Do you really know?

A Pew Research Center survey from August 2023 found that 52% of respondents were more concerned than excited about AI in daily life, compared with just 10% who felt the opposite. It’s not surprising really when you think about it; after all, things that we don’t understand tend to both fascinate and frighten in equal measure. It’s only very recently that AI has started becoming part of many people...

Numerous archaeological findings have suggested that dogs were the first animals to be domesticated by humans over 20,000 years ago. So it’s little surprise that in this day and age, 29% of UK adults own a dog. That’s according to 2023 data from vet charity PDSA.  If you have a dog, you may have been told that you share physical characteristics with it, a sort of family resemblance if you like. We...

All our organs contain water, even our bones. In total, more than half of our body is made up of it, or 45 litres for a person weighing 65 kg.  The water we drink is needed to eliminate waste: 3 litres disappear every day via urine, perspiration and breathing. It also helps maintain our body temperature at around 37 degrees and is essential for digestion.  The recommended daily intake of water is...

Buccal fat removal is a type of plastic surgery that involves removing the buccal fat pads from your cheeks. These are rounded pads of fat that are located between your facial muscles, in the hollow area beneath your cheekbones. Their size affects your face shape; the larger they are the rounder or fuller your face appears. The goal of buccal fat removal is to thin the cheeks and define the facial...

In early December 2022, German authorities carried out a sting operation on the neo-Nazi Reichsburger group that was plotting to overthrow the country’s government through a coup. It was one of Germany’s biggest ever counterterror operations, seeing 3000 police officers make 300 raids across 11 regions of the country, and led to a total of 25 arrests. The so-called Citizens of the Reich are just o...

You might think that ageing is all about decline and deterioration, but that’s not the whole story. In fact, there are many aspects of life that improve as we grow older, such as happiness, wisdom, relationships, and even some cognitive skills. “Our societal narrative is not based on science – it’s based entirely on prejudice. Contrary to popular myth, we never stop learning or growing new brain c...

As the years go by, those extra inches around the abdomen tend to sneak up on us, and that’s especially true once we hit our fifties. One major player is hormonal shifts. For women, the onset of menopause often brings about weight gain and a burgeoning belly, thanks to a decline in estrogen levels that prompts the body to store fat in the midsection.  And fellas, you're not off the hook either—age...

Friends, Harry Potter, The Office, Home Alone, Love Actually… Most of us have that series or that film we’ve seen at least ten times. And yet, when stress kicks in or a rainy Sunday arrives, we sink into the sofa and press play again. It’s almost like we’re drawn back to stories we already know by heart. So what makes us hit replay? But why do we rely on these “comfort movies”? Are there any other...

Gas cookers are a common feature in many kitchens, often preferred by chefs and home cooks for their precise temperature control but gas cookers emit a number of harmful substances when they are in use and even when they are off that can pollute the indoor air and harm your health. Nitrogen dioxide, or NO2, is a gas that is produced when natural gas is burned at high temperatures. It can damage yo...

Flat Earthers believe that the Earth is not spherical, but rather a flat disc and the Sun and the Moon are also flat discs that circle above the Earth. According to them the edges of the world are surrounded by a wall of ice, which is what we know as Antarctica. And as for the pictures of the Earth from space - they are all fake, part of a huge conspiracy to hide the truth. The earliest cultures t...

According to the most recent data from the Office for National Statistics. For boys, the top name was Noah, which replaced Oliver from the previous year. For girls, the top name was Olivia, which remained the same for the sixth year in a row. Other popular names for boys included Henry, Arlo, Sebastian and Luca, while for girls, Freya, Florence, Willow and Alys were among the favourites. There are...

According to a 2019 online survey conducted by the Mental Health Foundation and YouGov, over a third of UK adults have felt anxious or depressed because of their body image. Although that particular survey didn’t specifically address how gender affected the chances of someone feeling unsatisfied about their appearance, the summary acknowledged that it is often more common among young women.  We’ve...

