LIFESTYLE

From Ancient Chewing Sticks To High-Tech Devices — The Evolution Of Toothbrushes
LIFESTYLE, TOP FOUR

From Ancient Chewing Sticks To High-Tech Devices — The Evolution Of Toothbrushes

The Evolution of Toothbrushes: From Ancient Chewing Sticks to High-Tech Devices. Oral hygiene has always been a crucial aspect of human health, and throughout history, humans have employed various tools and techniques to keep their teeth clean and healthy. The evolution of toothbrushes is a fascinating journey that showcases our continuous efforts to improve oral care. From the humble chewing stick to the advanced high-tech devices of today, let's explore the remarkable history of toothbrushes. Ancient civilizations, even before the advent of modern toothbrushes, recognized the importance of oral hygiene. The earliest recorded evidence of tooth cleaning practices dates back over 5,000 years to ancient civilizations in Mesopotamia and Egypt. These early oral care enthusiasts used frayed ...
The Porn Studies Course That Doesn’t Involve Watching Adult Films
LIFESTYLE, SOCIETY, TOP FOUR

The Porn Studies Course That Doesn’t Involve Watching Adult Films

Jennifer Pollitt’s porn studies course doesn’t involve watching adult films. In Social Perspectives in Digital Pornography: The Other Sex Education — taught for the first time at Temple University in the spring — students learn about the history of porn, how the internet changed the industry, and the messages pornography sends about “trans bodies, or Black and Brown bodies, or disabled bodies,” Pollitt told The 19th. The undergraduate course is part of Temple’s gender, sexuality and women’s studies program of which Politt serves as assistant director. The class stands out, the professor said, because it uses current research to evaluate porn’s representation of sex and sexuality and impact on society. That the course takes a scholarly approach to a taboo topic hasn’t made it any less p...
Why Online Celebrity Gossip?
GOSSIP MUCH, LIFESTYLE

Why Online Celebrity Gossip?

Celebrity gossip sites are probably the most popular online destinations after pornography. The reason could be various, ranging from the profane to the profound. Celeb Hollywood gossip touches upon the lives of the rich and the famous. They hold up slices of their existence for us to gaze upon with a sense of longing. This sense of wish fulfillment is the driving force that propels entertainment news sites. People like to know more about their favorite icons and they would be willing to go to any lengths to grab the inside scoop, much like the paparazzi themselves. The spurt of online celebrity gossip is testimony to the fact that people have taken to the online version of celeb gossip in a very enthusiastic way. The online avatar of entertainment news scores well in a few areas. The ...
Working During Menopause
LIFESTYLE, TOP FOUR, WOMENS ISSUES

Working During Menopause

Millions of women are working during menopause, but US law isn’t clear on employees’ rights or employers’ obligations. While she was interviewing Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler in March 2023, Drew Barrymore suddenly exclaimed: “I’m so hot … I think I’m having my first hot flash!” She took off her blazer and fanned herself dramatically. While most hot flashes aren’t televised, the entertainer’s experience was far from unique. Barrymore, age 48, is one of approximately 15 million U.S. women from 45 to 60 who work full time and may experience menopausal symptoms. Unlike Barrymore, most women are silent about their menopausal symptoms. Yet their symptoms, even when concealed from employers and co-workers, are a burden on them, their workplaces and on the overall U.S. economy. Lost work p...
Contrasting Sharply With Everyone Else — Most Super Rich Couples Have Stay-At-Home Wives And Bread-Winning Husbands
LIFESTYLE, SOCIETY, TOP FOUR

Contrasting Sharply With Everyone Else — Most Super Rich Couples Have Stay-At-Home Wives And Bread-Winning Husbands

Most super rich couples have bread-winning husbands and stay-at-home wives, contrasting sharply with everyone else. The Research Brief is a short take about interesting academic work. The big idea Men are the sole breadwinners in over half of super rich heterosexual couples – defined as those in the top 1% of households – while the women are not employed, according to our new peer-reviewed study. That’s twice the rate of less affluent heterosexual couples. Our finding is based on 30 years of data, from 1989 to 2019, from the Federal Reserve’s Survey of Consumer Finances. We examined how couples divide work, focusing on three different wealthy groups – the super rich, the just plain rich and the upper middle class, as defined by their wealth percentile, and compared them with those of le...
Your Zodiac Sign Is Probably Wrong – Here’s Why
ASTROLOGY, LIFESTYLE, TOP FOUR

