Lifehacker

Perhaps even more so than romantic relationships, friendships are vitally important to our health and happiness. Research tells us strong friendship bonds can help us live longer, healthier, and more interesting lives. But a friendship can have all the ups and downs of a marriage: We laugh, we cry, and we break up…Read more...

This week, the New England Journal of Medicine reported that at least 35 people in northeastern China have been infected with newly-named virus, Langya henipavirus (LayV). Given the last few years, we can all be forgiven for freaking out at the news of a viral outbreak, but thankfully, there isn’t much to worry…Read more...

Some food podcasts give you tips about brining or offer great sourdough recipes, but others focus on food in ways more about story and emotion—our memories of food, and nostalgia for it, the culture and history associated with it, the impact what we eat has on the world, and a reminder what a joy a good meal is.

Is there anything more stomach-churning than your boss letting you know they’d like to have a short-notice meeting with you? Even if you’ve been absolutely crushing it at your job, you might suddenly find yourself nervous. Is it a reprimand? A layoff? For all you know, it could be for praise or a higher salary, but…Read more...

If you’re in the habit of making saucy recipes, you’ve probably encountered instructions that tell you to “reduce liquid by half” or “simmer until the sauce has reduced by one third.” But unless you’re pouring your sauce into a measuring cup at regular intervals, the rate at which your sauce is reducing and the amount…Read more...

Texture is make-or-break with protein shakes, and it varies so drastically from brand to brand that trying something new can be disastrous. But if you eat dairy, try keeping some half and half in the fridge—a little bit can make any beverage a little creamier and more delicious, and it’s affordable to boot.

Splatoon 3 is nearly upon us. The third entry in the most recent Nintendo IP is set to release Sept. 9, just shy of a month from now. In it, you’ll fight alongside friends and against enemies as you paint new maps with your upgraded weapons. But there’s no need to wait until next month to try out Splatoon 3—Nintendo…Read more...

As a woman who exercises, I find it strange to constantly come across recommendations about the best exercises “for women.” The lists are always full of unweighted exercises like bird dogs, and lightly-weighted ones like overhead presses with cute, tiny dumbbells. Meanwhile, when I work out I just...lift a thing?…Read more...

It’s natural to want to lump all our different personality traits—good or bad— into neat buckets, or “personality types.” I’m guilty of it. As someone who is always binging, whether that means eating, drinking, or watching, I’ve often described myself as having a so-called “addictive personality.” (If only that meant…Read more...

What was your first smartphone? Mine was an iPhone 3GS, a phone with no selfie camera, HD display, or flash. What it could do was run apps...a lot of apps. As the slogan went, “There’s an app for that.” Whether you’re team iOS or Android, you undoubtedly now own a smartphone, which means one day, years back, you…Read more...

The concept of “rich people” food has changed dramatically in the last few decades—food for wealthy folks used to be more about calories and extravagance, but now it’s more about wellness and fitness.

“WhatsApp” and “privacy” have a complicated relationship. The app is famously end-to-end encrypted, meaning your messages can only be read on your device and the devices to which you send those messages. However, the app is also owned by Meta (née Facebook), famous for harvesting and abusing user data. Nevertheless,…Read more...

Getting into and out of relationships is stressful enough, but the advent of the social media age has really complicated the process in frustrating new ways. We now use the internet to find dates who, if we’re lucky, turn into real-life flings. Then we have to put time and thought into a strategy for revealing (or at…Read more...

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Invariably, whenever I use coconut milk I end up with half a can more than I need. I will need a half can of coconut milk at some point in the future, but because life is cruel, it will always be two days after the leftovers have gone bad in the fridge. And the cycle repeats. To finally put a stop to the madness, I…Read more...

The internet is collectively obsessed with art-generating AIs lately, and one of the newest tools is Midjourney. And while the full version requires a monthly subscription, Midjourney is free to use for up to 25 images, and you can browse and download images made by other users even if you never sign up for a paid…Read more...

If you want to buy a house or pursue a higher education, you’ll probably need a loan. There are a lot of different loan types though, and they can be confusing. Here are the big ones that you should know about (and you should read this economic glossary, too).

