Do you really know?

What is 'Oumuamua?

25 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What is 'Oumuamua? Thanks for asking! In 2017, ‘Oumuamua became the first interstellar object to be detected passing through our solar system. The ...

What is critical thinking?

24 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What is critical thinking? Thanks for asking! Critical thinking is the intellectual process of evaluating information, thinking clearly and rationall...

What is the postpartum period?

22 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What is the postpartum period? Thanks for asking!   Many people wrongly assume that all women immediately find their feet after having a baby. In rea...

What is ketamine?

20 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What is ketamine? Thanks for asking! Ketamine is a psychoactive drug, which is known for being both a horse tranquiliser horse and a party drug for r...

What is burnout?

18 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What is burnout? Thanks for asking!   In January 2021, the European Parliament approved a “right to disconnect” policy which passed relatively un...

What is dyspareunia?

17 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What is dyspareunia? Thanks for asking! Most people associate sex with pleasure but research suggests that 60% of women have already experienced pain...

What is Pancake Day?

15 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What is Pancake Day? Thanks for asking! Feeling hungry? It’s Pancake Day tomorrow, which means you’ve still got time to choose your favourite top...

What is an antiviral mask?

13 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What is an antiviral mask? Thanks for asking! Since the turn of the year, the threat of new coronavirus variants has emerged. As a result, many are q...

What is the Gamestop short squeeze?

11 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What is the Gamestop short squeeze? Thanks for asking! You may have seen headlines about it in recent weeks, and it’s certainly one of the financia...

What is a coup d’etat?

10 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What is a coup d’etat? Thanks for asking! Just last week, Myanmar underwent its fourth coup d’état in 63 years, ten years after becoming a democ...

What is Diogenes Syndrome?

08 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What is Diogenes Syndrome? Thanks for asking! Diogenes Syndrome is a behavioural disorder which mainly affects older adults. It’s also known as sen...

What is the sixth dose?

06 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What is the sixth dose? Thanks for asking! From the outset, each vial of the Pfizer and BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine was supposed to contain five doses....

What is sensory processing sensitivity?

04 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What is sensory processing sensitivity? Thanks for asking! “Why are you being so sensitive?” “Stop overreacting”. It’s common to hear peopl...

What is enbyphobia?

03 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What is enbyphobia? Thanks for asking! This term first appeared in LGBT+ circles; if you’re wondering what an “enby” is, just say it slower: N ...

What is ASMR?

01 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What is ASMR? Thanks for asking! ASMR is short for autonomous sensory meridian response. It refers to the pleasant tingling sensations some people fe...

What is VOC202012/01?

30 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What is VOC202012/01? Thanks for asking!   It might seem like a random series of letters and numbers, but bear with us and you’ll soon understand. ...

What is Wikipedia?

28 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What is Wikipedia? Thanks for asking! On January 15th 2021, Wikipedia turned 20 years old, believe it or not.  Wow, thanks for making me feel old! ...

What is Parler?

27 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What is Parler? Thanks for asking! Since the start of the year, a previously little known social network has been making international headlines. De...

What is Signal?

25 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What is Signal? Thanks for asking! Maybe you’re among the millions of new users to have recently downloaded messaging app Signal. Just like Whatsap...

What is bardcore?

23 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What is bardcore? Thanks for asking! Prithee, a maiden doth serenade from afar! What enchanting melody be this? Fear not, Shakira didn’t rip-off a...

What is compersion?

21 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What is compersion? Thanks for asking! You won’t find the term compersion in the dictionary, but it could be defined as the pleasure derived from s...

What is Inauguration Day?

20 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What is Inauguration Day? Thanks for asking! Today is Inauguration Day, and Joe Biden is to be sworn in as the 46th President of the United States, f...

What is Blue Monday?

18 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What is Blue Monday? Thanks for asking!   Sorry to start the week with bad news but today is Blue Monday, often cited as the most depressing day of t...

What are bionic soldiers?

16 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What are bionic soldiers? Thanks for asking! Bionic soldiers have been making headlines since early December, when a French military ethics committee...

What is induced lactation?

