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The Complete Guide To Procrastinating At Work
Some research says the best way to spark creativity is to walk away and that the best ideas come from those least-expected “aha!” moments. So maybe procrastination isn’t such a bad thing after all. Or is time spent on those cat memes taking its toll? Can procrastinating ever be a source of productivity?
Apparently, Everyone’s A Racist
Most people only embark on an interracial friendship when they can’t find anyone in their own race with the same interests as them. This is the contentious and somewhat dubious finding of a joint US/Chinese study which argues that racial groups prefer to stick to their own kind; especially when living in larger communities.
Why Ideas Pop Into Your Head When You’re Trying To Fall Asleep
You lay down to go to bed, ready to fall asleep quickly and get a good night’s rest. Just as you’re about to fall asleep, some thought pops into your head, you can’t stop thinking about it, and then before you know it the clock reads three in the morning. It’s annoying, but Scientific American sheds a little light on why this happens.
Ask LH: Why Do These Chinese Products Smell So Weird?
Dear Lifehacker, I often buy products from China online. I always get amazing deals with free shipping but one thing that irritates me is the plastic/rubber smell that is associated with most Chinese products. What exactly is that smell? I usually have to aerate the products for some time before the stench has reduced and it is ready for use. Any ideas? Thanks, Plastic Fantastic
How To Find Scientific Information On The Internet Without Getting Duped
Actual scientific data is your best defence against misinformation, but locating real facts amongst selectively-quoted studies and outright lies online can be difficult. We’ve told you before how to tell if something controversial is actually true, but what if you want to read up on a subject without stumbling into half-truths and pseudoscience? Here’s how to use the internet as a powerful research tool without being led astray.
Alcohol Does Not Kill Brain Cells
Do you ever wake up with a raging hangover and picture the row of brain cells that you suspect have have started to decay? Or wonder whether that final glass of wine was too much for those tiny cells, and pushed you over the line? Well, it’s true that alcohol can indeed harm the brain in many ways. But directly killing off brain cells isn’t one of them.
Why Australia’s Alternative Medicine Regulations Need Fixing
Australia’s complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) industry is worth about A$4 billion annually. Around two thirds of Australians use CAM — which includes therapies such as chiropractic and naturopathy, traditional Chinese medicine, vitamins, minerals, nutritional supplements, as well as homoeopathic and aromatherapy products — and there appears to be no sign of this declining. In many cases, the evidence for CAMs having significant beneficial effects is scant. And recent studies have even found that some supplements can be harmful.
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