I have written about mayonnaise, chicken, and mayonnaise on chicken a few times now. I like to brush it on a whole roaster to encourage browning on the skin, and use it as a breading substrate for nuggets, yet I had never tried using it as a marinade for boneless, skinless breasts, mainly because I am not in the habit…Read more...

Many people coped with quarantine with a little retail therapy. I recently asked Lifehacker readers to share the pandemic purchases that made sense at the time, but now fill them with buyer’s remorse. From roller skates, to biking equipment, to an above ground heated pool, these acquisitions felt right when we were…Read more...

Most teen dating relationships are filled with their share of drama and turmoil, but a recent study suggests your teenager might be more at risk of getting stuck in an unhealthy relationship than you thought. The Centers for Disease Control conducted a survey in 2019 that found 1 in 12 teens experienced physical…Read more...

I’ve long insisted that if you really want to show off, you should learn to make a perfect green salad. For a dish that’s so often an afterthought, a simple pile of vinaigrette-dressed greens is deceptively labor-intensive, and not for the reasons you may think. Before you can even think about dressings, mix-ins, and…Read more...

If you’ve been prescribed Adderall or its generic equivalent (amphetamine salts) and you’re having trouble getting your prescription filled lately, you’re not alone. Although the Food and Drug Administration isn’t reporting an overall shortage of the drug, consumers across the country are finding a different reality…Read more...

If you read the headline and thought to yourself, “Netflix has games?” You’re not alone. Reportedly, less than 1% of Netflix subscribers are playing these games, which likely means many subscribers aren’t aware they even exist. In fact, if you exclusively watch Netflix on your TV, you likely haven’t even seen these…Read more...

On a recent vacation, I stayed in two different hotels. One had a gym that was a workout paradise, or as close as you can get without barbells. There was a dual cable machine, dumbbells up to 75 pounds, competition sized kettlebells(!), not one but two places to do pullups, assorted suspension trainers and medicine…Read more...

I’ve recently gotten really into powerlifting, and “getting enough protein” does not mean what it used to. I cannot, and will not, abide a protein shake. I don’t like smoothies—or any beverage that isn’t Diet Coke—all that much to begin with, and powders bum me out. My new motto is “you gotta eat meat to build meat,”…Read more...

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Straining can play an important role in cooking. A velvety, lump-free, custard is a dreamy experience, a perfectly clear consommé is gorgeous and flavorful, and smooth gravies and creamy sauces can make or break a meal. But there’s a difference between straining and saving. The former is a proper culinary technique;…Read more...

Everyone knows what a police raid is, but up until recently, most of us probably assumed raids were something the rich and powerful didn’t have to worry about. But, as we’ve learned, even former presidents can see their private homes raided by law enforcement.

Throughout this brutally hot summer, I’ve been running a number of small road races (like one-milers and 5Ks), with the ultimate goal of competing in a half-marathon in October, and in my next full marathon in November 2023. These summer races have all sucked. It’s hot out there. Still, like most runners, I bristle at…Read more...

Buying points without a specific use in mind is typically a bad idea. Unless you’re a very experienced travel hacker who is okay taking on a little bit of risk, buying flyer miles or points is usually more expensive—or more hassle—than what they’re worth. Plus, airline and hotel programs can change what points are…Read more...

Among Us needs no introduction: 2020 took care of that, introducing gamers and casual players alike to the multiplayer social deduction game. By now, most of us have played it, accusing our friends of murdering us and fervently denying every conviction thrown our way. While playing on a computer, phone, or console is…Read more...

If your pet gets lost, a microchip can help bring it home. But what some pet owners don’t realize—or once knew, but forgot—is that the chip doesn’t do anything on its own. It just allows a vet or shelter to look up a number in a database. So you want to make sure that your contact information in that database is…Read more...

Choosing the right bottle of wine for a friend (or even yourself) can feel tricky, even when the choice was limited to just red and white. Rosé made the decision even more complicated, and now there’s another color joining the rainbow at your favorite tapas bar: Orange wine. What is this stuff, and should you bother…Read more...

