There’s nothing so pleasurable that humanity can’t turn it into a contest. Even the joys of a simple meal have been co-opted into a sport by making consumption competitive. Competitive eating, as it is known, has grown in recent years and has spread across the globe. There are contests for almost any food imaginable—and some

Thanks in large part to modern technology, anyone can be his own master in learning just about anything. An Internet connection is the cord between us and the wealth of knowledge online about any particular subject. Beyond that, all it takes is initiative. But the Internet and formal education are not the only ways to

Though the reason that we need sleep continues to baffle scientists, there’s no denying that we require it to function efficiently. In the short term, lack of sleep affects judgment, hinders the ability to retain information, and reduces the ability to cope with stress. Over time, the effects of lack of sleep are much more

“The trouble with quotes on the Internet is that it is difficult to tell whether they are genuine.”—Abraham Lincoln. Darn right. It’s not just an Internet problem, either. You can often see the same mistakes in these old-fashioned information storage devices called books and newspapers. We think we know what these quotes mean and where

When people attempt suicide, they mostly have one motive in mind. More often than not, however, suicide attempts do not go to plan. It’s estimated that for every successful suicide, there are 33 attempts.[1] In the best-case scenario, the survivors will be given the help and support they need. In the worst case, the effects

Companies have often used celebrities to push their goods or services. Most of the time, this works out well. Actors, musicians, and athletes have a wide reach and come with a built-in fan base that shows genuine interest in the products they endorse. Not all company-celebrity pairings are made in Heaven, though. Some of them