Do you really know?

What’s your favourite Tarantino film? Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs, Kill Bill, Inglorious Bastards or perhaps Django Unchained? Every last one of his releases have had a huge impact. They’ve often been big hits among critics and popular opinion. So in 2022, his confirmation of plans to retire following his next film has understandably drawn a lot of attention in the world of cinema. Tarantino’s ci...

In some cultures, being well at home is all about making sure that others feel well when visiting, by welcoming them in the right way. In Japan, for example, hospitality is like an art form, and even has a name: omotenashi. You can’t really translate the concept into English; the meaning of the term goes a lot deeper than “hospitality”. It also has connotations of mindfulness. In Japanese culture,...

The word nomophobia means a fear of being without our smartphone, and it’s affecting more and more people with each passing year. After all, we’re rarely separated from our phone over the course of a day, and even use them at nighttime.  Back in 2021, a phone addiction study by researchers from King’s College London was published in the Frontiers in Psychiatry journal. It was based on a five-quest...

Money can buy a lot, but can it buy happiness? This is a question that philosophers, economists, scientists and storytellers have puzzled over for some time; and if it can then does more money make you even happier?  According to Prof Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, director at the University of Oxford Wellbeing Research Centre there is a definite link between money and happiness, especially at the bottom o...

Until a little under two weeks ago, Silicon Valley Bank was the sixteenth largest bank in the United States, the favoured choice of tech startups due to the tailored services it provided. But by 10th March 2023, American authorities were taking control of SVB following its collapse. It had assets of over $200bn, making for the second biggest bank failure in US history. There were a number of facto...

The term might sound like a bit of a joke, but sushi terrorism been no laughing matter for Japanese diners in recent weeks. In a country which is famed for its high standards in cleanliness, a series of viral pranks have been causing disgust and outrage. One of the most viewed sushi terrorism videos has been seen over 100 million times. A Japanese teen licks the top of a bottle of soy sauce and pu...

For over five years now, a mysterious illness has been hitting US intelligence officers stationed in various overseas locations . As of mid-September 2021, over 200 cases had been recorded, which would seem far too many to be a coincidence... It all started in Havana in 2016, which is how the Cuban capital ended up giving its name to the syndrome. Symptoms include migraines, tinnitus, vision probl...

Nitrous oxide, which is also known as laughing gas, is sold in metal canisters and is one of the most commonly used drugs by teenagers and young people. However, heavy use can lead to a host of problems. Prof Alastair Noyce, a consultant neurologist at Queen Mary University of London, told BBC News: "These are young people we are seeing - teenagers and people in their 20s. What's striking now is t...

If you’ve ever seen horror movies, you’ll know that when you see a zombie, you should start running! Well, the term is also used in the world of business to describe companies which are hugely indebted and only able to pay their fixed costs and interest, but not actually able to reduce the debt itself. The phenomenon has been on the rise since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, with some zombie c...

When you’re feeling a little blue, eating to feel better can be an appealing proposition. But the reality is we often turn to junk food or sugary treats that are high in calories and packed with salt or saturated fats. Of course, our mood can be impacted by a number of factors and there’s no magic fix that will instantly make us feel better. But there are actually types of food out there that have...

An often cited estimate suggests that children smile an average of 400 times per day, while when we reach adulthood that figure drops to just 50 times, even for the happiest of us. For most adults, it’s more like 20 times. Now of course most of the time we smile involuntarily in response to something bringing us joy or making us laugh. But it’s also possible to smile intentionally, which can actua...

It is a bit of a stereotype that the Brits love to moan, with the weather and Brexit being among the most common causes of grumbling around the country. It might not always be pleasant around someone who’s complaining, but there is something deeply authentic about it. What’s more, moaning can provide a form of relief and allow people to express their dissatisfaction, frustration or bad mood. That’...

While it’s not a scientifically recognised food category, the term “superfoods” has become common when referring to certain foods that are very rich in nutrients and micronutrients. You may have heard about the disease-preventing wonders of seeds and algae for example, or weight loss benefits associated with fruits such as goji berries, spirulina, and pomegranates. Let’s investigate whether all th...

