Do you like spicy food?

    What's your opinion on spicy food? Some people cannot handle even the smallest amount of chili-red pepper-in their dinner while others can't get enough of it.

    Scientists have long been puzzled by why some people love chili while others loathe it. Plenty of research has been done on the subject, dating as far back as the 1970s. Previous results showed that a love of chili is related to childhood experiences, and cultural influences affect our taste buds too. But the latest study has found that a person's love of spicy food may be linked to his or her personality more than anything else, CBC News reported.

    'We have always assumed that liking drives intake-we eat what we like and we like what we eat. But no one has actually directly bothered to connect these personality traits with intake of chili peppers,' said Professor John Hayes from Pennsylvania State University, who led the study.

    But before you look at the study, you should first know that “spicy” is not a taste, unlike sour, sweet, bitter and salty. It is, in fact, a burning sensation that you feel on the surface of your tongue. This got scientists thinking that maybe a love of spicy food is brought about by people's longing for thrill, something they usually get from watching action movies or riding a roller coaster.

    In the study, 97 participants, both male and female, were asked to fill out questionnaires about certain traits of their personality, for example, whether they like new experiences or tend to avoid risks. They were then given a glass of water with capsaicin, the plant chemical that makes a chili burn, mixed into it.

    By comparing the answers to the questionnaire and what participants said they felt about the spicy water, researchers found that those who tended to enjoy action movies or take risks were about six times more likely to enjoy the spicy water.

    Interestingly, we used to believe that the reason some people can withstand spicy food is that their tongues have become less sensitive to it. However, this latest study has found otherwise. “It's not that it doesn't burn as badly, it's that you actually learn to like the burn,” Hayes explained.

    For many people who live in cities, parks are an important landscape. They provide a place for people to relax and play sports, as well as a shelter from the often severe environment of a city. What people often overlook is that parks also provide considerable environmental benefits.

    One benefit of parks is that plants absorb carbon dioxide and give off oxygen. According to one study, an acre of trees can absorb the same amount of carbon dioxide that a typical car emits in 11,000 miles of driving. Parks also make cities cooler. Scientists have long noted what is called the Urban Heat Island Effect: building materials such as metal and concrete (混凝土) absorb much more of the sun's heat and release it much more quickly than trees and grass. Because city landscapes contain so much of these building materials, cities are usually warmer than surrounding rural areas. Parks and other green spaces help to lessen the Urban Heat Island Effect.

    Unfortunately, many cities cannot easily create more parks. However, cities could benefit from many of the positive effects of parks by encouraging citizens to create another type of green space: rooftop gardens. While most people would not think of starting a garden on their roof, human beings have been planting gardens on rooftops for thousands of years. Some rooftop gardens are simple container gardens that anyone can create with the investment (投资) of a few hundred dollars and a few hours of work.

    Rooftop gardens provide many of the same benefits as other urban parks and garden spaces, but without taking up the much-needed land. In the summer, rooftop gardens prevent buildings from absorbing heat from the sun, which can significantly reduce cooling bills. In the winter, gardens help control the heat that materials like brick and concrete release so quickly, leading to savings on heating bills. Rooftop vegetables and herb gardens can also provide fresh food for city settlers, making their diets healthier. Rooftop gardens are not only something everyone can enjoy but also a smart environmental investment.

    Time for an adventure?

    Are you a hit bored with your nine - to - five routine? Have a look at our exciting range of holidays and decide what type of adventure you'd like.

    Activity holidays

    Our activity holidays are for everyone, people who love danger or who just like sports. We have a huge variety of water, snow or desert holidays. We'll take you SCBA diving in the Red Sea or kayaking and white water rafting in Canada. If you prefer snow, you can try skiing or snowboarding in the Alps or even igloo — building. For those who like warmer weather, we also have sandboarding (the desert version of skateboarding) or camel safaris.

    Polar expeditions

    Take a cringe to Antarctica or the northern Arctic; explore a Land of white natural beauty and wonderful wildlife. Our experts will explain everything about the two poles as you watch the penguins in Antarctica or whales and polar in the Arctic, There's no greater adventure than travelling to the ends of the earth. A once-in-a-lifetime experience.

   ultural journeys

    Our cultural journeys will help you discover ancient civilizations: India, Thailand, Egypt and many more. Visit temple, palaces and ancient ruins ~just remember to bring your camera! Get to know local ways of life by exploring markets, trying exotic foods and meeting local people.

