Eye-Level Shoponomics

No matter how retailers arrange goods on their shelves—horizontally, vertically, by block, margin, market share, or otherwise—the area at and 15 inches below eye level is always the prime real estate in every aisle of large supermarket chains, department stores, convenience stores, and even small, mom-and-pop shops. This is where brands, usually more expensive goods, are strategically placed—making them the easiest for adult shoppers to browse and reach without stretching or stooping.

The Art of Holding Your Pee

When your bladder fills up, the pressure inside increases, triggering a psychoneural process that leads to urinary urgency—that sudden, compelling need to urinate. Sometimes, fulfilling that immediate need encounters unexpected hurdles: no restroom nearby, all nearby ones are locked, or the distance to the nearest one is too great. Or, you may find yourself in a situation where leaving immediately isn’t an option. What should you do?

Safely Sneezing and Coughing

By looking up or over your shoulder while coughing or sneezing, you can reduce the strain on your pelvic floor caused by the sudden increase in pressure in your abdomen.

Checking In? Check for Bed Bugs First

The last thing you want after returning home from a business trip or vacation is to discover unwelcome guests—bed bugs—that you brought with you. They are found worldwide, from North and South America to Africa, Asia, and Europe, even in unexpected places like five-star hotels and luxury resorts. Therefore, the first thing you should do after checking into a hotel room is to inspect it for bed bugs.

Five Simple Paths to Happiness

The five Nordic countries—Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, and Norway—have consistently ranked among the top ten happiest countries since the World Happiness Report began its annual ranking in 2013. In contrast, the United States ranked 23^rd in 2024.

What lessons can we take from the world’s happiest nations?

Moonlight Sonata: The Rhythm of Eight Lunar Phases

As the Moon completes its orbit around Earth, its appearance transitions from invisibility to a brightly illuminated, near-circular disk. These changes are known as the “phases” that comprise a lunar cycle. Each cycle lasts, on average, 29 days, 12 hours, 44 minutes, and 3 seconds in Earth time and consists of eight phases: four primary and four intermediate.

When we observe the Moon with approximately half of its surface illuminated, it’s commonly referred to as a “half moon.” However, this term is astronomically inaccurate.

To Buy or Not to Buy: That is the Question

Looking to cut back on unnecessary or excessive expenses? Cultivate the habit of mentally categorizing your spending. Before making a purchase, assess whether it falls into one of three categories:

1. Essential,
2. Nice-to-have, or
3. Wasteful.

Steer clear of “wasteful” purchases, carefully consider “nice-to-have” items, and explore more affordable alternatives for your “essentials.” The objective is to ensure you are spending less than you earn.■

Source: Elder, A. (2020). What Does It Really Mean to Live Beyond Your Means? MEL Magazine.

Car Batteries: Climate Matters

In most cars with internal combustion engines, batteries are typically installed near the engine under the hood, where temperatures can easily exceed 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Summer heat exacerbates this harsh environment, accelerating battery degradation. Consequently, batteries in cooler climates may last a few years longer than those in regions with hotter weather conditions.

Ice Cream Headache

Believe it or not, ice cream can trigger headaches.

Commonly known as “brain freeze,” this type of headache occurs when cold substances come into contact with the roof of the mouth or the back of the throat. This leads to a sudden decrease in temperature of the warm tissue, causing rapid narrowing of local blood vessels. This narrowing is the body’s natural response to prevent the loss of body heat. As blood flow in the mouth or throat constricts, brain arteries widen in an attempt to rush extra blood to keep the affected area warm. Meanwhile, the trigeminal nerve continuously transmits signals between the face and the brain. The culmination of these processes is a burst of pain in the frontal lobe of the brain.

The Wonders of the Number Twelve

Each finger, except the thumb, has three knuckle bones, allowing you to count to 12 with the thumb as a pointer. By using one hand to count to 12 and the other hand’s fingers to track the number of iterations, you can count up to five dozens, or 60.

Count to 12 using your thumb and knuckles.
Image by asierromero on Freepik / annotated.

Scientists speculate that the ancient Sumerians and Babylonians utilized this knuckle-and-finger counting system to develop both the duodecimal and sexagesimal numeral systems, with bases of 12 and 60, respectively.

These numeral systems have facilitated various practical applications. For example, in timekeeping, we use a day consisting of two 12-hour periods, totaling 24 hours, with each hour divided into 60 minutes and each minute into 60 seconds. In angular measurements, there are 360 degrees (6 × 60) in a full circle, 60 minutes of arc in a degree, and 60 arcseconds in a minute. Also, there are 360 meridians on Earth, which measure longitudes and divide the globe into the Eastern and Western Hemispheres, facilitating mapping and navigation.

Certainly, there’s no real reason why we couldn’t use a decimal system for these units. But since these traditions have been around for thousands of years, we just stick with them without really considering how unusual they are in modern contexts. Surprisingly, we still find them quite handy.■

Source: Why is a minute divided into 60 seconds, an hour into 60 minutes, yet there are only 24 hours in a day? | Scientific American.