Unmissable stories for the Curious-Minded
- Turkeys finally have something to be thankful for. Every Thanksgiving, around 46 million turkeys are killed in the U.S. Most of them suffer a life of indignity from birth to slaughter. However, data reveals that plant-based alternatives have become more popular in the last 25 years, leading to a drop in per capita turkey consumption.
- Are Millennials and Gen Z lazy? The actress Whoopi Goldberg, recently said Millennials and Gen Z cannot afford property because they ‘only want to work four hours.’ As of March 2023, the average UK house price was £285,000, with properties in England starting from £304,000 – compared to £121,610 in January 2003.
- Is cannabis harmful to genes? Research finds that prolonged use of cannabis may be linked to epigenetic changes that affect the behaviour of our genes. Epigenetic changes associated with cannabis use were previously linked to several neurological disorders such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
- Do we really need a digital detox? The average working-age person spends over 2.5 hours on social media platforms. A study asked 51 participants to abstain from social media for one week. Though no one reported ‘withdrawal’ symptoms, a reduction in positive emotions was one noted side-effect of little to no social media use. The study concluded that abstaining from social media removes both positive and negative emotions, which for some people amounts to zero improvement in their well-being.
- The Autumn Statement brings mixed relief. A 4 per cent national wage increase for those 21 and older amounts to an 11 per cent inflation-beating rise. As more than 10 per cent of 16-34-year-olds in work report poor health, stricter rules for people with limited mobility and mental health conditions on benefits will now require that they seek work from home to continue to qualify. Though salaries are rising, tax thresholds have remained fixed since 2021, causing ‘fiscal drag’ – this is when taxpayers are ‘dragged’ into a higher tax bracket.
That’s all from us this week. See you next Friday!
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