Your Zodiac Sign Is Probably Wrong – Here’s Why

I was born a Capricorn (please don’t judge me), but the Sun was in the middle of Sagittarius when I was born. As a professor emeritus of astronomy, I am often asked about the difference between astrology and astronomy. The practice of astrology, which predicts one’s fate and fortune based on the positions of the Sun, Moon, stars and planets, dates back to ancient times. It was intermingled with the science of astronomy back then – in fact, many astronomers of old made scientific observations that are valuable even today. But once Copernicus, Kepler and Galileo realized the planets orbit the Sun, rather than the Earth, and Newton discovered the physical laws behind their behavior, astrology and astronomy split, never to be reunited. As the Earth orbits the Sun, the Sun appears to move thro...
There Are A Variety Of Benefits To Both Body And Mind From The Ancient Practice Of Yoga
HEALTH & WELLNESS, LIFESTYLE, VIDEO REELS

There Are A Variety Of Benefits To Both Body And Mind From The Ancient Practice Of Yoga

Yoga: Modern research shows a variety of benefits to both body and mind from the ancient practice. The popularity of yoga has grown tremendously in the past decade. More than 10% of U.S. adults have practiced yoga at some point in their lives. Yoga practitioners spend on average US$90 a month, and the yoga industry is worth more than $80 billion worldwide. Yoga is now a mainstream activity in the U.S. and is commonly portrayed as a healthy lifestyle choice. I am a behavioral scientist who researches how physical activity – and specifically yoga – can prevent and help manage chronic diseases. Many people attribute improvements in their physical and mental health to their yoga practice. But until recently, research had been sparse on the health benefits of yoga. As the body of rigorous res...
Understanding The Cycle Of OCD
HEALTH & WELLNESS, LIFESTYLE, TOP FOUR

Understanding The Cycle Of OCD

Obsessive compulsive disorder is more common than you think. But it can take 9 years for an OCD diagnosis. Obsessive compulsive disorder, or OCD, is a misunderstood mental illness despite affecting about one in 50 people – that’s about half a million Australians. Our new research shows how long and fraught the path to diagnosis and treatment can be. This initial study showed it takes an average of almost nine years to receive a diagnosis of OCD and about four months to get some form of help. What is OCD? OCD affects children, adolescents and adults. About 60% report symptoms before the age of 20. One misconception is that OCD is mild: someone who is extra tidy or likes cleaning. You might have even heard someone say they are “a little bit OCD” while joking about having beautiful stati...
Don’t Expect A Clear-Cut Answer To The Question ‘What Is Mindfulness’?
ADVICE, LIFESTYLE, TOP FOUR

Don’t Expect A Clear-Cut Answer To The Question ‘What Is Mindfulness’?

This course asks, ‘What is mindfulness?’ – but don’t expect a clear-cut answer. Uncommon Courses is an occasional series from The Conversation U.S. highlighting unconventional approaches to teaching. Title of course: “What is Mindfulness?” What prompted the idea for the course? As a professor of religion and ethics, particularly Asian traditions, I had already been interested in teaching a course about mindfulness. Its popularity seems to be surging: I see “Mindful” on magazine racks, and almost everyone I’ve met at my university has used the word at some point. But oftentimes people say to be “mindful” when they mean “pay attention” or “don’t forget”: being “mindful” of a slippery road, say, or telling students to be “mindful of the deadline.” I started wondering what other people me...
What Is A Life Coach And What Makes A Good One?
LIFESTYLE, SELF, TOP FOUR, TOP IMAGE

What Is A Life Coach And What Makes A Good One?

Finding a Life Coach: What Is a Life Coach and What Makes a Good One? Finding a life coach can be a simple step that changes many of your outcomes in life. Before venturing out to find one, however, you may be asking "What is a Life Coach" and "What Makes a Good One?" WHAT IS A LIFE COACH? A competent coach offers a variety of skills and resources from which to draw. As you experience different stages in your life, you may use a coach for different functions and needs. You may also use a coach for a completely different reason than someone else would use one. Following our premise that a coach can mean different things to different people, here are a few reasons why people differ on their reasons for finding a life coach: YOU NEED HELP WITH MOTIVATION If you are looking for a coach...