Do you really know?

What is Stop Asian Hate? Thanks for asking! On March 16th, a series of shootings in Atlanta caused eight deaths. The murders took place at three different spas, and six of the deceased victims were Asian women.  The 21-year-old perpetrator claims to have been motivated by shame at his own sexual addiction, rather than specifically targeting the Asian community. But some believe the killings should...

Who is Ousmane Sonko? Thanks for asking!   Since early March, Senegal has seen a series of violent protests, a rare event in a country known for its political stability. Behind it all is the arrest of one man - Ousmane Sonko. The 46 year old MP is the main opponent of President Macky Sall and came third in 2019’s presidential election. Sonko is the leader of the PASTEF political party, and identif...

What is Generation Covid? Thanks for asking!  In social sciences, a generation refers to a group of the population whose members are around the same age and have hence lived through the same era. Think the baby boomers, Generation X, Millennials… and now Generation Covid! While they may be significantly less at risk of serious illness from Covid-19, young people are bearing the brunt of the pandem...

What are HFCs? Thanks for asking! Fridges, freezers and air conditioning. In cooling our individual homes, humans are heating up our collective home - planet earth. That’s partly down to hydrofluorocarbons, or HFCs for short. These industrial chemicals are mainly used for cooling and refrigeration, but they generate a huge amount of pollution. The adoption of HFCs is relatively recent as until the...

What is eye yoga? Thanks for asking! In the last 12 months, we’ve all spent more time at home than we expected. As a result, our use of computers or smartphones has increased to the point where many of us spend almost all day gazing into a screen.  This can lead to eye strain and dry eyes, as well as other disorders or diseases. OK, so in this day and age it’s difficult to totally go without all t...

What is a test concert? Thanks for asking!  Living through a pandemic has seen many of our favourite pastimes turn from harmless fun to high-risk activity! Think of going for a beer with your colleagues after work, taking your grandma to the cinema or dancing the night away in a club for example. The whole culture sector has suffered and the music business is among the industries which have been a...

What is euthanasia? Thanks for asking! Euthanasia is the act of intentionally ending a person’s life in order to relieve their suffering. The practice is often confused with assisted suicide but there is a key difference. When it comes to euthanasia, medical practictioners carry out the final deed, whereas with assisted suicide it’s the patient who commits the act.  Laws on euthanasia and assisted...

What is the baby bust? Thanks for asking!   You’ve almost certainly heard of the baby boom, which saw birth rates soar in many countries following the end of the Second World War. Well, we’re currently experiencing the opposite of that thanks in part to the Covid-19 pandemic. Many observers have labelled this a baby bust. Are you saying there’s been a significant drop in the number of births? What...

What is period poverty? Thanks for asking! Menstrual hygiene products are an essential expense, but many women on low incomes find that the cost is out of their reach. This is known as period poverty and it affects more people than you might think, even in developed countries. A survey in the UK found that over 40% of 14-21 year olds had used items like socks, tissues or paper as a makeshift repla...

What is newspeak? Thanks for asking! Lockdown, patient zero, social distancing and PCR tests - the last year has seen the emergence of many new terms due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Some have labelled this vocabulary Coronaspeak. At Do You Really Know, we’ve covered several such topics to decipher their meaning. But today we will be discussing a different type of newspeak. The idea of newspeak didn’...

What is the three-finger salute? Thanks for asking! Since the start of February, protesters in Myanmar have been pictured making a three-finger gesture as a symbol of opposition to the country’s recent coup d’état. They’ve taken to the streets to protest against what they see as an attack on democracy.  So why are the protesters using the three-finger salute? Well it might look like a scout salute...

What is class-passing? Thanks for asking! Everybody loves a rags-to-riches story, but the reality is social mobility is far from easy. Class-passers are those who manage to successfully improve their status and navigate their new life as part of a higher socioeconomic group. To understand class-passing, let’s first discuss the idea of social classes. Within our societies, people are divided accord...

