Humans’ have always longed for immortality and searched for the fountain of youth or a magic elixir
that can keep them forever alive and young. 1

1 https://www.jstor.org/stable/1450530?seq=2#metadata_info_tab_contents,

While no such magic potion has ever been discovered or formulated, science has found a way to
increase life. And it doesn’t require you to travel to a faraway land or live a highly restrictive life. All you
have to do is to engage with the arts, often.
Yes, you read it right – this is really all that you have to do!
A study conducted by the researches from University College London investigated the link between
different levels of engagement in the arts and the mortality rates. The study was conducted over more
than 6,500 British adults aged 50 and above and was continued for a period of 14 years. According to
the research findings, which were published in the BMJ Journal in December 2019, people who
frequently engage with the arts are 31% less likely to die early than those who do not.
When it comes to the art activities, the researchers found that as simple a thing as visiting an art gallery
and a museum, watching a theatre play, or attending a concert can help you live longer. With regard to
the frequency, on the other hand, the researchers concluded that the more often you do it, the lower
your risk of death will get. For example, people who get involved in arts activities every few months (or
more than that) were found to have a 31% lower risk, whereas people who do this one or two times a
year were found to be 14% less likely to die prematurely. It’s a win-win situation, in any case!
How Engagement With Arts Can Increase Your Life
Despite the fact that it was an observational study and didn’t establish the cause or underlying factors behind the phenomena, it did take into account a number of factors from different areas of life (health, social, and economic) to come up with an explanation.
According to Daisy Fancourt, author of the study and an associate professor at the Research Department of Behavioral Science and Health, University College London, engaging with the art activities have been found to prevent stress as well as help build creativity. It also helps to improve both life quality and span by helping people build social capital – a network of relationships that, along with many other things, offer them emotional support. As a result, they tend to age in a better way.
Although the UCL research only investigates the phenomenon of engaging with the art, an earlier review report published by the World Health Organization identified that there is positive evidence available regarding the health benefits of getting involved in the art activities as well.
To sum up, whether you are visiting an art gallery or a museum, watching a theatre, attending a concert, or taking part in an activity, such as painting or singing, it will have a positive impact on your health, and eventually on your lifespan.

Are you someone who loves to complement their outfits with different types of hats and caps, but have been told time and again that it would lead to premature baldness? Do you wonder if there’s any truth to it or is it just one of those countless myths we all have grown up hearing? Let’s take a look at what science has to say about this and put this debate to rest, once and for all! Does Wearing Hat Cause Hair Loss? The short answer to this question is no! However, there’s a catch. While the phenomenon has not been comprehensively studied, some research studies suggest that wearing an extremely tight hat, consistently, can contribute to traction alopecia in men 1 . For those who do not know, it is a condition that causes gradual hair loss due to repetitive or constant pulling of hair. But, no such evidence was found in women. 2 Also, there are studies that did not find any evidence for the link between wearing hats and hair loss. Healthcare practitioners, including dermatologists, are of the opinion that you may experience hair loss by wearing very tight or very hot hats as they could reduce the supply of oxygen and blood and can also create stress/pressure on the hair. If this continues to happen for a long time, your hair can begin to fall off. Another way hats can contribute to hair loss is by irritating your scalp or, at worse, by causing allergies or infections. Hats that are made of poor-quality materials, fabric and/or dyes, can potentially harm the scalp, especially if you have sensitive skin. As a result, your scalp can get inflamed, which then can contribute to hair loss. While all these factors hint towards a potential link between wearing a hat and hair loss, doctors do not give them much importance. This is because the circumstances in which wearing a hat can lead to hair loss or baldness are not much likely to happen. People are not likely to wear very tight or hot hats for prolonged periods of time. Also, if a hat is causing irritation on someone’s scalp, he/she is unlikely to continue wearing it.

What Causes Hair Loss and Baldness, Then?

A number of factors can contribute to excessive (abnormal) hair loss and premature baldness. And more often than not, it is the result of more than one of them. Here are some of the potential risk factors and causes of hair loss and baldness:
• Age
• Genetics (having a family history of baldness)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23629119
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22878477

• Hormonal disturbances
• Stress
• Certain medical conditions, particularly the ones related to scalp.
• Certain medications, supplements, and medical treatments, such as depression, diabetes, hypertension, gout and chemotherapy.
• Excessive or prolonged use of products containing harsh chemicals or tools that cause harm to the roots or hair follicles.
• Rapid weight loss

Conclusion

Hair loss and baldness are complex phenomena – there are a number of factors that can initiate these processes. While consistently wearing a very tight hat may play a role in triggering hair loss, it is not considered a significant risk factor by healthcare professionals. So, keep on wearing your hat without being worried about going bald!
Just make sure to buy good-quality hats, wash them regularly (just like you wash all other pieces of your clothing), and do not wear them all the time (let your scalp breathe).

