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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

4:23

Is holding back a sneeze dangerous?

Do you really know? ·

2025/10/06

Whether it's a matter of courtesy or preventing the spread of germs, it's not uncommon for people to hold back a sneeze. When this happens, the intercostal muscles contract strongly, but without the release of air if the nose is pinched or the mouth is closed. However, sneezing is a natural bodily reflex designed to expel dust, microbes, or any other irritating substances from the nasal cavity. Our respiratory system comes equipped with a filter lining the airways. Dust and allergens, for instance,

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4:44

What is flexitarianism?

Do you really know? ·

2025/10/06

What is flexitarianism? Thanks for asking! Flexitarianism is a portmanteau word combining flexible and vegetarianism. It’s a mostly vegetarian way of eating which nevertheless allows for occasional meat dishes. The aim is to reduce red meat and animal protein consumption, replacing them with high-protein plant foods.This type of diet is becoming increasingly common, and the word flexitarian was added to the Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary in 2012. So if I understand correctly, being

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4:51

How can I meditate without meditating?

Do you really know? ·

2025/10/06

Meditation is often sighted as a great way to relax, reduce stress and help us focus, but it can be difficult for lots of people to do in the traditional sense. However, meditation can be achieved without ever sitting down cross legged and focusing on your breathing. “The whole idea with mindfulness is training your brain, you can do this just as well by being intentionally mindful throughout the day. I don’t think there’s a right or wrong way, and it’s important to do practices that resonate with

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5:44

Does the G spot really exist?

Do you really know? ·

2025/10/05

Ah, the G-spot... An often cited but frequently elusive erogenous zone which has a reputation of being able to unlock intense female orgasms if you know how to stimulate it the right way. The G-spot was first discovered by German gynecologist Ernst Gräfenberg - hence the G part of the name - back in 1950. But the term was only coined in his honour in the 1980s, by a group of researchers who were writing about female ejaculation and popularised Grafenberg’s findings in a book. Gräfenberg attributed

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5:39

Do men really have a better sense of direction than...

Do you really know? ·

2025/10/05

Some theories in evolutionary psychology propose that men are better at spatial navigation than women due to evolutionary factors. In prehistoric times, men, as hunters, traversed long distances, while women stayed closer to the home. This difference supposedly led to natural selection favouring genes in men associated with better spatial navigation skills. However, these theories have been widely challenged, in particular by British philosopher Cordelia Fine. Back in 2010 she published a book

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5:11

How can I limit the effects of sugar on my health?

Do you really know? ·

2025/10/05

When we think of those who have high blood sugar, we tend to think of people with diabetes, as they often have to monitor their levels and sometimes undergo insulin treatment. But actually everybody can have blood sugar spikes, and many of us do without even realising. These occur when a simple sugar called glucose builds up in the blood. This is known as hyperglycemia. High blood sugar can make your mouth dry, make you feel thirsty, give you blurred vision and make you need to pee

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4:48

How should I organise my fridge?

Do you really know? ·

2025/10/04

You might be the kind of person that meticulously fills your fridge with your groceries ensuring that every item is in the correct spot or perhaps you just shove them in wherever there is space but there is actual science behind how to best fill your fridge to keep things fresh and avoid waste. But everything you thought you knew may no longer be valid as the UK food authority has just updated its advice on a number of foodstuffs and where they should be stored so it might be time to refresh your

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4:57

How much sleep should I get each night?

Do you really know? ·

2025/10/04

We spend over a third of our lives sleeping. It allows our mind and body to recharge, which is vital for a number of reasons. It helps our immune system to ward off diseases, and the brain to function properly. And yet as many as 16 million adults in the UK suffer from sleepless nights, according to estimates from the Office for National Statistics. You may have noticed that your own optimal sleep duration is different from that of other people you know well, like family members or friends. But

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4:46

What are the craziest beauty ‘standards’ in history?

Do you really know? ·

2025/10/03

In French, when someone is beautiful, you can say they’re ‘canon’. The word itself means a general law, rule, princely or criteria by which something is judged, but when it comes to beauty it is simply means model that we elevate to the level of perfection. Except that this model has changed a lot over the centuries and across cultures. Those who are considered “canons” today would have been considered ugly in another era. And some of the beauty standards of the past would probably look

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4:55

Should I be cleaning my belly button?

Do you really know? ·

2025/10/03

We talked about omplaphobia in a recent episode of Do You Really Know, which is the fear of belly buttons. Well the subject of today’s episode may make for awkward listening for anyone affected by that phobia. That’s right; we’re talking about belly buttons again. Now, be honest: when was the last time you washed your belly button in the shower? It’s commonly overlooked, but surprisingly it’s actually one of the dirtiest parts of the human body. That’s because it accumulates dead skin cells,

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5:17

How often should I shower?

