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The Norwegian island that wants to get rid of time

Sommaroy is the name of the Norwegian island that is planning on completely getting rid of time. The island has 69 days of summer, which is why it’s often called “the Summer Island”. It’s also why they have come up with this crazy time-less idea.

Where the initiative stems from

The 300 hundred inhabitants of the island spend 69 days straight under the light of day. They lack normal timetables like we have. To them, it is strange for a child to have a curfew. If they had to tell them to come home when night falls they would see them again three months later!

Making the most out of it

The daylight allows them to make the most out of the time they have: you’ll find children playing football at 2 in the morning. How crazy? Given they already didn’t live like the rest of the world, it just made sense to them to completely remove any sense of time. The objective of this new no-time implementation is to remove stress, allowing citizens to live more freely and in peace.

An implementation many want

If the implementation does take place, Sommaroy would be the first zone worldwide to live without any sense of time. They aim is to formalize a system that suits their light-time better. All it needs is legislative approval, as it already has the approval of the citizens. They have even been called to hang their clocks from the bridge as a sign to show they are in favour.

For now, the initiative has come up just for summertime, but they are already looking at extending it to the whole year, even when day light is scarce. Would you dare living like this?

2000€ reward for deciphering the French “Rosetta stone”

If you’re one of those who just loves a little brain teaser, this might be the perfect opportunity to show off your detective skills… and even get paid for it!

A mysterious stone found on the French coast

A French town called Plougastel-Daoulas has found a mysterious stone on their coast, which seems to hold a secret message. Experts have yet to figure out what the message means. It’s not even clear what language the message was written in. Lonely Planet has baptised it the French “Rosetta stone”.

plougastel daoulas

Dare to decipher the message?

The French government has opened the case to the public, in hopes of finding what this enigmatic message might contain. In fact, they encourage anyone who might have a slight idea on what the stone says, with a reward of 2000€.

Hundreds of years old

Truth is, that the stone was found in 2015, so the case has been ongoing ever since. Theories claim it was written in Basque, others state it could be Breton. Any theory is but a longshot, as experts have absolutely no clue on what the message might mean.

What they do suspect is that the stone could be hundreds of years old, but they won’t be able to pin down an exact date until they find out what the stone says.

What we know about the stone

The clues we have on what the stone might mean are scarce, but what we can rely on is what we see: its measurements are more or less that of an average human being, and all of its surface is engraved with what look like capital letters.

It also shows a drawing which contains what look like two dates: 1786 and 1787. These dates are thought to refer to the artillery batteries from the town next-door, called Brest.

Detective

Will we ever find out?

All in all, the only clue we have from the mysterious stone is that it might be related to the horrendous wars that have taken place on the French coast.

From here on, you can make your own conclusions: does the message lead to an impossible love story? does it narrate the tale of ripped apart family? For now, we will leave it up to you and your imagination to decide what enigma the message holds.

Photos: Unsplash, Pixabay, Twitter and Instagram

How Technology is Zapping Our Memory

While you might think you can easily remember everything thanks to the plethora of calendar and organizational apps available, turns out technology is actually worsening our memory.

Confused Girl.

A Quick Memory Check

Before you start to think this finding too terribly shocking– how many phone numbers of friends and family members can you recall, without looking them up? Or even more challenging- when are the birthdays of all your closest friends?

Brain gears working to produce a memory, result in a question mark.

Unsuccessful? We thought so. You’re not alone- technology has changed the way our memories actually work, and how our brains decide to store information.

How Our Brains Work

To have a better understanding as to how technology is impairing our memories, it’s important to know how our brain stores information in the first place.

Brain that internally looks like a memory board.

Our brains are working constantly, and every event that occurs in our life is compartmentalized into the three main types of memory: sensory, short-term (working), and long-term. Sensory memories are everything that we experience but don’t process; they last less than a second in our “memory storage.”

Short-term involves information that we can temporarily recall, typically from 10 seconds to a minute. Our brains can only retain a limited amount of information in short-term, so the information we give more attention to in this “working stage” can transfer to long-term memory. Otherwise, the information is essentially deleted from our consciousness.

