Topic Reading-Vol.5020-1/21/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

'I feel free': Australia's social media ban, one month on

To protect the mental health and wellbeing of young teenagers from cyberbullying, harmful content, self harm, online predators, and addictive platform designs, Australia started requiring popular SNS platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, Twitch, X, and YouTube, to take reasonable steps to prevent Australians under 16 from having accounts on their platforms on December 10 last year. They can still have access to non-age-restricted social media platforms, such as Discord, Google Classroom, LEGO Play, Messenger, Pinterest, Roblox, WhatsApp, and YouTube Kids. Like adults, many young people rely on social media as a tool to manage boredom, stress, and social anxiety, and to connect with their peers and loved ones. So, what happened to the young Australians who were disconnected from their familiar platforms? After the initial shock, are they now spending more time on non-screen activities like sports, reading, or talking with their friends or families more, or just alternatively using other accessible SNSs or games?

Read the article and find out what Australian teenagers have been doing since their favorite social media was banned.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0mpmgn3jv2o

Topic Reading-Vol.5019-1/20/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers,　

Five lifestyle tweaks to help you live well for longer

We all want to live well for longer, physically, mentally, emotionally, socially, spiritually, and perhaps economically to some extent. But as we age, both physical and cognitive functions decline, but not at the same pace for everyone. Like exercise keeps our muscles stronger, keeping our minds active helps maintain our brain connections, and therefore, functions. For example, learning something new, eating a variety of vegetables and fruits, doing a little more physical exercise, and being socially active all have positive effects on your well-being. You can enjoy these benefits and improve your physical and mental well-being by making small changes consistently without changing everything at once.

Read the article and learn how you can enjoy your life better and longer.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20260102-five-lifestyle-tweaks-to-help-you-live-well-for-longer

Topic Reading-Vol.5018-1/19/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Bottle-to-throttle: The precautions airlines take to make sure your pilot is sober

Commercial pilots should not sit in the cockpit under any influence of alcohol or drugs. They are mandated to take a breathalyzer test before a flight. But how sober do they need to be to fly an airplane? To your surprise, there is no universal law that applies to all airlines. Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) is widely used to measure how much alcohol remains in the bloodstream. In the USA, the BAC limit for driving is 0.08% for adults. To sit in the airplane cockpit, however, some countries require a BAC below 0.04%, others limit up to 0.02%, while India implements no tolerance. Also, some airlines enforce a minimum cool-off time between drinking alcohol and reporting for duty, called the bottle-to-throttle window, like 12 hours by Delta and United airlines and 24 hours by Japan Airlines. The airline also bans drinking during hotel layovers. Just like a surgeon, vet, or driver, flight crew members are expected to be alcohol free when they perform their duties.

Read the article and learn how sober commercial pilots need to be to fly.

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/bottle-to-throttle-sober-pilots-flying-alcohol

Topic Reading-Vol.5017-1/18/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

The Caribbean island where locals can't access the beach

With a tropical marine climate and beautiful beaches, Jamaica is a major tourism and resort destination in the Caribbean. The island, with a population of around 2.8 million, attracts more than four million visitors annually, generating over 10% of GDP and employing hundreds of thousands of locals. Of the island’s 1,000km of beautiful shoreline, less than 1% is freely accessible to local residents. In the last five years, as the number of gated resorts and developments has multiplied, locals have lost access to beaches freely. Gone are the days when fishermen sail off their boats and children play on the nearby public beaches. Accordingly, visitors are losing opportunities to visit local communities or interact with residents. Still, even after the devastating Hurricane Melissa last year, the beautiful island is welcoming tourists and visitors for its economy and employment.

