Topic Reading-Vol.5158-6/8/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Brain freeze? Ice cream headaches can reveal a surprising amount about your health

When you sip, lick, or bite a cold substance, such as an ice cube, shaved ice, or ice cream, you might feel an acute ache in your forehead. This cold-stimulus headache occurs when the roof of the mouth or back of the throat is cooled so rapidly that it shrinks the blood vessels, and then the shrunk vessels are forced to swell back up again to restore blood flow. This rapid change in the blood flow activates pain receptors and sends signals to the brain, but the brain misinterprets them as coming from the forehead rather than the mouth. That’s why your forehead hurts but not your tongue. It is easily avoidable if you take a little more time to eat or drink cold food or drinks. But some people still experience a more severe headache than others. Researchers think this blood vessel shrinkage seems to run in families. Do your parents have ice cream headaches, too? Also, those who have migraine tend to experience this kind of headache when they eat cold stuff. So, if you feel pain in your brain or forehead when you eat ice cream even if you’ve eaten it slowly, you may want to try the same treatment as for migraine. An ice cream headache can be mostly prevented or eased if you take a little more time to enjoy the cold treat.

Read the article and learn why you may experience a headache when you eat ice cream.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20260529-what-causes-brain-freeze

Topic Reading-Vol.5157-6/7/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

The arteries of modern civilization: The US and allies take action to protect seabed cables

Where do you think the vast amount of data is being transmitted every day and every second? Most of the world’s intercontinental data, including payments, trade, and data flows, travels through 570 existing and 80 planned undersea internet cables, the arteries of modern civilization. However, just like underwater gas pipelines, they are so vulnerable to attacks because they have no defense mechanisms or forces. In fact, several incidents of damage to internet cables and gas pipelines have been reported in the Baltic Sea since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Just like the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz has created global oil shortages, disruptions to underwater pipelines and cables could cause regional and global nightmares. Recently, Australia, the UK, and the US (AUKUS) have reached a trilateral defense pact to improve reconnaissance and strike capabilities. Since data centers are being built around the world and are connected to each other, protecting the data arteries plays a vital role in ensuring smooth data transmissions and internet connections.

Read the article and learn the roles underwater cables play in modern life.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/05/31/world/aukus-seabed-cables-defense-intl

Topic Reading-Vol.5156-6/6/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Why America’s rich keep getting richer

In the “K-shaped economy”, the upper arm of the letter “K” represents the wealthy while the lower arm shows lower-to-middle-income families. In the last three years in the US, the top 1% earners increased their cumulative real net worth by 30%, the next 19% earners gained 20%, and the next 20%, classified as the upper middle group, enjoyed about an 18% increase (Vol 5152), while the middle 40% and bottom 20% had less than a 15% gain. What made the gap wider between those who gained wealth more and less is housing, stocks, and inflation. Even though the S&P 500, the benchmark market index, has gained 86% over the last three years, about three-quarters of America’s stocks are owned by the top 20% earners. As for housing, over half of mortgages belong to the top 20%, whose property values have seen steep increases in the last few years. In the meantime, recent inflation in food, energy, and gas prices, in particular, hit the middle 40% and bottom 20% of income groups harder because they spend a higher proportion of their income on those daily necessities. Once dreamed of by middle-income households were cars and houses, which are now getting out of their reach. How will AI affect the wealth gap for Americans?

Read the article and learn about the widening gap between the rich and others.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/05/29/business/why-americas-rich-keep-getting-richer

Topic Reading-Vol.5155-6/5/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Protect yourself from contagious viruses (and we don’t mean Ebola), with these expert tips

The FIFA World Cup kicks off next week in the US, Canada, and Mexico, and millions of fans will scream germs into the air of very crowded stadiums. Also, summer vacationers are traveling around and interacting with others in many ways. In the meantime, the hantavirus outbreak on a Dutch cruise ship in April infected 13 on board and killed three. Also, the Ebola outbreak in Central Africa has infected hundreds and killed more than 200, and is still active. Contagious diseases can be easily transmitted from one person (or animal) to another through various routes, including airborne/respiratory droplets, physical contact, or fecally or orally contaminated surfaces. One of the most worrisome contagious viruses is measles, whose particles can stay in the air for up to two hours. It is much more contagious than the flu or COVID-19, as a single infected individual could pass the virus to between 12 and 18 people. The problem is that even though it can be contained by a simple vaccine, vaccination rates for measles are falling in many countries, including the World Cup host countries. How can you better protect yourself from viruses besides vaccination?

