Do you really know?
Episodes
Faux self-care: are we being fooled by the wellness industry?
24 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
You’ve probably seen the ads for products and services that promise to make you happier, healthier, and more fulfilled. Things like journals, air pu...
Why do some people confuse their left and right?
23 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Knowing the difference between right and left is crucial for various daily activities like driving and navigation. While most of us take this skill fo...
Why did the man who invented the lobotomy win a Nobel Prize?
22 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In 1949, neurologist Egas Moniz reached the pinnacle of his career when he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine. He received this honor for what is...
Is binge drinking over in the UK?
22 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Binge drinking is defined as consuming 5 or more drinks for a man, or 4 or more drinks for a woman, in about 2 hours, and the UK has a rather notoriou...
How long does love last according to science?
21 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We’ve talked about love and relationships in a number of previous episodes of Do You Really Know. You may remember we’ve discussed the secrets to ...
What is reverse ageing?
20 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In 2021, American multi-millionaire Bryan Johnson began his Project Blueprint. Then 43, his stated aim was to restore his body and organs to the state...
Could Turmeric help indigestion?
19 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Turmeric is a plant that belongs to the ginger family. It has a bright yellow-orange color, and a bitter and peppery taste. The main active ingredient...
What is an oil shock?
19 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The day Russian forces invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the price of crude oil surged over the $100 a barrel mark for the first time since 2014. Soon...
Why do we get screen apnea?
18 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It’s pretty common knowledge that office workers across the world have a sedentary lifestyle, which is linked with a whole host of potential health ...
What is kalsarikännit?
18 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Regular listeners will be familiar with a number of Scandinavian lifestyle trends by now, given we’ve discussed the likes of Denmark’s hygge, Swed...
What are lucid dreams?
17 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Lucid dreams are dreams in which you become aware that you are dreaming while you are dreaming. This means that you can recognise that the events and ...
Is it bad to drink water with a meal?
16 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It's often said that drinking water while eating can make the stomach swell, causing bloating. But in reality, there are no studies to back that up. S...
Are Skyr yoghurts really good for you?
15 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
If you've ever strolled down the dairy aisle of your local grocery store, chances are you've come across these little tubs of Icelandic goodness. Skyr...
How can I influence my dreams?
14 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How our brains work during dreams is as fascinating as it is mysterious. Dreams can be hard to predict, and sometimes of course we end up having night...
What is mansplaining?
14 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever noticed a man explaining something to a woman in a supremely confident way which suggests he absolutely knows more than her about the su...
Why do some people sleep with their mouths open?
13 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Let’s be honest, sleeping with an open mouth isn’t the most graceful of images, but in reality it’s pretty common. If you’ve ever woken up wit...
How can you avoid bed bugs when you travel?
12 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Bed bugs are small, blood-sucking insects that can infest your luggage, clothing, bedding and furniture. They are not only a nuisance, but can also ca...
What is microwork?
12 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Microwork is paid work which usually involves short and repetitive tasks carried out on a smartphone or computer. It could be identifying objects show...
How does pollution affect my mental health?
11 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
According to the government, air pollution is the “largest environmental risk to public health”, and accounts for between 28,000 and 36,000 deaths...
What is the soft evening concept from Tiktok?
11 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Do you ever feel frustrated about work dominating your life? Maybe in your free time, you try to make up for that by enjoying yourself and having a bu...
What is Hugh Jackman’s 85% rule?
10 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
You may know Hugh Jackman as the star of X-Men, The Greatest Showman, and Les Misérables, but did you know that he has a secret to success that invol...
What is burnout?
10 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In January 2021, the European Parliament approved a “right to disconnect” policy which passed relatively unnoticed in the midst of the ongoing Cov...
What is the Werther effect?
09 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In April 2023, Bloomberg.com published an article entitled "Tiktok’s Algorithm Keeps Pushing Suicide to Vulnerable Kids” in which it explained tha...
How can I overcome my fear of speaking in public?
08 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
According to a study conducted by the Statistic Brain Research Institute in 2016, 74% of the global population feels uncomfortable speaking in front o...
What are plant milks?
08 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Plant milks have been all the rage for a number of years now, and they’re gradually taking up more and more space on supermarket shelves, to the det...
Is it bad to drink coffee after 4pm?
07 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
According to the British Coffee Association, we drink around 98 million cups of coffee per day in the UK. That’s around one and a half cups for ever...
What are Butler Cafés?
07 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
According to Chinese media outlet The Sixth Tone, butler cafés are enjoying impressive success. They’ve been springing up all over big cities since...
How did Ozempic get so popular?
06 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today we’re talking about a diabetes medicine which has gained a reputation for leading to weight loss. Ozempic became popular among Hollywood celeb...
Will AI steal my job?
05 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
AI is transforming many industries and sectors, from manufacturing to healthcare, from education to entertainment which will inevitably affect the way...
What is Pokémon?
05 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Having grossed more than $40 billion over the years, Pokémon is the second-biggest franchise in video game history, surpassed only by Mario. It has ...
How do you explain intuition?
04 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We've all experienced those gut feelings, hunches, or flashes of insight that seem to come from nowhere. But what exactly is intuition, and can it be ...