14 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What is induced lactation? Thanks for asking! Induced lactation refers to the production of breast milk in non-gestational parents. That’s right, a...

What is a Bullshit job?

13 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What is a Bullshit job? Thanks for asking! Back in 2013, anthropology professor David Graeber penned an essay in radical magazine Strike, criticising...

What is Pornhub?

11 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What is Pornhub? Thanks for asking! With over 3 billion visits per month, it’s the 10th most popular website worldwide. Don’t act all innocent; i...

What are tiny forests?

09 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What are tiny forests? Thanks for asking! Over the last few years, citizens have been planting tiny forests in towns and country settings. There are ...

What is hygge?

07 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What is hygge? Thanks for asking! Picture this: you’re indoors, in front of a warm fireplace, with a plaid rug over your legs, sipping a cup of tea...

What are New Year’s Resolutions?

06 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What are New Year’s Resolutions? Thanks for asking! Well here we are in 2021. Many are glad to see the back of 2020, now looking forward optimistic...

What is breaking?

04 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What is breaking? Thanks for asking! In early December, the IOC officially announced it was adding breaking to the list of Olympic sports for the Par...

What is the cosmic calendar?

02 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What is the cosmic calendar? Thanks for asking! OK, so you’re looking for a new calendar on which to mark family birthdays, Covid-19 dependent holi...

What is an immunity passport?

31 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is an immunity passport? Thanks for asking! After testing and vaccination in 2020, the immunity passport is likely to be one of next year’s Co...

What is vlogmas?

30 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is vlogmas? Thanks for asking! Well, there you have it, Christmas 2020 has come and gone faster than you can say “socially distanced celebrati...

What is a black hole?

28 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is a black hole? Thanks for asking! The 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to three scientists for their breakthroughs in understanding one...

What is Western Sahara?

26 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is Western Sahara? Thanks for asking!   On December 10th, US President Donald Trump recognised Morocco’s sovereignty over the disputed Western...

What is Furoshiki?

24 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is Furoshiki? Thanks for asking! In case you haven’t noticed, it’s Christmas Eve today, which means it’s time for the annual custom of las...

What are the Christmas Blues?

23 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What are the Christmas Blues? Thanks for asking! Ho, ho, ho, Christmas time is here! For many people, the holiday season brings to mind decorations, ...

What is low tech?

21 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is low tech? Thanks for asking! In the struggle against climate change, politicians are getting behind technological innovation. But some expert...

What is gender dysphoria?

19 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is gender dysphoria? Thanks for asking!    Gender dysphoria describes the unease that people can feel when there is a mismatch between their bi...

What is The Cartel Project?

17 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is The Cartel Project? Thanks for asking!   In early December, the Forbidden Stories consortium unveiled The Cartel Project, which continues and...

What is an mRNA vaccine?

16 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is an mRNA vaccine? Thanks for asking! The first two COVID-19 vaccines to pass clinical trials have a significant point in common. They are both...

What is Fast Fashion?

14 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is Fast Fashion? Thanks for asking! Fast fashion is to fashion what fast food is to dining. That is to say a poor-quality imitation, which every...

What is microwork?

12 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is microwork? Thanks for asking! Microwork is paid work which usually involves short and repetitive tasks carried out on a smartphone or compute...

What is retrospective contact tracing?

10 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is retrospective contact tracing? Thanks for asking! Vaccine is the word on everyone’s lips right now when talking about COVID-19. While makin...

What is the Iranian nuclear program?

09 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is the Iranian nuclear program? Thanks for asking!   On November 27th, nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh was shot dead a few miles away from ...

What is cultured meat?

07 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is cultured meat? Thanks for asking! The world’s ever-growing human population is eating meat in greater quantities than ever before. Yet at t...

What is impostor syndrome?

05 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is impostor syndrome? Thanks for asking! Impostor syndrome is a psychological phenomenon which causes many high achievers to feel like frauds wh...

What are minks?

03 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What are minks? Thanks for asking! After the pangolin, another kind of animal is getting increased attention due to Covid-19. That’s right, we’re...

What is a mixtape?

