Do you really know?

You’ve most likely heard of this plant before, and seen one if you were lucky! Maybe you’ve even tried to find one in a field or a garden. The four leaf clover is without doubt one of the most popular and fascinating symbols of luck. A four leaf clover is a clover plant that has four leaves instead of the usual three. A clover plant is a type of herb that belongs to the pea family. It has small fl...

All week long, we’re looking into 10 new terms and concepts that are certain to be on everyone’s lips in 2023! Flying vehicles have long been imagined as part of the not-too-distant future, as well as a making regular appearances in TV and film works of fiction. Just think of the Jetsons or Harry Potter for example. And the attraction is understandable. Imagine you could avoid all road congestion...

Calimero is a black chick with a half-broken eggshell on his head. He’s always complaining about something or other, with “But it’s an injustice” being his favourite line. A more recent animated version of the cartoon appeared on Disney Junior in the UK in the 2010s. Maybe you can think of someone you know in real life who’s an eternal complainer. Is there any chance other people might think that...

Whether it’s in the street, on public transport or at home, almost all of us use headphones or earphones to listen to music. Now music might bring us joy and a whole lot of other emotions, but when it’s too loud, it can also represent a risk for hearing health.  The same is also true when going to entertainment venues like nightclubs, bars, music concert arenas and sports stadia. The danger comes...

Data suggests that around one in six of us will experience depression at some point in our lifetime. And if you’ve had family members who have been affected, you may well have asked yourself whether it could happen to you too, or if there are ways to prevent it.  Now, there is some evidence of a predisposition when depression appears in the family. According to Stanford University: “In most cases...

In January 2023, Prince Harry published his memoirs, in the form of an autobiography entitled "Spare". The book led to a lot of controversy, particularly regarding the relationship between Harry and his brother William, the future King of England. A number of observers have suggested that Prince Harry suffers from second child syndrome. For example, behavioural expert Abdullah Boulad was quoted by...

While it’s not a scientifically recognised food category, the term “superfoods” has become common when referring to certain foods that are very rich in nutrients and micronutrients. You may have heard about the disease-preventing wonders of seeds and algae for example, or weight loss benefits associated with fruits such as goji berries, spirulina, and pomegranates. Let’s investigate whether all th...

The trend of workplace presenteeism has increased in recent years, especially during the COVID-19 crisis. A September 2020 report by RAND Europe suggests that presenteeism is mainly driven by stress, suboptimal mental health, lack of sleep and poor financial well-being, which have all intensified during the pandemic. Presenteeism is the practice of being present at one's place of work for more hou...

It’s not news that if you don't get a good nights sleep you will probably not be your best the next day, but while you are snoozing, particularly in deep sleep, your brain is not just powered down, it is busy cleaning out the days toxins, almost like it is ‘washing your brain’ and getting it ready for the next day.   “Sleep is not just a state where things turn off. Sleep is a very active state fo...

In recent years, gluten-free diets have become more and more popular. No doubt you’ve seen “Free From” aisles in your local supermarket, and you can also get gluten-free items in health food shops or online. Some people have no choice but to adopt such a diet, because they have coeliac disease, a lifelong autoimmune condition which causes their body to attack its own tissue when gluten is consumed...

The UK’s Online Safety Bill has been in the pipeline for a number of years now, and is currently being considered by the House of Lords. The proposed bill has caused a lot of controversy due to its broad ambitions and a perceived threat to people’s privacy. But it’s been welcomed in some quarters, and in particular by children’s charities like the NSPCC, who say that it’s needed to tackle grooming...

We all know what it feels like to get pins and needles. It usually happens when we’ve been in the same position for too long, sleeping on one of our arms for example. Bad posture when seated can make this more likely to happen. It’s a slightly uncomfortable feeling of numbness and tingling, as if someone was raking your skin repeatedly with small pointed objects. That’s where the name “pins and ne...

