Do you really know?

When you think of wine, you probably think of France, Bordeaux, Burgundy or Beaujolais. But we could soon be looking to Kent, Dorset and Hampshire instead, especially when it comes to sparkling wine.  Since 2000 the total amount of land in England and Wales given over to vineyards has quadrupled in size and established wine makers, particularly from the Champagne region in France are taking notice...

You might think that plants are silent and passive, but recent studies have shown that they can actually make sounds and send signals to each other, especially when they are stressed or under attack. Researchers at Tel Aviv University recently released their findings from a six-year experiment, which saw them record sounds emitted by certain plants. We’ve actually known for over 10 years now that...

The mukbang phenomenon has been around for nearly 15 years, but only really took off on Youtube and then Tiktok in the last few years. A simple search on either of the platforms yields an endless list of clips, many of which have view counts in the millions. Mukbang involves people filming themselves while eating. The streamers are known as broadcast jockeys, or BJs for short, and they often eat c...

As summers get hotter, more and more people are turning to air conditioning to cool down buildings and vehicles. Not only does it make us more comfortable and productive, and can also save lives; after all, in the US, extreme heat is the single deadliest form of extreme weather. But air conditioning has some drawbacks, such as high energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and indoor air pollu...

Sunscreen is essential when on holiday, and in the summer in general. But it doesn’t come cheap, and often the contents aren’t fully used by the time the holiday is over. It’s tempting to reuse bottles from one year to the next, to save money and reduce waste. What many people don’t know though is whether sunscreen remains effective once it’s been opened, or whether using an out-of-date product is...

COVID-19 lockdowns led to the revolutionary rise of remote work. But while working remotely may have been a necessary adaptation made during an unprecedented global health crisis, many experts say that not only is remote work here to stay, it will even continue to increase as we head into 2023. Employees save time and money by not having to commute, and they essentially have more control over thei...

You may well have experienced motion sickness or travel sickness in the past. Well, cyber sickness is a modern ailment that follows a similar kind of logic, or rather the opposite logic. Instead of moving while feeling still, like when you’re on a boat or in a car, with cyber sickness you perceive movement while you’re actually still. But the result is the same: your brain fails to adapt to this d...

Have you ever wondered how our expectations can impact the way we perceive and interact with others? Well, it’s actually been demonstrated that beliefs and attitudes can lead to outcomes that align with those beliefs, due to what’s known as the Pygmalion effect. 20th century American psychologist Robert Rosenthal coined the term in 1968. He had teamed up with San Francisco elementary school princi...

"Irrational”, “overdramatic”, “hysterical”, “sensitive” - if you’re a woman you have most likely been described using one of these words or similar in the past. That’s because there’s a common belief that women are more emotional than men, which still persists to this day. It can sometimes be framed in a positive way, saying that women show more empathy. But all too often it’s used as a weapon to...

The concept of the narcissistic pervert has invaded our screens and magazines in recent years. It's used a lot, but sometimes wrongly or without full understanding. So what is it really about? The term was first defined in 1986 by French psychoanalyst Paul-Claude Racamier. He said that narcissistic perverts have a prevailing need to boost their own self-esteem at the expense of others, and actuall...

Not long ago we talked about the Pygmalion effect in an episode of Do You Really Know? Well today’s subject is pretty much the exact opposite! The Golem effect is the idea that negative words or assumptions can influence behaviours and transform those assumptions into reality. It’s another type of self-fulfilling prophecy, which sees lower expectations lead to poorer performance and behaviour in i...

Ageing is part of the natural cycle of life, and there’s no such thing as a miracle pill to prevent it. At least not yet ! Nevertheless, it is still possible to delay the effects of this process through a healthy lifestyle and good nutrition. No doubt you’ve already heard of the benefits of regular physical activity, getting enough sleep and giving up cigarettes or alcohol. But generally speaking,...