Read the article and learn how the rapid privatization of public beaches is affecting locals in Jamaica.

https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20260107-the-caribbean-island-where-locals-cant-access-the-beach

Topic Reading-Vol.5016-1/17/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

The secrets to tackling fussy eating habits

Many young children tend to like or dislike certain foods. They may like most fruits and sweets, but dislike some vegetables or seafood. Should parents tell them to eat the food they don’t like, or eat it just for the sake of their health? Conversely, should children be allowed to decide what to eat or how much? Actually, many children don’t want to be told what to do or what not to do. They have different mindsets, priorities, and preferences from grown-ups. Also, as children do not always grow at the same pace, their appetite fluctuates. So, telling children what and how much they should eat might not solve their fussy eating habits. Instead, it seems to encourage them to eat more and better if they are given autonomy and involved in preparing or serving food. Autonomy encourages motivation and leads to satisfaction.

Read the article and get some tips to encourage children to eat better.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3e712j3gq5o

Topic Reading-Vol.5015-1/16/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

‘Autofocus’ glasses can change their lenses in real time

People who need both clearer distance and reading vision often wear eyeglasses with bifocal lenses. The top part of the lens is designed for distance vision, suitable for walking or driving, and the bottom part is prescribed for near vision, like reading. There is a distinct segment line between the two areas. Varifocal lenses offer a more continuous, gradual change in prescription from distance at the top to near at the bottom without segment lines. The former was invented in the late 18^th century, and the latter appeared in the 1950s. In the meantime, most cameras, including the ones in smartphones, automatically adjust focus. Autofocus (AF) works by using sensors to analyze incoming light and a processor to adjust the lens until the sharpest possible image is achieved. Now is the time for eyewear innovation. A Finnish eyewear company is preparing to launch smart glasses with lenses that automatically adjust focus for the wearer and the situation.

Read the article and learn about eyewear that adjusts focus automatically.

https://edition.cnn.com/science/autofocus-glasses-ixi-change-lenses-spc

Topic Reading-Vol.5014-1/15/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Why some Americans who make a lot of money feel so poor

Even though the wages of average Americans have increased further than inflation, they are facing difficulty in finding affordable housing units or childcare services, and in some cases, the availability. The low supply of homes and high mortgage rates, hovering above 6%, have made housing prices well beyond an affordable level in many places. Also, child care expenses, including daycare and preschool costs, have risen almost twice the pace of overall inflation or pay raises. In most places, child care for two children now costs more than a mortgage or rent. This makes some parents give up one of their jobs, often mothers, to stay home and care for their children themselves. Owning a house and raising children seems to have become a dream for many Americans.

Read the article and learn about the financial burdens of American families.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/01/06/economy/housing-childcare-availability-affordability-economy

Topic Reading-Vol.5013-1/14/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

‘Grab what you can:’ The global rush for second passports

Recently, an internationally recognized American actor was granted his second citizenship by France, where he and his family had lived for the last few years. As the world has become more volatile, unsafe, or extreme, more people are now seeking second citizenships for various reasons. Some people just want to relocate to another country, and others are forced to move out of their homeland. Also, there are people who want another passport for insurance, or who try to evade military conscription or heavy taxes. In fact, there has been a surge in demand for second citizenship among very wealthy Americans and Brits. However, citizenship can be granted for limited conditions, such as family descent, naturalization after years of residence, or substantial investment in the country. In the meantime, countries like China, India, and Japan do not recognize dual citizenship, and European countries have discouraged or tightened it.

Read the article and think about whether you want to apply for another citizenship.

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/us-dual-citizenship-facts-explained

Topic Reading-Vol.5012-1/13/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

China’s robot sports craze could eventually put humanoids in homes

Robots are no longer just devices to perform simple tasks repeatedly, but are now becoming more autonomous and athletic. Powered by AI, robots have become intelligent agents to work or interact with humans. They can now play sports and games to entertain people. Last year in China, dozens of robots danced together on stage, humanoids ran a half-marathon, and played soccer, boxing, and martial arts games in robot sporting events. Showcasing robotic capabilities at sports events not only entertains the public but also fuels competition, advances technologies, and draws attention from investors and potential users of humanoids. Robots and humanoids are expected to help improve the nation’s productivity and sustain the rapidly aging society. What will our world be like with humanoids 25 years from now? (Vol.5011)

Read the article and learn how and why China’s robots are playing sports.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/01/02/china/china-humanoid-robot-sports-intl-hnk-dst

Topic Reading-Vol.5011-1/12/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

AI teachers and cybernetics - what could the world look like in 2050?

