Latest news with #Mainz
Top Gear
14 hours ago
- Automotive
- Top Gear
Here are a pro driver's tips for surviving the Nürburgring 24 Hours
Interview Overtake quickly, avoid eating a currywurst beforehand and hope for luck. Lots of luck Skip 15 photos in the image carousel and continue reading Sven Mueller is a 33-year-old, Mainz-born racing driver who was competing in karts from the age when most of us were still in nappies. He then traded paint in both Formula 4 and 3, before signing as a Porsche works driver and racking up a string of trophies - including the 2016 Porsche Supercup and Carrera Cup. He's also done a fair bit of racing in the Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie (NLS), which comprises various four, six and 12-hour races at the Green Hell. He's won multiple events over the last three years, priming him to take on the infamous Nürburgring 24 Hours this weekend. Advertisement - Page continues below Mueller will be representing Falken Motorsports - you know, the team Irish drift sensation James Deane burns rubber for - and he'll be seated in a Porsche 911 992 GT3 R. Its water-cooled flat-six gains carbon manifolds, butterfly intakes and a tweaked central exhaust, sending its output up to 558bhp. It's also supported by a bespoke traction control system and a motorsport-grade carbon fibre clutch. It all sounds very dandy. But behind the no-doubt brilliant engineering, just how daunting is the N24 for the person in the seat? Over to you, Mueller. You might like SM: Yes. The track itself is difficult, but you also need to manage traffic and keep the level of risk as low as possible to survive. As for the car, there's so much elevation change and kerb riding. To complete 24 hours without stopping or having a technical issue, it's why we do so much preparation with the NLS races. And that's before we even mention the weather: it's 25 degrees and sunshine at one end, and it could be a hailstorm at the other. Finishing is such a huge achievement in itself. You aren't just combating tiredness and avoiding costly errors, but you need luck. Without luck, you won't win the N24. Back in 2019, I was leading the race with three hours to go, and then I had a differential issue, caused by some debris puncturing a tyre. A tiny bit of debris on the track. It goes to show the fine margins in winning or losing at the Nürburgring. Advertisement - Page continues below It's one of the biggest talking points at the 'Ring, because you can gain or lose as much as 20 seconds sometimes, depending on holdups. You have to get past as quickly as possible. You cannot wait one or two kilometres until there's a long straight, because there are far too many cars on the track, of different classes and strengths, so you're never far from traffic. At the end of every corner, you have to choose if you're going to go right or left and stick to your decision. It also helps that when your teammates come in, they give you some idea about which cars on the field are willing to let you go past and which aren't. Some drivers are on their own without any guidance, and therefore cannot look into their mirrors regularly. You sort of just have to go for it and hope the approaching car doesn't close the door. But the issue here is that if you're too pushy, you've got a high risk of damaging the car. You need to be strong enough to survive, but not aggressive enough to crash. Because if you're quick for four or five hours straight, and then you lose five minutes in the pits because of an issue, your position is gone. Just how bad is visibility at night? Really poor, as you can imagine. We're lucky with the 911, because Porsche lights tend to be good. Other drivers in the paddock sometimes say that, if they've got a Porsche behind, it blinds them. To get around this, some manufacturers tape up the back screen of the car so that lights and flashes from obstacles behind don't affect them as much. Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Look out for your regular round-up of news, reviews and offers in your inbox. Get all the latest news, reviews and exclusives, direct to your inbox. There are so many elevation changes and blind corners, and light obviously cannot go past the apex and the exit of a corner, so that's why having good vision and a comfortable line of sight is so important. Another issue a lot of people don't realise is the smoke. When we go past BBQ sections such as Brunnchen, it's very thick and you think it might be a patch of fog. How do you prepare yourself for a stint? I don't have any weird rituals, if that's what you mean. I look at the onboard video of whichever teammate is currently racing, and assess all the circumstances: how are the conditions? How is the field spread out? Where could we gain time? Are there any particular wet spots to be aware of? Doing this makes me feel ready and helps me understand how I can just head right out and be as quick as I can be. If I can assess these things before getting in the car, then it's just a matter of acclimatising to the tyres and level of grip. OK, no weird rituals. Any weird foods then? You can't have a currywurst two minutes before a stint, that's for sure. Jokes aside, nutrition is important. We have plain water supplies in the car, a litre's worth to last us for a stint, and that's more than enough. You can't just drink when you want either; it's only when you get up to certain sections that aren't as technical or corner-heavy. Put us in your shoes: how does a flat-out lap feel? Your heart rate goes up like crazy as soon as you set off. Within two or three kilometres, you're reminded why the 'Ring is the best track in the world. The corners come at you thick and fast, the forest is right up against you, and you're constantly trying to calculate how to overtake people and push the car to go faster. Eventually, you settle into a rhythm and start to flow. Your pace is consistent, and each corner comes together beautifully, one after another. There's no feeling quite like it in this world when that happens. Images: Falken Motorsport
