Coffee is, generally, good for your health

Coffee gives you energy, but it ultimately makes you more tired

The caffeine in coffee delays your brain's fatigue signals. Caffeine blocks adenosine, a compound that builds up as you burn energy and signals rest. Once caffeine wears off, adenosine floods back, leaving you even more tired.

Up to 400 milligrams of caffeine a day is considered safe

Small, frequent doses can be more effective than large amounts, though caffeine can raise blood pressure and heart rate, especially in people with hypertension. While low doses of caffeine may help with depression by stimulating dopamine, excessive caffeine, particularly from energy drinks, can lead to anxiety and heart issues.

Are cats good for our health?

Being a cat lover can have a profound effect on your life. This article in The Conversation presents a fascinating collection of findings related to the benefits and consequences of cat ownership. Discover compelling research about the positive heart health and mental health outcomes cats can bring, along with potential risks.

A caffeine calculator

This simple calculator takes your preferred caffeinated drink and your body weight to determine how much is the right amount, and how much might kill you. In case you've ever had the morbid curiosity about just how much of that tea you'd have to drink to doze off forever. Find out your moderate and lethal doses here, as well as some extra info on caffeine consumption.

In the 1600s, coffee had religious significance

In the 1600s, coffee was important in multiple religious traditions. In Yemen, it was the drink of choice for Sufi mystics to improve their focus and fuel their grueling meditations. Pope Clement VIII's approval spread coffee’s popularity from the Muslim to the Christian world, paving the way for the cappuccino.

Coffee contains an average of 15mg of caffeine per fluid ounce

Coffee has three times the amount of caffeine contained in most caffeinated sodas, but significantly less than espresso and cocoa powder.

The health benefits of matcha tea

Matcha tea has skyrocketed in popularity in recent years. Very likely due to its bright green color, which is conducive to social media post aesthetics. The tea is a powdered form of green tea, and its benefits are touted everywhere. This article examines the evidence for such health claims, finding the tea's key nutrients of theanine, chlorophyll, and caffeine did have small observable effects on study participants. Learn more here.

Continual sitting harms your health in a variety of ways

Prolonged inactivity, like sitting for long periods, slows metabolism, weakens muscles and bones, and impairs insulin function. When these negative changes persist over time, the cumulative result is an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and many cancers.

Studies suggest when you sleep is as important as how much you get, and syncing with your circadian rhythms may lead to less fatigue and improved long-term health outcomes

High-quality sleep is effectively a superpower

Sleep is critical to maintaining healthy biological functions. From restoring energy to consolidating memories, aiding immune system functions and balancing hormone production, optimizing sleep habits are one of the most important ingredients to healthy living.

Alcohol is responsible for 5% of cancer cases and 4% of cancer deaths in the US

Alcohol consumption is linked to at least eight different types of cancer, including liver, breast, and throat. The risk comes from ethanol, which turns into DNA-damaging acetaldehyde. Experts recommend limiting intake or quitting altogether to reduce long-term health risks.

Heart attacks are less harmful at night

When heart attacks occur during the day they typically do more harm to the heart tissue than if they occur at night. A 2025 study suggests that daytime heart attacks have higher levels of immune cells called neutrophils to contend with and they appear to worsen the injury. Scientists confirmed this same pattern in experiments with mice. (Some readers may experience a paywall.)

The negative effects of cannabis use

After decades of criminalization, cannabis is a legalized drug in an increasing number of countries around the world. This allows for accurate, robust research on the drug's effects on humans . While weed isn't as harmful as alcohol, regular usage has its negative effects. As strains of the drug become stronger, so does its consequences. Watch this video for a lucid look at the effects of cannabis on its users.

Kava, kratom, St. John's Wort, and green tea extract present health concerns

Consumer Reports, which tests supplements for safety, urges consumers to avoid these four supplements due to safety warnings from researchers and public health authorities.

Sweden's coffee breaks are protected by law, and thought to increase worker happiness

Coffee breaks in Sweden, called "fika," are an important social ritual. Introduced in workplaces in the 1900s, many Swedish firms today have mandatory fika breaks. The relaxation is thought to also boost joy and productivity for employees, while also reducing stress levels.

Are seed oils as bad as rumors say?

Some claim seed oils—oils extracted from seeds, such as sunflower or canola—increase inflammation and disease risk, advising consumers reach for saturated fats instead. Saturated fats, typically solid at room temperature, are found in animal products and some vegetable oils, including coconut. When adjusting for lifestyle risk factors, research shows seed oils are, on average, good for one's heart and considered healthy alternatives to saturated fat.

A world-famous barista's primer on coffee appreciation

If you think you can tell good coffee from bad but don’t know how to put the distinction into words, world-famous barista Nicole Battefeld-Montgomery is here to help. Her instructions for breaking down a cup of coffee rivals any sommelier’s wine-tasting guide.

After the Boston Tea Party, colonists switched to coffee, which became the main morning drink for revolutionaries.

Beanless 'coffee' is an eco-friendly alternative

As we consider the role of agriculture in climate change, many people are seeking alternatives to the most resource-hungry crops—coffee included. Are new synthetic alternatives the answer? Startups are exploring beanless “coffee” made in a variety of ways.

Can fasting help you live longer?