50 years ago, people started watching movies with VHS and Beta videos, and listened to music on cassettes or vinyl records. 25 years later, analog videos were replaced by digital media, DVDs, and music was sold on CDs. Now, we can watch movies or listen to music at any time, anywhere on our smartphones, thanks to streaming technology and faster Internet connections. As for communication, we spoke on cellular phones and sent text messages. Now, we use smartphones and SNS for nearly everything, including shopping, reservations, tickets, photos and videos, and sharing. Indeed, as technologies advance, our lifestyles change, too. So, what will our lives be 20 years from now? Will there be drugs that are customized to individuals? Will we travel on a driverless car or in a pilotless airplane? Will robots do most of the physical tasks that humans are doing now?

Read the article and think about what the world will be like 25 years from now.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c865n800d5jo

Topic Reading-Vol.5010-1/11/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

The foods that make you smell more attractive

We smell badly after drinking many alcoholic drinks or eating a lot of garlicy food. Indeed, what we eat makes a distinct difference in how our breath and body smell. To digest the food, bacteria metabolize it inside the gut, and these interactions release gases, causing bad breath. Additionally, once food is metabolized inside the gut, the chemical components from the food travel through the bloodstream and the body’s tissues, some of which are then perspired through the skin, and interact with the skin’s bacteria, creating a distinct smell. Interestingly, smells that are caused by certain foods are more pleasant or attractive than others. Do vegetables or fruits make you smell any better than meat or fish?

Read the article and learn how you can make yourself smell better or worse.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20251031-the-foods-that-make-you-smell-more-attractive

Topic Reading-Vol.5009-1/10/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Why scientists want ice from 600 meters below the surface

Researchers stay on Axel Heiberg Island, an uninhabited island in the Arctic Ocean, for months to extract ice samples from as deep as 600 meters below the surface. These ancient layers are like a frozen history book, containing trapped air bubbles and water isotopes. They reveal Earth's past climate, temperatures, atmospheric composition, such as CO2 and methane, volcanic activity, and wind patterns, which offer crucial data to understand past climate cycles. Deeper ice is older ice. Drilling several hundred meters down offers access to layers from hundreds of thousands of years ago, which provides a long-term view of Earth's climate history. They drill through ice sheets and extract ice core samples. Each one-meter section of the sample is cut into five pieces for gradual analysis in a research facility in Edmonton, Alberta. Researchers always have to wear heavy down jackets to work in extremely low temperatures to extract ice samples and analyze them. Their efforts might be rewarded by new scientific discoveries from the old ice cores.

Watch the video and learn how researchers are trying to learn history

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/12/23/world/video/arctic-climate-science-canada-c2e-spc

Topic Reading-Vol.5008-1/9/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Do saunas really boost your health?

Our bodies try to keep core temperature stable, usually between 36.5 °C and 37 °C, and most of us feel comfortable in an indoor temperature range between 20 °C and 24 °C.  Yet some people love to take a dry sauna, whose temperature goes over 70°C, or a steam sauna at over 40°C with 100% humidity to feel looser or more relaxed. Conversely, others jump into icy water in winter to feel the painful cold, which boosts heart rate and blood pressure and surges stress hormones like adrenaline. While both extreme temperature pressures seem to enhance mental health and wellness, do they actually improve physical health, such as the immune system, metabolism, or cardiovascular functions?

