Do you really know?

Single women in your late 20s or early 30s, has anyone ever suggested that you absolutely must find a partner or you’ll end up being a “cat lady”? What an annoying, not to mention ignorant, stereotype, right? It might be tempting to explain all that to the person saying it, but do they really deserve your attention? Let’s talk about where the cat lady character actually comes from. Isn’t there a ‘...

National Grid has warned of potential blackouts in the UK this winter, due to gas shortages. If it does happen, it would be the first time the country has seen controlled blackouts since the 1970s. The government has its Electricity Supply Emergency Code in place in case we end up in such a situation. The government plan sees rolling blackouts, with areas split into 18 different load blocks, each...

The World Health Organisation says that children between the ages of two and five should get no more than one hour of sedentary screen time per day, while children under two shouldn’t get any at all. But the general consensus is that many parents don’t enforce those guidelines, and many toddlers end up overexposed to digital devices as a result. Increasingly, early childhood professionals are repo...

According to the Office for National Statistics, the number of births in the UK continues to fall. Experts are even talking about a “baby bust”, the opposite of the “baby boom”, to describe these statistics, which have reached the lowest level since records began in 1938. One explanation for this could be that people are having children later than previous generations, leaving them with a reduced...

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...

The Diocese of Orlando, the capital city of the state of Florida, covers a large part of the state. It represents more than 400,000 Catholic residents, and believe it or not, the Moon too! According to the Code of Canon Law drafted in 1917, any newly discovered territory falls under the jurisdiction of the bishop from where the discovery expedition originated. What is the Code of Canon Law ? Who w...

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...

Have you ever found yourself in a debate with someone and realised as it goes on, that the person you’re talking to simply isn’t going to change their mind. That might be the case even if they’re expressing a controversial point of view, or saying something that goes against scientific evidence. It’s often because they’re so convinced their perspective is right that they can’t see any nuances in t...

Starchy foods should actually be part of every meal. They come in three groups: cereal-based foods like bread, rice and pasta; pulses and legumes like lentils, beans, and chickpeas; and of course, potatoes. However, some members of this food group have a notoriously high glycemic index.  What is a glycemic index? So does this mean we should avoid starchy foods? Is cooling the only way to lower the...

Slipping into sleepwear is an essential part of most people’s nighttime routine. We often do it when we’re winding down from a busy day, and it means it’s time to relax and get ready for sleep.  Whether you sleep in pyjamas, a nightgown, a t-shirt, or nothing at all, the goal is to avoid being too hot or too cold. You need to feel comfortable in loose-fitting clothes that don't constrict your body...

This kind of one-way relationship is generally between a fan and a public figure or fictional character. It’s about the feeling of familiarity or even friendship we feel for a celeb without ever actually having had any direct interaction with them. Most of the time of course, said celeb doesn’t even know we exist. After all, depending on their stature, they may have millions of fans, but there’s o...

All personal development coaches emphasise the importance of setting goals, even ones that may seem out of reach at first. Doing so not only boosts motivation but also enables gradual achievement.  Nowadays a lot of people find this kind of approach almost second nature, but others struggle with it. A fear of failure, workplace anxiety, and a lack of self-confidence can make ambition seem unattain...

Speculative science fiction really is a genre of its own. Some people love it, others find it pointless, but you can’t deny the mental gymnastics involved in imagining the future of our societies, especially when some of those predictions turn out to be right.  In that field, there are a few writers who stand out above the rest: George Orwell, Aldous Huxley, and, perhaps most famously, Isaac Asimo...

Are you someone who thrives on making decisions at work, or do you prefer to take a back seat and let others have the final say? Decisions can be a source of anxiety, even for those who generally like making them. That's especially true when the sheer quantity of decisions to be made adds up, and you've got a limited amount of time in which to make them. That happens frequently to people working i...

Even during the summer, the mere idea of taking an ice cold shower may well be enough to give you the shivers. After all, the soothing feeling of warm water running over skin is what most people prefer. But a lot of social media content creators claim to have reaped health benefits from taking cold showers. They tend to talk about blood circulation, skin quality and the immune system. So do their...

The UN’s COP26 summit is due to start this Sunday, and it’s pretty clear to most of us that climate change is the most serious threat to our health. Of course it’s a physical threat, especially to the vulnerable, due to extreme weather events like heatwaves, storms and fires, which are increasingly frequent and intense.  But we mustn’t neglect the mental impact, as fear of the future is eating awa...

According to a study published in the Journal of Thoracic Disease in 2015, 10% of all people are affected by obstructive sleep apnea. That figure rises for some population groups, like men, over-50s and overweight people.  It’s actually a mechanical disorder, rather than an illness. When we go to sleep, our muscles relax; that's totally normal. But when it comes to people affected by apnea, the so...

Distractions in the workplace are almost endless, from Slack group notifications to questions from colleagues to the dozen or more tabs you’ve got open in your browser. By the time your next meeting comes along, you realise two hours have passed and you’ve barely done any productive work at all.  Sound familiar? Thankfully there’s a method to improve your efficiency and concentration which may hel...

As thunderclouds gather and winds intensify, the decision to shut off the power becomes a critical one, balancing safety concerns with the practicalities of daily life. The risks associated with electrical installations depend on the location of your home. For example, the consequences are more severe if your home is in a rural or mountainous area, for a number of reasons. Lightning poses a signif...

She's one of the most influential women in the world. Taylor Swift, a country star in the United States who has become a global pop star, is shattering all records. She has been named the Personality of 2023, and has won Album of the Year for the record-breaking 4th time. In November 2024, Joe Biden, the President of the United States, is standing for re-election. His main opponent is still Donald...

What is restless anal syndrome? Thanks for asking!  Although the global vaccination rate reached 40% in mid-October, Covid-19 clearly hasn’t gone away for good just yet. The most common symptoms of coronavirus are mostly well-known, but it keeps surprising us with new repercussions, like restless anal syndrome for example. How did this unpleasant side effect come on? But how on earth did we get fr...

If you’re asking yourself whether cracking your knuckles is a bad thing, we'll take it as a given that you do crack your knuckles. You’ve probably also been told at some point that doing so will give you arthritis, most likely by someone already annoyed at you doing it! So, just how seriously should you be taking the know-it-alls? As you’re probably aware, many people find the noise pretty off-put...

On September 6th, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres released a 96-word statement in which he referred to “climate breakdown” having begun. It was in response to a report from the World Meteorological Organization, which highlighted the impact of record-breaking heatwaves across the globe this summer.  June, July, and August 2023 are the hottest three-month period ever recorded. The WMO says th...

For most 18-24 year olds, generative AI is already part of daily life. Research, emails, translations, summaries - AI is everywhere. Its possibilities feel endless, limited only by our imagination. But with that comes a growing skepticism, especially in schools and workplaces: “Was this really written by a person?” “Did ChatGPT write that assignment?” The good news is, there are clues that can tip...

It's back to school! DYRK is dedicating a special week to sport. Because moving and doing regular physical activity is important for our physical and mental health! Listen again to our episodes about sport! It's well known that we should all be doing half an hour of moderate physical activity every day. But sometimes our busy lifestyles make it difficult finding thirty consecutive minutes to do ex...