Category: Curiositys

Curiositys, Health, LivingLeave a comment

If You Smell Strong “Chlorine” In A Pool, You Should Probably Get Out

Fernando Kaskais

What you are smelling at the pool is not actually chlorine. By JAMES FELTON We regret to inform you that the smell which you call “chlorine” at the swimming pool is not, in fact, just the cleaning agent chlorine. In fact, if it smells too strongly of “chlorine” it might be a good idea to get out of the pool entirely, for it is the result of something called “chloramines”. Chlorine doesn’t actually give off the distinctive “pool smell”, although chlorinated water can have a slight chemical odor that can be smelled in pools without good ventilation. Chloramines, on the … Continue reading If You Smell Strong “Chlorine” In A Pool, You Should Probably Get Out

Curiositys, History, Philosophy, PsychologyLeave a comment

Milk, pity and power

Fernando Kaskais

Cimon and Pero, also known as Roman Charity (c1625) by Peter Paul Rubens. Courtesy the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam Since antiquity, artists have depicted a perverse scene of a daughter breastfeeding her aged father. What does it mean? By Margie Orford, is a writer and journalist. She is the author of the literary crime fiction series the Clare Hart novels, which explore violence and its effects in South Africa, and have been translated into more than 10 languages. She is also an award-winning journalist who writes for newspapers in the United Kingdom and South Africa. She is an honorary fellow of St Hugh’s College, Oxford … Continue reading Milk, pity and power

Animals, Brain, Curiositys, PsychologyLeave a comment

Inside the brains of aging dogs

Fernando Kaskais

In a citizen science project, thousands of pet dogs are helping scientists to understand what happens to memory and cognition in old age. by Lesley Evans Ogden Hana aced her memory test. After viewing the contents of three identical boxes arrayed in an arc on the back deck of her home, the 3-year-old Cavalier King Charles spaniel had to remember which box held a treat — a task she quickly learned after just a few trials. Hana and her human companion, Masami Shimizu-Albergine of Bainbridge Island, Washington, are helping scientists to learn something too: when dog smarts reach their peak … Continue reading Inside the brains of aging dogs

Curiositys, Living, Money, PsychologyLeave a comment

How to avoid family fights about money

Fernando Kaskais

No family is immune to money conflicts, no matter how much they love each other. Here’s what to look out for. KEY TAKEAWAYS by David Cotriss If you don’t want money issues to come between you and your family, it’s important to prepare yourself for them ahead of time. We’ll run through the primary ways money causes problems in families, along with strategies to ensure it never becomes an issue in your family. Why money matters to families  You might think that something as seemingly shallow as money wouldn’t affect you and your family. But you’d be surprised. Money can … Continue reading How to avoid family fights about money

Africa, Curiositys, History, Media&CultureLeave a comment

The other Cleopatra

Fernando Kaskais

A silver coin dated 25-24 BCE featuring King Juba (REX IUBA) and, on the obverse, the Greek legend BASILISSA KLEOPATRA and a crocodile (associated with Egypt). Photo courtesy the British Museum Daughter of Cleopatra and Mark Antony, she became the influential queen of a mysterious, abundant North African kingdom Jane Draycott is a lecturer in Classics at the University of Glasgow. Her books include Prosthetics and Assistive Technology in Ancient Greece and Rome (2021) and Cleopatra’s Daughter: Egyptian Princess, Roman Prisoner, African Queen (2022). You may not have heard of the Roman client kingdom of Mauretania, not to be confused with the contemporary African country … Continue reading The other Cleopatra

Art, Curiositys, History, Media&Culture, RussiaLeave a comment

The most controversial painting in Russian history

Fernando Kaskais

Created in the 1880s, “Ivan the Terrible and His Son Ivan,” which depicts a father murdering his son, divides Russians to this day. KEY TAKEAWAYS Tim Brinkhof In 19th century Russia, writers spoke loud and clear. Instead of hiding their personal beliefs behind dense layers of symbolism, they wrote unambiguously about the social, political, and economic problems of their time. This made them somewhat unique in the literary world. Indeed, where the true meaning of books like Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness continues to be debated to this day, there has never been any doubt that Nikolay Chernyshevsky’s What is to be Done? is, … Continue reading The most controversial painting in Russian history

Curiositys, Drugs, Health, Living, PsychologyLeave a comment

The real reasons young people are choosing sobriety

Fernando Kaskais

Illustration © Tertia Nash Beyond booze by Eve Upton-Clark Their drinking habits have seen them derided as ‘generation sensible’, but this overlooks the complex and nuanced reasons people are turning their back on alcohol, writes Eve Upton-Clark. In 2022, the idea that young people are going sober is nothing new. While this trend has been bubbling away for a while now, over the past year, it seems to have accelerated: in fact, almost 150,000 university students have stopped drinking since last September alone, according to new research by Student Beans. This means a third of university students in the UK identify as … Continue reading The real reasons young people are choosing sobriety

Curiositys, Living, Media&Culture, Planet, PsychologyLeave a comment

Americans are among the most loving, Chinese and Germans the least

Fernando Kaskais

A new study of global love finds that Americans have some of the most loving relationships, while Chinese and Germans have some of the least. KEY TAKEAWAYS by Ross Pomeroy An international team of nearly 100 scientists has conducted one of the largest studies on love of all time. Their work is published in the journal Scientific Reports. Psychologist Piotr Sorokowski based out of the University of Wrocław in Poland is first author of the Herculean (or perhaps more Shakespearean) scientific effort. He and numerous colleagues from dozens of countries joined together to survey 9,474 individuals over 18 years old in romantic relationships spread across 45 countries … Continue reading Americans are among the most loving, Chinese and Germans the least

Curiositys, Hypocrisy, Living, Money, PsychologyLeave a comment

If we live in a capitalist world, why is it taboo to talk about money?

Fernando Kaskais

The “money taboo” is not a single taboo, but rather an amalgamation of several smaller taboos tied to gender and socioeconomic class. KEY TAKEAWAYS by Tim Brinkhof From weekly episodes of Keeping up with the Kardashians to the outrageously expensive costumes and jewelry displayed at the MET Gala, mainstream media is full of reminders that our culture mostly revolves around money and consumerism. But while we are taught from a young age that one of our primary goals in life is to amass as much wealth as possible, talking about our own income with other people is considered inappropriate.  Before we discuss … Continue reading If we live in a capitalist world, why is it taboo to talk about money?

Animals, Curiositys, Eco, Science1 Comment

Is winter as miserable for animals as it is for us?

Fernando Kaskais

If dogs are out in coats and boots, how are the squirrels feeling? by Bridget B. Baker While the weather outside may indeed get frightful this winter, a parka, knit hat, wool socks, insulated boots and maybe a roaring fire make things bearable for people who live in cold climates. But what about all the wildlife out there? Won’t they be freezing? Anyone who’s walked their dog when temperatures are frigid knows that canines will shiver and favor a cold paw – which partly explains the boom in the pet clothing industry. But chipmunks and cardinals don’t get fashionable coats or booties.  In … Continue reading Is winter as miserable for animals as it is for us?