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Getty Next to water, tea is the most popular beverage in the world, which is generally a good thing: Besides being tasty and soothing  (or energizing, depending on what you're going for) a seemingly endless body of research has linked it with a huge number of mental and physical health benefits.  Most recently, for example, studies have shown that tea is associated with a lower risk of depression , ovarian cancer , Parkinson's disease and dementia .  Given its array of perks, it would seem that the more tea you drink, the better. But new research sheds light on serious risks that may come with sipping certain varieties. Tea can contain or absorb various toxic compounds, depending on lots of things – including its soil, environment, and harvesting, storage, and brewing methods. A number of studies have found excessive levels of toxic elements in many different types. Check out the potential dangers below, and learn how to minimize or avoid them...

Getty A recent discovery seems to indicate that Mona Lisa isn't actually Mona Lisa. Da Vinci, you sly fox. As the BBC reported, French scientist Pascal Cotte analyzed the masterpiece with reflective light technology until he determined — after 10 years — that a portrait of a completely different woman lies beneath the layers of paint. For years, the art world assumed Mona Lisa was Lisa Gherardini, the wife of a Florentine merchant. Cotte now believes that the woman he discovered layers down, who has bigger hands, smaller lips, and looks to the side instead of into your eyes, is the merchant's wife, and the woman we all recognize with the knowing smirk and piercing gaze is a different, unidentified person. The discovery is hardly conclusive, but it does make you question: Do we really have no idea who the most famous woman in art is? What we do know is there's enough mystery behind her to spawn at least three more Da ...

Seph Lawless When you think about the  Wizard of Oz , it's safe to say you generally don't picture a cracked, abandoned yellow brick road, or Dorothy's house covered in graffiti — but that's exactly what you'd find if you went to the shut-down Emerald Mountain Land of Oz, a theme park in Beech Mountain, North Carolina that operated from 1970 to 1980. That's what photojournalist Seph Lawless did, and the photos he took as part of his book,  Bizarro: The World's Most Hauntingly Abandoned Theme Parks , are downright eerie. Seph Lawless Seph Lawless Seph Lawless Back in its heyday, visitors could check out Dorothy's farmhouse, be thrilled by a "tornado experience" attraction, and hang out with their favorite characters, like the Tin Man, Cowardly Lion, and Scarecrow. The park was considered fairly successful, raking in 40,000 visitors in the summer of 1970, according to  Hello Giggles . But broker Cynthia Keller says that ...

Getty The cost of home ownership is hardly just the cost of the house itself. Life in even in a cheap place can add up to be quite the pretty penny when you take things like utilities and commuting costs into account. The experts at Trulia know this, and they analyzeds data on those two factors in conjunction with the average mortgage costs in Metro areas across the country.  In some areas life is quite steep (sorry San Francisco) — take a look at a list of priciest locales here. But there are certainly many options for homebuyers with a more limited budget. Specifically, Ohio.  According to Trulia, Ohio is the most affordable place to be. Five out of 10 of the cheapest cities (what Trulia calls "the bargain belt"), were in the Buckeye State. Take a look for yourself: Trulia Intrigued by the data? Trulia has lots more where that came from. Take a look at their full report to get an economist's viewpoint on how much it really costs to live...

Getty Whether you love it or think it's completely overrated, you can't deny that Nutella has developed a cult-like following worldwide. It's a treat that people love to gush about, so consider these lesser-known facts your perfect icebreaker the next time you're at a dinner party and your conversation starts to fizzle into extended lamentations about the weather (*snore*). 1. It's Not Pronounced 'Nut-ella.' People have long debated how to pronounce the word, but Nutella's official website puts this argument to rest: It's new-tell-uh . A man prepares Nutella toast for the brand's 50th anniversary party in Italy last May. Getty GIUSEPPE CACACE 2. "Intelligent Housewives" Made Nutella on Toast An Acceptable Breakfast. A "spreadfest" was launched in Italy in the 1950s, with Nutella marketed toward "intelligent housewives" who appreciated the spread's "high-energy value" (read: a 2.2-pound jar provided ...

Getty The arrival of the holidays might mean some time spent away from home, if you're one of the nearly 99 million Americans who travels this time of year. And while those security systems, motion sensitive lights, or menacing "beware of dog" signs may offer a sense of peace while you're away, experts say they should really be a cause for concern. Here's why: According to The Co-operative Insurance company, not all security measures are created equal. The English insurance agency polled 25 former burglars (read: the experts), who indicated that loud noises, like a dog barking or an alarm beeping, were some of the most effective security measures, along with movement-activated lights and security cameras. On the other hand, "beware of dog signs" and leaving the lights on are the least effective, the survey said.  Check out the infographic below for more insight on how to keep your home safe. From: ELLE Decor US By Bridget Mallon

Getty To most people, cheese is just food — a great pizza topping, a nice pre-dinner snack. But for others, cheese is a way of life. Cheese lovers know that no meal is complete without it, and they would travel almost anywhere to try out a new, delicious variety. For those true devotees, CheeseRank.com (a.k.a. my new homepage), released a list of the Top 5 Cheese Cities in the U.S. — locations where cheese flows freely and in countless varieties — meaning cheeseheads never have to worry about where to plan their next vacation. 1 New Orleans, Louisiana Getty This city may not be the first that comes to mind when thinking about cheese, but the Big Easy is making a name for itself thanks to a new crop of high-quality cheesemakers, including the St. James Cheese Company. 2 Madison, Wisconsin Wisconsin is king when it comes to cheese, and is home to a slew of fine cheese producers and shops, like Fromagination where you can pick up a variety of artisanal cheeses. 3 Phila...

There is little more satisfying than being completely, 100% organized. But getting there takes a lot of effort — and little extra help. When clutter starts to take over, we, of course, turn to the Container Store. And for whatever reason, every single visit seems to go a little bit like this: 1. "All right, this is it. I'm officially going to be completely and totally organized. No more toppling piles. No more lost keys. Here we go." when the going gets stressful, the stressful head to #ContainerStore. my saturday night bliss begins w a solo trip for storage. @ssprenz, headed your way for haemul pajon & much needed 🍸👯💃 A post shared by Un Kyong Ho (@unkyong53) on May 16, 2015 at 4:51pm PDT 2. "I can NOT contain myself, Container Store. I just can't! I'm too excited!" Made my first and probably last trip to the container store! This place was too out of the way for me and I got on probably 6 different freeways t...