Do you really know?

It’s a common habit to toss our jeans into the laundry after a single wear, but is that really necessary? Turns out, giving your denim a break from frequent washes might be a smarter move. Well, according to Medisite, washing isn’t always kind to your beloved blues. The key to maintaining your denim’s durability is a cooler, gentler approach: wash them inside out, at a low temperature, and with a...

Everyone has their own expectations when it comes to summer holidays. Regardless, you don't necessarily have to travel far to have a good time. At least, that's what 31% of British people think, according to research from TripAdvisor. That’s the proportion of people who plan to holiday exclusively in the UK this year. But for others, going on holiday is all about turning dreams of exotic destinati...

When it comes to health, many people wonder which type of wine can most easily be enjoyed without needing to worry about negative health consequences. First things first, I hate to be a party pooper but let’s be clear: there’s no kind of alcohol that is actually “good” for your health.  So red wine does contain some antioxidants, which have reported health benefits. But senior dietitian and Britis...

Assisted dying is the term used to describe the practice of helping a person who is terminally ill or suffering from an incurable condition to end their own life, usually by providing them with the means to do so, such as lethal drugs. It is currently illegal in the UK under the Suicide Act 1961, which makes it a criminal offence to assist or encourage another person to commit suicide. The maximum...

The subject of today’s episode is a form of technology that’s halfway between artificial intelligence and blockchain. What’s more, American technology consulting company Gartner included it in its list of the Top 10 Strategic Technology Trends for 2024. The word is a combination of "customer" and "robot." Gartner say that custobot systems are capable of autonomously negotiating and purchasing good...

You might think that working for the Queen or any other member of the Royal family is a glamorous and prestigious job, but not all positions within the British Royal Household are as glamorous as they sound. Some of them are downright weird, and some of them no longer exist. An exhibition opening in Kensington palace from March ‘Untold Lives: A Palace at Work’ hopes to bring to life these forgotte...

Have you ever been terrified of finding your dog munching on an Easter egg or chocolate treat during the holidays? It’s the kind of thing that can turn a wonderful occasion into a potential disaster. Of course chocolate is a delightful treat for us humans, but it can be extremely harmful to your furry friend, and even fatal in extreme cases. They don’t process the components of cocoa like we do, e...

Opening oneself up to love sounds pretty simple. And yet, many people say they want it while still protecting themselves without realising. You see, being open to love isn’t just about wanting a relationship because you fear being alone or because you long for connection. So what’s the real difference between wanting love and genuinely being ready for it? We often look for in love what we have los...

Anal sex has become more and more popular in recent years, and that’s true for young people in particular. In August 2022, The Guardian reported on a survey conducted by National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyle, which found that 28.5% of 16 to 24-year-olds were engaging in anal sex, up from a previous figure of just 12.5% from “recent decades”. Anal sex doesn’t come without its risks thou...

A Pew Research Center survey from August 2023 found that 52% of respondents were more concerned than excited about AI in daily life, compared with just 10% who felt the opposite. It’s not surprising really when you think about it; after all, things that we don’t understand tend to both fascinate and frighten in equal measure. It’s only very recently that AI has started becoming part of many people...

Numerous archaeological findings have suggested that dogs were the first animals to be domesticated by humans over 20,000 years ago. So it’s little surprise that in this day and age, 29% of UK adults own a dog. That’s according to 2023 data from vet charity PDSA.  If you have a dog, you may have been told that you share physical characteristics with it, a sort of family resemblance if you like. We...

All our organs contain water, even our bones. In total, more than half of our body is made up of it, or 45 litres for a person weighing 65 kg.  The water we drink is needed to eliminate waste: 3 litres disappear every day via urine, perspiration and breathing. It also helps maintain our body temperature at around 37 degrees and is essential for digestion.  The recommended daily intake of water is...

Buccal fat removal is a type of plastic surgery that involves removing the buccal fat pads from your cheeks. These are rounded pads of fat that are located between your facial muscles, in the hollow area beneath your cheekbones. Their size affects your face shape; the larger they are the rounder or fuller your face appears. The goal of buccal fat removal is to thin the cheeks and define the facial...

In early December 2022, German authorities carried out a sting operation on the neo-Nazi Reichsburger group that was plotting to overthrow the country’s government through a coup. It was one of Germany’s biggest ever counterterror operations, seeing 3000 police officers make 300 raids across 11 regions of the country, and led to a total of 25 arrests. The so-called Citizens of the Reich are just o...

You might think that ageing is all about decline and deterioration, but that’s not the whole story. In fact, there are many aspects of life that improve as we grow older, such as happiness, wisdom, relationships, and even some cognitive skills. “Our societal narrative is not based on science – it’s based entirely on prejudice. Contrary to popular myth, we never stop learning or growing new brain c...

As the years go by, those extra inches around the abdomen tend to sneak up on us, and that’s especially true once we hit our fifties. One major player is hormonal shifts. For women, the onset of menopause often brings about weight gain and a burgeoning belly, thanks to a decline in estrogen levels that prompts the body to store fat in the midsection.  And fellas, you're not off the hook either—age...

Friends, Harry Potter, The Office, Home Alone, Love Actually… Most of us have that series or that film we’ve seen at least ten times. And yet, when stress kicks in or a rainy Sunday arrives, we sink into the sofa and press play again. It’s almost like we’re drawn back to stories we already know by heart. So what makes us hit replay? But why do we rely on these “comfort movies”? Are there any other...

Gas cookers are a common feature in many kitchens, often preferred by chefs and home cooks for their precise temperature control but gas cookers emit a number of harmful substances when they are in use and even when they are off that can pollute the indoor air and harm your health. Nitrogen dioxide, or NO2, is a gas that is produced when natural gas is burned at high temperatures. It can damage yo...

Flat Earthers believe that the Earth is not spherical, but rather a flat disc and the Sun and the Moon are also flat discs that circle above the Earth. According to them the edges of the world are surrounded by a wall of ice, which is what we know as Antarctica. And as for the pictures of the Earth from space - they are all fake, part of a huge conspiracy to hide the truth. The earliest cultures t...

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...

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...

“Laughter is the best medicine”, so the old saying goes. But is there actually any truth to that - could we be less likely to get sick if we’re feeling positive about things? Well, psychoneuroimmunology research has shown that chronic stress, anxiety and depression all weaken the immune system. And the main culprit is stress hormone cortisol. When levels are too high, it disrupts sleep and undermi...

The landscape of work has been undergoing significant changes in recent years, and in particular since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. From the surge in remote work to the emergence of "lazy girl jobs" and generative AI, a profound revolution is unfolding.  Yet, some aspects of the work environment seem resistant to change. Remember that person who contributed little to nothing in a group proj...

Currently there are many people that just feel they cannot get onto the property ladder, but is buying your own home really the best way to invest your money? Well, there are many benefits to owning your home, such as the stability and peace of mind that it can bring you. You can’t be evicted by a landlord, you can decorate and furnish it as you want, and you can enjoy the social and psychological...

Saving money can be challenging, especially in these uncertain times. But it's not impossible. With some planning, discipline and creativity, you can achieve your savings goal and improve your financial situation. Saving is important for many reasons; It can help you prepare for unexpected emergencies, achieve your personal or professional goals, or simply enjoy life more. Saving 1000 pounds in a...