Do you really know?

You may well have been told that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so you shouldn’t skip it. But did you know that prior to the industrial revolution, all people would eat for breakfast was leftovers from the previous day, typically meat and eggs. Even then that was only if they were hungry. Otherwise they wouldn’t eat at all. These days, a typical breakfast in the Western world is...

You may have seen headlines in recent weeks about a deeply shocking French court case. A man has admitted drugging his wife with powerful sedatives over a period of a decade and inviting as many as 80 local men to rape her during that time.  Due to the effects of the drugs she had been subjected to, the woman Gisèle Pélicot, had no idea of what was happening to her. The case has led to increased a...

If there’s one unpleasant feeling we’re all familiar with, it’s tiredness. At the start of the new school year, it can be particularly prevalent as you get back into the swing of things after the holidays or rush back to work. According to researchers at Harvard Medical School, fatigue can be classified into three types: Physical fatigue: a lack of strength and endurance, mental fatigue: increased...

Inflation peaked in 2022, but now it’s on a slow and steady decline, reaching 2.5% in June 2024, down from 5.5% in June 2023. Plus, some commercial practices that drove prices up are now better controlled. For example, since July 1, 2024, supermarkets have to label products affected by shrinkflation—where they reduce the quantity but keep the price the same. But even with these changes, you’ve pro...

I don’t know about you but for me not having to set an alarm on a Saturday or Sunday morning is really one of life’s simple pleasures. With my packed work schedule and family life, I often don’t end up getting as much sleep as I need during the week. So it’s really tempting to try to catch up on that sleep debt over the weekend. But then I heard about these studies that have shown that weekend lie...

We all know staying hydrated is crucial for feeling fit and healthy. The general recommendation is to drink between 1.5 to 2 litres of water a day. But let’s be honest, it’s not always easy to stick to that. Ideally, you shouldn’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink water because thirst signals that your body has already lost about half a litre of water. But you might be surprised to learn that you...

It’s fair to say that AI technology is hyper-polarising. Since the launch of ChatGPT in late 2022, many people have been awestruck at how generative AI can write essays, create realistic images and effectively impersonate just about any human with enough training material. But there are just as many detractors as enthusiasts, and AI’s current shortcomings have been exposed in a number of high-prof...

Of course, as the old saying goes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but even as children we all kind of realise who’s seen as physically attractive and who isn’t, don’t we? Let’s take a moment to consider that the global beauty industry was worth $430bn in 2022, according to a report from McKinsey. That was up from $300 bn in 2015, with projections suggesting the $500bn mark would be reached...

Over the years, many surveys have looked into what time of day people say they most enjoy having sex, but the findings have varied drastically. For instance, one run by CBD brand Naturecan in 2023 found that the most satisfying time was 7:30 a.m., with two-thirds of the Brits surveyed preferring morning sex to night-time sex. But more recently, lingerie brand Pour Moi pinpointed 10:09pm on Saturda...

Everyone has lied at least once in their life. But did you know that we lie at least once a day? This surprising conclusion comes from an American study published in 1996. The reasons behind our lies are quite intriguing. Often, we lie to protect the people we care about, this is known as a “white lie.” But that’s not the whole story. According to neuropsychologist and researcher Sylvie Chokron, l...

Since 2020, TikTok has allowed its creators to make money by posting on the platform. To do so, they need at least 10,000 followers and to rack up 100,000 views on their videos over a 30-day period. But with earnings of around 30 cents per 1,000 views, it’s not exactly a get-rich-quick scheme. So to increase the visibility of their videos — and thereby earn more money — some creators have turned t...

Cooking not only destroys bacteria and germs but also makes food more digestible, especially meat.  It changes the taste, appearance, color, and most importantly, the nutritional quality of the food. While food can be roasted, blanched, grilled, browned, or boiled, some methods are healthier than others. What happens when we grill food? Is steaming really the healthiest way to cook? What about les...

Electric toothbrushes come with a head that makes small circular movements automatically. Studies have shown that, for the same amount of brushing time, they can remove up to twice as much plaque as manual toothbrushes. They also help reduce the risk of gingivitis, gum inflammation, and bleeding. However, some electric toothbrushes can be too abrasive on sensitive or weakened teeth, as not all use...

