Do you really know?

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...

Picture this: you’re lost in thought, your favourite song playing, and suddenly, you feel a wave of well-being that gives you goosebumps. Music doesn’t just touch our hearts; it has a tangible impact on our bodies. Certain musical passages can send shivers down our spines by releasing dopamine, the so-called pleasure molecule. In 2020, a french study found that listening to music causes variations...

Does your face match your name? Surprisingly, researchers have scientifically proven that an Emma will never resemble a Sophie, or a Jack or an Oliver.  They stem from a Franco-Israeli study published in July 2024, a collaboration between HEC Paris and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Participants were shown a photograph of a person and asked to choose their first name from four options. How ca...

The John Hopkins University defines a phobia as “an uncontrollable, irrational, and lasting fear of a certain object, situation, or activity.” With that in mind, if you’re unfortunate enough to be confronted with your phobia on a regular basis, then it can really have a destabilising effect on your life. What do psychologists have to say on the matter then? Why do we get some phobias and not other...

You've been seeing someone for a few weeks now. The romantic dinners, cozy nights at each other's places, and sweet morning or evening texts have been giving you those butterfly feelings. It's shaping up to be the start of something beautiful. But then, out of the blue, your date drops a bomb during a conversation, mentioning a Tinder match or a date with someone else in town. It catches you off g...

If you’re a fan of Taylor Swift, it won’t have escaped your notice that the singer was back on tour this year across the United States. And what a tour it was! Fans were desperate to attend, and prepared to pay from $49 to $499 for the privilege, according to face value ticket prices quoted by Stylecaster.com. Meanwhile, resale ticket prices were in the thousands.  If that seems a lot, then you sh...

Think of Katy Perry in her video for This Is How We Do, Madonna in a traditional Berber outfit at the 2018 VMA awards, or Adele with her hair in Bantu knots to mark Notting Hill Carnival, this is cultural appropriation. It’s a practice which has caused regular controversy in the world of pop culture. Most often, white artists are accused of using ideas, symbols or other items which come from non-W...

In our professional lives, just as in our personal ones, we all wear many hats. But how does juggling all those roles make us feel? For some, it can be a fulfilling challenge, while for others, it can lead to burnout and a loss of identity. This is especially true for managers, who often find themselves in the toughest spot. Think about your coworker who’s always balancing the demands of their tea...

Ever since they were first introduced in the United States in 1973, barcodes have been part of our everyday consumer lives. They helped stores around the world transition to digital, but their days are numbered.  That’s right, traditional barcodes are due to be gradually replaced by 2D versions as part of a worldwide initiative called Sunrise 2027. It’s led by GS1, the nonprofit standards organiza...

We’ve all heard that reading builds imagination and vocabulary and helps us learn, but there’s more. Research suggests it may even help us live longer. In 2016, Yale University researchers followed more than 3,600 adults over 50 for 12 years, tracking their reading habits and life expectancy. Their finding was striking: people who regularly read books lived, on average, nearly two years longer tha...