Do you really know?

It’s somewhat unpleasant when you wake up with halitosis, more commonly known as bad breath, but it’s actually a totally normal and natural phenomenon. A 2018 research review on the subject found that as many as 31.8% of people are affected. What’s more, it can happen even if you brush your teeth carefully the night before. There are actually quite a few different factors that contribute to mornin...

As you may well know, astrology involves looking at the position of planets and stars when we were born, and using that to interpret their influence on our lives. Mercury happens to be one of the planets which is supposed to have the most influence and that’s particularly true when it’s in retrograde, which happens several times a year. Planets in our solar system orbit around the sun. If you thin...

According to a 2019 online survey conducted by the Mental Health Foundation and YouGov, over a third of UK adults have felt anxious or depressed because of their body image. Although that particular survey didn’t specifically address how gender affected the chances of someone feeling unsatisfied about their appearance, the summary acknowledged that it is often more common among young women.  We’ve...

According to the most recent data from the Office for National Statistics. For boys, the top name was Noah, which replaced Oliver from the previous year. For girls, the top name was Olivia, which remained the same for the sixth year in a row. Other popular names for boys included Henry, Arlo, Sebastian and Luca, while for girls, Freya, Florence, Willow and Alys were among the favourites. There are...

The 21st century has seen true crime stories surge in popularity, dominating bookshelves and TV schedules. Documentaries like Making A Murderer and podcasts like Serial, which investigate real-life crimes, have become smash hits, attracting millions of viewers and downloads. Over in the US, a 2022 YouGov poll revealed that half of Americans enjoy true crime content, with one in three consuming it...

“I can’t wait for us to get married;” “Let’s travel the world together;” “We’re going to have two kids and buy that apartment across the street” When you’re in a romantic relationship, it can be genuinely heartwarming to hear your partner paint a vibrant picture of days ahead. But what about if it happens much earlier than you expected - say on your second or third date? Usually at that stage, you...

According to the World happiness report, of the 137 countries they include, the UK has fallen to 19th position. This follows a steady decline over the past few years although they are happier than Lithuania in 20th position and France in 21st position. As ever Finland has continued its winning streak and stays at number one just above New Zealand.  The report combines both subjective well-being as...

In the UK, Christmas is synonymous with festive meals, Yule logs, and the classic roast turkey. We adorn our homes with red, gold, and green decorations, and the Christmas tree takes center stage – a topic we've previously explored on this podcast. These traditions have become so ingrained in our lives that we rarely question their origins. Take, for instance, the tradition of exchanging Christmas...

Sniffling, sneezing, itchy eyes, asthma flare-ups, and even sleep disruptions. If you're wondering why you're dealing with all the telltale signs of hay fever smack in the middle of December, you might just be grappling with what's commonly known as the Christmas tree syndrome. In a nutshell, it's a seasonal allergy triggered by the presence of mould in the needles and trunk of the tree. The cosy...

In the Western world, we celebrate Christmas on December 25th to honour the birth of Jesus, a tradition dating back to around the year 300 AD. But well before that, various cultures had been marking the end of the year as a symbol of life's renewal. Over time, Christmas has transcended its origins and found unique expressions in different corners of the globe, from Brazil and Ethiopia to Japan and...

During the extended holiday feasts, it's common to let loose a little, perhaps mixing different kinds of alcohol. You might start out with a glass of champagne, then movie to wine or beer, and end the meal with a digestif. That’s despite the widespread belief that combining alcohol types can worsen the unpleasant aftermath of a hangover and all the symptoms that brings, like nausea, headaches, deh...

Mistletoe is a small evergreen parasitic plant that grows in clusters on trees. It has white berries and it has been used for centuries as a symbol of love, fertility, and peace. The Greeks used mistletoe as a cure for all sorts of ailments while the Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder noted it could be used as a balm against epilepsy, ulcers and poisons. The Druids came to view it as a sacred symbol...

On the evening of December 24th, as many households in the UK prepare for festive gatherings with traditional roast turkey and yule log, an intriguing Christmas tradition unfolds in Japan. In the land of the rising sun, people aren't bustling around their kitchens; instead, they're braving the winter cold to queue up for a unique holiday feast at KFC.  Many Japanese then return home with a special...

