Curiosify

Noticias singulares a raudales

Sahar Ajjab

Why Do We Cry When We Cut Onions?

Onions are delicious, full of health benefits, and used often in culinary creations. However, when it’s time to cut it, we have to suffer the consequences: Burning feeling, itchy eyes followed by waterfalls of tears. Thus, why do we cry when we cut onions?

We all have experienced that uncomfortable situation when cutting onions. However, only few people know the scientific explanation behind it.

What Is The Tear Factor in Onions?

When we cut onions, we unleash a chain of chemical reactions, according to Dr. Eric Block. The molecules of the onion’s tissues break to form a volatile, sulfuric gas.

This gas once reaches the eye, transforms into small bits of sulfuric acid. The latter is the main cause of that itchy sensation we get, and which leads to tears.

The Chemical Explanation Behind It

What the tear factor mean scientifically, is that enzymes within us control the situation. Furthermore, Dr. Block explains that ”Enzymes are amazing molecules.” Their main job is to fasten chemical reactions, to stabilize the molecules found in the onion, with the ones in our eyes. It’s referred to as the alliinase enzyme.

Japanese researchers have tried to play around with it in order to create onions that don’t cause you to cry. However, even though they tried keeping alliinase from triggering the reaction that led to sulfuric acid, it didn’t work.

How to Prevent Crying When Cutting Onions?

There is no absolute method that is confirmed to be efficient. Yet, there are some possible ways to make us cry less when we cut onions.

Leaving the onion in the freezer for about 15 minutes before using them. This helps reduce the amount of alliinase in the air, and therefore it has less chances to reach the eye. You can also try to chew gum while cutting onions, because it forces you to breath from your mouth. This leads to producing saliva which absorbs the vapor emitted by the onion.

Photos: Unsplash, Pixabay

Which City Now Has The Highest Tourist Tax In Europe?

It’s official! This widely visited European city has just increased their tourist tax for 2020. Furthermore, it has become the country with the highest tourist tax in Europe.

Amsterdam, the Netherlands’ capital has announced that they will be adding 3 additional euros per night for visiting tourists.

What is a Tourist Tax?

Major cities in the world have implemented a tourist tax. This extra fee is established for visiting tourists, which mainly targets accommodation. The government establishes this fee per night, and it changes depending on the country, city, and region. This tax for tourists ranges between 3-5 euros per night and per traveller. In addition to the price of the accommodation, tourists are forced to pay a little extra for every overnight stay.

Amsterdam To Have The Highest Tourist Tax in Europe

The Dutch council announced that starting 2020, Amsterdam will charge 3 extra euros to tourists staying in the capital. This means that you will have to pay the price of the accommodation, plus 7 per cent normal tourist tax, plus 3 additional euros for every night that you will be staying in.

Despite the rise of worldwide upsetting reactions regarding this new law, a spokesman of the Amsterdam Council denied that they want to discourage visitors. They claimed that ”this raise is to make visitors contribute in keeping the city safe and clean.”

How Will It Affect Tourism Rates?

People are already complaining about this increased tax. In fact, due to the fact that it will be the highest in Amsterdam, they are looking for alternative destinations in Europe. CNN reported that one night in a 2-stars hotel in Amsterdam, will have a higher tourist tax than a 5-stars hotel in the center of Paris.

Amsterdam has converted to an over-crowded city, as tourism reached its peak in the past years. The city has been plagued by overtourism, with 18 million annual visitors descending on its 867,000 residents. Although officials deny that this increased tax is to regulate the number of visitors, it seems that it might actually do exactly that.

Photos: Pixabay

Brayden and Laura Recreate ”The Vow” in Real Life

One of our favorite romantic movies of all times is ‘‘The Vow.” The heartwarming story of a woman suffering a car accident, which results in a partial memory loss condition. The movie tells the story of how she was unable to recognize her husband, and how the two managed to fall back in love again.

Brayden and Laura lived the same exact story, but in real life. This time, it wasn’t scripted, and there were no behind the scenes. This is the story of how Brayden and Laura recreated ”The Vow” in real life.

Laura Lost her Memory Following an Accident

Laura Faganello was helping a friend move out, when a support poll fell on her head. Although at first the injury seemed minor, Laura’s life changed completely due to that accident. Her spine was damaged, leaving her in constant pain. However, the worst art wasn’t the pain, as the 23 years-old confessed. She suffered memory loss, and wasn’t able to remember anything. She woke up thinking she was 17, and asked her husband ”who are you?”

Brayden Was Devastated his Own Wife couldn’t Remember Him

On the other hand, Laura was not the only one who suffered from this accident. Although Channing Tatum’s portrayal of the tragedy left us crying, Brayden wasn’t acting nor in a movie. He had to experience the pain and sadness first-hand. He was absolutely crushed that his wife for the past 9 months, and girlfriend of 2 years, had no idea who he was.

“My next clear memory is of waking up thinking I was 17 years old, and not knowing who Brayden was. My memory of meeting, falling in love with, and marrying Brayden was gone,”

Laura wrote on her Facebook.

Brayden and Laura Fall in love with Each other…Again

Thankfully, true love is forever. Brayden decided to remind his wife of everything they shared, and make her fall in love with him again if he had to. He started writing her letters, which was how they initially met. Laura eventually fell in love with him because of his support and kindness.

