Do you really know?

What is Galentine's Day? With Valentine's Day less than a week away. But even though it's a highly commercialized tradition, many of you may find this holiday ridiculous, for a variety of reasons. For example, why should love only be celebrated within a couple? True friendships can be just as strong, so why shouldn’t we celebrate them in a similar way? Well, the creators of Galentine’s Day certain...

What is Pokémon? Having grossed more than $40 billion over the years, Pokémon is the second-biggest franchise in video game history, surpassed only by Mario. It has sold 370 million copies-and shows no sign of letting up. On January 28th, 2022, Pokémon Legends of Arceus was released on Nintendo Switch.  The latest instalment in the video game series aims to breathe new life into a licence which ha...

What is multiple sclerosis? A study published in Science magazine on January 13th has led to hope that a treatment for multiple sclerosis may be developed. It showed a link between the presence of the Epstein Barr virus, which leads to glandular fever, and the onset of multiple sclerosis. Let’s take a minute to discuss this autoimmune disease. First discovered by renowned French neurologist Profes...

What is the Olympic flame? The 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing have begun, 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, symbolising the ideals o...

What is My Hero Academia? Late 2021 saw the cinematic release of My Hero Academia: World Heroes Mission, the third edition in the hugely popular My Hero Academia manga series. Kohei Horikoshi’s works are among the best selling mangas both in Japan and internationally. So what’s the story about? So how did My Hero Academia manage to stand out so much? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! T...

What is polycystic ovary syndrome? Polycystic ovary syndrome, also called PCOS, is related to hormonal imbalances in women’s bodies. It’s the leading cause of fertility problems in women and affects one in ten women of childbearing age in the UK, according to the NHS. Despite that, there is very little awareness about the condition. The most important thing there is to know about PCOS is that it l...

What is CryptoParty? The internet has become a massive part of our daily lives. But the space is also heavily monitored by tech giants for commercial purposes and by the authorities for political purposes.  Email addresses, geolocations, online purchases, photos, friends’ contact details… our personal data is a real gold mine for Big Tech. It’s become a lucrative business that raises privacy conce...

What is OCD? OCD stands for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Contrary to popular opinion, we’re not just talking about irritating little quirks. The condition profoundly affects the patient's mind, behaviour, and emotions. So how does it develop? And how long can it last? Is it possible to stop the spiral? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen to the last episodes, you can click he...

What is the Russo-Ukrainian crisis? This crisis may have been building away from the cameras in the last year or so, overshadowed by the Covid-19 pandemic, but it is now close to reaching boiling point. Since last year, Russia has been gradually moving arms and equipment near its border with Ukraine, as well as military units.  It’s now claimed that there are 100,000 troops on the border, preparin...

What are puff bars? This recent phenomenon has become massively popular with young people, and especially on TikTok. Puff bars, also known as vape pens or pod mods, are flavoured electronic cigarettes designed for one-time use. Social networks have been flooded with puff bars of all different colours. From far away, their eye-catching design actually makes them look like sweets, which could be see...

What is social distancing? Boris Johnson is accused of attending parties during periods of confinement. The head of the British government rejected on Wednesday 26 January 2022 the idea of leaving office despite the controversy that has followed over the failure of him and his cabinet to comply with the health restrictions that he himself had enacted. Listen to the episode again to understand ever...

What is frugal innovation? For the last 200 years, the capitalist model has been based on maximising profits, with the motto being to use more and more resources to create more and more products. But now more than ever before, many of us have realised that the planet’s resources are limited and quickly running out, or already used up in some cases. Such observations should in theory gradually weak...

What is popcorn?   It’s not the most widely celebrated date on the calendar, but National Popcorn Day falls on January 19th each year. Popcorn actually got some rare negative press recently, with France temporarily banning drinks and snacks from cinemas to protect against the spread of Covid-19. Let’s take a few minutes to honour this iconic snack, which has become for many an essential part of go...

