OUT THERE
may sound counter-intuitive, but
try downing an espresso before
taking your 20-minute snooze. The
caffeine will enter the brain just as
you’re waking up, boosting your
energy levels.- MAKE FOOD TASTE BETTER
According to the work of
‘gastrophysicist’ Prof Charles
Spence, meals are tastier if eaten
off round, white plates with heavy
cutler y. In a not her Spence study,
700 volunteers were played music
while eating takeaway. Indian
food was rated more highly when
indie music was playing, whereas
Thai and Japanese food tasted
HACK OUR LIVES WITH SCIENCE
Want to get ahead in life? The Geek Guide To Life offers scientific
advice on everything from dating and dancing to sleeping and stone
skimming. Co-author COLIN STUART shares five tips to get you started...- SUCCEED AT ONLINE DATING
Unsurprisingly, your photo is key
- people say they draw more
information about someone’s
personality from their photo than
their words. A 2016 study found
that an open posture is important,
so those leaning back or spreading
their arms were more likely to
receive romantic interest. With the
words, stick to a 70:30 ratio of who
you are to what you’re looking for.
- CHOOSE YOUR CAR COLOUR
If you’re buying a new car, avoid
black. An Australian study of
850,000 accidents over a 20-year
period found that black cars were
12 per cent more likely to be
involved in a crash than white
ca rs, rising to 47 per cent at daw n
or dusk when the light is low.
Research has also shown that
black cars are some of the most
likely to be stolen. - TAKE THE PERFECT NAP
The ideal napping time is six to
seven hours after waking, around
2pm for most people. This is far
enough away from bedtime not to
interfere with your sleep cycle. It
05
better with jazz. Justin Bieber’s
music consistently lowered the
enjoyment of almost every food
group (seriously!).- BECOME A MASTER STONE SKIMMER
The magic number here is
20°. According to a study
published in Nature, that’s the
angle at which your stone should
hit the water. Pick a flat, round
stone approximately five
centimetres (two inches) in
diameter. Use your finger to set it
spinning as it leaves you r ha nd,
aiming for a launch speed of at
least 2.5 metres per second
(5.6mph).
gp yTHE GEEK GUIDE TO LIFE
BY COLIN STUART
AND MUN KEAT LOOI
IS OUT 6 OCTOBER
(£16.99, ANDRÉ DEUTSCH).