DZ Bank branch in Munich – credit Fred Romero CC 2.0. Having maintained the highest household savings rate among European countries for 10 years, German citizens have together squirreled away $11 trillion in personal wealth. This gargantuan rainy day fund was the result of a 20-21% average savings rate maintained by the country between 2014 … Read more
A modern tatami room – credit, Filiz Elaerts on Unsplash Western admirers of Japanese aesthetic are keeping afloat tatami craftsmen in Japan, where modernity and maintenance requirements are driving down interest in this artisanal form of flooring. From Europe to the US and even in the Middle East, eager importers of tatami mats now account … Read more
Andrew Petrischev – unsplash A street lamp outside your window, the orange charging light on a plug adapter next to your nightstand, a flash of your phone late at night indicating you’ve received an email—these artificial light sources would never occur in nature, and recent studies suggest they harm your brain. Higher levels of artificial … Read more