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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

5:18

Is microwaving food bad for you?

Do you really know? ·

2025/11/02

It’s been labelled a “marvel of engineering” and a “miracle of convenience” by Harvard Health Publishing. Data published by Statista in July 2022 showed that in 2018, 93% of UK households owned a microwave, a figure which had risen from 67% when the survey started back in 1994. But still some doubts persist about whether microwaving food is bad for your health. Some people even say they cause cancer. Rest assured they don’t. But there are a range of other complaints and concerns over food quality

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5:16

Could you be micro-flirting without realising it ?

Do you really know? ·

2025/11/02

There are plenty of ways to get the attention of someone you're crushing on. It might come very naturally to some, but for others, flirting can be an intimidating proposition. Have you ever wondered if someone is flirting with you, because of their somewhat ambiguous approach? Well, they may have been micro-flirting, a technique that dating experts say is used by shy men in particular. And there are actually some pretty recognisable under-the-radar strategies that qualify as micro-flirting, which

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4:12

What is quiet hiring?

Do you really know? ·

2025/11/02

After the emergence of ‘quiet quitting’, it's now the turn of quiet hiring. And although the term is relatively new, the practice is not. The term "quiet hiring" first appeared in the report "9 Future of Work Trends for 2023" published at the end of 2022 by Emily McRae, a philosophy professor in New Mexico, USA. She explains that this phenomenon follows on from the quiet quitting craze that emerged in 2021 after the Covid-19 pandemic which saw a huge wave of resignations sweep the country with

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4:48

Is intermittent fasting really effective?

Do you really know? ·

2025/11/01

Intermittent fasting has been making waves, especially on social media, where it's often hailed as a miracle fix for weight loss. While it's no silver bullet, fasting can be an effective tool when part of a well-rounded lifestyle tailored to individual needs. Intermittent fasting is a pattern of eating that alternates between periods of fasting, usually 12 to 16 hours, and eating. Staying hydrated is key. The British Dietetic Association notes that this break can help regulate insulin levels and

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5:20

Is using cotton buds bad for your ears?

Do you really know? ·

2025/11/01

Polish-American man Leo Gerstenzang is credited with inventing the humble cotton bud in the 1920s, an item which has since gone on to be used for many different purposes, having originally been thought up as a baby hygiene product.Yougov research from 2019 found that 62% of Brits use cotton buds to clean their ears, and 22% of us only use them for that purpose. That’s particularly true for men, given women are more likely to use them for touching up nail polish mistakes, or applying make up. But

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5:05

Is shaving too often bad for you?

Do you really know? ·

2025/11/01

There’s a lot of popular ideas out there about body hair removal. Shave too much and the hair becomes thicker. Wax, and it will gradually start thinning out. It can be hard to know who or what to believe. Both women and men increasingly spend a lot of their time and money removing body hair, even though it acts as a barrier to bacteria, and sexually transmitted diseases in the case of pubic hair. Shaving with a razor, using an electric epilator and waxing all have their own pros and cons. But

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4:35

Why are we afraid of the dark?

Do you really know? ·

2025/10/31

Fear of the dark is very common for children and usually starts between the ages of 5 and 10. At this age, children become more aware of the dangers around them. However, they often have difficulty correctly assessing just how real these dangers are. Usually, this fear disappears naturally as children gain confidence and grow up, but in rarer cases it may persist into adulthood. Principally, it is because darkness alters our main sense of reference: sight. This sense has taken over from the others,

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4:29

What are some of the most common phobias?

Do you really know? ·

2025/10/31

We’ve all got fears. For some, it’s the dark, for others, it’s spiders, heights, or maybe even something as ordinary as a phone call. But when those fears take root and are no longer reasonable; when they take over, that’s when they cross into the territory of phobias. Phobias remind us that our brains, for all their brilliance, aren’t always working in our favor and are flawed. According to a survey by Anxiety UK, there are ten phobias that show up more often than the rest. So what are these

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4:24

Why do we celebrate Halloween?

Do you really know? ·

2025/10/31

Halloween is here and if you’re anything like us, you’ll be frantically doing some last-minute pumpkin carving or stocking up on sweets for trick-or-treaters. Maybe you’re going to a Halloween party dressed up as a ghost, witch or any other kind of spooky creature. But have you ever wondered where all these quirky customs came from? While Halloween seems like a very modern celebration, its origins actually go back well over 1000 years. It started out with an ancient Celtic festival called Samhain

en

5:05

Why do we experience the unsettling "Uncanny Valley"...

Do you really know? ·

2025/10/30

In November 2023, a spooky makeup trend took TikTok by storm. Users posted images of themselves with full-coverage, pale foundation for a ghostly vibe, intense grey contouring, hidden eyebrows, and pencil-altered lips. The aim behind those creative efforts was actually to resemble humanoid creatures, and elicit a particular reaction known as “uncanny valley” from viewers. And the trend garnered a lot of attention. As of November 13th, Forbes reported that the #uncannyvalley hashtag had amassed 821

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4:26

Why do I get an electric shock when I kiss someone?