Long-term memory is where- you guessed it- our memories are stored for life. The good news is that there is an unlimited space available in our long-term! Having more long-term memories has been proven to enhance our brain function and intelligence.

Girl at graduation with her graduation cap and tassle.

The Bad News…

The way we interact with technology today makes information much more difficult to be transferred to long-term memory. Every time you spend long nights scrolling through articles, newsfeeds, and images, your brain is being overloaded with information. Just imagine if you had all of your classes being taught at the same time- you would have no idea which information is most important to take notes on, or how to process it. Your brain is feeling the exact same thing, making it difficult to choose and process what’s important.

Girl with hands covering face and extra set on head, looking overwhelmed.

Social Media, Minus The “Social”

Forming memories has historically been considered a social process, with our memories being enhanced and more vivid thanks to the people we create them with. Although Social Media was created to help us stay connected, the numerous platforms have in turn made us less social. Rather than calling up a family member to remember a specific date, we check our phones. Instead of experiencing a new city fully while traveling with friends, we whip out Instagram to take photos and videos, producing a “photo-taking impairment effect.”

Hand with phone using Instagram in big city, which hurts our memory of events.

A Senior Moment, Or A Millennial Moment?

We all have heard of the senior moment, when typically an adult forgets something and attributes it to old age. However, a study by The Trending Machine found Millennials are actually more likely to forget common things like names and where they placed their keys and purse, than people over the age 55. Researchers attribute this lapse in memory to both interconnectivity and the high levels of stress common among the 18-34 year old crowd.

Girl holding her car keys.

While your brain is not going to stop working entirely from using technology, it’s important to think about the long term. Finding ways to be more present in your daily life, and spending time with family and friends will help ensure you make and remember those important memories to last a life time.

Photos: Freepik, Pixabay, and Unsplash

You can now spend the night in a gigantic wine barrel

Wine house

Are you a true wine lover? Do you feel like spending the weekend someplace different? Then this is the perfect plan for you. “Quinta da Pacheca” has now opened a hotel service which allows you to spend the night in an enormous wine barrel. Isn’t it a dream come true?

A wine barrel hotel

The “Quinta da Pacheca” wine barrel hotel is located in the vineyard area in Douro, Portugal. The objetive of this creative project is reinforcing the originality of vineyard tourism that is offered in Douro. In case you didn’t know, Douro is one of the most important cities worldwide when it comes to wine. So what better place to start up such wine-y project.

Wine barrel

High-end services

The wine barrel-like rooms are just as sophisticated as what other many-star-hotels might offer. They include a round, king-sized bed, a private wardrobe, and a bathroom with an incorporated shower.

These spectacular barrels also include WiFi connection, skylights as well as a private terrace. What more could you ask for? Another big plus, which also sticks to the main theme, is that guests are able to taste different types of wine, from white, to rosé to red.

Room

In the middle of an enormous vineyard

The wine-tasting is made possible because the giant barrel rooms have been strategically placed along a wine producing work space: right in the heart of the wine making. So if wine is what you live for, you might want to look into this.

Spending the night

Spending one night in a “Quinta da Pacheca” barrel would cost between 190€ and 205€, which includes a night in one of the rooms plus a delicious breakfast.

Hotel room

However, if these barrel rooms don’t seem to sweep you off your feet, and you’d still rather sleep in a normal hotel room, “Quinta da Pacheca” also provides the option of sleeping in their regular hotel, in which you can choose between double rooms, “superior” rooms and “romantic rooms”.

Photos: Booking.com

Your Favorite Food Tells A Lot About Your Personality

Turns out, your love for certain foods might be less an indicator of your taste buds, and more a reflection of your personality. This food analysis will give you a deeper look into your identity... and maybe make you think twice when picking your next snack!

Your Go-To Dessert is Ice Cream

Ice Cream With Sprinkles For An Innocent Personality.

Of all the desserts in the world, if your number one choice is ice cream, chances are you have a very innocent personality and often reminisce to childhood. Picking a variety of toppings for your ice cream, (sprinkles anyone??) means you have a desire for the little mysteries and wonders in life.

You Always Prefer The Sour Gummies

Sour Gummies for seeking balance.

Having a sweet tooth is linked to being a sweet person, but if you typically prefer that extra tangy kick combined with the sugar, you most likely have an anxious or restless personality. However, reaching for this balance in flavors also is reflective of your desire to achieve some balance and order in your life.

Pizza Is Your Weekly Staple

Sliced Pizza For The Extroverted Personality.

Pizza is a common favorite food, which could have to do with the fact it is also considered the most addictive thanks to all that cheesy, doughy deliciousness. (Our mouths are already watering…) If you find yourself eating pizza once a week (or more), it typically means you have an extroverted personality. With it’s ease of delivery and pre-cut slices, it’s the perfect dish to share with others. Just another excuse to plan that next party and unleash your outgoing self!

Your Coffee Mug Is Your Daily Accessory

Coffee Mug in a girl's hands.

If the thought of going anywhere without a cup of coffee in hand is an instant nightmare, you probably have a Type A personality. Type A people typically get a lot of flack for being very competitive, impatient, and overly stressed, but they also are best at achieving goals and sticking to a schedule. While sipping on the Joe, remember to find healthy ways to de-stress like meditation and exercise.

You Can Spend All Day In The Produce Section

The Produce Section of a supermarket.

While it’s no surprise that people who love fruits and vegetables are typically healthier, those who go out of their way to try different types of vegetables and switch up their routine are considered to be great learners. You have a personality that’s eager to be healthy and wholesome from the inside out, and it reflects in the rest of your life too.

You Prefer Sushi Over A Burger And Fries Any Day

Container of Sushi reflects a cosmopolitan personality.

If your idea of “food on the go” is a box of sushi instead of food from your local fast food restaurant, you likely have a curious and cosmopolitan personality. Being open to trying foods from other countries means you you’re always down for new experiences and destinations. Next stop, Tokyo!

Photos: Unsplash and Pixabay

How To Survive The Heat This Summer

Summer is almost officially here! While we love to think about lounging at the pool and taking much deserved vacations, there’s also the brutal reality of the intense heat. You know, the one that leaves you sticky and sweaty after you just showered to feel cool again…

While we could say move somewhere cold for the duration of summer (Antarctica, anyone?) the reality is most of us have no choice but to bear the heat. These simple fixes will have you feeling cool in no time so that you can truly get the most out of your summer.

Freeze Your Linens

freezer to put clothes to beat heat

Sounds crazy, we know. However, putting your bed sheets and linens in the freezer or refrigerator for a few minutes right before bed can help you feel refreshed and beat the heat when going to bed at night. While your sheets won’t stay cool the whole night, it will at least help you bypass those agonizing minutes of trying to fall asleep in a hot stuffy room. To avoid having your sheets smelling like last night’s leftovers, place your items in a plastic bag before freezing.

Chill Your Pulse Points

pulse point in the wrist are good for cooling down

If you’re in dire need of an instant fix to your heat woes, try placing a cold compress or ice cube on your pulse points. The best pulse locations for a cooling cure are located in your wrists, behind the neck and knees, and your inner elbow. If you don’t have an cold compress lying around, grab that bag of frozen peas and you are good to go.

Unplug To Reduce Heat

While we all want to stay connected throughout the day on our mobile phones and other electronic devices, think twice before leaving them to charge all night. Each electronic device actually produces heat while being charged, which adds up when they’re all charging at once (and most likely in your bedroom). By unplugging your devices at night, not only will you reduce the heat around you, you’ll also reduce your electric bills. A true win-win!

Stock Up On Produce

Produce

It’s a good thing all the best fruits are in season during the summer. Eating more fruits and vegetables during the summer helps to keep us hydrated, so our body can keep cooling down naturally. To also help lower the metabolic heat your body produces, cut down on the amount of high protein and salty foods you consume, both of which can leave your body feeling dehydrated.

And we can’t forget, the best way to stay hydrated in the summer heat is to sip some water throughout the day. If the bland taste just doesn’t do it for you, try adding some fruit like lemons, strawberries or cucumber to the water- an instant healthy, refreshing drink to make you survive the heat like a pro!

Photos: Unsplash, Pixabay and Freepik