Fermented foods shown to protect against the flu
The flu season has hit America especially hard this year. Though influenza peaks in February, 37 children have died already, and overall mortality for 2017-2018 was double last year’s numbers before midwinter even arrived. With all of these troubling conditions, a little bit Read More...
Why triggering an avalanche can save lives
Avalanches can reach speeds up to 130 km/hour, and kill more than 150 people worldwide each year. But could causing an avalanche save your life? These researchers think so, which is why they are producing towers that can start an avalanche on command. If you want to see the avalanche towers in Read More...
Homeless in Paris: How people end up sleeping on the streets
The year is 2018, and homelessness is still a problem in many of the world’s most advanced economies. In fact, the number of people living on the streets is on the rise in countries like England and France. French President Emmanuel Macron has said he wants to eradicate homelessness entirely, but Read More...
A major retailer is making the UK’s favourite beverage plastic-free
Teabags account for a whopping 96 percent of the 165 million cups of tea drunk every day in the UK. Anti-plastic campaigners have been appealing to customers to use loose tea or “greener” options such as Japanese-style “pyramids” made of 100 percent compostable corn starch, but these are Read More...
The way people work is changing. That’s why we need a new benefits system
More Americans are working freelance or on contract. That means employment benefits such as paid leave, unemployment insurance and workers’ compensation are not available to those workers. That’s why we need an entirely different benefits system for the people who don’t rely on having a Read More...
How to have a difficult conversation, according to communication experts
Most everyone dreads the difficult, challenging conversation. This includes conversations in which we have to deliver unpleasant news, comfort someone, or talk about something that needs to change or has gone wrong. Delivering an effective message in these situations isn’t easy, but with a bit of Read More...
Tiny robot marks a step towards using devices in humans
Researchers invented a tiny "minimalist robot" that looks like a caterpillar and can perform a wide range of movements, including jumping, crawling through tunnels, and climbing out of a pool. It is designed to deliver drugs to specific targets in the human Read More...
7 myths about getting rid of mosquitos that you need to stop using
There are a lot of misconceptions when it comes to controlling mosquitoes. Despite what you may have heard, the food you eat won't affect your chances of being bitten, and neither will buying a bunch of citronella candles. From what types of repellents actually work to why the bloodsuckers bite you Read More...
This Japanese concept of happiness could help you live a more meaningful life
Even though the Japanese language possesses several terms that could be translated as “happiness” or “happy” (including “shiawase” and “koufuku”), one that has emerged as central to that country’s understanding of a life well-lived is “ikigai.” The word is often translated as: Read More...
Why hospitals are subsidizing apartments for the homeless
During harsh Chicago winters when he was homeless, Glenn Baker used to spend as many as 20 nights each month in local emergency rooms–both because of his chronic medical conditions and, at times, just to get out of the cold. But for the last year and a half, Baker has lived in his own Read More...