Do you really know?
Episodes
Why is panto a Christmas tradition in the UK?
25 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Panto, short for pantomime, has become a staple of British Christmas celebrations but surprisingly its origins are neither British or Christmassy. It ...
What are the dangers of using nitrous oxide - the laughing gas drug?
25 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Nitrous oxide, which is also known as laughing gas, is sold in metal canisters and is one of the most commonly used drugs by teenagers and young peopl...
Why do the Japanese eat KFC at Christmas?
24 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On the evening of December 24th, as many households in the UK prepare for festive gatherings with traditional roast turkey and yule log, an intriguing...
Am I in a situationship?
24 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Sometimes there’s a very thin line between friendship and love. You spend time with someone, you’ve got things in common, you make each other laug...
What are the strangest Christmas traditions?
23 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In the Western world, we celebrate Christmas on December 25th to honour the birth of Jesus, a tradition dating back to around the year 300 AD. But wel...
What is Christmas tree syndrome?
22 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Sniffling, sneezing, itchy eyes, asthma flare-ups, and even sleep disruptions. If you're wondering why you're dealing with all the telltale signs of h...
Why does Christmas boost our libido?
21 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
According to a study published in the Scientific Reports journal in 2017, the holiday season sees a peak in sex-related searches on Google and Twitt...
Why do we give each other gifts at Christmas?
20 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In the UK, Christmas is synonymous with festive meals, Yule logs, and the classic roast turkey. We adorn our homes with red, gold, and green decoratio...
How to have an eco-friendly Christmas?
20 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Christmas need not be a frenzy of shopping and unwanted gifts; more and more of us want to be mindful, minimal-waste consumers so here are some tips o...
How can I protect my mental health during the holiday season?
19 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Christmas is seen as a season of joy, but it can also be a testing time for many people, whether it’s mentally, emotionally, physically or financial...
How does "death cleaning" help you declutter your life?
18 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Back in 2010, Japanese writer Mari Kondo changed how we think about organisation and decluttering with her bestseller The Life Changing Magic of Tidyi...
Why is there such a taboo over the prostate?
17 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The prostate is a male organ that's situated right above the bladder, in front of the rectum. It's a small gland the size of a chestnut that plays a f...
Why do men often wake up with an erection?
15 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A lot of people think that morning erections are triggered by erotic dreams, or a need to pee, but in fact they're a physiological reflex linked to sl...
How to protect your art from AI exploitation?
14 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
You may have heard of AI art generators, tools that use artificial intelligence to create images based on language prompts. For example, you can type ...
How can I avoid the side effects of antibiotics?
13 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Antibiotics are critical to modern medicine, and have saved millions of lives since first being introduced in the mid-20th century. However, there are...
Why do we associate red and green with Christmas?
11 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Christmas is a time of joy, celebration, gift-giving and of course decorating. For the most part people tend to stick to ‘Christmassy colours’ es...
How can I best preserve food in my freezer ?
11 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
With the warmer weather that summer brings, it’s especially important to be aware of the best techniques for freezing food before it goes bad. This ...
Why are women’s rights regressing?
10 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
According to a World Bank report from March 2023, the global pace of reforms toward equal treatment of women under the law has slumped to a 20-year lo...
What is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch?
10 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Nicknamed the "seventh continent" or “trash vortex" the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is an expanding mass consisting of 1.8 trillion plastic waste pi...
How will our bodies adapt to climate change?
08 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
As we enter 2023, we’re desperately looking for ways to combat human-induced climate change. It’s a worthy cause, but it’s clear that some irrev...
What is the snowball method of paying back debt?
07 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The snowball method is based on the idea of paying off your smallest debt first, while making minimum payments on the rest. Then, you take the money ...
Why are Christmas films so popular?
06 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
If you were to turn on your TV right now, or open up Netflix, the chances of you stumbling upon a cheesy Christmas movie would be pretty high. They te...
How does the Matthew Effect help us understand class inequalities?
05 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
“The rich get richer and the poor get poorer”, the saying goes. And there’s actually a name for that phenomenon: the Matthew Effect. The term wa...
Why is Disney becoming unpopular?
05 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Walt Disney Company is celebrating its centenary this October, but the prevailing mood is far from festive. That’s because Disney's image is tak...
What are neobanks?