02 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is a mixtape? Thanks for asking! Not as long as a studio album, but longer than an EP, a mixtape is a collection of music from one or more artis...

What is the circular economy?

30 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is the circular economy? Thanks for asking! The circular economy is an economic system where all resources are continually used and nothing is w...

What is a unicorn?

28 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is a unicorn? Thanks for asking! A unicorn is a privately-owned start up company valued at over $1bn when launched on the stock market. That’s...

What is Tourette’s Syndrome?

26 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is Tourette’s Syndrome? Thanks for asking! Tourette’s syndrome is a neurodevelopmental disorder which usually begins in childhood. It’s es...

What is Cluster 5?

25 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is Cluster 5? Thanks for asking!   At the start of November, the World Health Organisation announced that six countries had reported COVID-19 ca...

What are microplastics?

23 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What are microplastics? Thanks for asking! There are tiny fragments of plastic pretty much everywhere in the ocean, in the ground and inside animals,...

What is cultural appropriation?

21 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is cultural appropriation? Thanks for asking!  Think of Katy Perry in her video for This Is How We Do, Madonna in a traditional Berber outfit a...

What is Big Pharma?

19 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is Big Pharma? Thanks for asking! At a time when the whole world is waiting for an effective COVID-19 vaccine, do citizens really trust the comp...

Who are the Grey Wolves?

18 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Who are the Grey Wolves? Thanks for asking! The Grey Wolves are a Turkish ultranationalist organisation which has come under the spotlight in several...

What is food play?

16 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is food play? Thanks for asking! In a sexual context, food play is a form of fetichism, where participants are aroused by the use of food in an ...

What is Baby Shark?

14 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is Baby Shark? Thanks for asking! On November 2nd, Baby Shark made internet history by becoming the most-viewed YouTube video of all time, with ...

What is carbon neutrality?

12 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is carbon neutrality? Thanks for asking! All over the world, states are committing to reaching carbon neutrality in coming decades. That means a...

What is Islamism?

11 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is Islamism? Thanks for asking!   A spate of terrorist attacks have been carried out across Europe in recent weeks, most notably in France and A...

What is a non-essential shop?

09 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is a non-essential shop? Thanks for asking! Many countries in Europe and other parts of the world are experiencing a second wave of the covid-19...

What are Incels?

07 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What are Incels? Thanks for asking! Incel is a portmanteau word which is short for “involuntary celibate”. These people are single despite themse...

What is blasphemy?

05 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is blasphemy? Thanks for asking! An act of blasphemy is an insult or offence committed towards a deity. Blasphemy is often a sensitive subject, ...

What is mental health?

04 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is mental health? Thanks for asking! New lockdown measures are due to come into effect across England this week, following Boris Johnson’s ann...

What is antimicrobial resistance?

02 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is antimicrobial resistance? Thanks for asking! Antimicrobial resistance, or AMR for short, refers to how bacteria are able to become resistant ...

What is K-Pop?

31 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is K-Pop? Thanks for asking! On October 15th, Big Hit Entertainment debuted on the Korean stock exchange. If you’re not familiar with the comp...

What is the Electoral College?

29 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is the Electoral College? Thanks for asking! In the United States, the President isn’t actually directly elected by citizens. That responsibil...

What is synthetic DNA?

28 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is synthetic DNA? Thanks for asking! Humanity is faced with the complex issue of how to store and archive all the digital data it produces. Some...

What is tax evasion?

26 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is tax evasion? Thanks for asking!  Tax evasion refers to individuals, corporations, or trusts using illegal means to avoid paying tax. This co...

What is a think tank?

24 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is a think tank? Thanks for asking! A think tank is a private group of experts who conduct research and develop proposals for governments. There...

What is QAnon?

22 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is QAnon? Thanks for asking! The right-wing QAnon conspiracy theory alleges that the United States is run by a cabal of paedophiles who control ...

What is the anti-vaxxer movement?

21 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is the anti-vaxxer movement? Thanks for asking! On October 1st the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention and National Foundation for Infe...

‌What is linguistic discrimination?

19 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

‌What is linguistic discrimination? Thanks for asking! Also known as glottophobia, linguistic discrimination is a form of prejudice based on a pers...

