there – or whether the tea is still edible. It is essential to distinguish between the use-by date and the best-before date.…

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According to a new study, three billion people worldwide suffer from headaches—a figure that has remained virtually unchanged over the past 30 years. This results in a significant loss of quality of life and high costs for social welfare systems. Thanks to new therapies, the prognosis is favourable, at least for migraines. They can be sharp and stabbing or dull and throbbing, affecting the whole head or just part of it: there are more than 200 types of headaches, the most common being tension headaches and migraines. According to the…

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Do you remember the early days of the pandemic, when “I can’t taste anything anymore!” suddenly became a typical phrase after a positive test? Loss of smell and taste was considered one of the most evident signs of a COVID-19 infection. For most people, these senses returned after a while, or at least they thought they did. But now an extensive US study shows that many people still have a reduced sense of smell without even realizing it. As part of the RECOVER-Adult research project, 3,525 adults were examined over…

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We rarely think about it, but this daily gesture can have a significant impact on our health. If your toilet is in the same room as your shower/bathtub, sink, and personal care products, a recent study recommends rethinking one habit: flushing the toilet without closing the lid. An invisible but very real phenomenon Researchers at the University of Colorado analyzed the so-called “toilet plume,” a microscopic cloud of particles that escapes from a toilet when it is flushed with the lid open. This phenomenon, which is entirely invisible to the…

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According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), 2025 is expected to be the second or third hottest year since records began. In addition, the concentration of greenhouse gases in the Earth’s atmosphere has risen by an unprecedented 2.3 percent. “The alarming series of extraordinary temperatures has continued in 2025,” the WMO said Thursday when it presented the data ahead of the COP30 world climate conference in Belem, Brazil. According to the United Nations sub-organization, 2024 was the hottest year ever recorded. With the data expected for 2025, the WMO says…

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For some, a morning shower is an indispensable ritual that gets the body and mind going. For others, warm water in the evening is the perfect end to a long day—relaxing, cleansing, and promoting sleep. But who is right? Microbiologist Primrose Freestone from the University of Leicester has addressed this everyday question, and her findings finally provide answers. Pros of an evening shower During the day, a lot of stuff accumulates on our skin and hair: sweat, sebum, dust, pollen, and much of it goes unnoticed when we go to…

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The Slovakian security software company ESET has uncovered a campaign in which criminals use a new type of Android malware to steal data from bank cards—including PINs—and forward it to a second, pre-programmed cell phone. The aim is to make cash withdrawals directly from ATMs. Money gone because of Android malware: How the scam works For potential victims of Android malware, it all starts with a text message in the name of the bank, as ESET explained in a press release. The hook often involves a tax refund. If recipients…

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All Souls’ Day, celebrated on November 2, is a solemn reminder that love and prayer reach beyond the grave. In the Catholic faith, it’s the day we remember and pray for all the faithful departed—those who have died and are being purified in purgatory before entering the fullness of heaven. It’s not a day of fear or sadness but of hope, mercy, and deep connection. The Church teaches that death does not end our relationships; it changes them. Our loved ones who have died are still part of the communion…

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As every year, new variants of SARS-CoV-2 are circulating, causing respiratory infections in people in Europe. The currently dominant Covid variant XFG is often referred to in the media as the “Frankenstein variant”. It is reported to cause the so-called “razor blade throat” as a typical symptom. Doctors report patients complaining of extremely severe sore throats—so severe that they feel like they are swallowing razor blades. Several media outlets have reported on this in recent days. On May 23, 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO) officially classified the variant as…

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