Do you really know?

What is mom shaming ? Just like with body shaming or slut shaming, mom shaming is another example of how women are often subjected to disproportionate criticism, and made to feel guilty about their choices, in this case specifically about parenting methods. The term refers to how mothers are criticised or even humiliated, for the way they bring up their children and fulfil their role as a mother....

What is cultured meat? The world’s ever-growing human population is eating meat in greater quantities than ever before. Yet at the same time, we’re also increasingly conscious of the environmental impact, as well as ethical issues around animal slaughter.  So imagine if you could eat meat without any animals being harmed, and with 96% less greenhouse gas emissions! Well, that is actually possible...

What is Top Gun ? 36 years on from his breakthrough performance in the original Top Gun film, Tom Cruise is back to star as Pete Mitchell in follow-up Top Gun: Maverick, which hit cinemas at the end of last week. Let’s look back at how the original, directed by Tony Scott in 1986, became a cult film and has remained relevant in popular culture to this day. Of course the challenge now is for Top Gu...

Yesterday, on may 28, was the menstrual hygiene day. We wanted to bring awarness on period poverty. What is period poverty? Menstrual hygiene products are an essential expense, but many women on low incomes find that the cost is out of their reach. This is known as period poverty and it affects more people than you might think, even in developed countries. A survey in the UK found that over 40% of...

What is the Cannes Film Festival ? Every year in May, film stars and fans flock to the French city of Cannes for a 10-day celebration of cinema, or as it’s referred to in the host country, “the seventh art”. Well, not quite every year; just like many large events, the Cannes film festival has had to adapt over the last couple of years. The 2021 event took place in August, while in 2020 it had to b...

What is Fortnite? This multi-player battle royale game first came out on PC, Playstation 4 and Xbox One in September 2017, before being adapted for other formats like mobile or the Nintendo Switch in 2018. As of November 2017, Fortnite already had 20 million players. A real boom followed in 2018 and 2019. By June the following year, there were over 125 million, and in May 2020 the game’s official...

What is dawn dating ? Dating practices evolve over time along with our ways of life. Over the last two years, Covid-19 restrictions and remote work have had a huge impact on the love lives of singletons all across the world. All of a sudden, it was much less practical to meet a potential suitor face to face. As a result dates became few and far between for many. Now of course, in-person interactio...

Who is Quentin Tarantino? What’s your favourite Tarantino film? Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs, Kill Bill, Inglorious Bastards or perhaps Django Unchained? Every last one of his releases have had a huge impact. They’ve often been big hits among critics and popular opinion. So his recent confirmation of plans to retire following his next film has understandably drawn a lot of attention in the world o...

What is Stan Culture ? Little did Eminem know when he invented obsessed super fan Stan for a track on The Marshall Mathers LP in 2000, that over two decades later the term would still be used, albeit with a twist. The fictional fan Eminem wrote about ended up killing himself and his pregnant wife when his favourite rapper never replied to his letters. Nowadays, the term mostly refers to hardcore f...

What is an IPA ? India Pale Ales stand out through their golden to amber colours, distinct bitterness and fruitiness. Why such characteristics? Well, it’s all down to hops actually, which are used in greater quantities when brewing IPAs. The name is actually a little misleading, in that it doesn't mean that the beer was brewed in India at all. Rather it refers to the fact that in the 18th century,...

Who is Guillermo Del Toro? On January 21st, Nightmare Alley, the new psychological thriller from Guillermo del Toro, hit UK cinemas. Let’s pay tribute to a truly extraordinary director, novelist, producer, and screenwriter. Believe it or not, the Mexican hadn't released a single film since 2017 before Nightmare Alley. That was The Shape of Water, which won Best Picture and Best Director awards at...

What is Naruto ? This award-winning manga series first appeared in magazine form in 1999, published in the weekly Shonen Jump. A total of 72 volumes would be published over the next 15 years, selling a combined 250 million copies and making Naruto the fourth best selling manga of all time. But the franchise also quickly expanded from 2002 onwards, to include two animated series, with over 700 epis...

What is Lego? Danish toy brand Lego may be celebrating its 90th anniversary in 2022, but it’s showing no signs of slowing down! An average of 31 billion bricks are sold each year around the world, and the company appeals to a wide range of people. While children love to play with it, adults tend to collect it. How did Lego start out ? How did Lego stay so strong over the years? What about Lego's e...

What is the Rubik’s Cube ? Whether you find it infuriating or stimulating, you'll almost certainly recognise a Rubik's Cube as soon as you see it. The multicoloured, six-sided brainteaser has been among the most popular toys in the world for decades now, with over 350 million units sold as of 2019 according to Business Insider. Who invented the Rubik’s Cube ? There can't have been that much fuss a...

What is the fertility cliff? The ability of a woman to get pregnant and give birth doesn’t last forever. 35 has traditionally been seen as a fertility cliff, a kind of cut-off point after which it becomes much more difficult to have a child. Women in their early 30s and even late 20s often feel under pressure from their families or society, like they are losing a race against their biological cloc...

What is a sex fast? Most often when we talk about a fast, we’re referring to going without food for a period of time, perhaps for religious reasons. But the same concept can apply to sex too. That’s right, the trend of sex fasts has been getting a lot of attention in the last couple of months. That’s largely down to Kourtney Kardashian, who has been one of the method’s main advocates. The star tol...

What is Housing First ? The Housing First policy was thought out to combat homelessness. It emerged in the 1990s, first trialled by New York not-for-profit organisation Pathways to Housing. After the turn of the century, it picked up further momentum, gradually going on to become part of government policy in the United States and then elsewhere. It has also been championed by the European Commissi...

What is Extinction Rebellion ? This environmental movement was created in England just a few years ago in October 2018, but quickly spread all across the world. Extinction Rebellion’s aim is to compel governments to take action against global warming and environmental collapse. It’s earned a reputation as a radical organisation, due to its disobedience and disruption tactics. But only using non-vi...

Today, the Cannes Film Festival begins. For this occasion, we wanted to talk about the perfect snack to eat while watching a film. What is popcorn ? It’s not the most widely celebrated date on the calendar, but National Popcorn Day falls on January 19th each year.  Popcorn actually got some rare negative press recently, with France temporarily banning drinks and snacks from cinemas to protect agai...

What is Dawson’s Creek ? If you were born in the 80s or 90s, the chances are you could be answering this question instead of me! Dawson’s Creek was a huge cult hit among millennials. It was pretty much the ultimate 90s teen series. It tells the lives of Dawson, Jen, Pacey and Joey, four teens living in the fictional town of Capeside. They were played by James Vanderbeck, Michelle Williams, Joshua...

Who is Andy Warhol? Ryan Murphy, the creator behind hit series such as Glee and American Horror Story, has now tackled a legendary figure of pop culture through his latest project. Docuseries The Andy Warhol Diaries went live on Netflix on the 9th of March. Viewers can explore the fascinating story of American artist Andy Warhol, a man who was certainly a leading figure in pop art, and is credited...

What is a bioregion ? All over the world, our administrative regions tend to have exclusive competencies, like running schools, public transport, professional training, economic development, fund management and land planning. Areas are defined by political boundaries, rather than the ecological system where they’re situated. But in recent years, an environmental alternative has slowly been gaining...

What is fluxus ? There are artistic movements which we’ve all heard of at least once, whether it be at school, in a museum or watching a cultural show on TV. But at the same time, it can be difficult to define them, and that’s why we’re here to help. Today we’re going to shed light on a 1960s anti-art movement known as fluxus. What anti-art is ? And how does that relate to the fluxus movement ? So...

What is mirror work ? It’s not easy to learn to love yourself and have good self-esteem. But here’s the good news: it is possible to work at it. That’s the main premise behind positive psychology and personal development at least. One particular new thought method from the United States has gained a significant following; it’s known as mirror work. Who invented mirror work then ? And what does the...

On April 25th, Elon Musk struck a deal to buy Twitter for $44 billion. What is Starlink? While the Space Race makes us think back to the 20th century, some billionaires are dreaming of ruling space in 2020. In particular Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, who’s planning to send tens of thousands of satellites into orbit in coming years. The name of the project is Starlink and the goal is to deliver high...