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Get balanced coverage with Symby. See how stories are covered across diverse outlets and spot when one side covers a story the other skips.

PODCAST

Do you really know?

You’ve heard about it, but do you really know it? In 3 minutes, we help you understand the true meaning behind the trends, concepts and acronyms that are making headlines. After listening, you will really know for sure.

education

All Episodes

4:58

Why do we get memory lapses?

Do you really know? ·

2026/02/18

According to research published in The BMJ in 2002, around 40% of people experience some age-associated memory impairment after reaching 65. Thankfully only 1% of those affected will then go on to have dementia each year.But still, it’s important to be aware of how effective your memory is, whatever your age. An impairment can be a sign of cognitive decline, which becomes more likely the older we get. How does our memory actually work? What happens when we have a memory lapse then? In under 3

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5:20

What does eating junk food do to our brains?

Do you really know? ·

2026/02/18

We all know about the physical consequences of having an unbalanced diet, and one that includes a lot of junk food in particular. In the short term eating lots of it can lead a person to put on weight and see their blood pressure increase, while it can also potentially lead to long-term conditions like diabetes or heart disease. But studies are increasingly clear on the fact that junk food can also impair our brain functions, particularly memory. Scientists have not yet fully explained this

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4:36

Why should I avoid showering after a workout?

Do you really know? ·

2026/02/18

Because moving and doing regular physical activity is important for our physical and mental health! Listen again to our episodes about sport! After an intense and sweaty workout, the first thing most of us want to do is jump into the shower to relax our muscles and wash off the sweat. However, that’s not actually the best idea. Showering too soon after a workout can have harmful effects on our health. Really? Like what? Is it better to take a hot or cold shower? In under 3 minutes, we answer your

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4:20

What is the Fermi paradox?

Do you really know? ·

2026/02/17

Have you ever felt tiny when contemplating the vast, 14-billion-year-old universe? Maybe you’ve wondered, “Is there another form of intelligence out there, pondering the same questions I am?” This thought often leads to another: “If the universe is infinite, there must be other forms of life! So why don’t we have any proof?” Congratulations, you’ve just stumbled upon the Fermi Paradox! What is the Fermi paradox? Who is Fermi? What’s the point of posing this paradox? In under 3 minutes, we answer

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4:39

Do we really need to eat more during winter?

Do you really know? ·

2026/02/17

Whether it's a reflex, a craving, or a belief in its necessity, people often find themselves snacking more in winter, or opting for heartier meals than usual. And it's been backed up by scientific studies. For example, a 2006 Massachusetts study found that we eat an average of 86 more calories per day in winter. And While it's true that colder temperatures make us burn more calories, the difference is actually quite minimal. When it's chilly outside, our metabolism works harder to keep our body at

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4:05

How can my partner and I get better sleep together?

Do you really know? ·

2026/02/17

If your partner is constantly snoring, hogging the blanket, or tossing and turning every five minutes, and you're finding it increasingly challenging to share a bed, know that you're not alone. A 2017 study revealed that while 50% of those surveyed claim to sleep as a couple, 41% prefer solo slumber, and 54% feel sleep-deprived. There are some tricks to make co-sleeping more manageable. First off, it's crucial to pick the right bed. Mattresses now come in a much wider range of sizes than before

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5:49

How can you beat bad breath?

Do you really know? ·

2026/02/16

“Good manners and bad breath get you nowhere”, sang Elvis Costello in his 1981 hit New Lace Sleeves. And it’s true that halitosis, the scientific term for bad breath, can become a real source of shame and embarrassment when you realise or suspect you have it. What’s more, brushing your teeth properly twice a day won’t necessarily stop it from happening to you. And neither will the chewing gum, mints or dissolving strips that are often marketed to us as breath-freshening in order to build on our

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5:12

What is kinkeeping, the invisible workload often done...

Do you really know? ·

2026/02/16

You might not be familiar with the term ‘kinkeeping’, but the chances are you’ve benefited from it at some point in your life, in particular as a child but also in adulthood if you’re a man. It refers to the household or family tasks that are subconsciously assigned to women due to their gender. Of course, it’s pretty much equivalent to unpaid labour, and a lot of the time is taken for granted, going without any credit or even thanks. American sociologist Carolyn J. Rosenthal coined the term in

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4:45

What is Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome?

Do you really know? ·

2026/02/16

According to the World Health Organisation, harmful use of alcohol accounts for 3 million deaths each year. Indeed, it’s the third leading cause of preventable death, and causes a large burden for societies across the world. Of course regular alcohol consumption doesn’t always kill, but it can lead to other health problems, including neurological disorders. Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome is one such example. It’s the combination of Wernicke encephalopathy and Korsakoff Syndrome. Both are linked to

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4:30

What impact does your first love have on the rest of...