What is Focus Friday?
04 Oct 2023
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...
How to use less water?
03 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Water footprint matters because scientists have calculated that the climate crisis makes drought 20 times more likely, while the UN predicts that dema...
What is ecological debt?
03 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Let’s take a moment to consider a concept which highlights both the scale of the climate crisis and inequalities between different areas of the worl...
What is attachment theory?
02 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Each of us has our own unique experience of social bonds, influenced by our childhood, previous relationships, and personality. And there’s actually...
What is the best time of year to find work?
01 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The SeptemberSurge hashtag has accrued 12.9M views on the platform at the time of recording. The trend suggests that September is the ideal time to fi...
Which foods should I avoid after their expiry date?
30 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Some expired food products are easy to identify, due to an unpleasant smell, mould, swollen packaging or abnormal colour for example. But others show ...
What is astropsychology?
29 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Regular listeners will remember how astrology has undergone somewhat of a revival in recent years. Knowledge of terms like “Saturn return” and “...
What is house hushing?
28 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
House hushing is a decluttering method that aims to create peaceful spaces in your home by reducing visual noise. Visual noise refers to anything exce...
Why do my eyelids twitch when I’m tired?
27 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever noticed how your eyelids tend to start twitching at the end of a long day, or when you haven’t got enough sleep the previous night? W...
Is sleeping naked good for you?
27 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
According to a YouGov study from 2022, 20% of Brits sleep naked. Men are actually more likely to do so than women, with a rate of 25% compared to 15%....
Do anti-anxiety patches really work?
26 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
There are different types of anti-anxiety patches, but one of the most popular ones is from a company called NuCalm, they say that its discs provide ...
What are Incels?
26 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Incel is a portmanteau word which is short for “involuntary celibate”. These people are single despite themselves, and have abandoned any hope of ...
Which foods shouldn't be eaten together?
25 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Avoiding weight gain is just so difficult sometimes, isn’t it? It’s not enough to eat only healthy foods, you also have to combine those healthy f...
What is xylazine, the so-called zombie drug?
24 Sep 2023
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...
Why do we lose our appetite when we fall in love?
23 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A lot of things happen to our bodies when we fall in love. Some of the obvious physical reactions are getting butterflies in the stomach, dilated pupi...
What is the olive theory from Tiktok?
22 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The olive theory actually started trending on Tiktok as of early 2023, leading younger generations to get familiar with How I Met Your Mother and one ...
How does the vagus nerve affect your health?
21 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The vagus nerve is the longest and most complex of the cranial nerves. It carries both motor and sensory information and supplies reinforcement to the...
What is climate shadow, the newest way to measure your impact on global warming?
21 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The idea of carbon footprint dates back to the early 2000s and ironically was introduced by oil giant BP. But recently, a new concept was created: the...
Does sleeping next to someone improve sleep quality?
20 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever cursed your luck at having a partner who snores, or spends the whole night tossing and turning in bed? It can be tempting to consider ab...
Why is the BRICS bloc expanding?
20 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
During the 15th annual BRICS summit in Johannesburg in 2023, the South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that 6 new member countries would b...
How can you clean your hair without using shampoo?
19 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
You might think that shampoo is essential for keeping your hair clean and healthy, but there are other ways to wash your hair that don’t involve h...
What is cookie jarring in the dating world?
18 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Do you have an ex who seems to always get back in touch whenever they’re feeling lonely and have no one else in their sights? Or how about this: Per...
What is the Batman effect?
17 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
For many people, asserting themselves at work is a real challenge. There’s a lot of possible reasons for that, including stress, anxiety, new respon...
Why do our tastes change as we get older?
16 Sep 2023
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...
Can you get food poisoning from raw fish?
15 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Eating raw fish like sushi and sashimi has never been more popular, whether that’s in restaurants or on supermarket shelves. The good news is that s...
Should you be reducing salt in your diet?
14 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Salt is a common ingredient in many foods, and it’s essential for our health. Salt is made up of sodium and chloride, two minerals that help regulat...
What is shrinkflation, the sneaky tactic manufacturers are hiding from consumers?
14 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Marketing technique shrinkflation is becoming more and more common in large retail stores, in particular down to the ongoing war in Ukraine. It sees m...
Has the climate breakdown really begun?
13 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On September 6th, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres released a 96-word statement in which he referred to “climate breakdown” having begun. It ...
Why do we get nightmares?
13 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
According to the American Academy of Sleep medicine, 50% to 85% of adults experience occasional nightmares, with 2% to 8% of people having nightmares ...
What is a frenemy?
12 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A frenemy is a person who is both a friend and an enemy. In fact the term is a blend of the words “friend” and “enemy”, and it was first used ...
Which colours go well together according to science?
11 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It's often said that colour preferences are simply a matter of personal taste, but actually some have been backed up by science, especially in the fie...
Why is sitting with your legs crossed bad?
10 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When sitting, some of us cross our legs at the knee, while others do so at the ankle. According to a study published in Neuropsychologia in 1994, 62% ...
Why do I get an electric shock when I kiss someone?
09 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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...
How do I know when to end a friendship?