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Research shows it's normal for relationship satisfaction to vary lots
You may find it reassuring to learn that often, people's satisfaction levels vary quite a lot within a relationship, even within a short space of time, a new study says. Satisfaction with your partner or relationship can fluctuate significantly within a few days or even within a single day, according to a psychological study carried out in Germany. This finding could help to better support couples, by showing them in therapy that fluctuating satisfaction is perfectly normal to a certain extent and does not necessarily jeopardise a relationship. Be clear about your own needs At the same time, experiencing fluctuations in satisfaction can show couples in romantic relationships that their needs are not being fully met - so could be a signal that improvement is needed. "To this end, partners should be clear about their needs and express them appropriately," says psychologist Louisa Scheling, lead author of the University of Mainz study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. The extent to which the partner is perceived as approachable or responsive has a significant influence on satisfaction. A certain "emotional instability in men" also has a significant effect, the study says. That may be because women are more accustomed to emotional fluctuations due to their hormonal cycles. In men, on the other hand, emotional instability tends to be attributed to relationship dynamics, the authors say. "Reliable perception and fulfilment of needs by the partner contributes significantly to stable relationship satisfaction in everyday life," says Scheling. Ultimately, it is similar to a parent-child relationship, she adds. "If needs are consistently met, then satisfaction remains stable at a high level." Variation greater between days than within one day The study found relationship satisfaction varied significantly between days and within each day. The variance between days was greater than within a single day. It also showed that the ups and downs in satisfaction among partners were relatively synchronised and that varying satisfaction was not related to demographic factors, meaning that it is a common experience for most couples, even those who have been in a relationship for a long time. Up until now, research has so far focused on how satisfaction with a relationship develops over months and years, the study says. However, since romantic relationships develop in everyday life, it is crucial to also examine satisfaction and fluctuations within short periods of time – given that in Western countries, one in three marriages end in divorce, meaning that many relationships break down. Scheling and her team of scientists, who collaborated with other research institutions, evaluated data from two previous studies involving couples consisting of one man and one woman. Data from a study conducted by the University of Basel between 2016 and 2018 included information from nearly 600 couples who recorded their satisfaction levels in several waves. Participants were couples from Switzerland, Austria and Germany over the age of 18 who had been together for at least one month. The other online study, conducted by the Universities of Mainz and Heidelberg between 2021 and 2023, included data from 150 couples who were asked about their satisfaction several times a day. In this study, the participants were couples who had only moved in together in the past four weeks.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Love really is a rollercoaster! Incredible chart reveals how much relationship satisfaction changes in a single DAY
When it comes to relationships, there can be plenty of ups and downs. Now, a new study proves that love really is a rollercoaster. Scientists have mapped fluctuations in relationship satisfaction to reveal how it can vary considerably over several days – and even over the course of 24 hours. 'Fluctuations are quite normal,' lead author Louisa Scheling, from Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz said. 'However, they may also indicate unsatisfied needs in the relationship.' Figures show that in the UK, 42 per cent of marriages now end in divorce, marking a significant increase since the 1950s. Research into the phenomenon has focused primarily on relationship satisfaction across months and years. 'In contrast, we have decided to take a narrow chronological approach to determine how satisfied partners were with their situation over the course of a few days and even within a 24-hour period,' Ms Scheling said. The researchers analysed data provided by nearly 750 couples who reported their relationship satisfaction on a daily basis, up to several times a day. They found that partners experience substantial fluctuations in terms of how satisfied they are with the relationship. These fluctuations tended to be greater over periods of several days than during a single 24-hour period. They also discovered the 'up and down' swing of satisfaction turned out to be relatively synchronised for both partners. Further analysis revealed that the perceived responsiveness of the partner was a key factor in determining the course of satisfaction. The emotional stability of male partners also had a notable effect, they found. 'The reliable perception and fulfillment of the partner's needs contributes significantly to stable relationship satisfaction in everyday life,' Ms Scheling explained. 