Who is Gaspard Ulliel? On January 19th, French actor Gaspard Ulliel tragically died following a skiing accident in the Alps, aged just 37. Let’s make this episode a tribute to the angel-faced actor with a trademark scar who shone brightly in 28 films. How did he get into acting? Which films made Ulliel so popular? How would you summarise his career? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To...

What is Havana Syndrome? For over five years now, a mysterious illness has been hitting US intelligence officers stationed in various overseas locations. Symptoms include migraines, tinnitus, vision problems and dizziness. As of mid-September 2021, over 200 cases had been recorded, which would seem far too many to be a coincidence. The US Department of State has referred to “unexplained health inc...

What is the Door to Hell? At 230 metres in diameter and 100 feet deep, it’s fair to describe the Darvaza Gas crater in Turkmenistan as colossal. This geological marvel is nicknamed the Door to Hell, and it's not the dimensions alone that make it unique. The crater has been spurting flames for half a century now, burning continuously ever since its formation in 1971. It’s actually become the Centra...

Who is Guillermo Del Toro? On January 21st, Nightmare Alley, the new psychological thriller from Guillermo del Toro, hit UK cinemas. Let’s pay tribute to a truly extraordinary director, novelist, producer, and screenwriter. Believe it or not, the Mexican hadn't released a single film since 2017 before Nightmare Alley. That was The Shape of Water, which won Best Picture and Best Director awards at...

What is the Mozart Effect? 27 January is the anniversary of Mozart's birth. What if listening to 10 minutes of Mozart could increase your IQ? That’s exactly what Frances Raucher and her Californian research team suggested back in 1993. The theory spread like wildfire around the world, leading to much speculation about the so-called Mozart Effect. Let’s cut to the chase, does it actually work? But...

Who is Molière? A week ago on January 15th 2022, France celebrated the 400th anniversary of one of its most renowned writers. To this day, Molière remains as central to French culture as Shakespeare to the English-speaking world.  All year long, the Comedie Française theatre is set to stage all his classics and some lesser known works too. Let’s discuss why Molière is considered the nation's most...

Who is Boba Fett? The Book of Boba Fett, Disney Plus’ all-new live-action series, was released at the end of December 2021. It tells the story of the Galaxy’s most notorious bounty hunter. But how did an initially minor character wind up getting his own dedicated show? Well, Boba Fett is actually a cult figure of the Star Wars franchise. Why is the character so popular? He certainly sounds like an...

What is an anocracy? Let’s think back to January 6th 2021, when the U.S. Capitol was invaded by radical pro-Trump activists. Of course since then, Donald Trump has left the White House. But, with hindsight, how should we remember his mandate and this event in particular?  Political scientist Baraba F. Walter recently looked into the US's current instability and went as far as describing it as an a...

What is the James Webb Telescope? In today’s episode, we’re gonna talk about the most powerful telescope ever sent into space. The James Webb telescope was designed by NASA, in collaboration with the European and Canadian Space Agencies. It was deployed on January 8th after taking off from Kourou, French Guiana, on Christmas Day. Its next step is to reach its final orbit, located 1.5 kilometres aw...

What is ableism? Social science research is becoming more and more fruitful. As a result, an almost endless list of terms are emerging, like 'white privilege' or 'ageism’, which we have already covered in past episodes of Do You Really Know? These studies often share the same objective and that is to shine a light on social phenomena we tend to dismiss, calling out persisting discrimination. The w...

What are climate refugees? The consequences of climate change are some of the primary drivers behind global human migration. According to a report by the European Commission on Migration, each year, an average of 30 million people are displaced due to environmental degradation.  Climate refugees, or climate migrants, are people forced away from their homes due to sudden or gradual alterations in t...

"Do you really know?" is Bababam's daily podcast, which helps you understand the words, acronyms, and concepts that are making the news every day. From January 3th to 17th, discover the 15 words that will mark 2022. From the new phenomenon of "space tourism" to the virtual world of "Metaverse" and, of course, the expression "wokeism", (re)discover these words that will be in the news in 2022. What...