The illusion of the ideal calcium source
It is widely accepted in popular belief that animal products are the ideal source for maintaining bone health. However, a study published in the US Journal of Nutrition found that populations consuming large amounts of calcium and protein from animal sources had a higher rate of hip fractures (Hegsted, 1986).
Spanish flu to COVID-19: Lessons from a forgotten pandemic
The Spanish flu filled graves in almost every cemetery in the world. However, surprisingly, this tragedy had largely been forgotten until recently. A century later, the issue returned to the centre of attention, with specialists wondering if they can identify a pattern in the evolution of the COVID-19 health crisis based on the pandemic from a century ago.
Realistic expectations, the secret of lasting relationships
Aside from fuelling jokes about how women impose unrealistic standards on men, or how men are just grown-up children who want their wives to be their mothers, the expectations couples place on their relationship define how they relate to each other, and influence marital satisfaction.
Roger Williams
It is no coincidence that the first Baptist church in the United States, the first synagogue, and the first Quaker assembly house are all located in the small American state of Rhode Island. Their existence is due to the influence of Roger Williams, who resolutely upheld the principle of freedom of conscience more than 100 years before it was invoked in the First...
Procrastination: Why we procrastinate and how to win the war on ourselves
Procrastination is self-harm, psychologist Piers Steel says. A kind of self-harm that we can become addicted to if we do not detect the reasons behind it and especially the effective strategies to counter it.
A single stomach—and plenty of reasons not to stuff it
What would it be like to eat 8,6 kilograms of food in a single meal? Although it seems absurd to try and fit so much food into one’s stomach, a 23-year old model from London conducted just such an experiment in 1981.
Stephen Hawking’s verdict (Leaving God out)
“Because there is a law such as gravity, the Universe can and will create itself from nothing. Spontaneous creation is the reason there is something rather than nothing, why the Universe exists, why we exist.” This is Stephen Hawking’s statement that accompanied the book launch of “The Grand Design”.[1]
The immortal Bible
"Scripture" is a Latin word that means "writings", while "Bible" is a neutral Greek plural meaning "books" (from biblíon = book, document, scroll). Today, however, in all languages, the word "Bible" is understood as a feminine singular, meaning Holy Scripture.
The casino inside your phone
In the February 2023 issue of Signs of the Times, I wrote an article titled Gambling’s Dark Underbelly. Here in Australia, gambling is a multi-billion-dollar industry with a few very rich winners and millions of losers. In the article I concluded that “Gambling in any form is designed to bleed you for as long as you’re willing to bleed, with no regard for...
Digital detox: a practical guide to a simpler life
Digital detox has become a real need for those who’ve realized that while the hyperconnectivity of the digital age promised unlimited access to information and entertainment—without sacrificing efficiency—many are now discovering that constant connectivity comes at the cost of inner peace. But is it still possible to reclaim simplicity in a world that seems unable to breathe without the internet?
The little secret that carries us further
The TV-series Friends was recently reviewed in The New York Times as “enormously easy to watch”. This characteristic however does not make the show unique, nor can it account for its popularity today, more than 15 years since its final episode.
What to tell your children about Santa Claus
I’m not sure if there was ever a time when I thought Santa Claus really existed. I never came across him directly during my childhood. However, I remember wondering, while looking at the pictures from my brothers’ Christmas parties, whether any of the children, smiling at the photographer from Santa’s lap, ever wondered how real his story was, with so many incongruous and...
The greatest love
The word sacrifice is not really a pleasant word. When you hear it, you may think of weird archaic rituals involving blood and animals. You may think of giving up something you love or like to save money or to save your waistline. Sacrifice is not a word we use often, and it’s often used with negative associations. But in a strange twist, the action...
The Christian citizen
“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone” (Romans 12:18).
The lamb that was slain for me
"The fire and wood are here, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?" (Genesis 22:7).


























