They widen waistlines, lighten wallets and even spread anti-Japanese sentiments. To critics, their yearly appearance is associated with waste. But China’s centuries-long love affair with the mooncake is unstoppable. Eaten to celebrate the mid-autumn festival, when friends gather to admire the harvest moon, they have evolved to reach new heights of luxury. Round or square, [...]
While many people assume that behaviors like avoiding eye contact and fidgeting are signals that a person is being dishonest, scientists have found that no single gesture or expression consistently predicts trustworthiness. But researchers from three universities recently identified four distinct behaviors that, together, appear to warn our brains that a person can’t be trusted. [...]
Inter-racial marriage rates are at an all-time high in the United States, with the percentage of couples marrying across the color line more than doubling over the last 30 years. But Asian-Americans are not following that trend, more and more choosing their soul mates from among their own community. From 2008 to 2010, the percentage [...]
Zhou Youguang helped invent Pinyin, a writing system that turns Chinese characters into words using letters from the Roman alphabet. This makes it easier to learn how to pronounce Chinese words, and is credited with helping raise literacy rates in China. In spite of his achievements, Mr Zhou remains largely unknown in his home country. [...]
Purim may become the first officially recognized American Jewish holiday. This year it is observed the evening of March 7. Purim is thought of as a sign of spring. Purim joins Mardi gras and St. Patrick’s Day as a celebration of great fun. Just as everyone feels Irish on St. Patrick’s Day, Purim is a [...]
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