04 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Neobanks are 100% digital. They run exclusively through mobile apps, with no brick-and-mortar premises. They offer customers a user-first design, and ...
Why do we see faces in inanimate objects?
03 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever looked at a piece of toast, a cloud or a nearby house and had the impression there’s a face in it, looking right back at you? If you’...
What is Lima Syndrome?
03 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
You may have heard of Stockholm Syndrome, which is when a hostage or a victim develops a positive bond with their captor or abuser. But did you know t...
Is it time the UK acknowledged its role in the slave trade?
02 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Prof Kehinde Andrews, the UK’s first professor of Black studies and one of the UK’s leading experts on race, has called for a public holiday to re...
How to buy second hand gifts?
02 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
November is synonymous with Black Friday, great deals but what cost? Over consumption is endangering our already fragile planet. Is it time to change ...
How did the Act Up group change the way we think about AIDS?
01 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Every year, 1st December is World AIDS day. To mark the occasion, let’s look back at the story of the Act Up group. Act Up started causing a buzz in...
What is an Advent calendar?
01 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What is an Advent calendar? If you’re anything like us, you’ll have been eagerly waiting for the clock to go past midnight on December 1st to ha...
Is sleeping with my phone dangerous ?
01 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Smartphones only really entered our lives within the last 10 to 15 years, but they’ve since become indispensable. And it can even be hard to put the...
What’s the function of the perineum?
30 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The perineum is a group of muscles that works like a hammock, stretching from the pubic bone to the tailbone. To pinpoint its location, try coughing; ...
How can I avoid putting on weight when giving up smoking?
30 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
According to the Office for National Statistics, the number of smokers in the UK is estimated at 6.6 million. The proportion has been steadily droppin...
Will AI steal my job?
30 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
AI is transforming many industries and sectors, from manufacturing to healthcare, from education to entertainment which will inevitably affect the way...
Why are X.com users leaving the platform for BlueSky?
29 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Since Elon Musk acquired social network Twitter in October 2022, the company has been pretty much constantly in the spotlight, and not really for the ...
What is Focus Friday?
29 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Let's be honest: being productive at work on Fridays can be a real challenge. A 2019 study by Accountemps found that Friday was the least common choic...
Are budget food brands really worth the savings they offer?
28 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In September 2023, UK consumer watchdog Which published research showing just how much cheaper budget brands can be. One striking example was the pric...
Why do our tastes change as we get older?
28 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Think back to when you were a kid and there was a type of vegetable you simply wouldn’t go near, let alone eat. It might have been broccoli, Brussel...
What are the world’s biggest kleptocracies?
27 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
You may remember that we’ve talked about the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Democracy Index in the past on Do You Really Know, which assigns each o...
What is the ‘adult only’ trend, in public places all about?
27 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
At a time when Europe faces a "baby bust," the role of children in public spaces is sparking new debate. Increasingly, restaurants, hotels, and even t...
Why do we talk about “left” and “right” in politics?
26 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today, “left” and “right” are the main labels we use to categorise political views, but their origins go back over two centuries. To understan...
How can my partner and I get better sleep together?
26 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
If your partner is constantly snoring, hogging the blanket, or tossing and turning every five minutes, and you're finding it increasingly challenging ...
How can I take part in Giving Tuesday?
26 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Giving Tuesday is a worldwide initiative which encourages people to do good. The movement was created in the United States in 2012, and has since spre...
Could EMDR therapy help you recover from past traumas?
25 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing was only created in the late 20th century, but it’s since established itself as a popular and increasi...
Blue hands: what can you do about the cold?
25 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When it comes to cold weather we're not all in the same boat. Some of us can cope with low temperatures, while others are super sensitive, especially ...
Do we really need to eat more during winter?
25 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 tha...
What are the best plant-based protein foods?
23 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Vegetarians and vegans, do you ever find it difficult to keep your diet balanced? Meat-eaters, if you’ve ever considered going veggie, was that some...
What are the benefits of No Nut November?
22 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
You may well be aware of Movember, the month-long focus on men’s health that began in Australia in 2003 and takes place in November each year. But i...
How can I choose the right mattress for me?
22 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Getting restorative sleep and putting an end to back pain are both good reasons to opt for quality bedding. And if another reason was needed: on avera...
