Do you really know?

Who are the RMT, the organisation creating massive travel disruption across the UK? The UK is set for another day of disruption on 27th July, as the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers steps up its industrial action again. In the days leading up to the planned action, the union confirmed that the strike would go ahead as negotiations hit a wall. Over 40,000 workers are  expected...

On the occasion of World Friendship Day on 30 July, Do You Really Know puts the spotlight on this feeling that everyone knows. In the age of social networks, what form does friendship take today? What are the new ways to compose together? Discover these concepts, practices and initiatives that make up today's friendship! What is fan fiction? Fan fiction refers to texts written by a fan using chara...

On the occasion of World Friendship Day on 30 July, Do You Really Know puts the spotlight on this feeling that everyone knows. In the age of social networks, what form does friendship take today? What are the new ways to compose together? Discover these concepts, practices and initiatives that make up today's friendship! What is TikTok? Social network Tiktok allows users to publish short-form mobi...

Who are the Moonies, the church with ties to Japanese politicians? The whole world was shocked by the assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in early July 2022. He was brutally shot in public while giving a speech at a campaign in the city of Nara. The attacker, a 41 year old former marine, was arrested on the spot. In the time since the assassination, some details have emerged...

What is muscle dysmorphia? Muscle dysmorphia, also known as bigorexia or reverse anorexia, is an obsession with bulking up by working out. It’s caused by a person’s belief that their body is too skinny or lacking in muscle. The term “exercise addiction” was coined by psychiatrist William Glasser in the 1970s. More recently, it has been recognized as a potentially harmful condition. This addiction...

On the occasion of World Friendship Day on 30 July, Do You Really Know puts the spotlight on this feeling that everyone knows. In the age of social networks, what form does friendship take today? What are the new ways to compose together? Discover these concepts, practices and initiatives that make up today's friendship! What is Generation Z? The term Generation Z refers to people born from around...

What are blue zones? Humans have wondered about the secrets behind longevity since the beginning of time. Well, as it turns out, the world’s five blue zones offer some revealing insight into this mystery. In these regions, people seem to live longer than in the rest of the world. Researchers have sought to understand the unique lifestyles that may be behind this phenomenon. Let’s go back to the ye...

What shady tactics have been uncovered by the Uber files leak? The chances are at some point in your life you’ve taken an Uber ride, perhaps heading home from a night out, to get to the airport or when running late for work for example. The company’s rise to prominence over the last decade has been staggering, and it’s now worth over $40 billion.  But the ride-sharing tech giant has had its fair s...

Is running actually bad for our joints and bones? Running is one of the most common forms of exercise, and it makes sense when you think about it. You can do it more or less anywhere and equipment costs are relatively low. But many people say running is bad for the human body, whether it be the back, knees or just bones in general. It’s often associated with an increased risk of developing osteoar...

Is drinking decaf bad for my health? Coffee is one of the most popular drinks in the world, with an average of 98 million cups consumed in the UK every day, according to the British Coffee Association. In moderation, there are plenty of benefits to be gained from drinking coffee, but there can also be some negative side effects, in particular due to its caffeine content. Decaf is an alternative, b...

What are tiny forests? Over the last few years, citizens have been planting tiny forests in towns and country settings. There are now over 2,000 across the world, all inspired by the Miyawaki method and designed to help prevent the collapse of biodiversity. Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki was born in 1928. While studying seeds and natural forests, he observed that the vast majority of Japanese fo...

What is the dangerous Blackout challenge on Tiktok?   Just last month, the parents of two deceased American girls decided to sue social network Tiktok. Lalani Erike Renee Walton and Arriani Jaileen Aroyo, aged eight and nine respectively, died in late 2021 while attempting the so-called Blackout Challenge. Their parents are arguing that Tiktok’s algorithm was designed to serve up the kind of dange...

How can heatwaves impact our mental health?   The word heatwave is on everybody’s lips, with record temperatures expected in the UK this Tuesday, and the government having issued its first ever national emergency red alert for heat. It’s expected that hundreds or even thousands of excess deaths will be recorded. We’re all aware of the physical risks associated with extreme heat, like dehydration a...