When you look at the battery icon on your iPhone, you get a rough enough idea of how much battery life you still have to work with. But if you want to know exactly where you stand, you need to swipe down from the top right into Control Center, where Apple has hidden away the battery percentage for years.

Every cup of coffee, good or bad, starts with a bean being ground. And whether it was done by an industrial machine before being packaged and shipped to a store, or you did it yourself with a hand-grinder before brewing up a batch of French press, grinding is an important step in your journey to a satisfying sip.

I am enthusiastic about blue cheese dressing. Whether on wings, a wedge, or a slice of pizza, the pourable cheese brings a delightfully salty funk to meat, veg, and carb alike. I usually keep my blue cheese very simple, but a recent trip to Clyde’s Prime Rib has inspired me to mix it up a bit.Read more...

Apple’s devices and App Store are generally considered more secure compared to competitors like Android or Windows. Apple has greater control and curation over the software it allows on the App Store, making malware much less common than on, say, Google Play. However, as the last few weeks have shown, even…Read more...

There are a few mornings a year when I cook myself a luxurious breakfast shortly after waking up. These exclusively occur when I’m camping—you know, the vacation that turns keeping yourself alive into a hobby. For my everyday breakfasts, though, the point is just shoveling calories into the food hole with as little…Read more...

If you have a loved one with dementia, I’m sure you’ve thought, “how can I make sure that doesn’t happen to me?” Well, there’s good news and bad news. The bad news is that there’s no way to know whether you’ll end up with severe cognitive decline—it’s complicated thing, and is likely caused by a combination of genetic…Read more...

I am just full of advice about social media, most of which can be boiled down to “put down your phone” and “stop engaging.” Which is funny, because I am incredibly bad at doing both of those things, despite my best efforts (downloading a little app that grows trees while you don’t use your phone, setting a goal to…Read more...

Wearing damp jeans is no fun because they are uncomfortable. Wearing jeans that were formerly damp is no fun because they stink. Fabrics that have gotten especially mildewy—whether because you didn’t hang them to dry fast enough or they’ve been in the hamper too long—can even continue to reek after a wash. However,…Read more...

I love cooking but hate tedium, so I tend to gravitate towards dishes that don’t have a lot of repetitive motions. This is why I’ve only made meatballs twice—I find it boring. The mixing is fine, the frying is fine, but the portioning? Tedious.Read more...

Now that Microsoft Edge is based on the Chromium engine (the same engine that powers Google Chrome), it’s actually a good browser. You can think of it like Chrome, but better for privacy and battery life. But it’s still a Microsoft product, and it has the affinity to pick up some bloat and annoying features.…Read more...

Getting tacos to stand up has always been a challenge. Unless you plan ahead, there’s an understanding you’ll end up scooping stray ingredients into your mouth with your fingers—but in the beginning, the intention is to kick things off with an upright parcel of deliciousness. Instead of chasing your fillings across…Read more...

The latest hot photo-sharing app, Locket, recently raised $12.5 million in funding, making it potentially worth checking out even though it’s still relatively unknown. After launching on New Year’s Day this year, it did rack up over 20 million downloads, but it’s still nowhere as well-known as its peers, Instagram or …Read more...

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These days, caps lock’s main purpose is to make people furious whenever they mistakenly hit it. The key is so unused, in fact, there have been calls for its removal (Google doesn’t even include it on its newer Chromebooks). If you find that your Mac’s caps lock key often serves no purpose other than accidentally…Read more...

Resistance bands are versatile, portable, and can provide heavy enough resistance for a variety of exercises, making them a valuable addition to your gym bag. Unfortunately, one of the best styles of band is the long, strong kind that comes without handles—which can mean they’re uncomfortable to grip.Read more...

There was a time when renting an apartment involved walking around the place for a few minutes, deciding you wanted it, then signing a lease and handing over a security deposit. Those days came to an end when the concept of a credit score emerged in the late 1980s.

The packaging of any given cannabis-derived product will tell you a lot about what it’s supposedly good for—helping you relax and fall asleep, or taking the edge off of your anxiety, or pain relief, for example. But these are little more than generalizations. We genuinely know so little about the cannabis plant that…Read more...