How can we live without regrets?
21 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, in his work The Joyful Wisdom, explored this through a thought experiment he called the "eternal return." He asked us...
Why is going to the cinema so romantic?
21 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
As date night options go, the cinema is a timeless classic which can be both fun and romantic. Even in the age of “Netflix and chill”, there’s a...
Is skipping meals bad for you?
21 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
No doubt at some point in your life you’ve skipped a meal, whether it was to save money, lose weight or just because you were too damn busy with wor...
Do "light" food products really help you lose weight?
20 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
If you believe the marketing slogans printed on their packaging, light or reduced-calorie food products offer you the same enjoyment but with fewer ca...
What is Tanaland, the Imaginary Country Battling Misogyny?
20 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Imagine a virtual country where women come together to push back against misogyny and celebrate female empowerment. Born on French TikTok, Tanaland ha...
What is xylazine, the so-called zombie drug?
20 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In July 2023, the White House recognised that the United States was facing a “grave threat” in the form of a highly addictive drug called xylazine...
What are some of the world's best treasure hunts?
19 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
After over three decades of relentless searching, the Golden Owl was finally found on October 3, 2024. This €150,000 treasure was hidden back in 199...
What are the best ways to keep warm outdoors?
19 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A lot of people are reluctant to go out in the cold during the winter season. It's a real shame, as there are many ways in which you can protect yours...
Why do people become kleptomaniacs?
18 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It might only affect between 0.3% and 0.6% of the population, but still public awareness of kleptomania is pretty strong. It’s come to our attention...
Why do I have white spots on my nails?
17 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
To understand where white spots come from, we must first explain how nail growth works. If you’ve ever had white spots on your nails before, you ma...
What's the best way to have quick sex?
16 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A few months ago we ran an episode on how long people have sex for, and referenced an American study from the 2000s which found that the ideal length ...
What does the popcorn index teach us about the economy?
15 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Figuring out how well the economy is doing might seem like the preserve of those working in big accounting firms or financial institutions, dealing wi...
How can I improve my sporting performance through mental preparation?
15 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It's back to school! Do You Really Know is dedicating a special week to sport. Because moving and doing regular physical activity is important for our...
What is a ‘sandwich employee’?
14 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In our professional lives, just as in our personal ones, we all wear many hats. But how does juggling all those roles make us feel? For some, it can b...
Why will we be using liquefied natural gas to heat our homes this winter?
14 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Talk of energy has been storming the headlines recently. A long, cold winter is approaching and prices are soaring, due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine ...
Could the 12-12-12 method help you declutter your home?
13 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Ever since the 1960s, the minimalist movement has been captivating art and interior design enthusiasts. It’s all about simplicity, emphasising a ret...
What are the dangers of overusing paracetamol?
13 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Paracetamol, a staple in UK households, is widely available over the counter and commonly used to alleviate headaches, toothaches, joint pain, flu sym...
Is putting on less heating a way to save money and be healthier?
13 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The average British household usually puts on their central heating by October 24, according to British Gas. But this year, thanks to soaring energy c...
Have you ever looked in the mirror and not recognized yourself?
12 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Depersonalization, a dissociative psychological syndrome, can be incredibly destabilising. It often takes years for sufferers to identify it. Charact...
How does the 3-30-300 rule affect my mental health?
12 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In our increasingly urbanised world, it’s important to make time for reconnecting with nature. The latest study to grab our attention in this area w...
Why should you pee after having sex?
11 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I don’t know about your love life, but let’s be honest; for most people having sex doesn’t work out as smoothly as what you see in the movies. N...
What is the optimism bias?
11 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today we're going to talk about a cognitive bias that causes people to believe, often mistakenly, that they are less likely to experience negative eve...
What are the warning signs of a toxic friendship?
11 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What are the warning signs of a toxic friendship? Today is World Friendship Day, a chance to reflect on how important friends are in our lives. Gene...
What is cultural appropriation?
10 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Think of Katy Perry in her video for This Is How We Do, Madonna in a traditional Berber outfit at the 2018 VMA awards, or Adele with her hair in Bantu...
What makes us ticklish?
10 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Whether it’s as kids in the school playground, fooling around with our first partner as a teenager or with our own kids when we become parents, tick...
Which jobs are least at threat from AI?