Brayden and Laura decided to give their relationship another shot. Laura confessed that he has been patient, understanding and sweet to her, so she started dating him again. Eventually, they both managed to fall back in love again.

Brayden and Laura Decide to Remarry

Few months later, Brayden proposed to Laura, and she said yes. The couple then later remarried and had their second wedding coincide with their anniversary. They started a Photography website together, being their dream for a while. This is just living proof that true love is patient, and permanent.

Photos: Laura Faganello’s Facebook https://www.instagram.com/faganelloproductions/tagged/

Scientists Have Developed a Gel that Can Regrow Teeth

We all have had to suffer tooth ache at least once in our lives. Being able to regrow teeth naturally have crossed our minds, at least when waiting at the dentist. Finally, scientists have been able to regenerate tooth enamel, thanks to experiments and research, which allowed them to create this gel.

Scientists who may have just found a solution, that will eliminate the need of tooth filling as a method to repair cavities.

What Are Our Teeth Made Of ?

Teeth are the hardest bone in the human body. However, due to sugary substances in food and beverages, they are object to decay. The mineralized substance protecting their surface is called enamel. When generated, the cells that produce enamel die instantly, and it erodes, breaks, or chips, and can never regenerate itself again.

What Happens When We Get Cavities?

Cavities form when the hard part of the tooth decays. This means that the residuals of food mixed with saliva, form plaque when teeth are not brushed well. This sticky film slowly eats the enamel of the teeth away, and causes holes that are known as cavities.

It is important to note that cavities are permanent damage to teeth. The hole they create does not generate itself, and can not be regrown. What dentists do is that they clean the damaged area, then fill it with a composite resin.

How Will This Gel Regrow Tooth Enamel?

Chinese scientists have been developing a gel that could regrow teeth enamel. Although on paper this sounds highly unlikely, according to the experiments they have conducted, we may actually be in front of a genius discovery.

Supposedly, this gel gets the enamel to repair itself. It is made to replicate the biomineralization process whereby cells known as ameloblasts release proteins that eventually become enamel.

What Could Be the Result of This Discovery?

Although this gel has only been tested on human teeth donated by patients, researchers from Zhejiang University School of Medicine in China did operate on simulated mouth-like environment. The results have shown the creation of a hard, thick repaired layer where the gel was placed on the damaged tooth, within 48 hours.

The medical and dental community say they are very excited about this gel. Although regular adult teeth will never be put back to its original state, this gel may just be the discovery of the century.

Photos: Unsplash, Flickr

Say Goodbye To Stalking on Instagram With The New Update

Stalking time on Instagram is officially over with their new update! One of the most used social media outlets of modern times, has removed its ”people you follow” feature. Although the users feedback rage from sad to happy, many people have admitted that this ”creepy” feature has caused more damage than anything else.

The new update of removing the tab came as Instagram’s second revolutionary change. Few months back, they announced that they will be taking out the like count of pictures. This news came off as scary to a lot of people, especially influencers on Instagram.

What Did the Following Tab Activity do?

Mainly, the follow tab allowed us to see what our ‘‘friends” are doing on Instagram. you could see who liked what, who commented on what, and sometimes, even who tagged who in what.

Many people admit to having had relationship problems because of this feature. Partners were able to stalk their significant other, keeping an eye on who they follow, and which people’s pictures they like.

Is This New Update Good or Bad for Instagram?

Instagram eventually decided to remove this feature amid claims that users were getting depressed and paranoid, according to the Mail Online. However, several Instagram users are not happy with the change, wondering how could they now stalk their ex/crush.

Regardless of wether this update is accepted by the world or not, Instagram is still winning according to the app directors. Now, all users will resort to Facebook to do ”some stalking”. Both Social media platforms are owned by the same person, therefore, this move could be benefiting the owners more than the actual users.

Photos: Twitter, Pixabay

Men Are Banned From This New Hotel in Spain

The island of Mallorca in Spain, has just opened the doors of Spain’s first women-only hotel. Som Dona Hotel welcomes women starting 14 years old and of all sexual orientations, while strictly bans men from entering the property. Mallorca is known as an ”island of love” that gets packed in summer. However, Som Dona has decided to exclude heterosexual couples from their lavish hotel.

Som Dona, a luxurious hotel of only 39 rooms

Situated in the Porto Cristo on the Manacor coast, This women-only hotel is the first of its kind in Spain. It claims that it’s a property for ” Women to escape stress and to disconnect”. The hotel is designed as ‘‘light, fairy and with a feminine touch’‘ as was described by the Sun Newspaper. Besides banning men, the hotel also doesn’t accept guests under 14 years of age.

This lavishing property only has 39 rooms for rent, each equipped with big comfortable beds, and nice spacious bathrooms. The rooftop holds bali beds to relax, as well as a beach-style pool. It also has a wellness center, gym, spa and a fancy bar/restaurant.

Females are apparently in love with Som Dona Hotel

Since the hotel opened this summer, offering quite reasonable prices for the quality of its services. Women have been gushing over the idea, the place and the service on TripAdvisor. The property’s president, Joan Enric Capellá, said surveys conducted by the group revealed that female customers liked the idea of a women-only hotel.  Apparently, the surveys showed that 50% of women planning to travel to Mallorca this summer, are interested in a-women-only hotel.

Although Som Dona does have male employees, women do have a higher chance of obtaining the job.

Photos: Pixabay, Somhotels.es