What is the Matilda Effect? Thanks for asking! Imagine humanity only using half the brains at its disposal to solve the many scientific challenges it faces in the present and future. While such an idea might seem crazy, it’s not so far from reality. In recognition of International Women’s Day, which took place on Monday, let’s discuss a form of bias known as the Matilda Effect. Over the years, ver...

What is cyclothymia? Thanks for asking! The term cyclothymia was coined in the late 19th century by German psychiatrist Karl Ludwig Kahlbaum. It describes a clinical situation which has many similarities with bipolar disorder, although its symptoms are less severe. It affects 6% of people but to get diagnosed takes 10-12 years on average and seeing several different doctors. We talk about somethin...

What is long COVID? Thanks for asking! Even months after infection, some Covid-19 patients have continued to suffer from symptoms such as extreme fatigue, lack of sleep or breathing problems. And these are mostly people who have long been discharged from hospital, or never even went there in the first place. This form of the virus is generally multi-symptomatic and protean. The term long Covid was...

What is Clubhouse? Thanks for asking! Clubhouse is a 100% audio social networking app. It’s suddenly everywhere, having accrued 2 million users despite being created less than a year ago in March 2020. Its current valuation is over $1bn. In the era of lockdowns, social distancing and an increased need to communicate with the outside world, you could say Clubhouse came along at just the right time....

What is a nasal spray vaccine? Thanks for asking! We’re all familiar with how traditional vaccines work. We get injected with a virus, or a weakened version, so that our immune system learns how to fight against it. This is most often done with a little jab in the arm. But scientists have actually been working on other injection methods for years. Spray vaccines, or mucosal vaccines, are more effe...

What is quantum technology? Thanks for asking! Quantum technologies are tools which use the physical properties of tiny particles like ions or photons. It might seem abstract, but these technological breakthroughs look set to be a game-changer in computing and communications. The UK government has already invested over £1bn in quantum science and technology, with the country is seen as one of the...

What is the social credit system? Thanks for asking!  With a population of 1.4 billion inhabitants and a surface area 39 times larger than that of the UK, China has seen mass surveillance systems rolled out in recent decades.  Take video surveillance and facial recognition for example, with over 600 million security cameras throughout the country. Or the controlling and censorship of the country’s...

What is 'Oumuamua? Thanks for asking! In 2017, ‘Oumuamua became the first interstellar object to be detected passing through our solar system. The discovery of this mysterious object has led to a number of theories about its origins. Could ‘Oumuamua hold the secret to how other solar systems were formed, or be proof that aliens exist?  How did we first discover the existence of ‘Oumuamua then? So...

What is critical thinking? Thanks for asking! Critical thinking is the intellectual process of evaluating information, thinking clearly and rationally as a guide to belief and action. You could see it as an attitude whereby no statement or piece of information is accepted as true or false, without first being carefully analysed. Simplistic conflations, generalisations and preconceptions are all ch...

What is the postpartum period? Thanks for asking!   Many people wrongly assume that all women immediately find their feet after having a baby. In reality, it can be an overwhelming phase which is often neglected.  The postpartum period begins as the mother’s body starts returning to a non-pregnant state. It’s commonly used to refer to the first six weeks following childbirth, but it may last signi...

What is ketamine? Thanks for asking! Ketamine is a psychoactive drug, which is known for being both a horse tranquiliser horse and a party drug for ravers looking to experience a psychedelic trip. lsd kick in It has also recently emerged that ketamine is an effective antidepressant. Its use for medical purposes has been approved in the United States and Europe. edge of space Ketamine was first syn...

What is burnout? Thanks for asking!   In January 2021, the European Parliament approved a “right to disconnect” policy which passed relatively unnoticed in the midst of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. This resolution recognises workers rights to switch off outside of working hours, in order to protect their mental health, wellbeing and private lives. A Eurofound survey estimated that one third of a...

What is dyspareunia? Thanks for asking! Most people associate sex with pleasure but research suggests that 60% of women have already experienced pain during sex without daring to tell their partner.  Dyspareunia is the medical term for pain which occurs before, during or after intercourse. The problem can affect men, but is far more common in women. Dyspareunia may be persistent or recurrent, some...