09 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In late October 2024, thousands of musicians, actors and authors signed a protest letter against their work being used to build artificial intelligenc...
How to discard emotional baggage?
09 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Emotional baggage is a term we use to describe the unresolved issues, stress, pain, and difficulties that we carry around from our past experiences. I...
What are the best techniques for giving oral sex to a woman?
08 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Society tends to make sex all about penetration, but it really doesn’t have to be that way. Giving your partner oral sex can be an invigorating expe...
Why does hair turn grey?
08 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Greying hair can be triggered for a number of reasons, genetics; some people’s hair turns grey earlier than others. Stress, a recent study in mice ...
Are you an “ambivert”?
07 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Are you more of an introvert or an extrovert? Or maybe a bit of both? While introverts often need solitude to recharge and feel more comfortable alon...
Could vanlife be a lifestyle choice for you?
07 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
he last two and a half years have caused a lot of us to reassess our priorities in life. Are we really living our lives to the full? Are there new exp...
Could precrastination be affecting your productivity?
06 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
“The enemy of success”; “the thief of time”; “the grave in which opportunity is buried”. Those are just three ways in which procrastinatio...
What is the ‘Yes Man’ Technique?
06 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Ever feel like a grey cloud is hanging over you? Life seems a bit gloomy, and your days are dull. You’re craving a change, but you’re stuck in a r...
Why are young people looking so old?
05 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
If you're aged between 30 and 40, you're part of Generation Y, also known as the ‘millennials’ You may have already said to yourself that the next...
What is cybersickness, the mysterious condition linked to screen use?
05 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
You may well have experienced motion sickness or travel sickness in the past. Well, cyber sickness is a modern ailment that follows a similar kind of ...
Which five foods slow ageing?
05 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Ageing is part of the natural cycle of life, and there’s no such thing as a miracle pill to prevent it. At least not yet ! Nevertheless, it is still...
What are yellow flags in dating?
04 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In recent years, dating has become a lot more structured. Terms like "green flags" and "red flags" are now part of everyday language, and the criteria...
How to interact with ChatGPT?
04 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
ChatGPT is a computer program from a company called OpenAI. It along with other forms of AI are changing the way we communicate, create, and learn. T...
Which actors have undergone the most extreme body transformations?
02 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
If you were a WWE fan in the 2000s, a mere mention of the name Dave Bautista is likely to get you feeling all nostalgic. During his wrestling career, ...
What is the Pygmalion effect?
02 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever wondered how our expectations can impact the way we perceive and interact with others? Well, it’s actually been demonstrated that beli...
Why are barcodes set to disappear?
01 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Ever since they were first introduced in the United States in 1973, barcodes have been part of our everyday consumer lives. They helped stores around ...
How did Kamala Harris become a pop culture icon?
01 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On 10th September 2024, Kamala Harris made her presidential debate debut in Philadelphia, going head-to-head with Republican candidate Donald Trump. ...
Could the Pomodoro technique help me work better ?
01 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Do you ever feel like time is slipping through your fingers? That you had several hours to complete one or two simple tasks, but you didn't notice the...
Why do we love horror films so much?
31 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Halloween is the only time of year when you can scare yourself silly! While some people go trick-or-treating around the neighbourhood, others prefer a...
Why is funflation causing us to spend more on live entertainment?
31 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
If you’re a fan of Taylor Swift, it won’t have escaped your notice that the singer was back on tour this year across the United States. And what a...
Which swing states could decide the US election result?
30 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The US presidential election is now just a few days away, and polls between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris have been tight ever since the sitting vice...
Does music really make us more productive?
30 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
LoFi, short for "Low Fidelity," it blends elements of jazz with hip-hop rhythms, creating a relaxing soundscape. This genre has gained immense popul...
Does stress really cause grey hair?
29 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We’ve all heard the saying, "This is giving me grey hair!" But is there any truth to it? Actually, yes. Several scientific studies confirm that str...
Who are the real-life zombies that have been seen in Haiti?
28 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Zombies are familiar to most of us Westerners through popular culture; thanks to depictions in classic horror movies, TV shows like The Walking Dead, ...
Can going braless be good for you?
28 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The trend, which emerged in certain feminist movements in the 1960s, has been spreading on social networks since 2020, notably under the #NoBra banner...