'It's similar to a parent-child relationship: if needs are consistently met, satisfaction stabilizes at a high level.' Two couples with average (top) versus strong (bottom) fluctuations in relationship satisfaction, measured five times a day over 10 days The fluctuations in relationship satisfaction can – over the short term – be accompanied by thoughts of breaking up, she said. Over the long term, however, it appeared to have a limited effect on the course of the relationship. 'It is possible that fluctuations in relationship satisfaction tend on the whole to mimic the current relationship dynamics between partners, rather than predicting the future development of the relationship,' she added. In her view, the findings of the study can help to support couples and show them, for example, in the context of relationship counselling, that fluctuations in relationship satisfaction are normal but may serve as signals that there is room for improvement. The findings were published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. WHAT ARE THE FIVE STAGES OF A RELATIONSHIP AND HOW DO THEY AFFECT THE BODY? Psychologists suggest there are five stages of love - butterflies, building, assimilation, honesty and stability. Each of these stages has a different impact on our psyche and health, researchers at eHarmony found in a 2014 survey. 1) Butterflies Marked by intense infatuation and sexual attraction, symptoms noted by couples included weight loss (30 per cent) and a lack of productivity (39 per cent). Biologically, it's reported that during this early stage of dating, both men and women create more of the sex hormones testosterone and oestrogen. As a result more than half - 56 per cent - noted an increase in their libido. 2) Building As the initial attraction gives way to learning more about one another, the honeymoon stage subsides and a couple begin to build their relationship. eHarmony's study estimated around three per cent of Britons in relationship are currently at stage two. The body releases neurochemicals called monoamines, which speed up heart rate, trigger rushes of intense pleasure and replicate the effects of Class A drugs. The biological effect culminates in a feeling of 'happy anxiety', where people can think of little else than their blossoming relationship. Forty-four per cent of the study participants noted a lack of sleep while 29 per cent reported a their attention span had been adversely affected. 3) Assimilation Having established whether the other person is 'right', stage three forces a couple to question whether the 'relationship' itself is right. Questions over the future of the union and forming boundaries in the relationship can lead to a rise in stress levels, reported by 27 per cent of those taking part in the study. 4) Honesty Stage three combines with stage four, where people open up showing the 'real you' sees the first real rise in stress levels and anxiety. 'This stage deals with the concept behind how we all put on our best faces, through social media we edit our lives as well as our pictures to make it appear as though everything is fine,' psychologist Dr Linda Papadopoulos, who assisted with the study, told MailOnline. Opening up completely triggered feelings of doubt and increased vulnerability in 15 per cent of participants. 5) Stability If a couple can weather the emotional rollercoaster of the first four stages, the fifth and final stage, stability, brings with it increased levels of trust and intimacy. eHarmony found 50 per cent of respondents had reached this stage, and 23 per cent reported feeling happier as a result. Biologically, vasopressin - a powerful hormone released by men and women during orgasm - strengthens feelings of attachment. Meanwhile oxytocin - released during childbirth - deepens feelings of attachment. 'This is where we see a real level of contentness,' Dr Papadopolous told MailOnline. 'We found the body releases wonderful hormones which helps couples bond. We noted a real sense of attachment, and a sense of "you have got my back and I've got yours".'
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Eintracht Frankfurt in negotiations for Mainz striker Jonathan Burkardt
Sky Germany reports that Eintracht Frankfurt have entered negotiations with Mainz over striker Jonathan Burkardt. Previously, it was reported that Frankfurt had reached an agreement with Burkardt over a move across the the Rhein. The 24-year-old will sign a contract at the club until 2030. Advertisement Now, die Adler must reach an agreement with Mainz over a fee. Frankfurt values Burkardt at around €20m, but die 05ers want more. Part of the reason behind this, reports Bild, is the fact that Burkardt himself will receive part of the transfer fee once the move is completed. Once the Darmstadt native has moved to Deutsche Bank Park, he can either be used alongside Hugo Ekitiké or he can act as a replacement for the Frenchman in the event that he leaves the club this summer amid interest from the Premier League. Burkardt helped Mainz qualify for the UEFA Conference League this season as they finished seventh in the Bundesliga. The 24-year-old ended the year with 18 goals and two assists, making him the top scoring German in the league, and he was able to play his way into the German national team. GGFN | Jack Meenan
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
High IQ people may think something is wrong with them