What is malnutrition?

17 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is malnutrition? Thanks for asking! World Food Day is celebrated every year on October 16th, commemorating the date on which the UN’s Food and...

What is LSD microdosing?

15 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is LSD microdosing? Thanks for asking! What if it turned out LSD was more than just a hippy drug for those looking to go on a psychedelic trip? ...

What is a flight to nowhere?

14 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is a flight to nowhere? Thanks for asking! With the Covid-19 pandemic putting a halt to long-haul travel, sightseers have found a new way to get...

What is consent?

12 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is consent? Thanks for asking! Public discussion around the issue of consent has been greatly increased in recent years, thanks to the MeToo mov...

What is the US Supreme Court?

10 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is the US Supreme Court? Thanks for asking! Following the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg in September 2020, Donald Trump made clear his desire to ...

What is gaslighting?

08 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is gaslighting? Thanks for asking! The term gaslighting refers to psychological abuse where victims are presented with false information by one ...

What is the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict?

07 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict? Thanks for asking! Just over a week ago, clashes re-erupted in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region between Az...

What is Peyronie’s disease?

05 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is Peyronie’s disease? Thanks for asking! Peyronie’s Disease is a disorder caused when fibrous scar tissue develops inside the penis. It can...

What is a hysterectomy?

03 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is a hysterectomy? Thanks for asking! A hysterectomy is a medical procedure whereby the uterus is partially or totally removed from a woman’s ...

What is an antigen test?

01 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is an antigen test? Thanks for asking! Antigen tests are a rapid way of diagnosing a person with a medical condition. Common examples include te...

What is a Smart City?

30 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is a Smart City? Thanks for asking! Nobody knows if the cities of the future will be full of robots and flying cars, but lots of engineers are w...

Who are the Uyghurs?

28 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Who are the Uyghurs? Thanks for asking! The Uyghurs are a Turkish-speaking Muslim ethnic group. Some 11 million live in the Xinjiang autonomous regio...

What is Peter Pan Syndrome?

26 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is Peter Pan Syndrome? Thanks for asking! Peter Pan was the original Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up, a character from J.M. Barrie’s 1911 children’...

What is green hydrogen?

24 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is green hydrogen? Thanks for asking! Green hydrogen is an alternative to fossil fuels which is made by using renewable energy technologies.  ...

What is environmental amnesia?

23 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is environmental amnesia? Thanks for asking! Why are we so slow to become aware of climate change and act against it? The explanation may lie in...

What is Amazon deforestation?

21 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is Amazon deforestation? Thanks for asking! Situated in South America, the Amazon tropical rainforest is home to somewhere between 50 and 70% of...

What is transhumanism?

19 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is transhumanism? Thanks for asking! Transhumanism is all about improving the human condition by enhancing our intellect and physiology.  From...

What is OPEC?

17 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is OPEC? Thanks for asking! The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries is an international cartel currently made up of thirteen membe...

What is Novichok?

16 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is Novichok? Thanks for asking! Novichok is a family of chemical agents which disrupts communication between nerves and muscles. Its name means ...

What is negationism?

14 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is negationism? Thanks for asking! Historical negationism refers to the practice of manipulating historical records to deny that certain events ...

What is the Great Barrier Reef?

12 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is the Great Barrier Reef? Thanks for asking! The Great Barrier Reef is planet Earth’s largest living structure. It has remarkably rich biodi...

What is cancel culture?

10 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is cancel culture? Thanks for asking! Cancel culture is the popular practice of withdrawing support for an individual or company, to such an ex...

What is the Louise Michel?

09 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is the Louise Michel? Thanks for asking! The news was broken as an exclusive by the Guardian less than two weeks ago, drawing attention to a cr...

What is collapsology?

07 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is collapsology? Thanks for asking! Collapsology is the transdisciplinary study of how our industrial civilisation could collapse, and indeed wh...

What is flexitarianism?

05 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is flexitarianism? Thanks for asking! Flexitarianism is a portmanteau word combining flexible and vegetarianism. It’s a mostly vegetarian way ...