A new study by Oxford University reveals that people who play video games, even for long periods, report a positive impact of game-play on their mental wellbeing. The study is one of the first studies that uses actual play time data. This latest research debunks the age-old stereotype of gamers as anti-social zombies locked away in their rooms divorced from real life and its struggles. For long, video games have been blamed for mental health problems including behavioral changes and addiction issues. In 2019 the World Health Organisation added “gaming disorder” to the international classification of diseases. For the current study, researchers used data…
Author: zenger.news
Abhijit Dowarah, an animal-lover in Assam, a state in northeastern India, is doing his bit to ensure that winter is a little less bitter for street dogs. He has been making small kennels for strays with discarded television sets to shelter them from the extreme cold the region experiences during the winter months. “I had been thinking of this idea of creating kennels for strays for quite some time now, and when winter arrived, it was the perfect time to get it done,” said Dowarah. The 32-year-old auto mechanic from Sivasagar who comes from a very disadvantaged background, started experimenting…
Earlier this month, Michelin star chef and television show host Gordon Ramsay’s culinary escapades in India in early 2020, became a talking point on social media. Among the videos uploaded, was one where the celebrity chef whipped up the famed “Pandi Curry” – a throwback from his shoot in south India for the National Geographic show “Uncharted.” The cuisine featured was from Kodagu or Coorg, a hilly district in the state of Karnataka. Known for its rolling green hills and forest areas, Coorg is distinct from its neighbors, as well as the rest of India, because of its unique culture, language, and…
Mortality rates from Covid-19 could be reduced if people only met with others from their own age group, a recently published study from the University of Haifa shows. In their study, recently published in Open Biology, researchers developed a computational model that examined the spread of the virus among a virtual group of 50,000 people divided into four age groups – 0-14, 15-34, 35-54, and 55 and above. They tested five scenarios lasting 250 days that limited the interaction between people from different age groups who all maintained social distancing and wore masks. In the first scenario, participants were not…
Pakistan customs officials recovered two black bear cubs from the Pakistan-Afghanistan border on Dec. 14 that have since been transferred to the Peshawar Zoo. The bears were rescued when customs officials at the Torkham border intercepted a man who was crossing into Pakistan from Afghanistan. He was carrying a sack among other things on a cart. The officials saw something move inside the sack. “When the man was ordered to open the sack, they discovered that it contained two black bear cubs who seemed sedated,” said Peshawar Zoo Director Ishtiaq Khan. “The pair are about a year old. It seems…
Rasam — southern India’s magic remedy for cough, cold, sore throat and even slight fever — has found favor in New York, New Jersey and Princeton, thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic. Behind this newfound popularity in the US is — Arun Rajadurai —an Indian chef at a restaurant-chain called Anjappar that serves Chettinad cuisine. Chettinad cuisine is known for its spicy food. The chef with origins in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu started feeding this spicy Indian lentil soup to some of his customers who had suffered from Covid-19. Soon, the news of this sinus-clearing, warming, drink spread, and…
Gold prices had hit a record high this year, but there is one spot where it’s flowing freely — Vietnam. In the southeast Asian country, you can wake up to a coffee in a gold-plated mug followed by a bath in a gold-plated tub or a swim on a gold-tiled pool. Even the toilet seats are made of gold and food is sprinkled with gold flakes. Ironically, Vietnam is still formally a communist state. Men practice golf at the Hanoi Club Golf Center. (Photo credit: Paula Bronstein/ GettyImages)The country recently threw open a gold-plated hotel, Dolce Hanoi Golden Lake Hotel…
In a rare sighting, the Himalayan serow was spotted for the first time in the high-altitude Spiti region in the state of Himachal Pradesh. This species of goat-like antelope had almost disappeared from the region. Its sighting has brought much delight to wildlife officials and experts. According to the Central Zoo Authority of India, the Himalayan serow is an average-sized antelope, native to the montane forests, which is found in the middle ground between two mountains where the elevation of the mountain changes. In India, it is found only in Himachal Pradesh. It is considered an endangered species due to its specialized…
VERACRUZ, Mexico — Every Christmas, people wonder who deserves more attention in Latin America: Santa Claus or the Three Kings? They all bring gifts for the children, and both traditions have a long history. The tradition of Santa Claus — also known as Papa Noel in the Spanish-speaking world — comes from Europe. Saint Nicholas, a fourth-century Turkish bishop, inspired it. The Magi — another name for the Three Kings — are more linked to the Catholic Church. Guided by the Star of Bethlehem, they came to the manger where the Child Jesus was born, leaving offerings and recognizing him…
“Running the Guadalupe–Reyes Marathon” means non-stop partying for almost a month. Mexicans coined the term ‘Guadalupe–Reyes Marathon’ in the 20th century, to refer to the festivity period that goes from December 12 through January 6. The term came into use in the 1990s. At first, it was code for a special police operation that took place during the December season in Mexico City. Throughout the holidays, there were more police officers patrolling the city. In larger numbers, they watched over thousands of pilgrims who arrived at the Guadalupe Basilica on December 12, and took care of civilians until Three Kings…