Much like your fingerprints, your body odour is totally unique to you. It varies from person to person based on the chemical makeup of their sweat, which, believe it or not, is actually odourless on its own. Sweat only starts to smell when it comes into contact with bacteria on our skin. Our distinct scent depends not just on this skin microbiome but also on factors like sex, age, genetics, and ho...

“If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign?”. If you’re obsessed with having a tidy work environment, you may want to consider that that quote comes from none other than Albert Einstein, one of the most renowned geniuses in human history. Given that Mark Twain, Thomas Edison, and even Steve Jobs were also known for working in messy environments, you...

Towels, used to dry our freshly washed bodies, quickly become dirty, collecting dead skin cells, perspiration, bacteria and fungi that thrive in damp environments. This can lead to fungal infections and skin problems. To manage this, use separate towels for the body and face, and ensure they are thoroughly dried between uses to minimise bacterial growth. Experts recommend washing towels at a high...

According to research published in The BMJ in 2002, around 40% of people experience some age-associated memory impairment after reaching 65. Thankfully only 1% of those affected will then go on to have dementia each year. But still, it’s important to be aware of how effective your memory is, whatever your age. An impairment can be a sign of cognitive decline, which becomes more likely the older we...

The subject of today’s episode is the latest questionable practice in retail. "Stretchflation" is getting a lot of attention, and for good reason: it's yet another way to squeeze more money out of consumers. We’ve already talked about shrinkflation on Do You Really Know, which is when you see product sizes reduced but prices stay the same. Since the start of the cost-of-living crisis, we’ve also s...

If you’re listening to this show, you're no doubt a keen learner and explorer. We bet you’ll love Fabulous Destinies, another Bababam podcast, which takes you on a journey through real-life stories which are incredible but true. Starting from tomorrow and exclusively on Do You Really Know, we'll be sharing our listeners' four favourite Fabulous Destinies episodes! Some are tragic, some mysterious,...

Have you ever been on an aeroplane and wondered how on earth a vehicle weighing tens of thousands of kilograms can even take off, let alone stay in the air for hours on end? Well, whatever the type of plane is, the basic principle is pretty much the same. It has to overcome the pull of gravity, the force that draws everything towards Earth’s centre. What does an aeroplane need to fly then? How so?...

If you’re listening to this show, you're no doubt a keen learner and explorer. We bet you’ll love Fabulous Destinies, another Bababam podcast, which takes you on a journey through real-life stories which are incredible but true. Starting from tomorrow and exclusively on Do You Really Know, we'll be sharing our listeners' four favourite Fabulous Destinies episodes! Some are tragic, some mysterious,...

We talk about sleep needs a lot on Do You Really Know, so regular listeners will be well aware that we need 7-9 hours each day, and that not getting enough can lead to negative health impacts. Regardless of who you are, when you get less than seven hours of sleep, you start accumulating what’s known as sleep debt or sleep deficit. The Sleep Foundation defines it as: “the difference between the amo...

If you’re listening to this show, you're no doubt a keen learner and explorer. We bet you’ll love Fabulous Destinies, another Bababam podcast, which takes you on a journey through real-life stories which are incredible but true. Starting from tomorrow and exclusively on Do You Really Know, we'll be sharing our listeners' four favourite Fabulous Destinies episodes! Some are tragic, some mysterious,...

Walking is something we all do every day, but did you know it has numerous health benefits? It’s not just a simple way to get from point A to point B; walking can improve cardiovascular health, boost your mood, and even enhance your overall well-being. According to specialists, it can also help you lose weight under certain conditions. By incorporating regular, brisk walks into your routine, you c...

If you’re listening to this show, you're no doubt a keen learner and explorer. We bet you’ll love Fabulous Destinies, another Bababam podcast, which takes you on a journey through real-life stories which are incredible but true. Starting from tomorrow and exclusively on Do You Really Know, we'll be sharing our listeners' four favourite Fabulous Destinies episodes! Some are tragic, some mysterious,...