Read the article and learn what hot sauna and cold swimming do to your health.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5yj3g0p26ro

Topic Reading-Vol.5007-1/8/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Mercury: The planet that shouldn't exist

Mercury is the nearest planet to the Sun, only 0.4 astronomical units (AU) away, 40% of the distance from the Sun to Earth. It is the fastest planet to orbit the Sun, taking only 88 days to orbit the Sun at a speed of nearly 47 kilometers per second. Mercury’s surface temperatures are both extremely hot and cold, between 430°C and -180°C, because it’s too close to the Sun and it spins so slowly, taking 59 Earth days for one rotation. Mercury formed about 4.6 billion years ago, like others, when gravity pulled swirling gas and dust together. It is the smallest planet in our solar system, only slightly larger than our moon, and the second densest planet after Earth, because Mercury’s core makes up about 85% of its radius while Earth, Venus, and Mars all have iron-rich cores that make up about half of their radius. Yet it is still uncertain why Mercury orbits so close to the Sun and how its dense structure was formed. This November, a joint European and Japanese space mission is due to enter orbit and is expected to reveal where Mercury came from.

Read the article and learn about the smallest planet in our solar system.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20251223-mercury-the-planet-that-shouldnt-exist

Topic Reading-Vol.5006-1/7/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Digital age brings Denmark’s postal service to a historic end 

If your business has shrunk to one-tenth and sees no chance of recovery, what would you do? That was the situation that PostNord, a Nordic mail and parcel delivery company jointly owned by the Swedish and Danish governments, faced in Denmark, as correspondence and message deliveries have shifted from paper to online in the last two decades. The postal company removed 1,500 mailboxes last year and delivered its last letters on December 30, closing over 400 years of conventional mail service. The company now focuses on delivering parcels as online shopping keeps increasing. Even though almost all Danes are digitally proficient, there are people, mainly older citizens, who still rely on postal services. They may either use a collection service by a private company at home or drop their letters off at kiosks in stores. If you travel to Denmark and want to send a postcard, you need to look for a kiosk, not a mailbox. Which country will follow suit?

Read the article and learn about the end of the postal service in Denmark.

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/12/30/europe/denmark-postal-service-letters-intl-scli

Topic Reading-Vol.5005-1/6/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Sit-to-stand: The simple test that reveals how you're ageing

Can you stand up from the chair or sofa easily? The sit-to-stand test (STS) is a simple, common assessment of leg strength, balance, and endurance. Just count how many times you can fully stand up from a seated position in 30 seconds. It measures leg strength and endurance, balance and mobility, fall risk, and aging. If you are in your 60s and can perform a dozen times, you’re on average in the age group. If you can stand up around 10 times in your 70s or 80s, you’re still in good shape. But if your score is lower, you may have weak muscles, excess weight, heart or lung problems, or other functional problems. Older people with lower scores tend to fall more easily, which could cause injuries, including muscle tears and hip fractures. To avoid such significant damage, you may want to stand up more often, go up and down stairs, and walk around when possible. Small things add up for healthier aging.

Read the article and learn about what the sit-to-stand test reveals.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250404-sit-to-stand-the-simple-test-that-reveals-how-youre-ageing

Topic Reading-Vol.5004-1/5/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Why passport stamps may be a thing of the past

Nowadays, travel photos are rarely printed after traveling. Instead, they are posted on social media during the trip. Also, paper tickets and boarding passes are mostly replaced by QR codes on smartphones. For international travel, a passport is still a physical proof of the holder’s identity, and has many pages designated for visas and entry/departure stamps. However, they are now left blank even after crossing the border many times. In fact, more countries have adopted digital immigration processes, including fingerprint, facial photo, and passport scanning with or without a human inspector. Gone are the days when you heard an immigration officer slam a stamp on your passport at a border control. Also missed are stamps, the paper proof on the passport, when you want to recall travel experiences. When will we miss paper passports?

Read the article and learn how border-crossing procedures have been changing.

https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20251218-the-end-of-a-time-honoured-travel-tradition

Topic Reading-Vol.5003-1/4/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Why travellers keep queueing for viral food

One way to enjoy visiting some other place is to try tasting locally popular foods or something that is introduced in the guidebook. But nowadays, all of a sudden, some particular food becomes popular among travelers and visitors who saw the video or photo of the food on social media, and they wait in a long line to try it. When they finally get it, they film themselves eating it and post the video on their SNS, which often brings more people to form an even longer waiting line. Indeed, a queue triggers powerful psychological cues. This is partly because of the fear of missing out (FOMO). Also, a long waiting line indicates the food may be very good or popular, another social proof of validation, which gives you assurance or confidence. So, whether you are drawn by the line or preprogrammed by an SNS, waiting in line for a viral food seems to offer another kind of culinary experience. Still, for some people, encountering unexpected experiences is another way to enjoy visiting a new place, including locally popular food, yet unknown in the online community.