With more than 4 billion active users, the digital world offers a whole lot of opportunities to business owners. But, it comes with some challenges too. As more and more businesses are entering the digital world, the market is increasingly becoming saturated and competitive, making it very hard for each player to stand out.

Although success in the digital world depends on a variety of factors, just like the traditional business world, if you are to name one factor that is crucial for success in the e-commerce industry, it is customer trust. No matter how amazing your products are, if your audience doesn’t trust you, they will not buy from
you – it’s as simple as this! According to the 2019 Edelman Trust Barometer Special Report: In Brands We Trust?, a survey conducted over 16,000 participants from different age groups, genders, incomes, and industries from
eight countries, 81% consumers consider brand trust as the key deciding factor when making a purchase online.
People’s concern and cautiousness when shopping online isn’t a new phenomenon; it has always been there. Being unable to physically visit a company’s store and inspect a product before making the purchase and the lack of direct interaction are some of the key reasons people have always been cautious when shopping online. But, the rising concerns about internet security, due to the prevalence
of scams and data theft cases, have made customers all the more careful.
Since customers now have a huge variety of options, they don’t want to take any risk by buying from a seller they don’t trust.
In such a scenario, e-commerce businesses need to take every possible measure to win audience trust or risk losing a huge percentage of their potential buyers.

How to Win Audience Trust

Winning your audience’s trust isn’t simple, but it isn’t as difficult as it seems. Here are some of the simple but proven ways for businesses to get their potential customers to trust them enough to make a purchase:
• Do not try to deceive your customers by lying or making promises that you can’t deliver. It may work for you in the short run, but it’s only going to damage your reputation and cost your business in the long run. Do not lie or provide misleading information about your products or services or your policies, such as for shipping, return or exchange.
• Focus on providing a great user experience rather than pushing your visitors into buying. While your ultimate goal is to sell and people are there to buy, you should avoid being too salesy. As strange as it may sound, digital buyers don’t like being sold to. Instead, focus on identifying the pain points of your audience and then present your products or services as solutions to their problems. You are more likely to convert people and win their trust if you help them through each step of the buyer’s journey as opposed to pushing them to sales.
• Clearly display trust markers on your website. These include the webs security features you use, partnerships and associations, certifications, and awards. You can also use customer reviews to showcase your reliability to your visitors.

The Final Word

Although there is no single factor that can guarantee success in the digital world, brand trust is one of the key factors that make the most impact. As an online merchant, you need to understand that buyers now have a huge number of options. Hence, they are not willing to compromise or take any risk. If you don’t offer what they are looking for, they will simply buy from someone else. Work to build people’s trust in your brand. It will take time and effort, but the results it offers make it all worth doing.

As bizarre as the question (in the title) may sound, a recent study shows that a woman’s appearance can
have an impact on her career (unfortunately).

But, it’s not what most of us have been made to believe. In fact, it’s the other way round.
Women who are physically beautiful and attractive do not get to experience a smooth ride in the professional world. Instead, they are deemed less trustworthy and truthful than others and hence, are more likely to be fired.
Leah D. Sheppard and Stefanie K. Johnson, from Washington State University and the University of Colorado Boulder, respectively, conducted a joint research study to investigate the widely prevalent point of view that beautiful and attractive women are considered less capable or poor fit for certain
professional positions.
The results of the research were published in Sex Roles – A Journal of Research in March 2019. And unfortunately, the proposed hypothesis was proved right. However, when it comes to identifying the reasons behind this perception, the research found that it goes beyond the generally accepted explanation that beautiful women aren’t considered the right fit for
positions that have traditionally been masculine.
The research found that the reasons for this biased judgment are rooted in sexual insecurity, fear, and jealousy. The phenomenon was labeled as the ‘femme fatale effect’ by the researchers. While the research findings left many startled, this wasn’t the first time that researchers had identified or hinted towards the misleading prevailing notion that beautiful people have an edge when it comes to employment. An earlier study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, in October 2017, had found somewhat similar results. According to the research findings, attractive people are
considered unsuitable for ‘menial’ jobs because of the preconceived notion that they would not be satisfied with the work and salary.
The same year i.e. in 2017, a Silicon Valley CEO Eileen Carey also told the BBC that she dyed her naturally blonde hair to a darker color and replaced her contact lenses with glasses in order to be taken seriously by her colleagues and peers in the industry. She even started wearing loose-fitting clothes.
“For me to be successful in this (tech industry) space, I’d like to draw as little attention as possible, especially in any sort of sexual way,” she said while talking to the BBC. “I want to be seen as a business leader and not as a sexual object. Those lines are still crossed very often in this space,” Carey said while explaining the reason for making the changes in her appearance.
Carey also told the BBC that she had also met several other such women when she was hiring for her startup.