Permafrost is ground that remains frozen for two years or more. It’s made up of soil, rocks and sand, and held together by ice. In some places, this ground layer formed over 100,000 years ago, and can reach several miles in depth. Around 24% of land in the Northern Hemisphere has permafrost underneath it, according to the US National Snow and Ice Data Center. It’s mostly found in Arctic countries,...

Right from primary school age, we tell children that if another boy or girl has teased them, it’s “because they like them”. And playful teasing happens a lot in dating well into adulthood. If it’s ever happened to you, you might have laughed along out of fear of appearing oversensitive. But really it’s a form of verbal abuse, which is often used intentionally to manipulate another person’s emotion...

It’s more common than we tend to admit. Some children grow up with parents who are critical, emotionally distant, or unable to empathize. In that kind of environment, attachment bonds don’t always form smoothly. Children may internalize the idea that they don’t deserve affection and that makes it harder to give it back. Add in repeated abandonment, breakups, violence, or addiction, and some childr...

Back in 2015, 10,000 participants at Newcastle University’s Numbers Festival were asked what their favourite number was. Perhaps unsurprisingly, 12.6% of them answered the number seven, making it the most popular number of them all. Some said they didn't know why they chose seven, but as you know, the number tends to have positive connotations and is associated with luck in particular. That’s espe...

A comfy mattress, be it firm or soft, and a good pillow are all essential for a good night’s sleep but increasingly people are also buying weighted blankets to help them relax. A weighted blanket is exactly what it sounds like, a blanket that is heavier than your usual duvet. They are normally filled with either plastic pellets or glass beads and their extra weight is designed to provide a light p...

Climate refugees, or climate migrants, are people forced away from their homes due to sudden or gradual alterations in their natural environment. We’re talking about sea-level rise, extreme weather events, drought and water scarcity for example. They are also referred to as displaced people. According to a report by the European Commission on Migration, each year, an average of 30 million people a...

According to research published in The BMJ in 2002, around 40% of people experience some age-associated memory impairment after reaching 65. Thankfully only 1% of those affected will then go on to have dementia each year. But still, it’s important to be aware of how effective your memory is, whatever your age. An impairment can be a sign of cognitive decline, which becomes more likely the older we...

Because moving and doing regular physical activity is important for our physical and mental health! Listen again to our episodes about sport! After an intense and sweaty workout, the first thing most of us want to do is jump into the shower to relax our muscles and wash off the sweat. However, that’s not actually the best idea. Showering too soon after a workout can have harmful effects on our hea...

We all know about the physical consequences of having an unbalanced diet, and one that includes a lot of junk food in particular. In the short term eating lots of it can lead a person to put on weight and see their blood pressure increase, while it can also potentially lead to long-term conditions like diabetes or heart disease. But studies are increasingly clear on the fact that junk food can als...

Have you ever felt tiny when contemplating the vast, 14-billion-year-old universe? Maybe you’ve wondered, “Is there another form of intelligence out there, pondering the same questions I am?” This thought often leads to another: “If the universe is infinite, there must be other forms of life! So why don’t we have any proof?”  Congratulations, you’ve just stumbled upon the Fermi Paradox! What is th...

If your partner is constantly snoring, hogging the blanket, or tossing and turning every five minutes, and you're finding it increasingly challenging to share a bed, know that you're not alone. A 2017 study revealed that while 50% of those surveyed claim to sleep as a couple, 41% prefer solo slumber, and 54% feel sleep-deprived. There are some tricks to make co-sleeping more manageable. First off,...

Whether it's a reflex, a craving, or a belief in its necessity, people often find themselves snacking more in winter, or opting for heartier meals than usual. And it's been backed up by scientific studies. For example, a 2006 Massachusetts study found that we eat an average of 86 more calories per day in winter. And While it's true that colder temperatures make us burn more calories, the differenc...

“Good manners and bad breath get you nowhere”, sang Elvis Costello in his 1981 hit New Lace Sleeves. And it’s true that halitosis, the scientific term for bad breath, can become a real source of shame and embarrassment when you realise or suspect you have it.  What’s more, brushing your teeth properly twice a day won’t necessarily stop it from happening to you. And neither will the chewing gum, mi...