Do you really know?

The world of cinema is full of films and sagas which leave their mark on a generation, sometimes becoming cult films. And another phenomenon is becoming more and more common: that of the spin off. Spin-off films involve the creation of a new work based on the original, focusing on the story of a secondary character. There are a number of reasons why directors and screenwriters have chosen to carry...

In this day and age, it’s common to feel stressed every day, even right through to the evening. Have you ever struggled to lower your stress levels when it comes to bedtime, and taken a long while to fall asleep as a result? The worry of not getting enough sleep then just gets you even more frustrated; it’s a vicious circle. If you’re falling victim to anxiety and fatigue for that reason, it’s tim...

The Green Belt is a policy for controlling urban growth in the United Kingdom. It refers to a ring of countryside where urbanisation will be resisted for the foreseeable future, maintaining an area where local food growing, forestry and outdoor leisure can be expected to prevail. The Green Belt policy was first introduced in 1935 by the Greater London Regional Planning Committee, and now covers 14...

You may not have realised, but tomorrow sees the first full moon of 2024, and there are actually a whole host of popular beliefs associated with this occurrence. For example, some people say that there are more births on evenings with a full moon. Others believe that the moon has an influence on our sleep, dreams, mood and even menstrual cycle for women. The moon and its potential interactions wit...

"Love is abundant, and every relationship is unique." That might not seem like the most controversial of statements, but it’s actually the first point of The short instructional manifesto for relationship anarchy, originally written in Swedish by blogger Andie Nordgren back in 2006.  Just as political anarchy sees all rules and authority thrown out of the window, relationship anarchy rewrites the...

Assisted dying is the term used to describe the practice of helping a person who is terminally ill or suffering from an incurable condition to end their own life, usually by providing them with the means to do so, such as lethal drugs. It is currently illegal in the UK under the Suicide Act 1961, which makes it a criminal offence to assist or encourage another person to commit suicide. The maximum...

Artificial intelligence really came to the fore in 2023, with chatGPT in particular gaining global recognition, and being used by many people on a daily basis for assistance and entertainment. Despite the recent hype, the idea of AI is nothing new. In fact, you can trace its roots back to the time of World War II, and Alan Turing’s enigma cracking machine. But you can’t deny that these days a real...

"May all your delulu come trululu, because being delulu is the solulu." The clip you just listened to comes from American influencer Bianca Bernardo on Tiktok, and it’s had over 2/3 million views at the time of recording. If you’re wondering what the heck those crazy words mean, it’s best summed up as saying: “may all your fantasies turn into reality”.  Indeed, the delulu hashtag has racked up ove...

I don’t know about you, but I find that there’s something about the seaside air which just always makes me relax and puts me in a better mood. As it turns out, that might be more than just my impression. A study conducted by the University of Vienna and published in May 2022 established that living near the sea can have significant effects on health and life expectancy.  Now the idea is not exactl...

The subject of today’s episode is a form of technology that’s halfway between artificial intelligence and blockchain. What’s more, American technology consulting company Gartner included it in its list of the Top 10 Strategic Technology Trends for 2024. The word is a combination of "customer" and "robot." Gartner say that custobot systems are capable of autonomously negotiating and purchasing good...

You might think that working for the Queen or any other member of the Royal family is a glamorous and prestigious job, but not all positions within the British Royal Household are as glamorous as they sound. Some of them are downright weird, and some of them no longer exist. An exhibition opening in Kensington palace from March ‘Untold Lives: A Palace at Work’ hopes to bring to life these forgotte...

It's pretty common these days to have to tackle several things at once, like responding to an email while on a work call. Our constant pursuit of productivity leads us to mix various activities simultaneously, whether it's at work, home, or even at school for kids. This blending of at least two tasks at the same time is commonly known as multitasking. When you focus on something that you’re doing...

You may well be familiar with Oxford University Press, and its annual “word of the year"  award. Regular listeners may remember that the 2022 word of the year was "goblin mode," as we ran a dedicated episode on the topic around a year ago. Now for the 2023 award, "swifties," "situationship," and "prompt" were among the final four terms in the running. But those three fell just short. Drumroll, ple...

The Honours list is a way of recognising people who have made achievements in public life or committed themselves to serving and helping the UK. The honours system is overseen by the Cabinet Office and the King approves the final list of recipients. There are different types of honours, such as knighthoods, damehoods, orders of the British Empire, and medals.  Anyone can nominate someone for an ho...

Do you ever feel bad about swearing out of frustration? You know, when someone cuts in front of you while you're driving, you stub your toe or you accidentally delete an important file from your phone or PC.  Well its understandable if you want to keep your emotions under control, or not set a bad example to any children around you. But maybe you shouldn't actually feel bad. It turns out that sayi...

According to recent data from personal finance website NimbleFins, the average British family of four spent around £4,678 for a 9-night holiday abroad in 2023. And of that total amount, £1,828 went towards flights, nearly 40%, reflecting the reality that air fares still account for a high proportion of the total cost of a holiday.  And experts say that flight prices are set to continue rising in t...

We've talked about a few gimmick diets in the past on Do You Really Know, and here's another one: the "baby food" diet. Now you may not have heard of it, but it has gained popularity among celebrities worldwide. Rumours have abound in the past suggesting that stars like Jennifer Aniston, Lady Gaga, and Cheryl Cole were embracing it, Due to the quick slimming it promises through low-calorie meals....

For a number of years now, our smartphones have played a central role in many aspects of our lives, from work to personal relationships to entertainment. There’s a close and sometimes addictive connection.  Just think of doomscrolling for example, which is a phenomenon we’ve discussed in the past on Do You Really Know. It’s a form of behaviour which sees us compulsively scrolling through depressin...

You may have seen it on the news, on social media, or even on the tube: hundreds of people riding the underground with no trousers on, in the middle of winter. On Sunday the 7th of December London commuters braved the cold to strip off to their underwear for this unusual event. The No Trousers Tube Ride, as it is officially called, is an annual event that takes place on the first Sunday of January...

Let’s be honest; who among us doesn’t daydream about having saving money effortlessly? The new year period is often synonymous with ambitious resolutions, but let's face it: they can be tough to stick to, especially when it comes to money.  The hard part isn’t only having enough money coming in to set some aside; being organised enough to do is also a challenge. So let’s introduce a simple and qui...

Did you know that each of us has a truly unique body odour, which is influenced by a mix of genetic, hormonal, age-related, environmental, and lifestyle factor? And your diet plays a role in shaping your natural scent. Some foods have their own noticeably strong odours, like garlic or onions for example, and can in turn cause us to sweat more. The same goes for spices and chili, which makes sense...

The SPOTY award is the main prize of an annual ceremony organised by the BBC. It was created in 1954 by Paul Fox, who was the editor of a sports magazine show called Sportsview. The idea was to honour the sportsperson who had achieved the most that year, as voted by the public. The first winner was Christopher Chataway, a runner who beat Roger Bannister, the first man to run a mile in under four m...

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...

Are you feeling the chills, a scratchy throat, and a non-stop runny nose? Winter brings the cold bug everywhere – in public transport, at work, and even at home. Coughs and sneezes all around! Getting a stuffy nose is another annoying symptom that can keep us tossing and turning at night. But surprisingly, it's a crucial mechanism for keeping us healthy. To combat the situation, our body produces...

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...