08 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Friendship is often said to be eternal, to withstand the test of time and distance. We expect friends to accept everything about us, but it's not alwa...
What is social jet lag?
07 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
You’ve probably heard of jetlag, the feeling of fatigue and disorientation that occurs when you travel across different time zones, but did you know...
Are cold showers good for you?
06 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Where does the myth of the Loch Ness Monster come from?
06 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Affectionately known as Nessie, the mythical Loch Ness Monster has been a source of fascination and terror for many centuries. Many sightings have bee...
What is ‘Girl Dinner’?
05 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Girl Dinner is a TikTok phenomena though you would be hard pressed to find any recipes as it is more of a style of eating than anything specific. It...
What benefits can we get from journaling?
04 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
According to a 2016 WHO study, 25% of the global population is likely to develop a mental disorder during their lifetime. But of course there are cert...
What is the two-day rule?
03 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
After enjoying a period of relaxation during the summer, many of us return to studies or work with a desire to develop good habits and a better routin...
What is Burning Man, the mysterious desert gathering?
03 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
From 27th August to 4th September 2023, Burning Man is set to return to the Black Rock Desert in Nevada for the first time since 2019, with an authori...
How can I cope with post holiday blues?
02 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We've all been there, haven't we? That moment when a holiday comes to a close and the reality of everyday life sets in. The post-holiday blues, that f...
How can I regain energy quickly?
01 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
As the summer holiday season draws to a close, ask yourself this. Did you manage to get as much rest as you would have liked? A lot of people out ther...
What is 'Tomato Girl summer'?
31 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
You might have seen this term on TikTok, Instagram or Pinterest, but do you really know what it means? ‘A Tomato Girl Summer’ is a retro trend ins...
What are energy vampires?
30 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 f...
What is the sexist Bodycount trend on Tiktok?
30 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
If you use Tiktok, you may well have come across videos of young content creators stopping passers by to ask them the following simple question: what’...
What is Buccal Fat Removal?
29 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Buccal fat removal is a type of plastic surgery that involves removing the buccal fat pads from your cheeks. These are rounded pads of fat that are lo...
What is cybersickness, the mysterious condition linked to screen use?
28 Aug 2023
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 ...
What is the Golem effect ?
27 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Not long ago we talked about the Pygmalion effect in an episode of Do You Really Know? Well today’s subject is pretty much the exact opposite! The G...
Which five foods slow ageing?
26 Aug 2023
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...
Are women really more emotional than men?
25 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
"Irrational”, “overdramatic”, “hysterical”, “sensitive” - if you’re a woman you have most likely been described using one of these wor...
Why are celebrities dissolving their facial fillers?
24 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
You’ve probably seen the photos of stars like Courteney Cox or Simon Cowell, who have recently revealed a more natural look after removing their fa...
What is the Smurfette Principle?
24 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Does that ring a bell? How many of you spent hours in front of the Smurfs as children? We’re sure you remember the smiley little girl with blond hai...
What is a man child?
23 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
No doubt you’ve heard at some point in your life that girls are more mature than boys. As a result, we tend to forgive childlike behaviour in men mo...
How can I recognise a narcissistic pervert?
23 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The concept of the narcissistic pervert has invaded our screens and magazines in recent years. It's used a lot, but sometimes wrongly or without full ...
How to interact with ChatGPT?
22 Aug 2023
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. ...
What is citizen science, the concept opening up research to the general public ?
22 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Also known as community science, citizen science is the active participation of amateurs or non-professional scientists in research. In recent years...
What is negging, the toxic flirting technique?
21 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Right from primary school age, we tell children that if another boy or girl has teased them, it’s “because they like them”. And playful teasing ...
Could the Pomodoro technique help me work better?
20 Aug 2023
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 I attract mosquitoes more than other people?
19 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Warm summer nights often bring unwelcome guests into our homes in the form of mosquitoes. For now we fortunately don’t have any mosquito-borne disea...
How does "death cleaning" help you declutter your life?
19 Aug 2023
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...
What is the Pygmalion effect?
18 Aug 2023
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...
What are the alternatives to air conditioning?
17 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
As summers get hotter, more and more people are turning to air conditioning to cool down buildings and vehicles. Not only does it make us more comfort...
What is misogynoir?
16 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
You may remember that we discussed the idea of intersectionality in a previous episode of Do You Really Know?. The term describes how characteristics ...
Can I reuse sunscreen from one year to the next?
16 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Sunscreen is essential when on holiday, and in the summer in general. But it doesn’t come cheap, and often the contents aren’t fully used by the t...
How to discard emotional baggage?
15 Aug 2023
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...
Is remote work here to stay?
15 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
COVID-19 lockdowns led to the revolutionary rise of remote work. But while working remotely may have been a necessary adaptation made during an unprec...
Why do people consider the number seven lucky?
14 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Back in 2015, 10,000 participants at Newcastle University’s Numbers Festival were asked what their favourite number was. Perhaps unsurprisingly, 12....
What's the best way to organise my fridge?
13 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Arranging your fridge isn't just a way to save space. It's primarily about ensuring optimal preservation of food products and thus preventing the prol...