Read the article and learn about why more people are willingly waiting to get particular food.

https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20251205-why-travellers-keep-queueing-for-viral-food

Topic Reading-Vol.5002-1/3/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

2025 in Gaza: 12 months, 12 pictures

After two years of heavy bombings and fierce offensive by Israeli forces, the Gaza peace plan went into effect on October 10 last year. It is estimated that as many as 80,000 Palestinians were killed or went missing, more than 10,000 died of famine, and over 170,000 were wounded during the offensive. But people in Gaza are still struggling to get water, food, medicine, daily necessities, clothes, and roofs over their heads. Starving, crying, mourning, shivering, and trembling are part of their lives. These 12 photos show how devastating the situations were in Gaza last year.

See the photos of war’s suffering in Gaza in 2025.

https://www.aljazeera.com/gallery/2025/12/22/2025-in-gaza-12-months-12-pictures

Topic Reading-Vol.5001-1/2/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Boiling lobsters alive to be banned in UK animal cruelty crackdown

When animals or birds experience pain, they often exhibit physical responses, including hiding, crying, and defending. Then what about crustaceans, such as crabs, crayfish, shrimps, and lobsters? It is now widely agreed that they do feel pain, too. Last month, the government of England launched a package of new animal welfare laws, including bans on hen cages, pig farrowing crates, and puppy farming. Also banned is boiling lobsters while they are alive and conscious. Boiling live prawns, lobsters, and crabs is a popular delicacy in many parts of the world. However, such a practice is considered inhumane and banned in some countries, including Switzerland, Norway, and New Zealand. They suggest that lobsters are made unconscious with an electric gun or chilled in ice before they are boiled. Freeing hens and pigs from cages will require substantial space, cost, and labor for the farmers. Stunning lobsters will require extra processing or a dedicated device in the kitchen. However, until they die, they are still alive and feel pain.

Read the article and learn how England is trying to be more humane before killing animals and crustaceans.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/dec/22/boiling-lobsters-alive-banned-animal-cruelty-crackdown

Topic Reading-Vol.5000-1/1/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

One small change in battery design could reduce fires, researchers say

In addition to traditional or conventional New Year’s rituals, let us dream about something that could make our lives significantly safer: lithium-ion batteries that won’t heat up or catch fire. Today, our lives are heavily dependent on lithium-ion batteries, including smartphones, tablets, PCs, power banks, headphones, smartwatches, flashlights, pacemakers, shavers, drones, e-bikes, and EVs, to name a few. Nearly every portable device is powered by a lithium-ion battery. However, they contain flammable electrolytes, which could become unstable under certain conditions, such as manufacturing defects, physical damage, overcharging, or extreme temperatures. Last January, an Airbus A321 caught fire and burned down at Busan airport, South Korea, when a passenger’s power bank stored in an overhead bin heated up and caused a flame.

Recently, researchers from the University of Hong Kong proposed a lithium-ion battery design that is stable even under extreme conditions. The most innovative part of the innovation is a new electrolyte with two solvents that would prevent the electrolyte from breaking down. The good news is that the electrolyte can be injected directly into the battery cell without any new equipment or process, so that lithium-ion battery manufacturers can bring it into their existing production lines. Though it may still take a few years for us to see safer mobile devices and vehicles, there is new hope for safer mobility in our lives.

Read the article and learn about a breakthrough technology on the horizon.

https://edition.cnn.com/science/new-battery-design-could-prevent-fires-spc

This issue marks the 5,000 milestone of Topi Reading. Despite a two-week interruption in early 2023 due to an unexpected incident, Topic Reading has been posted daily for 13.8 years since April 12, 2012. It also coincided with the first day of 2026. Happy New Year to Topic Readers!