Do you really know?

Imagine a virtual country where women come together to push back against misogyny and celebrate female empowerment. Born on French TikTok, Tanaland has captured the imagination of over 18 million women who envision a world free from patriarchy and judgment.  Tanaland is a fictional, women-centered country that has emerged as a satirical safe haven, inspired partly by the 2023 Barbie film starring...

If you believe the marketing slogans printed on their packaging, light or reduced-calorie food products offer you the same enjoyment but with fewer calories. It seems like a no-brainer, right?! In order for a product to be labelled as “light” (with either “-ght” or “-te” at the end), current rules in the UK state that it must be “at least 30% lower in one typical value (calories or fat) than that...

After over three decades of relentless searching, the Golden Owl was finally found on October 3, 2024. This €150,000 treasure was hidden back in 1993 by writer Régis Hauser, who took on the pseudonym Max Valentin to publish ‘Sur la trace de la chouette d'or’  ("On the Trail of the Golden Owl"). The book has 11 riddles, each one a clue to the owl’s secret location, setting off what would become the...

It might only affect between 0.3% and 0.6% of the population, but still public awareness of kleptomania is pretty strong. It’s come to our attention through portrayals in films and TV series over the years, as well as real-life examples of Hollywood celebrities being prone to it despite all their riches. So the chances are you already know that kleptomania is a behavioural disorder which sees peop...

A few months ago we ran an episode on how long people have sex for, and referenced an American study from the 2000s which found that the ideal length for most people is between 7 and 13 minutes. Now that’s probably less than what a lot of you might think, but it’s proof that quick sex can often be just as satisfying as a drawn out love-making session. And let’s be honest - often we don’t really ha...

Figuring out how well the economy is doing might seem like the preserve of those working in big accounting firms or financial institutions, dealing with complicated graphs and calculations on a daily basis. But in reality, we’re exposed to certain clues going about our everyday lives, without even realising that they offer insight into our spending habits. An interesting example to look out for is...

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...

Paracetamol, a staple in UK households, is widely available over the counter and commonly used to alleviate headaches, toothaches, joint pain, flu symptoms, menstrual pain, and fever. In the UK, paracetamol is one of the most frequently used painkillers. The British Medical Journal reports that from April 2022 to March 2023, 16 million prescriptions for paracetamol were dispensed in England alone....

Ever since the 1960s, the minimalist movement has been captivating art and interior design enthusiasts. It’s all about simplicity, emphasising a return to the essentials, and encouraging us to let go of our attachment to material things as far as possible.  If you tend to struggle with clutter in your home environment, the 12-12-12 method may just be able to help you counter that problem. It was c...

Depersonalization, a dissociative psychological syndrome, can be incredibly destabilising. It often takes years for sufferers to identify it. Characterised by altered self-perception, individuals may feel dead, detached, or anaesthetised. They might not recognize themselves in the mirror and struggle to distinguish between reality and a dream. According to Stanford University School of Medicine, t...

I don’t know about your love life, but let’s be honest; for most people having sex doesn’t work out as smoothly as what you see in the movies. Not only is the act itself idealised, but so is what comes after. On screen, you tend to see couples snuggling and drifting off in each other's arms, all cosy and serene.  But what movies tend to skip over is the part where you have to slip out of bed with...

In late October 2024, thousands of musicians, actors and authors signed a protest letter against their work being used to build artificial intelligence tools. Signatories included actress Julianne Moore, Björn Ulvaeus of Abba, actor Kevin Bacon, and Radiohead.  Their main gripe is that their work is being used to train algorithms that could ultimately jeopardise their very careers. And even worse,...

Society tends to make sex all about penetration, but it really doesn’t have to be that way. Giving your partner oral sex can be an invigorating experience on its own.  Women often like to joke that men don’t know what they’re doing when they go down, so with that in mind let’s discuss some tips for giving your partner the pleasure they deserve. You have to know that every vulva is unique, and ther...

Greying hair can be triggered for a number of reasons, genetics; some people’s hair turns grey earlier than others. Stress, a recent study in mice showed that stress can cause stem cells to leave the hair follicle and migrate to other parts of the body, leaving no cells to produce melanin. Some Illnesses like thyroid disease and of course ageing. But could the days of grey hair be over? Possibly. ...

Are you more of an introvert or an extrovert? Or maybe a bit of both? While introverts often need solitude to recharge and feel more comfortable alone, extroverts thrive on interaction, seeking out social situations and sometimes feeling uneasy in isolation. These two categories are often seen as opposites, but experts at psychologue.net suggest that personality traits actually exist on a spectrum...

he last two and a half years have caused a lot of us to reassess our priorities in life. Are we really living our lives to the full? Are there new experiences that we should be trying out? Within that context, an alternative nomadic lifestyle called vanlife has seen a resurgence.  It’s been around since the 1960s, when hippies would travel across the United States in vans. But social media has mad...

“The enemy of success”; “the thief of time”; “the grave in which opportunity is buried”. Those are just three ways in which procrastination has been described in the past. And according to IE University, “several studies have linked procrastination to depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and overall poor mental health.” You may remember a while back we ran an episode on how to beat procrastinatio...

Ever feel like a grey cloud is hanging over you? Life seems a bit gloomy, and your days are dull. You’re craving a change, but you’re stuck in a rut. Well,  there is good news and  the solution might be much closer than you think. Sometimes, all it takes is tweaking one or two elements of your day to transform your life. Enter the ‘Yes Man’ technique. Where does it come from? Should You Say Yes to...

If you're aged between 30 and 40, you're part of Generation Y, also known as the ‘millennials’ You may have already said to yourself that the next generation, Gen Z, look much older than their age. Millennials grew up amid the rise of the wellness industry and numerous public health campaigns that promoted healthy living, think about the messaging around eating five fruits and vegetables a day, st...

In recent years, dating has become a lot more structured. Terms like "green flags" and "red flags" are now part of everyday language, and the criteria for evaluating potential partners have become more specific and defined. Of course, the main idea behind these colour codes is to help you figure out if someone is right for you based on how they behave. But lately even the flag system has become a...

ChatGPT is a computer program from a company called OpenAI. It along with other forms of AI are changing the way we communicate, create, and learn. They can help us with various tasks, such as writing emails, coding, designing presentations, and much more. However, to use AI effectively, we need to know how to interact with it.  How to use prompts? What are the factors you have to consider? What a...

If you were a WWE fan in the 2000s, a mere mention of the name Dave Bautista is likely to get you feeling all nostalgic. During his wrestling career, Bautista became well known for his muscular build. And even after quitting the WWE, he stayed in the spotlight, going into acting and being recognised as the “best wrestler-turned-actor” out there, according to the likes of ScreenRant, AVclub.com and...

On 10th September 2024, Kamala Harris made her presidential debate debut in Philadelphia, going head-to-head with Republican candidate Donald Trump. It was a fiery affair, and when all was said as done most observers had the sitting vice president down as having come out on top. From political columnists to casual social media commenters, Harris had everyone impressed. Just how popular has Kamala...

Do you ever feel like time is slipping through your fingers? That you had several hours to complete one or two simple tasks, but you didn't notice the clock ticking away? The problem might stem from poor time management or a tendency to procrastinate. It could also result from an inability to isolate yourself from sources of distraction. Let’s delve into a productivity strategy that could potentia...

Halloween is the only time of year when you can scare yourself silly! While some people go trick-or-treating around the neighbourhood, others prefer a thrilling film. Being scared and anxious are generally unpleasant sensations. So what’s the point of watching a film that makes you feel uncomfortable? It may seem paradoxical, but horror films are incredibly popular. According to a Statista study,...