Read the article and learn what contagious diseases are and what you can do to protect yourself.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/05/29/health/contagious-virus-anxiety-wellness

Topic Reading-Vol.5154-6/4/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Is 'out of control' US tipping culture spreading overseas?

In the US, tipping is a standard practice for services such as restaurants, taxis and rideshares, doormen and bellboys, and delivery services. Among these, servers at restaurants depend most of their income on tips from their customers because their minimum hourly wage is set significantly lower than the federal minimum wage. The expected restaurant tip in the US was 10% to 15% of the bill in the mid to late 20th century, but it has risen to 18% or higher today, partly due to pre-programmed electronic payment machines that often suggest 18%, 20%, 22%, and 25%. In large cities like New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles, a 20% tip is mostly expected. Tipping/gratuity is a unique practice in the USA, and it is not expected in most other countries. However, when American travelers dine in restaurants abroad, they often leave tips for their servers. This has made serving staff expect tips from other customers, too, which makes locals annoyed. Another influencer of tipping practice is rideshare services, like Uber, which also show tipping options in other countries where they operate. If you travel abroad, you may want to ask AI if you should leave tips, where, to whom, and how much in advance.

Read the article and learn about how tipping is practiced in the USA and other countries.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj6p0wrkpj8o

Topic Reading-Vol.5153-6/3/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Tourists can be refused tap water, Italy's top court rules

Yes, you can drink tap water in Italy, though it may taste differently from other places because it is often hard water with a high mineral content. However, you cannot expect free tap water at a restaurant there. Instead, you are expected to order bottled mineral water, choosing between sparkling or still. And a recent ruling by the Italian Supreme Court allowed hospitality venues in Italy to refuse requests for tap water and serve only sealed, bottled water at the table. The ruling was made in response to a claim by a woman who was refused to serve tap water at the restaurant of a five-star hotel in a ski resort. She was offered an eight-dollar bottle of mineral water when she asked for tap water. She argued that water is a natural resource and a universal human right. In Italy, however, laws and regulations do not mandate restaurants to provide free tap water to guests, and therefore, it is up to individual venues to serve tap water to their guests. When in Rome, do as the Romans do, a timeless proverb says, but the woman was visiting from Rome.

Read the article and learn how to order water in Italy.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4g4yd8q0j7o

Topic Reading-Vol.5152-6/2/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

We’re living in the ‘premium economy’ economy

Premium economy is an airline cabin class situated between economy and business class, offering upgraded comfort with wider seats, extra legroom, enhanced dining options, and priority airport services, at 30% to 60% higher prices than economy class tickets. Recently, airlines have been adding more premium economy seats for passengers who are willing to pay more for better, but not thrice or more for business class. This move reflects the increasing number of upper-middle-class consumers in the US economy, whose annual household income ranges from $133,000 to $400,000. They cannot afford to buy a house whose values soared after the pandemic and inflation, but they earn higher wages that they can use for more comfortable travel experiences and higher-quality groceries. Full-service carriers and retailers like United Airlines and Walmart are generating more profits from these valued customers, while budget airlines and discount retailers are struggling to run their businesses, including the recently bankrupted Spirit Airlines. McDonald’s or Starbucks may be an economical option for these upper-middle-class consumers, but they are premium food and drink options for many Americans who are struggling to make ends meet due to soaring commodity, gas, and energy prices.

Read the article and learn what premium economy is like in the USA.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/05/26/business/economy-retail-airlines