China is "the world's largest producer and consumer of tobacco," reports the Journal of the American Medical Association. "Of the 1.2 billion people in China, more than 300 million men and 20 million women are smokers." Doctors from the Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine and the Chinese Association for Tobacco and Health in Beijing, as well as Western doctors, released the results of a national survey of more than 120,000 respondents. Your conclusion? China is "in the early stages of a tobacco epidemic" and "at least 50 million Chinese smokers living today are expected to die prematurely". The average age of new smokers in China has fallen by three years from 28 to 25 years since 1984, the report said. Only a minority realized that smoking can cause lung cancer and heart disease.
When parents worry
"Scientists now say the secret to a child's success is having a parent who cares about their learning and proves it," says the Toronto Star. Statistics Canada and Human Resources Development Canada jointly monitored the development and health of 23,000 children. Canadians since 1994, ages 4-11. Obviously, most Canadian parents are actively interested in their children's education, especially in the early years. The report says that "95% of students ages 10-11 say their parents encourage them to do well in school all or most of the time" and 87% of parents "read it all along their kids days 1 through 3. "Mary Gordon, Parents Program Manager for the Toronto District School Board, says," Now we know that you don't have to be rich or educated to be a good parent, but you have to be vigilant and interested. She adds, "It's the romantic relationship that grows the brain, and that happens at home first."
Teens and Telephones
Teenagers are famous for talking on the phone. "They look to the recipient for fun or when they are bored," notes the Polish weekly Przyjaciółka. However, many may ignore the time they spend on the phone or be unaware of the cost of a call. What's the cure? The magazine suggests that the young man should pay at least part of the phone bill. She recommends reminding teenagers that "the phone needs to be shared and that other people may want to use it from time to time".
Gunslinger Beetle
"The high-speed photos gave scientists an insight into the mechanisms that make the bomber beetle the safest photo with the most effective insect arsenal in the world," reports the independent London newspaper. With a pair of shield-shaped deflectors on the tip of the belly, the beetle can hit a stream of hot acids precisely on a potential enemy and suffocate them in a split second. Because the beetle is immune to the effects of this fluid, it can also defend itself by attacking specific areas on its own body, including its back, when attacked by swarms of smaller insects such as ants. . Scientists from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, who photographed the beetle in action, note, “Although bomb beetles are known to direct their aerosol by rotating the tip of their abdomen, the degree of precision with which they direct their ejections goes unnoticed . ""
Rage kitchen
"The increasing complexity of high-tech devices leads to outbursts of 'culinary high'," reports the London Independent newspaper. Frustrated homeowners "find they can't put a cup of soup in the microwave, wash a pair of socks, or use the blender without studying a manual for hours." Psychologists point out that modern technology allows designers to incorporate many functions into home appliances and cite the average video player as a great example of over-consumption. Cary Cooper, Professor of Psychology at the University of Manchester, explains, "People are facing new technology everywhere and when they return home they want a simpler life that doesn't remind them of work."
Risk of raw germs
After an increase in reports of foodborne diseases, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has warned consumers that anyone looking to reduce their risk of foodborne diseases should avoid consuming raw seed sprouts, reports the FDA Consumer Magazine. Many people like raw alfalfa, clover, or bean sprouts. However, according to the New York Times, they have been linked to outbreaks of bacterial infection in several countries. Small children, the elderly and people with a weakened immune system are particularly susceptible. Researchers tried several methods of fighting the bacteria, including washing the germs in bleach or alcohol solutions, but none were completely effective. They stated that "the humidity and high temperatures during the germination process provide ideal conditions for organisms to thrive," says the Times.
London languages
School children in London, England speak at least 307 languages, reports The Times newspaper. Dr. Philip Baker, one of the authors of the first survey on languages spoken in London today, was surprised by its diversity. He said: "Now we are sure that London is the most multilingual city in the world, even more so than New York." Number 307 doesn't have hundreds of dialects in it and it may well be an understatement. Only two-thirds of the city's 850,000 students speak English at home. The largest groups of foreign languages come from the Indian subcontinent. At least 100 African languages are spoken. At one school, students speak 58 languages.
Fungal attack!
Athlete's foot, a painful fungal infection of the toes and soles of the feet, is spreading rapidly in Germany, reports the magazine Der Spiegel. Every fifth German suffers from it, and in some other European countries the infection rate is even higher. The risk of infection is high when people go barefoot in confined spaces such as saunas, swimming pools, or even some religious buildings. Because fungal spores are very resilient, foot cleaning machines or aerosol cans, which use chemicals for only a few seconds, usually help spread the athlete's foot instead of preventing it. How can you protect your feet? The mushroom specialist Dr. Hans-Jürgen Tietz recommends wearing bathing shoes wherever others go. The most important thing is to keep your feet dry. If you dry them well, especially between your fingers, mushrooms will not be able to form and bloom.
Remove salt from the sea water
Seawater is converted into drinking water in a desalination plant on a small island off the coast of South Australia, reports the Australian newspaper. While desalination is not new, "the technology has been hailed as a breakthrough in desalination because it doesn't require chemicals," the report said. To support the 400-strong Penneshaw community on Kangaroo Island, “water is drawn from the ocean and pushed through a membrane under high pressure to remove salt. The concentrate or brine can then be safely returned to the sea. "While there are high hopes for wider use of the new system, it remains expensive, despite being cheaper than traditional water treatment methods," says The Australian.
"He's on a date"
In a survey of 148 secretaries who work for executives, 47% said their bosses sometimes asked them to betray others, the Wall Street Journal reports. A secretary, a marketing assistant from Texas, said she had to keep her job for 30 years. She had to tell the callers that her boss was "in a meeting" even if he was alone in his office. Some lies can be particularly explosive, such as: B. Telling the wife that she does not know where the absent husband is. A secretary was fired after sincerely informing the caller that the mail was not checked overdue.
Nicely written