Do you really know? ·

2026/02/14

Most of us never really forget the person who first made our heart race or that awkward, wonderful, or maybe disappointing teenage kiss. Whether it was magic or a mess, that first experience often leaves a mark that shapes the way we see relationships as adults. How can one relationship have such a lasting effect? So, do we keep comparing every relationship to that first one? Does it matter if that first relationship was happy or painful? And what happens if your first love was a positive

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4:41

What's the best way to argue with friends and family?

Do you really know? ·

2026/02/13

Whether it starts over a sock left on the floor or a political debate that erupts a little too early at the holiday table, conflict is part of life. It’s not that we argue all the time, it’s that these moments stick with us. Sometimes they clear the air and help us grow; sometimes they shut us down and leave resentment simmering for years. So it’s worth knowing how to argue well. What actually makes something an argument? Do we really need to tell our loved ones everything? Can arguing be a sign

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4:41

What is the Romeo and Juliet effect?

Do you really know? ·

2026/02/12

When someone tells you not to do something it often becomes even more tempting, which is why, as a teenager, when your parents forbade you from seeing a certain boyfriend or girlfriend you felt even more passionate about them. Now psychologist have looked into what causes this so-called ‘Romeo and Juliet effect’.Psychologists at the University of Colorado chose the name of Shakespeare's play following an experiment which was conducted in 1972. In the sixteenth-century play, the two protagonists,

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4:34

What’s the Tinder Paradox ?

Do you really know? ·

2026/02/12

It’s a quiet Sunday evening, and you’re scrolling through Tinder, swiping left and right. Unlike the endless upward scroll of social networks, Tinder feels more like a slot machine. Swipe, swipe, and then — ding ! A match. A new game begins. But will this match lead to a true love story? Probably not. And that’s the crux of what digital scientist Aurélie Jean calls the Tinder paradox. Aurélie Jean argues that these platforms aren’t designed to help you find love — because if they succeeded, you’d

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4:52

What are energy vampires?

Do you really know? ·

2026/02/11

Have you ever noticed how certain people just seem to drain your emotional energy any time you see or speak to them? It could be a work colleague, a friend, a neighbour or even your partner.Maybe you’ve shrugged it off, telling yourself that’s just how that person is and that they need to lean on you for support. The chances are you could be dealing with an energy vampire without knowing. What do energy vampires feed on? How do energy vampire relationships start? How can you protect yourself from

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5:15

Is there really such a thing as love at first sight?

Do you really know? ·

2026/02/11

Have you ever fallen head over heels for someone as soon as you met them? It certainly doesn’t happen to us on a regular basis, but it’s pretty common for a person to say they’ve experienced love at first sight at some point in their lives. Psychcentral.com references a a survey of over 5,000 adults, which found that four in ten of them had had a love-at-first-sight experience, while psychologist Susan Albers has been quoted by various sources saying that as many as 60% of people experience

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6:01

What does speed watching do to our brains?

Do you really know? ·

2026/02/09

More and more of us are consuming digital content at increased speed. Whether it’s on social media, watching a Netflix series or listening to a podcast like Do You Really Know, speed watching and speed listening are becoming increasingly common. It’s a habit you tend to see more among younger people, who are very active on social media and sometimes speed things up so that they can consume even more content than they can at regular speed!Are there any risks associated with accelerated content

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4:46

What household products should I avoid?

Do you really know? ·

2026/02/08

Cleaning can feel satisfying, but did you know many household products might actually harm your health? A 2021 Which? study revealed that nearly half of common UK cleaning products contain potentially dangerous chemicals. Even those labeled “eco-friendly” or “for sensitive skin” aren’t always safe.Preservatives like Methylisothiazolinone and Benzisothiazolinone are known to cause allergic reactions, while others may disrupt hormones or affect reproductive health. And then there’s bleach—a go-to

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5:07

Do opposites really attract?

Do you really know? ·

2026/02/07

“Birds of a feather flock together”, the old saying goes. But does that apply when it comes to romantic relationships? After all, we also say that opposites tend to attract, an idea which has been sold to us through Disney fairytales, romcoms and countless love songs over the years. But in 2023, a group of British and American scientists decided to put this notion to the test, by delving into a vast pool of existing data on the traits of couples. They published their findings in Nature Human

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4:21

How do you talk to conspiracy theorists?

Do you really know? ·

2026/02/06

From claims that AIDS was engineered to shrink the global population, to the insistence that the Earth must be flat because otherwise the oceans would spill over, to the idea that Michael Jackson is secretly alive, conspiracy theories are everywhere. A study by Arcom, the French media regulator, found that 60% of people in France believe at least one of them. We might be tempted to ignore these stories or laugh them off, but their impact on democracy and social cohesion is real. The challenge is

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5:13

Does the law of attraction really work?

Do you really know? ·

2026/02/06

Over on TikTok, the #idontchaseiattract hashtag is nearing in on 20,000 publications at the time of recording. It really took off in late 2023, especially after Kendall Jenner said the following in an interview with Enews. Behind the simple statement are young women advocating that with enough belief, you can manifest whatever you want in life. You might have also heard of "Lucky girl syndrome" and "manifesting," which have also gone viral on Tiktok in the past, and are based on similar

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