Features - The Malaysian Insider

5 best places to go during the school holidays

We’ve less than a month before the school term for 2016 begins. Here are five fun places to bring the kids if you’re living in the Klang Valley. 1. Check out a magic show at Resorts World...

Century-old cake baked for Austrian empress sweetens museum collection

This is one cake you can neither have nor eat: a tart baked 118 years ago for Austria's Empress Elisabeth has gone on display this week at an Italian castle once used by the sovereign as a...

A man’s weight can affect his sperm’s genetic makeup

A man's weight affects his sperm's genetic makeup and could lead to a predisposition to obesity in his children, according to a Danish study published in the journal Cell Metabolism. A...

Bringing play into painting

The art displayed on the Escape The Box studio’s walls may not seem particularly artistic to a critic's eye, but that's precisely why a new creative art form called Play of Painting is growing in...

UK astronaut to take part in London marathon from space

British astronaut Tim Peake yesterday said he will be taking part in the London marathon – harnessed to a running machine 400km above Earth on the International Space Station. "As soon as I...

Starting sport in teens the best weapon against cardiovascular disease

Improving heart and lung capacity from adolescence onwards, over a prolonged period of time, can help protect us from cardiovascular disease later in life, says an American study published in...

Breaking ‘comfort eating’ key to losing weight

Of the tens of millions of Americans who try to lose weight every year, only 8% actually succeed, with even less keeping off the weight long term. Two out of three who lose 5% of their body...

Study warns of risks from ‘distracted walking’

You might think you can safely walk and text on your smartphone at the same time. But watch out for the other guy. A study released on Wednesday by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons...

Too much TV as a young adult may harm brain in midlife, study says

Too much television-watching in young adulthood could lead to cognitive problems in midlife, suggested a study Wednesday that tracked more than 3,000 people for 25 years. People who reported...

‘Forgotten’ first language can still influence language processing later

You may think you have forgotten an additional language that you learnt as a child, but it has left a lasting effect on your brain, according to a team of Canadian researchers. In a study...

Researchers find music therapy can increase well-being in patients

Music therapy has been used for over 30 years to successfully ease the symptoms and suffering for patients receiving palliative care, improving the quality of life across all ages and a variety...

Glittery armpits – you heard that right – the latest online trend

If you thought the "glitter beard" trend that took off earlier this winter was the most festive beauty trend yet then think again, the hot new place to show off sparkly body hair is your...

Size matters: Stockholm clinic launches penis measuring tape

Forget reassurances to insecure teens: a Stockholm youth health clinic is handing out special measuring tapes to young men and asking them to size up their penises, it said on Monday. The...

‘Macaron hair’, the sweetest beauty trend yet

Move over "pumpkin spice hair" – the latest hot trend for tresses that look good enough to eat comes courtesy of the macaron. "Macaron hair" is the latest twist on the rainbow colour trend,...

How to hack the holiday season without being hacked

Cybersecurity should always be an issue when shopping or simply browsing online. However, when the holiday season starts safety can be pushed to the back of our minds in the quest for the best...

Study shows having a dog reduces anxiety in kids

A US study shines new light on the benefits that dogs bring to children and demonstrates that man's best friend reduces anxiety levels in the young. Dogs have once again been shown to be very...

From countryside to catwalk, Thai teen designer takes on prejudice

Skirts made from bamboo chicken cages and billowy dresses crafted from mosquito nets – a Thai teen is elevating everyday items of rural life to the catwalk to challenge entrenched prejudice among...

Exercise can boost memory in older adults, study says

It seems exercising the body could also exercise the mind, with a new study reporting that older adults who take more steps by either walking or jogging perform better on memory tasks than those...

5 wacky beauty trends that went viral in 2015

The year 2015 was a creative one for beauty. Thanks to social media platforms like YouTube and Instagram, all sorts of weird and wonderful looks and techniques were shared with the world, many of...

Unveiling the ancient art of Mak Yong

In a traditional dance routine usually performed by women, Rosnan Abdul Rahman, the country's sole performer in the Mak Yong dance art, hopes to proudly carry this ancient dance form as a symbol...