Do you really know?

What is a drive-in? Thanks for asking! As the name suggests, drive-ins allow visitors to watch a movie being projected onto a large screen, from the comfort of their own car. The fun activity is making an unexpected comeback in the coronavirus pandemic era, as its outdoor nature is suited to physical distancing requirements. There have been reports of tickets selling out in minutes for many screen...

What is a Chief Happiness Officer? Thanks for asking! If you search on Google for Chief Happiness Officer positions, you’ll only find around 700 results. While not widespread just yet, the popularity of such a role is definitely on the rise, as more and more companies look to ensure their workers are kept happy. When was born this concept? The concept was born in Silicon Valley, but you can now fi...

What is Snapchat dysmorphia? Thanks for asking! Snapchat dysmorphia is a mental health condition linked to the excessive use of filters and effects on social media apps. In extreme cases users become so accustomed to seeing a transformed version of their face through selfies, that they want to get surgery to look more like their virtual self. This phenomenon is causing concern among plastic surgeo...

What is corona shaming? Thanks for asking! Corona shaming is one of many trends to emerge during the coronavirus pandemic. Many are frustrated by others apparently not respecting public health guidelines like social distancing, lockdown rules and wearing masks. Most people have had no trouble following the rules, but it seems to have been more difficult for some. It could be a neighbour, a random...

What is Kawasaki Disease? Thanks for asking! The general consensus was that children were relatively safe from COVID-19. But since late April, a number of coronavirus-positive children have been admitted to hospital with strange symptoms, resembling those of Kawasaki Disease. How and when Kawasaki Disease was discovered ? The condition was discovered by Tomisaku Kawasaki in late 1960s Japan. It af...

What is the welfare state? Thanks for asking! The term welfare state refers to measures taken by governments to promote the well-being of the population. This usually takes the form of grants, pensions and benefits, especially for those who have the greatest financial needs. In COVID-19 pandemic times, economies all around the world have been hit hard, and many people are asking whether states sho...

What is locavorism? Thanks for asking! Just like a carnivore eats meat and a frugivore feeds mainly on fruit, locavores are people who commit to a diet consisting only or principally of local food. The reasoning locavores give for their choice of lifestyle is that foods produced locally are healthier, as well as creating environmental, economic and community benefits. During coronavirus lockdowns,...

What is anosmia? Thanks for asking! Anosmia is the clinical name for a complete loss of the sense of smell. Awareness of the disorder is somewhat low, and there is no known cure. But as many as 5% of people are impacted. With odor being intrinsically linked to taste, most sufferers also have some kind of alteration to their sense of taste. Permanent anosmia can be brought on by damage to olfactory...

What is a webinar? Thanks for asking! A webinar is a type of web conferencing, generally taking the form of a workshop, lecture or presentation. If office workers weren’t already familiar with webinars before the coronavirus pandemic, the overwhelming majority are now. That’s due to remote working practices brought on by lockdown measures in many countries. How the term webinar was born? The term...

What is zumping? Thanks for asking! Zumping is one of many new words to be invented since the start of the Coronavirus pandemic. It refers to the practice of getting dumped, or dumping someone, on video call app Zoom. Perhaps the first to talk about American journalist Julia Moser. Her tweet from April 10th asked: “Am I the first person who’s been dumped via Zoom”? Since then her tweet has been re...

What are corona bonds? Thanks for asking! A political crisis is currently emerging in Europe, and it’s down to Corona bonds. The term is derived from eurobonds, which were joint bonds issued during the debt crisis at the start of the last decade. The idea is that investors loan money to the entire Eurozone bloc, which is then forwarded to individual states. It’s been a divisive issue in the past,...

What is tocilizumab? Thanks for asking! Tocilizumab is a prescription drug used to treat rheumatoid arthritis patients in over 100 countries. It’s administered by intravenous infusion in medical centres and hospitals, or by subcutaneous injection, which patients can carry out at home. In some cases, it has shown potential effectiveness in treating critically ill covid-19 patients. What is the powe...