Animal studies into the health benefits of calorie restrictions of 20%-40% suggest it extends life spans and reduces incidents of age-related diseases, including cancer. This article explores the research into fasting, calorie restriction, and longevity.

Overwork contributes to thousands of worker deaths

Can work really kill you? The World Health Organization and the International Labor Organization have estimated that long work hours contribute to thousands of death from strokes and heart attacks each year. This BBC article argues that the culture of overwork and burnout is leading to a public health crisis in desperate need of solutions.

Horses can—and sometimes should—drink beer

Despite its reputation, beer is a good source of nutrition. In fact, it's a fairly common practice for horse owners to give beer to their horses. Beer is rich in skin-healing B vitamins, gut-stabilizing yeast, and hydration-encouraging barley. Plus, horse livers come prepared with special enzymes that break down alcohol, making inebriation nearly impossible.

How understanding a balanced diet can help you make good food choices

Eating a balanced diet—which includes a variety of foods from all food groups—is important for optimal health. It is also recommended to avoid ultra-processed foods, such as frozen meals, fast foods, soda, and flavored yogurt. The simplest way...

Exclusionary ads can help win over customers, some marketers argue

Slogans like "if you don't like dark roast, this coffee isn't for you," also known as "dissuasive framing," can entice specific groups of customers, some marketers say. The shift comes from the perceived authenticity of a company admitting that a product is not perfect for everyone.

Protecting astronauts against space radiation

Outside the protective atmosphere of Earth, astronauts are constantly bombarded by radiation, which, among other dangers, increases the risk cancer. While those of us on Earth can mitigate the effects of similar radiation by limiting exposure,...

What to eat for suhoor, the pre-dawn mean that has to last all day

Suhoor—eaten before the Fajr prayer at dawn—is the only fuel a fasting Muslim has until sunset. This practical guide covers the logistics around what foods sustain energy longest, what to avoid, and why hydration strategy matters as much as what you eat.

'Salud!' is a toast to one's health

The word is a shortened form of “para tu salud,” or “for your health.” The toast has become popular in Spanish-speaking countries as a shorthand for good health and general well-wishing. In Peru, the toast is usually made on New Year’s Eve with a sparkling wine, like Champagne or pisco sour.

Larger animals like giraffes, elephants, and blue whales have developed a unique defense against cancer, a phenomenon known as Peto's Paradox

Hookworm infection, though risky, may help fight certain autoimmune conditions by tamping down the immune system's inflammatory response.

Sunflowers have long been a symbol of nuclear disarmament because they can extract large amounts of radioactive cesium from soil.

Doctors differentiate between a phobia and fear by asking patients whether their fear interferes with their day-to-day activities.

Listen to an in-depth conversation on the links between Parkinson's disease and herbicide exposure and the challenging pace of scientific investigation.

The first steps to rebuilding your credit score include getting to know exactly what's on your credit report and figuring out how far you are from the '700 club,' or 'good score' range.

Against his wishes, Albert Einstein's brain was removed before his cremation, and the pathologist responsible stored it for decades in mason jars within a beer cooler.

The US Constitution is widely regarded as the longest-standing written national constitution still in force—see how it has influenced rights worldwide.

The Dracula character, now seen as the vampire archetype, was inspired by a seafood-induced nightmare its creator experienced.

While the sun's gravity keeps the planets in orbit, their gravity also pulls on the sun, causing it and everything else in the solar system to orbit around a mutual balance point called the barycenter—the true center of the solar system.

In 2026, Finland was named the world's happiest country for the ninth consecutive year based on its wealth, social safety network, and high life expectancy, among other factors.

Netflix profits when you're not watching, and its movies are designed that way—read a detail-rich critical essay exposing lesser-known Netflix takes

Memecoins are a type of cryptocurrency—a form of digital currency with a wide variety of uses—created around popular 'memes,' or viral internet jokes.

This site reaches millions of visitors who are tired of AI chatbots and seeking human connection. Pretend to be an AI chatbot and ask questions, provide answers, and draw for people in real time.

A small portion of The Winstons' 'Amen, Brother,' an obscure '60s gospel record, is the basis for thousands of hip-hop tracks, making it one of the most sampled records ever that's informally known as 'the Amen break.'

Warren Buffett's former professor Benjamin Graham is known as the 'father of value investing,' a strategy in which investors seek to buy stocks trading below their intrinsic worth.

Visualize the path of every solar eclipse from 1900 to 2099 and see what each looks like when observed from different locations on Earth.

Explore a list of the 100 best novels of all time, compiled by some of the world's best living writers, including Salman Rushdie, Stephen King, and Jennifer Egan.

US intelligence allegedly pursued more than 600 schemes to assassinate Cuban revolutionary Fidel Castro.

Pure water does not conduct electricity because this flow of energy requires the movement of charged particles, and water is a neutral molecule.

Use this tool to calculate the dollar value of your parental mental load, from meal planning to coordinating after-school care, then see resources that help generate solutions.

Objects can be 3D printed with light by projecting 2D computerized tomography (CT) scans onto rotating cylinders of resin, which solidify upon exposure.

Domino's Pizza's 30-minute delivery guarantee was responsible for the chain's 1980s surge, but it was discontinued after the company was found liable for delivery driver accidents.