During the festive season, what beats snuggling up under a blanket with a classic Christmas movie? If you're a '90s kid, you'll likely recall a certain massive hit from the year 2000. That's right, we're talking about The Grinch, starring Jim Carrey.  It sees Carrey play a recluse with a sour attitude who decides to spoil Christmas for the folks in Whoville, a small town nestled in a snowflake. An...

Christmas is a time of joy, celebration, gift-giving and of course decorating. For the most part people tend to stick to ‘Christmassy colours’ especially red and green but these ‘traditional’ Christmas colours have a long history and symbolism. Arielle Eckstut, author of The Secret Language of Color found that holly, with its green leaves and red berries has long played a role in winter solstice c...

Christmas is coming and at Do You Really Know, we just can't wait! Now everybody knows that means pressies under the tree, precious family moments and a hearty Christmas dinner. It all calls for a lot of preparation, but the joy of the season makes it worth it, doesn't it! Still, the holiday season can cause some people to get the blues, so let's not forget them. This week, the team are discussing...

To stay in shape, it's crucial that you watch what you eat and steer clear of snacks. What's less commonly known, though, is that there are specific times when the body burns more calories. Researchers at Harvard University were astonished when they stumbled upon this revelation. In a 2018 study published in Current Biology, they found that, "The number of calories people burn at rest varies depen...

We've all experienced it: the sudden urge to pee when it's cold is a common thing. This connection was supposedly discovered by Austrian physician Alfred Adler back in 1918. His experiment involved injecting cold water into a bladder to see how the body reacts. You might think it caused the kidneys to contract, but that's not the case... What did Adler discover then? Are there other factors explai...

Humans are the only creatures on Earth that shed tears. Whether it's tears of joy, laughter, anger, pain, sadness, or fatigue, the emotions that bring about crying are diverse. You might be familiar with these emotional triggers, but have you ever wondered about the physiological explanations behind them? Let's start by categorising tears into three types. There are "basal" tears that maintain a c...

We've all had that moment of slipping on our headphones heading to school or work and feeling like an unstoppable force. But while most of us leave that unwavering confidence at the front door, for some, it's a whole different story. Their analyses are top-notch, decisions flawless, and social networks unbeatable. This phenomenon has a name – it's called the "god complex." Where does this god comp...

Panto, short for pantomime, has become a staple of British Christmas celebrations but surprisingly its origins are neither British or Christmassy. It has its roots in the ancient Roman festival of Saturnalia, which was celebrated in December and involved dressing up as the opposite gender, swapping roles, and having a lot of fun. The word ‘pantomime’ comes from the Latin ‘pantomimus’, which means...

Ever had that moment when you're relishing a juicy fig, and someone drops the bomb that you might be chowing down on a wasp? Surprising as it sounds, it's true. Fig wasps do their thing by pollinating figs from the inside, but unfortunately, they sometimes get stuck in there! Now, bear in mind, these wasps are tiny, at around 1 to 2 mm tiny, so you won't notice them when you take a bite. But, let'...

As winter quickly approaches, you might find yourself yearning to spend your evenings nestled on the couch, wrapped in a cosy blanket, sipping on hot tea or cocoa, all while enjoying a comforting movie – and ideally, with some company. You know, someone to share cuddles with. Who is that someone? Well, that's what cuffing season is all about. Think of it as the time of year when temperatures drop,...

The Turner Prize was established in 1984 by a group of art patrons who wanted to celebrate and support innovative and experimental art in Britain. The prize is named after J.M.W. Turner, a radical painter who challenged the conventions of his time with his bold use of colour, light and movement. The prize is awarded every year by the Tate Gallery to an artist under 50 years old who has made a sign...

Our bodies are covered in billions of bacteria, and while some are good for our skin barrier, others can be troublemakers, contributing to the development of skin diseases. In September 2023, American researchers from George Washington University published a study in Frontiers in Microbiology. It found that our skin hosts its own microbiota, much like our intestines. This microbiota is a mix of mi...