[For Seniors] Brain-training with winter-themed quizzes. Great for activities, killing time, and dementia prevention.

To improve shelf life

Osechi ryori, the traditional New Year’s dishes, often include many sweet items like black soybeans, sweet chestnut paste (kuri-kinton), and datemaki. They became sweet to improve their shelf life. Since people prepare them at the end of the year so they won’t have to cook during the first three days of the New Year, they use plenty of sugar to keep the food from spoiling. Also, because sugar was a precious commodity at the time, it was used generously for the festive New Year occasion.

Because it looks warm when it's red.

They say the kotatsu light is red because it looks warm. A kotatsu uses infrared radiation. Infrared itself is invisible, but they colored the light red when selling kotatsu because it “somehow looks warm.” As a result, sales went up, so the lights inside kotatsu have remained red or other warm colors.

Because wastewater from daily life is flowing

Let's think about what's beneath a manhole cover. As you may know, sewage flows under manholes. Sewers carry warm wastewater from homes, such as from kitchens and baths. This heat warms the manhole cover and melts the snow, so it doesn't accumulate.

a sudden change in temperature

Heat shock refers to health problems caused by sudden changes in temperature. Rapid temperature shifts can cause large fluctuations in blood pressure, placing strain on the heart and blood vessels and damaging the body. Major changes in blood pressure can also lead to conditions such as intracranial hemorrhage and aortic dissection. Older adults should be especially careful, particularly while bathing.

Orion

Orion is one of the constellations that represent winter. If you connect Betelgeuse in Orion, Procyon in Canis Minor, and Sirius in Canis Major, they form a triangle. This triangle is called the Winter Triangle. Incidentally, the name Orion comes from Orion, the handsome hunter in Greek mythology.

December to February

In the Japan Meteorological Agency’s seasonal classification, winter runs from December to February. Incidentally, spring is from March to May, summer from June to August, and autumn from September to November. Winter spans the turn of the year, so when specifying which year a winter refers to, the year that includes January is used.

Because I’m applying oil to my body

People often say that swans and other waterfowl may look graceful, but beneath the surface they’re paddling hard. But what is it really like? In fact, swans and waterfowl have what’s called a uropygial (preen) gland near their rump that secretes oil. They spread this oil over their feathers to improve water repellency. What’s more, by coating their bodies with the oil, they also trap air, which serves like a flotation device.