What is mass testing? Thanks for asking! The benefit of screening for diseases is to enable early diagnosis when a person is asymptomatic. That’s the case for a large proportion of those infected with COVID-19, which is why mass testing is being championed as a solution to slow the spread of the disease. With lockdown measures being eased in many places, there’s a risk of the coronavirus circulati...

What is an FFP2 mask? Thanks for asking! You likely hadn’t heard of FFP2 masks in pre-COVID-19 days, but they are in huge demand right now. The FFP abbreviation stands for filtering facepiece, which pretty much explains the purpose of such a mask. They are also known as respiratory protection masks and cover half of the face, specifically the chin, nose and mouth. FFP2 masks filter dust particles...

What is social distancing? Thanks for asking! The term social distancing refers to measures taken to reduce physical contact between people to a minimum. The aim is to stop a contagious disease from spreading, in cases such as the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.  This can be done by ordering citizens to avoid shaking hands for example. Or in more extreme circumstances, people must stay a minimum distance...

What is herd immunity? Thanks for asking! Also known as community immunity, herd immunity is an indirect form of protection against an infectious disease. It occurs when a high enough percentage of the population has acquired immunity either naturally or through vaccination. This then prevents the spread of the disease, protecting those who are not yet immune. Herd immunity is generally beneficial...

What is the World Health Organization? Thanks for asking! The World Health Organization is a United Nations agency that is responsible for international public health. In the case of a global health pandemic, such as the ongoing Coronavirus crisis, the WHO has a central role in coordinating the response plan. However, some people have called into question its effectiveness. When the World Health O...

What are tracking apps? Thanks for asking! Exceptional times call for exceptional measures, as they say. Tracking apps are now being used by governments to combat the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. In several countries, they are already live, while elsewhere, the apps are still at the development stage. Despite the obvious importance of stemming the spread of the virus, there has been much debate abou...

What is care work? Thanks for asking! This subcategory of the workforce includes jobs that provide services to other people. Despite doing work that is physically and emotionally demanding, care workers have long been underpaid and underappreciated in society.  But since the start of the covid-19 pandemic, they have been widely hailed as heroes. In many countries, citizens under lockdown have been...

What is a lockdown? Thanks for asking! It’s estimated that up to 50% of the world’s population has been under some form of lockdown since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak. Governments have imposed these measures to reduce physical contact and stop the disease from spreading. The current lockdown in India, which has a population of 1.3 billion people, is reported to be the largest in human hi...

What is HouseParty? Thanks for asking HouseParty is a video chat app that was created in the United States in 2016 and became particularly popular among millennials. Those who download it use it for an average of 51 minutes per day. That’s comparable to Facebook and higher than other popular apps like Instagram, Messenger and Snapchat.  The current coronavirus-related lockdowns have led to a resur...

What are neobanks? Neobanks are 100% digital. They run exclusively through mobile apps, with no brick-and-mortar premises. They offer customers a user-first design, and promise low cost banking operations. There are more and more neobanks around, drawing in millions of users and rivalling traditional banks, although they don’t technically hold the same status.  Don’t confuse neobanks with digital...

What is chloroquine? Thanks for asking! Chloroquine is a prescription drug which has been used for many decades to treat malaria. It’s included on the World Health Organization’s list of essential medicines, which means it should be kept widely available at an affordable price for all.  Due to its antiviral properties, it has been getting a lot of attention from medical researchers as a potential...

What are conlangers? Thanks for asking ! A conlanger is a person who creates one or more constructed languages. These are different to most languages in that they are devised for a particular purpose, rather than evolving naturally. Most notable examples come from science fiction or fantasy franchises, like Lord of the Rings and Star Trek. Their depicted characters often communicate in constructed...

What is anthropomorphism? Anthropomorphism means transferring human forms or emotions onto animals and other non-human entities. It has its origins in ancient mythology, where deities were often represented with human forms and qualities. Think of many ancient Roman or Greek gods; when they weren’t fighting battles on horseback, they were at home falling in love, getting married and having childre...