Today I Learned

Recently, an elderly couple died after consuming pufferfish. The couple, both in their early 80s, unknowingly purchased at least two pufferfish from an online vendor. Unbeknownst to some, Pufferfish is incredibly poisonous. However, there are certain cultures that have Pufferfish as part of their cuisines. So, what’s unique about Pufferfish that make them either deadly or delicacies? Image Credit:...

Over the past few years, Cryptocurrencies have gained widespread attention, for its decentralized nature, technological potential and also because many assume that it’s a good way to make a quick buck. However, cryptocurrencies have also been associated with illegal and highly unethical activities, including money laundering and financing terrorism. But how exactly does that work? We speak to Raym...

War crimes are defined as serious violations of international humanitarian law committed during armed conflicts, including acts such as murder, torture, and deliberate targeting of civilians. But what happens when a country commits a war crime? Who do we hold accountable? And what if the one committing the crime is a global superpower? We explore this with Devasheesh Bais from the Centre for Inter...

Ghosting. That’s a phenomenon that has become increasingly prevalent in modern dating and social interactions, especially when interactions are online. But what exactly is ghosting, why do people do it and what are its impacts? Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysian-Indians are the third largest ethnic group in the country, making up about 7% of the nation’s population. But what exactly is a Malaysian-Indian? How has the identity evolved over the years? We speak to Dr Asha Rathina Pandi, a sociologist. Image Credit: Wikimedia / Creative Commons See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Imagine you’re at your high school reunion. It’s been about 15 years since you last saw your peers from school. A former classmate of yours comes up and says “Wow! You’re a professor at a university now? That’s awesome. You’ve really come a long way since your high school years, eh?” Your ex-teacher chimes in too. “Yes! You’ve changed a lot. I’m so proud of you!” You flash an awkward smile but int...

There is often a perception that feminism is a Western worldview or culture (AKA Budaya Barat). But is that really true? How do we contextualise the movement for gender equality here in the Southeast Asian region? In conjunction with International Women’s Day, we speak to Sharon A. Bong, Professor of Gender Studies at the School of Arts and Social Sciences, Monash University Malaysia. She has also...

For decades, Palestinians have suffered injustice and oppression at the hands of the violent Israeli Zionist regime. There have been many attempts to resolve this conflict peacefully, but negotiations have always fallen through. But what lies at the heart of the Israel-Palestinian conflict?  Baha Hilo, a Palestinian rights activist and educator. Since 2013 he has been focused on education on...

Nepotism – that’s a word we’ve been hearing a lot lately. Whether it's during the backlash against YB Nurul Izzah when she was appointed by Anwar Ibrahim to be his economic advisor or even when we discuss celebrity culture. But what exactly is nepotism? Is it ethical? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Persuasion is the act of convincing someone to do or believe something. But what makes some people so persuasive, while others aren’t? Why do some salespeople, for example, have the ability to sell water to fish? In this episode, we discuss Robert Cialdini’s Pre-Suasion: A Revolutionary Way to Influence and Persuade. Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The minimum wage level in Malaysia is currently at RM 1500, which isn’t even a living wage, which experts say is around RM 2700 in the Klang Valley. But it isn’t just the minimum wage. We often hear about people with bachelor’s and master’s degrees barely making a living wage. Many Malaysians, including professionals, are leaving to work in neighbouring countries, for better wages.  But why a...

There’s a new Artificial Intelligence tool in town. And if you, for example, ask it to write an essay on the pros and cons of capitalism, it’ll produce an in-depth piece for you in a matter of seconds. It can also write rap songs and poetry that would impress the likes of Tupac and Shakespeare. It’s called ChatGPT and it’s incredibly intelligent. But what is it exactly and is it going to take over...

One of the age-old debates among linguists, philosophers and even psychologists is if language can shape the way we think. Well, Sandy Clarke, who’s an author and licensed counsellor suggests that not only can language impact one’s psychology, but also one’s perception of time can impact psychology, as well. But how exactly? Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy inform...

Chances are, you’ve experienced failure at some point in your life, if not many points. Failure is heartbreaking and more often than not, the fear of failure can prevent you from pursuing dreams or trying new things. But what exactly is failure? What can it teach us? And does our understanding of failure focus too much on individuals rather than society? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy inf...

Many of us have probably experienced the wonderfully magical feeling called ‘love’ at one point or another in our lives, either romantically or otherwise. But what exactly is love? How do we put that feeling into words? Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Year’s Resolutions. It’s that time of the year again, where many of us are excitedly setting goals and dreams that we need to start pursuing from the first week of January.  But the thing about New Year’s Resolutions is, many of us also don’t stick to it after a few weeks have passed. Why does this happen? And what should we keep in mind when setting new year’s resolutions? Image Credit:...

Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim has been appointed the 10th Prime Minister of Malaysia. We discuss Anwar’s journey, from his student activist days, getting sacked by Tun Dr Mahathir, the reformasi movement and becoming the Prime Minister after 25 years of fighting tirelessly. Image Credit: EPA-EFE and MaxPixel See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

GE14 was a monumental day in Malaysian history as the people voted out the incumbent Barisan Nasional government, which had been at the helm of Malaysia for 60 years. However, the events that have transpired over the past couple of years, namely Langkah Sheraton, has made some people wonder “what did GE14 actually accomplish? Did the people change anything?” Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystud...

Many young people are feeling political apathy, not just in Malaysia, but across the globe, as well. But why is this happening and what can be done about it? We speak to Peter Beattie, who’s an expert in political psychology. Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"Do I still need to register to vote?" "Do people from Selangor only need to vote next year?" "What's the point of voting if politicians are just going to hop around?" Feeling confused on the road to GE? In this episode, we answer all your questions (well, as many as we can) about GE15 and unpack everything you need to know as a voter heading into GE15. Image Credit: EPA-EFE & Shutterstock See...

Many of us have probably been in this situation before. Our friend or partner say they have something to tell us. We hear them and then immediately chime in to give advice or suggestions, only for them to get frustrated and say “I don’t want your advice. I just want you to understand me.”  But what is the importance of active listening? We’re joined by Sandy Clarke, Licensed Counsellor. ...

In a powerful act of resistance, Iranian women are risking their lives by burning their headscarves and protesting against their government. But what sparked these protests? Will this uprising bring about a new Iran? We’re joined by Assal Rad, Research Director, National Iranian American Council. She’s also the author of ‘State of Resistance: Politics, Culture & Identity in Modern Iran.’ Image...

Many decades ago, many countries around the world, including Malaysia, declared drug abuse the biggest threat and menace to society. The solution was to start a war on drugs, as US President Nixon had pushed for. But what if the war on drugs has been a complete and catastrophic failure? On this episode, we discuss why the war on drugs has been a failure and why we should decriminalise drugs for pe...

We’re constantly exposed to fake news and bad news. So, how do we consume news media and maintain our sanity? We discuss this with Asst Prof Peter Beattie, Media Researcher, Chinese University of Hong Kong. Image credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, we live in an individualistic world, one where the term “dependence” is seen as a sign of weakness. “Self-made” has become a buzzword, especially by the rich and proponents of hustle culture. But is dependency a sign of weakness? And what does “self-made” mean, anyway? We’re joined by Sandy Clarke, licensed counsellor and author.  Image credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener...