Do you really know?

What is geophony? Thanks for asking! Taking its name from the Greek prefix geo, as in the earth and phony as in sound, geophony could be most simply described as part of Planet Earth’s music. It’s a component of the soundscape that has surrounded us humans ever since we have been present on Earth.  We owe the concept to experts like Canadian composer and environmentalist Raymond Murray Schafer, wh...

What is Earth Overshoot Day? Thanks for asking!  July 29th saw an unwelcome landmark in the calendar as we reached Earth Overshoot Day. It might sound like a celebration, but the reality is a lot more troubling.  Earth Overshoot Day marks the point during a year at which humans have used up all the planet’s resources. To use a budgeting analogy, from that day onwards, we’re effectively living on c...

What is Godwin’s Law? Thanks for asking! The events of the Holocaust are part of the compulsory curriculum in many countries across the world, especially in Europe. Indeed, it’s pretty rare to come across any adult who hasn’t heard of the unique horrors that took place.  Most people would agree that comparing recent Covid-19 restrictions and vaccination campaigns to Nazi atrocities is at best extr...

What are the Puppy Blues? Thanks for asking! You’ve no doubt already heard of the baby blues, a nice-sounding euphemism for the rather unpleasant postpartum depression. Well, some new pet owners have started talking of puppy blues in the same way, to describe the sadness they sometimes feel after adopting a new furry companion. The puppy blues might be behind increased animal abandonment rates dur...

What are blue zones? Thanks for asking! Humans have wondered about the secrets behind longevity since the beginning of time. Well, as it turns out, the world’s five blue zones offer some revealing insight into this mystery. In these regions, people seem to live longer than in the rest of the world. Researchers have sought to understand the unique lifestyles that may be behind this phenomenon. Let’...

What is Niksen? Thanks for asking! Ever had one of those days when you just feel like doing nothing at all? Well, increasingly we as humans are wired to be doing something all the time. We might even feel guilty when not dedicating every last moment of our day to accomplishing tasks from a written or imaginary to-do list. Technology no doubt has a role to play, what with us being connected almost...

What is Pop-It? Thanks for asking! If 2017 was the year of the hand spinner in the toy world, 2021 is the year of the Pop-It! Even if the name doesn’t immediately ring a bell, the chances are you’ve seen one of these fidget toys in a picture or video on social media without realising. Manufacturers have had to ramp up production due to the recent surge in popularity. The Pop-It is basically a sili...

What is the Pegasus Project? Thanks for asking! Ever since the Snowden case of 2013, the world has gotten used to the idea that states use surveillance to monitor people’s activity. All the same, the fallout from the Pegasus Project revelations of recent weeks has been huge, making it a highly significant cyber espionage scandal. The initiative was coordinated by French media nonprofit organizatio...

What are sonic weapons? Thanks for asking! In June it emerged that Greek police had acquired two long range acoustic devices, designed to discourage migrants from approaching the country's border with Turkey. At the size of a small TV, the cannons don’t look particularly threatening, but are capable of emitting powerful sound waves as loud as a jet plane. An LRAD is an example of a sonic weapon, w...

What is the I.O.C.? Thanks for asking! Yesterday saw the Tokyo Olympic Games begin with the traditional opening ceremony. For the first time in the event’s history, the Games were delayed by a year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. At the International Olympic Committee’s latest Session in Tokyo, president Thomas Bach described the uncertainty facing Games organisers in the last 15 months.“There were...

What is the global bike shortage? Thanks for asking!   Cycling has enjoyed a huge boom since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Local authorities have increased efforts to prioritise cyclists over drivers, creating new bike lanes and making other investments in this form of transport. However, a shortage of bikes has been affecting the whole world since 2020. This supply chain nightmare is still...

What is Eswatini? Thanks for asking! Situated between South Africa and Mozambique in southern Africa, the small landlocked country of Eswatini has a surface area of just 17,000 km2 and a population of 1.3 million. Until 2018, it was known as Swaziland, a name which may be more familiar to you. Then King Mswati III decided to restore the pre-colonial name Eswatini, in recognition of 50 years of ind...