Teachers gave special attention to the intellectually gifted Mel Jäger ever since the first grade - without making the young student "stand out." "There was no outing: the IQ test didn't change anything in my life," says Jäger, now 34, and a board member of the German chapter of the Mensa association for the highly gifted. To be accepted to the group you need an IQ of at least 130. However not every Mensa member gets such good support. Quite a few feel held back or that they rub people the wrong way, and have been bullied. Sometimes those with a high IQ think they are the problem, Mensa members said in a meeting of the group in Mainz in western Germany. Some only come to realize during psychotherapy that their problems are related to their giftedness. Mensa has many gifted people recognized later in life "All my life I thought I had a screw loose," says an engineer from the Ruhr area, who wants to remain anonymous except for his first name, Peter. After taking the IQ test at the age of 54, he only then understood "why I was always an intellectual outsider and lonely." At work, he usually had to take a back seat. "I did everything on the side to get ahead. That was 30 years of hard work," says Peter, 59. "Late bloomers make up a huge part of our community," says Sybille Beyer, spokeswoman for Mensa Germany. That feeling of relief after finding out they have a high IQ happens often, she says. It's the feeling that "I'm not wrong, I'm just different." She says it's similar to Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale of the ugly duckling that wanders around, feeling like he doesn't fit in - until he stumbles upon a flock of swans and realizes he's not a duck but a beautiful swan. Beyer, 61, knows what they are talking about. In primary school, she taught herself to read, was top of the class for years, but was held back. "Nah, I'm not taking you on now, you always know everything anyway," she says, describing her experience with teachers. Later, she often had the feeling that, as a person, she was "always running into a brick wall." A book about highly gifted people that she got from her hairdresser was the turning point for Beyer. She was already 53 years old at the time. "As I read, I thought, someone is writing about my life," she says. And her relief: "You can throw off all the guilt about not being able to fit in." Expert: Highly intelligent people on average more satisfied "On average, highly intelligent people get through school, college and training better, are more successful in their careers, and are healthier and happier in life than non-highly gifted people," says Detlef H Rost, an emeritus psychology professor at the University of Marburg. "So giftedness is more of a protective factor than a risk factor for development and coping with life," he says. "It is not giftedness itself that leads to problems for a person, but the behaviour displayed" – and that of their important caregivers, Rost says. Good standardized tests are "very meaningful" in Rost's view. They are even among the best diagnostic tools in psychology. Highly gifted people have an IQ of at least 130 Of the roughly 70 million adults living in Germany, around 1.4 million are highly gifted, says Rost. According to its own figures, the Mensa association, founded in 1979, now has more than 18,000 members, making it the largest network for highly intelligent people in Germany. That means the vast majority are not organized in an association. "Here you can develop acquaintances you can work with immediately - within five minutes or after two sentences," says Peter from the Ruhr area. The realization that she is highly gifted has changed her private life, reports Beyer. Mensa helped her find her way out of loneliness. The average age of Mensa members in Germany is around 38, says Jäger, who prefers plural pronouns. Around two-thirds are men and one-third women, with the proportion of diverse people growing. The professional field is diverse, and the number of members is increasing significantly, partly because autism and ADHD are being tested more frequently and the IQ is often determined from those tests, says Jäger. "You meet interesting people here and learn unexpected things that you would never come across otherwise," says Annette, 54, who does not want to give her last name. She's learned about tax returns, elementary physics, archaeology and artificialintelligence from the group, she says. "You get very interesting ideas here," says another Mensa member named Peter, from Cologne, talking about a 62-kilometre route in Nepal to Mount Everest Basecamp. The computer scientist is now studying physics so that he won't get bored after retirement. There are many facets to giftedness, says Beyer. The Mensa association's activities are therefore very diverse. Both the regulars' tables and the German meetings, such as the one in Mainz, welcome non-members. "It's not as if you're a completely different person with an IQ of 130 or more." Global links too Mensa members say a few preferences and behaviours are often found among the highly gifted: fast speech, an aversion to "meaningless small talk" but a tendency to jump quickly from topic to topic in conversations – and a penchant for tricky games. "Loud noises, harsh light, too many people, a mad rush – that's something that many of us find very difficult to take," reports Beyer. And younger people in particular usually seek contact with older people. Annette, a pharmacist, has daughters who are also highly gifted. She can't say whether this makes family life easier. "At any rate, we've put up a 'nerd sanctuary' sign at home." "Mensa is my chosen family," says Jäger from Münster. "You come into contact with people you wouldn't otherwise have known." This applies worldwide, as the umbrella organization has 150,000 members. "With the Couchsurfing programme, for example, you can find a place to stay anywhere at any time," says Jäger. They have already planned their entire holiday with Mensa members from around the world.