“Laughter is the best medicine”, so the old saying goes. But is there actually any truth to that - could we be less likely to get sick if we’re feeling positive about things? Well, psychoneuroimmunology research has shown that chronic stress, anxiety and depression all weaken the immune system. And the main culprit is stress hormone cortisol. When levels are too high, it disrupts sleep and undermi...

The landscape of work has been undergoing significant changes in recent years, and in particular since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. From the surge in remote work to the emergence of "lazy girl jobs" and generative AI, a profound revolution is unfolding.  Yet, some aspects of the work environment seem resistant to change. Remember that person who contributed little to nothing in a group proj...

Currently there are many people that just feel they cannot get onto the property ladder, but is buying your own home really the best way to invest your money? Well, there are many benefits to owning your home, such as the stability and peace of mind that it can bring you. You can’t be evicted by a landlord, you can decorate and furnish it as you want, and you can enjoy the social and psychological...

Saving money can be challenging, especially in these uncertain times. But it's not impossible. With some planning, discipline and creativity, you can achieve your savings goal and improve your financial situation. Saving is important for many reasons; It can help you prepare for unexpected emergencies, achieve your personal or professional goals, or simply enjoy life more. Saving 1000 pounds in a...

According to the British Fertility Society, between 9% and 15% of couples will encounter fertility problems, while Fertility Network UK says that “over 3.5 million people in the UK go through some kind of fertility challenge.” Interestingly, the total fertility rate in England and Wales actually increased slightly in 2021, according to the Office for National Statistics. But that was the first inc...

The infamous little belly bulge located around the abdomen can be a source of self-consciousness for many people. Getting rid of it is often one of the main motivations for people looking to lose weight. However, reducing or shedding this abdominal fat can prove to be quite the challenge. But belly fat, also known as visceral fat, isn't only a cosmetic concern. It’s a serious risk factor for many...

The subject we’re talking about today is most associated with Japan, but is also relevant in many other parts of the world. The Japanese word “Karoshi” means "death by overwork". In a broad sense, it refers to workers who die suddenly from a bodily failure like a stroke or heart attack due to extreme stress and long working hours.  Let’s look into the causes and consequences of a phenomenon that a...

You may have spent twenty minutes scrolling through Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime or YouTube last night… only to end up watching nothing. That sense of paralysis when faced with endless options was described in 2004 by American psychologist Barry Schwartz, as the paradox of choice. Why do too many options make it harder to decide? What role does regret play in this process? How can we escape the...

Moving house can be very stressful so here are some tips and advice to make it go as smoothly as possible. Moving house is also a great opportunity to declutter. It’s time to see what sparks joy in the words of Marie Kondo. Take some time to go through your belongings and decide what you need, use and want. There is no point in packing and moving a lot of things, especially if you plan to move the...

If there’s one unpleasant feeling we’re all familiar with, it’s tiredness. At the start of the new school year, it can be particularly prevalent as you get back into the swing of things after the holidays or rush back to work. According to researchers at Harvard Medical School, fatigue can be classified into three types: Physical fatigue: a lack of strength and endurance, mental fatigue: increased...

Since 2020, TikTok has allowed its creators to make money by posting on the platform. To do so, they need at least 10,000 followers and to rack up 100,000 views on their videos over a 30-day period. But with earnings of around 30 cents per 1,000 views, it’s not exactly a get-rich-quick scheme. So to increase the visibility of their videos — and thereby earn more money — some creators have turned t...

The French famously love their delicious baguette and a staggering 320 of them produced every second in France! But Brits, Americans, and people all over the world consume bread be it a baguette, bagel or a bap on a daily basis. Bread, particularly white bread made from refined grains, is often considered unhealthy due to its high glycemic index, which can lead to rapid spikes in blood sugar level...

Natural disasters lead to damaged property, loss of life, psychological trauma, displaced individuals and families, among other consequences. According to the World Meteorological Organisation, the number of natural disasters has increased five times since 1970. Researchers from all over the whole world have dedicated their careers to studying natural disasters. And they all agree on one thing. Th...