What is mansplaining? Thanks for asking! Have you ever noticed a man explaining something to a woman in a supremely confident way which suggests he absolutely knows more than her about the subject? Well, there’s a term for that, which is mansplaining. A recent thread on parenting forum Mumsnet invited women to share their worst examples of mansplaining. Among them were patronising explanations of...

What is the digital divide? Thanks for asking! Whether you’re a regular Do You Really Know? listener or just tuning in for the first time, the fact that you’re here probably means you’re not affected by digital illiteracy! The digitalisation of society as a whole has been accelerating for years now. Covid-19 lockdowns further sped up the process in a way we hadn’t anticipated. People suddenly had...

What is Hungary’s anti-LGBT law? Thanks for asking! Exactly a week ago, Hungary’s controversial anti-LGBT law came into effect. It contains amendments to several acts and was almost unanimously approved by the country’s parliament three weeks earlier. Despite that fact, the restrictions are causing an outcry in both Hungary and the international community. What changes have actually come into effe...

What is space tourism? Thanks for asking! Just over a week ago, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos stepped down from his position as the company’s CEO to focus on other projects. He’ll remain executive chairman at Amazon but now wants to dedicate more time to other projects, including his space tourism company Blue Origin.  Following that surprise announcement, British business magnate Richard Branson also...

What is Ocean Viking? Thanks for asking! The Ocean Viking humanitarian vessel now has well over 500 survivors on board, located in waters between Italy, Malta and Libya. It has carried out a number of rescue operations in the last week. According to NGO SOS Mediterranee, who operate Ocean Viking, survivors on board are mainly refugees and migrants. Many are minors, some of whom were attempting the...

What is the orgasm gap? Thanks for asking! July 31st is National Orgasm Day in a number of Western countries, including the UK, US, Australia and Canada. Kudos to anyone who already had that holiday noted on their calendar! The annual event’s purpose is to celebrate sexual climax and raise awareness around related issues. Which leads us nicely onto today’s topic: the orgasm gap! Research has consi...

Who is Quentin Tarantino? Thanks for asking!    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 his recent confirmation of plans to retire following his next film has understandably drawn a lot of at...

What is a heat dome? Thanks for asking!   The Pacific north-west is typically a mild region when it comes to weather. But in late June, Western Canada experienced record temperatures, with the province of British Columbia hit particularly hard. Temperatures are usually around 21° on the Pacific coast, but reached 49.5°C in Lytton, a village around 100 miles to the North-east of Vancouver. Cities o...

What is the Olympic flame? Thanks for asking! As Japan prepares to host the delayed 2020 Olympics, let’s look at one of the Games’ iconic symbols, the Olympic flame, and how it spreads the values of the Olympic movement. It brings a sense of identity to the Games, much like the Olympic rings and its Latin motto Citius Altius Fortius. Throughout the Games, the flame burns inside the Olympic stadium...

What is the glass ceiling? Thanks for asking! When talking about diversity and inclusion, the glass ceiling refers to an invisible barrier stopping those in minorities from obtaining upper-level workforce opportunities. The metaphor is most often used when talking about women. They may find their careers stagnating, unable to progress beyond a middle-management role, through no fault of their own....

What is the offside rule? Thanks for asking! Now, now, let’s not get carried away. England may have beaten old rivals Germany on Tuesday evening to seal a place in the Euro 2020 quarter finals, but they still need to win three more matches to lift the trophy at Wembley on July 11th.  In the meantime, let’s talk about one of football’s oldest and yet still most confusing rules: law 11, more commonl...

What is Auroville? Thanks for asking! Imagine a world without politics, religion or nationality. Well, Auroville is perhaps as close as you’ll come on Planet Earth. The small community, which has been labelled as utopian, was born in South India half a century ago, near to the city of Puducherry. Also known as the Universal Town, Auroville has close to 3000 inhabitants, from over 50 different coun...

What is Straight Edge? Thanks for asking! The music you’re listening to comes from 1980s American hardcore punk band Minor Threat and it’s called Straight Edge. It might only last 46 seconds, but turned out to be hugely influential. The song name was adopted by the Straight Edge movement, which is associated with abstinence from alcohol, drugs, animal products and promiscuous sex. Several decades...