What is tokenism? Have you ever got the feeling a company or organisation is preaching equality, but it all feels a bit fake? Well, you may be witnessing what’s known as tokenism. It’s a societal practice which is designed to prevent accusations of discrimination. It involves recruiting members of underrepresented groups to give an impression of equality. But more often than not, it’s easy to see...

Who invented emojis? We all know them and use them; so today let’s celebrate them. World Emoji Day falls on 17th July. Yes that’s right, a day has been set aside for honouring the little pictograms we use to brighten up our digital messaging exchanges. You can find them in emails, messaging apps, and on social media. Everywhere really. But we’re so used to them that we don’t really think about who...

What is the insider-outsider theory? The insider-outsider theory is a New Keynesian economic model which developed in the 1980s, explaining certain disparities in the job market. Insiders are those who already have a job in a company, most of the time a permanent contract and having undergone expensive training. Meanwhile, outsiders are those with unstable jobs or unemployed. The theory considers...

How can I get the most out of daytime napping? Studies have repeatedly shown that human sleep quality is deteriorating year after year, for a number of reasons, including workaholic lifestyles and rising global temperatures. Daytime napping shouldn't be seen as a replacement for insufficient nighttime sleep, but there are a number of health benefits nevertheless. It’s actually pretty natural for o...

Why do we love hate-watching certain films and series? Matchmaking reality TV show Love Island is a guilty pleasure for many of us, and it’s back on TV screens for the summer. The latest group of contestants have entered the villa, aiming to couple up and take home the £50,000 main prize. Love Island is a typical example of a show that people love to hate-watch. The practice has become more and mo...

How did Better Call Saul nearly become a sitcom? It’s somewhat of an event in the world of series. The five-episode final season of Better Call Saul was released earlier this week on Netflix. If you’re anything like us, you’ve been closely following the moral dilemmas of nice guy Jimmy McGill as he turns into shady lawyer Saul Goodman. So if you haven’t already binged your way through the final ep...

What is the Big Quit? Remember our episode on #QuitMyJob, about thousands of Americans publicly quitting their jobs on TikTok? Since then, the phenomenon has continued gaining momentum in the United States under a new name: the Great Resignation, or the Big Quit. According to a report published by the US Department of Labour on October 13, 2021, this August alone saw 4.3 million resignations natio...

How can the unisex condom improve my sex life? It was widely expected that the condom industry would thrive throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, but to many people’s surprise, it actually struggled. Malaysian world number one Karex actually lost 50% of its stock value. And talking of Malaysia, the country has seen a remarkable development in the field of gynecology, with Dr John Tang Ing Chinh creati...

What is citizen science, the concept opening up research to the general public? Also known as community science, citizen science is the active participation of amateurs or non-professional scientists in research. In recent years, it’s grown in a number of fields, becoming bigger and more networked thanks to new technologies and connectivity. It’s a link between professional researchers and volunte...

What is OPEC? The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries is an international cartel currently made up of thirteen member states. Over the years, it has played an important role in the global economy, coordinating the petroleum policies of its members. But right now, its influence is waning, due in no small part to the Covid-19 pandemic. OPEC was created in 1960 in Baghdad. At the time,...

What are the benefits of slow sex? We all know that having sex is a great form of stress relief. It releases pleasure hormones, like endorphins and oxytocin, also reinforcing the cardiovascular and immune systems. But slow sex may be a way of further enhancing pleasure and allowing you to fully savor the multi-sensory experience that is good sex. It doesn’t have to be a race to the finish line! Ho...

What are the latest advances in lung cancer treatment? In April 2022, findings from the large scale CheckMate 816 clinical trial were presented to the American Association for Cancer Research. The trial looked into the effectiveness of immunotherapy drug Nivolumab, combined with chemotherapy to treat lung cancer patients. The findings were promising, showing that this particular treatment combinat...