UNESCO Recognizes Singapore’s Low-Cost Food Culture

The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has acknowledged the cultural value of Singapore’s custom of dining out in places known as hawker centers. UNESCO added the city’s “hawker culture” to its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Hawkers play such a major role in Singaporean culture. “These centers serve as ‘community dining rooms’ where people from diverse backgrounds gather and share the experience of dining over breakfast, lunch, and dinner,” UNESCO said. Open-air eating areas where hawkers sell their goods are very popular in the country. They have received several acclaims from celebrity chefs such as Anthony Bourdain and Gordon Ramsay and were also featured in films like “Crazy Rich Asians.” Singapore’s hawker society, however, faces challenges. In Singapore, the average age of a hawker is 60 years old, and the number of younger Singaporeans who want to work in offices has increased. The COVID-19 pandemic has also hindered sales by stopping overseas tourists from dining out. Local travels were also suspended during the first few months of this year due to travel limitations and social distancing.

Smallest Rubik’s Cube Ever Goes on Sale in Japan

In Japan, the tiniest Rubik’s Cube has gone on sale for ¥198,000 or about $1,900. It was designed to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the box-shaped puzzle. Erno Rubik of Hungary created the Rubik’s Cube in the 1970s. A toy company from America turned the puzzle into a global sensation in the 1980s. It was an instant hit in Japan, where it made more than 4 million in profit during its first eight months on sale in July 1980. The cube is just 9.9 millimeters by 9.9 millimeters in size and weighs just 2 grams. According to MegaHouse Corporation, a branch of Japan’s Bandai Company, the puzzle is made of metal and comes with a display box. The Rubik’s Cube is tiny but absolutely playable. People can pre-order it now, with arrival scheduled in December. The tiny cube was on view this week at a Hungarian Embassy exhibit in Tokyo. An artwork created with Rubik’s Cubes is also on display. The Hungarian Ambassador to Japan, Norbert Palanovics, said it mirrors the country’s small, simple, yet intelligent qualities.

Team Sports Teach Life Lessons

Members of a community swim team gathered in the swimming pool on a summer morning. As they swim, they get to engage in physical activity and at the same time get the right amount of vitamin D they need. But more than the health benefits, one can also learn life lessons by being a member of a sports team. The team swim coach Paul Waas said that players were able to exhibit discipline and focus as they try to listen to the coach and work with the team. He added that these players also learned the skill of responsibility, goal-setting, and working within a group. An article in a magazine listed a few reasons why employers should consider hiring former athletes. The writer argued that these people can be characterized as focused on goals, good communicators, and team players. Studies also showed that 90 percent of the women in the highest executive positions played sports when they were in school. But of course, team sports are not without harm as they can cause injury to players. Also, in a sport like swimming, even teammates are competing against each other. Just like other activities, what matters is that the child can pick what is the right sport for him/her.

Netherlands Museum Opens Its Secrets to the Public

Paintings and other works of art seen in museums around the world make up only a limited portion of their overall collections. The majority of what museums have is kept hidden from view at all times. In the Netherlands, one art gallery is attempting to alter that. Sjarel Ex is the director of Rotterdam’s Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen. He recently showed The Associated Press (AP) and other media the museum’s current depot or storage area. When it opens to the public next year, the structure is expected to house 151,000 works of art. Some of these works have yet to be made publically available and exhibited. The old storage space was once in danger of flooding that could have damaged the artworks greatly. This was one of the reasons that prompted the project. The depot’s 39.5-meter height is enhanced with 1,664 bright and shiny mirrors. They represent the local scenery as well as the city’s tall structures. Visitors shall find five different climates, carefully designed for the safety of each artwork.

Dig of Pompeii Fast-Food Place Reveals Ancient Tastes

In the ancient Roman town of Pompeii, Italian scientists found a fast-food restaurant. In Pompeii, there were about 80 fast-food restaurants found. However, this is the first time a complete thermopolium — a hot-food-and-drink eatery — has been discovered. During work to rebuild Pompeii’s ruins in 2019, some of the thermopolium’s counter area was partially dug up. Archaeologists have continued to search since then. They discovered a massive counter with many large holes in the center. Deep containers for hot food were kept on the counter. Artwork depicting ducks and chickens adorned the front of the counter, and a dog on a leash is shown in another painting. The pictures brightened the restaurant and were potentially used as food advertisements as well. A bronze serving kit, nine food containers, a couple of drink containers, and an oil bottle were also discovered at the site. The relics aid in the understanding of Pompeii’s common foods.

Progress Made in Identification, Prevention of Brain Diseases

Progress is being made as scientists are now close to having a blood test that can identify possible signs of Alzheimer’s and other brain diseases. This draws relevance from a recent study that showed that with the conduct of healthy behavior, the disease can be prevented, even with the presence of genes raising the risk. Doctors are aiming for a more regular test as brain scans and spinal fluid are more costly and difficult to do. So far, the result of the studies has been very promising. About 50 million people are suffering from dementia, its most common type is Alzheimer’s. There is no cure for this disease. Treatment can only lessen the pain experienced by the patient. Thus, doctors want to identify the signs, through a blood test rather than subjective skills, at the earliest stage to prevent it as early as possible. Studies conducted by different institutions have shown that with good habits and a healthy lifestyle, the risk of getting dementia is lessened. Furthermore, even if genetic risks are present, one’s chances can still be improved through healthy habits. Thus, one should do away with worrying about the genetic risks and be more focused on living a healthy life.