Do you really know? ·

2025/10/03

Whether it's for the sake of comfort or maintaining good hygiene, many of us opt for taking a shower on a daily basis. Studies have shown it's the most popular shower frequency. Some swear by the virtues of a refreshing morning shower while others like theirs in the evening when winding down and getting ready for bed. But in actual fact, our bodies are pretty adept at self-cleaning. For instance, dead skin cells shed completely naturally! If you're someone who showers more than once a day, you may

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5:37

What is climate optimism?

Do you really know? ·

2025/10/02

We’ve talked about eco-anxiety before on Do You Really Know, and it’s real. A survey published in the Lancet in December 2021 found that 75% of young people thought the future was frightening. But others are preaching a more positive outlook, with cautious climate optimism looking set to be a trend in 2023. While our fears around the climate crisis are justified and useful, if they paralyse us out of doing anything, those feelings of hopelessness are inevitable. Psychologists call it “learned

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5:14

What does vaping do to the body?

Do you really know? ·

2025/10/02

Vaping has become increasingly popular in recent years, especially among young people. A 2022 report from Action on Smoking and Health found that an estimated 4.3 million people vape in Great Britain, a figure that is massively up from 800,000 a decade ago. It’s often touted as a safer alternative to smoking, but have you ever wondered what it actually does to your body? Or whether it comes with its own set of risks. Let’s look into the facts on the matter. What do the liquids in e-cigarette

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4:39

Is it dangerous to drink too much water?

Do you really know? ·

2025/10/02

All our organs contain water, even our bones. In total, more than half of our body is made up of it, or 45 litres for a person weighing 65 kg. The water we drink is needed to eliminate waste: 3 litres disappear every day via urine, perspiration and breathing. It also helps maintain our body temperature at around 37 degrees and is essential for digestion. The recommended daily intake of water is around 6, 25cl glasses of water a day, in other words about 1.5 litres. For some of us, this rhythm

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5:08

Could unfaithfulness be caused by genetics?

Do you really know? ·

2025/10/01

No one's proud of being unfaithful, but what if some people’s cheating was actually caused by genetics, rather than selfishness? That might sound like a convenient excuse, but actually there could be some scientific basis behind it. In 2022 researchers at the University of Queensland in Australia analysed the DNA of over 7,300 twins aged between 18 and 49, all of whom had been in relationships for several years. What were the study’s results then? Are some people simply programmed to cheat

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4:28

How should you get ready for your first mammogram?

Do you really know? ·

2025/10/01

The thought of taking a mammogram is often scary for women, but it’s a highly important medical exam, and one we should bear in mind in the context of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Like with any type of cancer, the earlier breast cancer is detected, the better the patient’s chances of recovery. And a mammogram can detect abnormalities that are too difficult to spot by only sight and touch. Why are mammograms recommended for women over the age of 50? Can women with breast implants or small breasts

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5:18

What is the Oosouji method of house cleaning?

Do you really know? ·

2025/10/01

In Japan, cleanliness is cultural and synonymous with well-being. That’s down in no small part to the influence of Shintoism, the country's oldest religion. While the number of believers has been steadily decreasing for some time, Shinto philosophy and culture are still widely practised. Cleanliness is seen not just as a physical state but also a spiritual one, as it is closely tied to the respect and reverence shown to Shinto gods. Following this line of thinking, many Japanese people engage in

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4:50

Do I need to take vitamin D supplements?

Do you really know? ·

2025/09/30

Vitamin D is known as the ‘sunshine vitamin’, and it’s not for nothing. Our bodies make it from cholesterol when exposed to sunlight. The sun’s ultraviolet B rays hit cholesterol in the skin cells, providing the energy needed for vitamin D synthesis to occur. Naturally, during autumn and winter, there’s less sunlight and government advice suggests that everyone should consider taking Vitamin D supplements during these seasons. In fact, most people are Vitamin D-deficient regardless of the season

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4:27

Why do we jump when we get scared?

Do you really know? ·

2025/09/30

Whether you’re watching a horror film, or exposed to a sudden loud noise, all of us have jumped at some point when scared. The body’s response to getting startled is all too familiar: tense muscles, a racing heartbeat and a twitching neck, among others. But there’s still a lot of mystery behind the phenomenon. Jolting is actually a natural and adaptive defensive response that helps our bodies avoid what it perceives as an immediate threat. How often it happens and how intense the response is

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5:20

Why should you be happy to see spiders in your home?

Do you really know? ·

2025/09/30

What's your relationship with spiders like? Some people are pretty terrified of them, and for many their first reaction is to grab something to squash them with. Most likely, encountering spiders at home is a regular occurrence, and they're actually more beneficial than you might think. Aren’t they dangerous though? What are the benefits of having spiders in my home then? Why do they come into my house? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen to the last episodes, you can click

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