    Wildlife holidays

    We organize small - group tours to gel closer to nature in Africa, Asia or South America. Go on safari in Africa and watch lions and giraffes. Meet the famous turtles off the Galapagos Islands. Look for tigers in India, or take an elephant safari in Sri Lanka. We use local guides and stay in a range of accommodation, from tents to trees houses.

    When I was about 12, I had an enemy, a girl who liked to point out my shortcomings. Sometimes she said I was thin. Sometimes she said I was lazy. Other times she said I wasn't a good student. And still other times she said I talked too much, and so on. I tried to put up with her.

    At last, I became very angry with her. With tears in my eyes, I ran to my father, who listened to me quietly and asked, "Are the things she said true or false? Mary, haven't you ever wondered what you're really like? Go and make a list of everything she said and mark the points that agree with her comments. Pay no attention to the things she said that don't concern you."

    I did as he told me. Much to my surprise, I discovered that over half the things were true. I brought the list back to my dad. He refused to take it. "That's just for you," he said. "You know better than anyone else the truth about yourself. When something said about you is true, you'll find it will be helpful to you. Don't shut your ears. Listen to them all, but hear the truth and do what you think is right."

    Many years have passed. The situation often appears in my mind. In our life we often meet with some trouble and we often go to someone and ask for advice. Some advice you will treasure all your life!

    Nowadays women appear to have a positive image of themselves as safer drivers than men.

    In a survey done for insurer MetLife, 51% of women said they drive more safely. The evidence is on their side: Men are 3.4 times more likely than women to get a ticket for careless driving and 3.1 times as likely to be punished for drunk driving. "Women are on average less aggressive and more law abiding (守法的) drivers, which leads to fewer accidents," the report says. However, not all male drivers share the same opinion. Of the men surveyed by MetLife, 39% claimed male drivers were safer. The findings did back them up on one point: automotive knowledge. The report showed that more men are familiar with current safety equipment such as electronic stability control, which helps prevent rollover accidents.

    Auto safety unavoidably matters to money. Insurance companies focus on what classes of drivers have the lowest dollar amounts of claims, and for now, that mainly includes women. In general, women pay about 9% less for auto insurance than men. A study by the website Insweb also showed that auto insurance rates are lower for women in most states. Among individual states, women get the greatest advantage in Wyoming (where they pay 20% less), South Dakota and Washington, D. C. where their insurance costs are 16% lower.

    "More than 11, 900 male drivers died in U. S. traffic accidents in 2009, compared with just under 4, 900 women drivers," according to the study. "Based on miles traveled, men died at a rate of 2.5 deaths per 100 million miles traveled, VS 1.7 deaths for women."

    Everyone at Pacsafe is always eager to get out in the world and enjoy new cultures, food, and experiences. With that in mind we asked a few of our top travel bugs for their best travel destination recommendations for 2019. They also included their favorite Pacsafe bag to take on the trip. Enjoy and hopefully get some ideas for your own globe - trotting adventure.

    Sri Lanka - Alison Hanko, Global Marketing Director

    I'm going to Sri Lanka this summer holiday and can't wait. It's close to Hong Kong where I live and I've always wanted to go. The food is supposed to be amazing. It seems really relaxing and I really want to do the Kandy to Badulla train ride, which looks just stunning. We've booked a good mix of beaches, some time in a safari tent to hopefully see elephants in the wild.

    For my bag, I'll most likely take the Quiksilver 40L Pack because it has the built-in wet pack for my bikinis. It's also a great size for a week-long trip in a warm climate.

    Japan - Ben Barras, Creative Director

    Japan is definitely my best travel destination recommendation. The culture, the streets, the architecture, the inspiration you get from all of that is amazing. The food is also fascinating. It's where I'm most planning to go. Tokyo obviously, but also visiting the mountains. You can go snowboarding, which I haven't done for years.

    I have a Vibe 25L Backpack which you can pack a lot in. The thing I like most about it is that it's compact, but still fits plenty in. I'll pair that up with a larger travel bag for the rest of my things and use the backpack to get around day to day.

    Berlin - Phil Hayes, Executive VP of Global Design

    For me, it's definitely Berlin. I'm particularly excited about the fashion, which I hear is pretty full on. Also the art galleries and history. Food, nightlife. Everything I've heard about Berlin is pretty cool, so I'm going to suck as much as I can out of it. World's Global Style Network had the Berlin shopping list that came out recently, so I'm going to follow that through as well.

    Bag wise, it will be the Quiksilver X Collab Bag. It's the 25L Anti-theft Backpack. It's normally my go-to bag for city trips because it's super easy to lock on the plane and in bars, and it's just the right amount of space.