Freshest leaves at the click of a mouse

The Chinese green tea market is taking on a distinctly modern feel, as e-commerce platforms team up with leading producers to meet growing consumer demand for the freshest leaves picked in early spring.

Late cold snap affects harvesting of Westlake Longjing

This year's first batch of Westlake Longjing tea, a well-known variety of top-end green tea produced in Zhejiang province, went on sale on March 17, its earliest offer in 20 years.

Happiness can break your heart, doctors warn

Celebrating a birthday may not seem like a dangerous pastime but too much happiness can be heartbreaking, according to doctors.

Drinking six cups of coffee a day 'slashes risk of multiple sclerosis'

Drinking six cups of coffee each day could cut the risk of developing multiple sclerosis, a new study suggests.

Ditch knitting and buy a computer to ward off dementia

Older people hoping to hang on to their memory and thinking skills in later life should pack away their knitting needles and buy a computer, a new study suggests.

Giving dresses a digital twist

Audiences at China Fashion Week were recently treated to a show by rising star Mary Katrantzou. The designer talks of how she loves Chinese women's sense of style and what she is doing to tap the mainland market. Sun Yuanqing reports.

Veteran scholar feted for work on Chinese poetry

On Friday evening in Beijing, Yeh Chia-ying recited a poem by the ancient Chinese poet Li Bai, with her eyes closed and her voice ringing.

IN BRIEF (Page 18)

Pride of plate

An Italian-American chef brings a passion for food traditions to his restaurants, his cooking schools, his culinary vacations and soon to his dinner guests in China. He tells Mike Peters why Chinese and Italian cuisines often don't transplant well.

Premium French vintages get a Chinese taste test

When wine critic and celebrity chef Cai Hao was invited by the French champagne brand Dom Perignon to team up with French celebrity chef Pascal Tingaud to design a menu, he felt very excited. The 2006 vintage and P2 1998 of the brand had become available on Chinese market, and Dom Perignon wanted to pair them with both Chinese and Western food for Chinese fans to enjoy.

The genes of dreams

Nobel-winning biologist Craig Mello tells Liu Xiangrui that the stage is set for China to play a leading role in world science.

Novelist by day, cleaner at night

When the Buenos Aires subway closes at night, Enrique Ferrari goes underground to mop the platforms -and to polish his next thriller.