Dubbed Britain's 'most dangerous prisoner' Charles Bronson, who now goes by Charles Salvador, is currently at HMP Woodhill in Milton Keynes, and has been in prison for much of the last 50 years. However, now at the age of 70,  he went before the parole board on the 8th of March and could finally be released.  Bronson was first convicted in 1974 when he was 21 and was jailed for seven years for rob...

It’s been just over three years since Brexit came into effect and the latest YouGov poll from late February 2023 suggests that 53% of Brits now think it was wrong for the UK to leave the EU. The infamous 2016 Brexit referendum exposed deep divisions within British society, which have only deepened since. Three prime ministers have come and gone since, and current PM Rishi Sunak is facing an unprec...

Binge eating, also known as uncontrollable overeating, is an eating disorder. It is characterized by compulsive and excessive consumption of food within a specific period, usually not exceeding two hours, and a loss of control over eating behavior.  This means that a person can’t measure the amounts or types of food they are consuming, and may eat quickly without feeling full. This loss of control...

According to Dr Yasemin Didem Aktas, deputy academic director of the UK Centre for Moisture in Buildings (UKCMB), “Mould is everywhere, all the time,” this is because the UK is a pretty wet country and so some level of mould, particularly in damp places like bathrooms or windows is to be expected. However it is how we manage the mould and prevent it building up into dangerous levels that is import...

Also known as the alternative vote, instant runoff voting is an election method in which voters rank candidates by order of preference. It’s not massively comm on across the globe, but some mathematicians believe it to be more democratic than other widely used systems.  Just because we have the right to vote, doesn’t mean we live in a perfect democracy. The voting system in use at an election can...

You’re standing or sitting perfectly still, but yet you feel like everything is spinning around you, as if you were on a theme park ride. You’ve been getting nausea and throwing up too. Well, the chances are you’re suffering from vertigo.  According to the NHS: "Vertigo can also feel like you're being pulled, tilted, or pushed to one side…[and is] often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, problems wi...

It’s not uncommon for rhinoviruses to resurface during the spring and autumn seasons. They’re the main cause of the common cold. At the same time, spring also brings increased pollen circulation, leading to hay fever symptoms which are very similar to those of a viral cold. Having a blocked nose can be particularly bothersome, what with having to blow your nose every two minutes, sneezing, having...

The Danish toy brand Lego may be celebrating its 91th anniversary in 2023, but it’s showing no signs of slowing down! An average of 31 billion bricks are sold each year around the world, and the company appeals to a wide range of people.  Back in 1932, in the small Danish town of Billund, carpenter Ole Kirk Christiansen decided to expand his business by building small wooden toys. A couple of year...

Despite the rising popularity of vegan or vegetarian lifestyles, many people still love the taste and texture of meat, or simply can’t kick the habit, having eaten meat throughout their lifetimes. That explains why the vegan meat substitute market is thriving. These 100% plant-based products are a good source of protein and closely resemble meat in a number of ways. But no doubt many of you who ea...

On 4th March 2023, UN member states agreed a historic treaty that had been over fifteen years in the making. The High Seas Treaty is the first ever treaty to protect the world’s oceans outside national boundaries. The aim is to meet the 30 by 30 biodiversity target, protecting 30% of the world’s oceans by the year 2030. Also known as the open sea or international waters, the high seas begin at the...

There are lots of advantages to renting rather than buying but one of the pitfalls is you have to live with your landlord's style choices. But just because you are renting does not mean you can’t adapt it to your own personal style without jeopardising your deposit. So here are some tips and advice about how to put your own flair into a temporary space.  First of all, if you do want to make change...

Trolls have been around for as long as the internet, but in recent years they've been getting professionalised. Indeed, companies have actually been set up with the specific aim of creating and spreading fake news online.  Such organisations are known as troll farms or troll factories, and Russia has been home to some of the most prominent. Based in the city of St Petersburg, its Internet Research...