Do you really know? ·

2025/10/30

It's not uncommon for sparks to fly in unexpected ways during intimate moments; sometimes literally! You’ve most likely gone in to kiss someone only to get a small shock when your lips touch. You may have also noticed it tends to happen more often in winter. Have you ever wondered what actually causes these jolts of electricity between couples? Let’s unravel the science behind the mystery. Isn’t it all to do with having good chemistry? How does static electricity work? What’s the impact on our

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4:53

Why do we enjoy being scared?

Do you really know? ·

2025/10/30

Ghost stories told around a camp fire, visiting a haunted house or watching a scary film are all common Halloween activities. We clearly enjoy scaring each-other and feeling scared, even though it seems completely counter intuitive. There are a number of reasons for this, which we'll explore in the episode. Fear is an emotional response to danger, both real or perceived. Our body releases a mixture of adrenaline and cortisol and triggers our ‘fight, flight or freeze’ response. It makes us more

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4:41

How can you protect yourself from being mugged?

Do you really know? ·

2025/10/29

Mugging is a form of robbery that involves violence or the threat of violence against a person in a public place. It’s also known as street robbery or personal robbery. However, would-be muggers have been foiled by a recent covert police operation in London which aimed at reducing street theft. Brave officers posed as potential victims by wearing expensive luxury watches to tempt thieves and hanging around in dangerous places, then when anyone attempted to steal the watches they were arrested by

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5:25

Could the AI bubble burst sooner than expected?

Do you really know? ·

2025/10/29

In economic terms, a speculative bubble refers to a situation in which the price of an asset becomes heavily overvalued. An asset could be anything from company shares and property to cryptocurrencies. But eventually, reality catches up. Investors begin to realise the asset isn’t actually worth as much as they thought, confidence fades, and many rush to sell. When everyone sells at once, prices collapse, leading to what’s commonly known as a crash. But what exactly is a speculative bubble? Have

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4:56

What causes tocophobia, the fear of pregnancy and...

Do you really know? ·

2025/10/29

According to the NHS, approximately 1,600 babies are born every day in the United Kingdom. But what often goes unspoken are the nine months leading up to this event—the periods of anxiety, doubt, and self-discovery that mothers inevitably experience. A study published in Evolution, Medicine & Public Health journal in April 2023, found that 62% of women grapple with a panic-inducing fear of pregnancy and childbirth. Psychologists refer to this phenomenon as tocophobia. So, where does tocophobia

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4:18

Why do our fingers wrinkle in water?

Do you really know? ·

2025/10/28

We've all experienced that strange sensation of stepping out of the bath or swimming pool, and noticing grooves which have formed on the tips of our fingers. Have you ever wondered why that happens? It's not just because our skin absorbs water and swells up, as you might think. It's actually also down to our nervous system being at work, causing our blood vessels to constrict. So, what's happening is that the blood vessels in our fingers narrow down, making our fingers shrink in size, while the

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4:42

What are the dangers with being overly perfectionist?

Do you really know? ·

2025/10/28

Perfectionism is the tendency to set excessively high and unrealistic standards for oneself and others, and to evaluate one’s worth based on the ability to meet those standards. Perfectionists are not satisfied with anything less than flawless results, and they often fear failure, criticism, or disappointment but constantly striving for perfection can have serious consequences. How does perfectionism affect your productivity? How does perfectionism impact you? How does perfectionism impact your

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4:50

Could moon breathing help you sleep better?

Do you really know? ·

2025/10/28

In this day and age, it’s common to feel stressed every day, even right through to the evening. Have you ever struggled to lower your stress levels when it comes to bedtime, and taken a long while to fall asleep as a result? The worry of not getting enough sleep then just gets you even more frustrated; it’s a vicious circle. If you’re falling victim to anxiety and fatigue for that reason, it’s time to stop binge-watching Netflix and try moon breathing instead! What’s that? How can I get started

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5:09

Who are the Red Hot Chili Peppers?

Do you really know? ·

2025/10/27

Who are the Red Hot Chili Peppers? With their new album Unlimited Love having been released on 1st April, let’s talk about the famous Californian funk rock group. The band has cited many influences, and they have been associated with a number of musical genres, including funk rock, alternative rock and rap rock. The Red Hot Chili Peppers unique style is precisely one of their distinctive characteristics. So where does the name come from? Why did the band members change so often? How would you

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4:48

How can I beat Monday morning syndrome?

Do you really know? ·

2025/10/27

As the sun sets on this rainy Sunday evening, reality sinks in. You didn't quite muster the energy to venture out, and now it's back to the grindstone. Tomorrow's Monday, signalling the return to work, and with it, a familiar wave of anxiety known as Monday morning syndrome, or the Monday blues. It's not officially recognised by the medical community, but many people identify with those feelings. A study conducted by Korean researchers in 2010 found that levels of stress hormone cortisol are at

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