After enjoying a period of relaxation during the summer, many of us return to studies or work with a desire to develop good habits and a better routine than the previous year. It might be taking up a new sport, cooking healthy meals instead of ordering in or going to bed earlier for example. Just like with New Year’s resolutions, we often stick to them to start with, but let them slip after a few...

Have you ever noticed how certain people just seem to drain your emotional energy any time you see or speak to them? It could be a work colleague, a friend, a neighbour or even your partner. Maybe you’ve shrugged it off, telling yourself that’s just how that person is and that they need to lean on you for support. The chances are you could be dealing with an energy vampire without knowing. What do...

ChatGPT has been invading all walks of life in recent months, and that even includes the justice system. In late March 2023, a Pakistani judge consulted the chatbot before granting bail to a 13 year old boy who stood accused of kidnapping and attempting to rape a 9 year old. According to Pakistan Observer, the judge asked ChatGPT the following initial question: ““Can a juvenile suspect in Pakistan...

The first quarter of 2023 has seen food inflation in the UK surpass 16%, according to the Office for National Statistics. Such inflation rates hadn’t been seen for forty years. It’s contributed to the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, and an increasing number of people are struggling to afford to buy enough food. With all that in mind, many people’s number one concern right now is keeping their super...

This environmental movement was created in England just a few years ago in October 2018, but quickly spread all across the world. Extinction Rebellion’s aim is to compel governments to take action against global warming and environmental collapse. It’s earned a reputation as a radical organisation, due to its disobedience and disruption tactics. But only using non-violent action is one of its key...

In today’s ultra-connected society, more and more technologies are emerging all the time, and they’re getting increasingly advanced. Just look at how far AI has come in recent times, and the attention it’s been getting since the launch of ChatGPT. In many ways, it’s difficult to not use technology. To not do so would be like cutting ourselves off from the rest of the world. But still, it’s not to...

With inflation at the highest it’s been in 45 years, it’s no wonder people are looking for ways to manage their money more effectively. And the trend we’re talking about today has really taken off on Tiktok since the start of the year. The #cashstuffing hashtag had already reached 1 billion views on the platform at the time of recording. There’s actually nothing new about cash stuffing; in many wa...

A March 2023 study by American scientific magazine PLOS One revealed how plastic pollution of the oceans has reached unprecedented levels. An estimated 2.3 million tons of plastic are now floating in the seas or have been deposited on coastlines. These figures are alarming, both for wildlife and for us. We know the consequences of microplastics on animal and human health. We’ve also seen garbage p...

If you ever meet a member of the royal family, you might be tempted to ask them for a selfie or an autograph but don’t be surprised if they politely decline. There are some good reasons why royals don’t take selfies or give autographs as well as a whole host of other rather unusual protocols that they must adhere to.  Royals are often surrounded by crowds of people who want to see them or talk to...

we’re nearly halfway through 2026 so let’s take a moment to consider how many of our New Year’s resolutions we’ve actually stuck to so far. I don’t know about you but I didn’t even bother this year; I’ve just failed to keep so many in the past that I didn’t want to set myself up for disappointment again. Wait a minute, vegan but bacon - aren’t those polar opposites?! Are we basically saying it’s f...

We all have to deal with tricky dilemmas and situations from time to time, the kind which we just can’t seem to get out of our head, that keep us up at night. It might be a fight with a friend, a work-related conflict or an urge to up sticks and move away for example. Weighing things up endlessly can lead to a vicious circle of anxiety, which pollutes the mind. Well, there’s no magic solution for...

The past year has seen the highest inflation rates in over 40 years, and consumers have adapted by changing their shopping habits. That’s particularly true when it comes to grocery shopping. While annual inflation fell slightly to 10.1% in the year to March 2023, figures for food and drink alone reached 19.1%. If you break it down further, for some food categories, the rate is even higher; for exa...

In April 2023, the World Health Organization released a new report on infertility, which said that around one in sex people worldwide experience infertility at some point in their lives. The WHO’s Director-General labelled the phenomenon a major health issue and called for more research in an area that is “still under-studied…and insufficiently funded”. The sheer proportion of affected individuals...