Do you really know?

What is gender dysphoria? Thanks for asking! Gender dysphoria describes the unease that people can feel when there is a mismatch between their biological sex and gender identity. So for example a person with male genitals and facial hair might not identify as a man. This unease can cause depression and anxiety in some cases, and have a real impact on a person’s daily life. How is this label different from more commonly used terms like transidentity? The term transsexualism, which appeared in the 1950s, was used for almost everything until recently. In medical jargon, it has gradually been replaced. In 1980, the American Psychiatric Association included it in its list of mental illnesses, as a psychosexual disorder. In 2013, it clarified that gender dysphoria itself wasn’t a mental disorder, but that its main characteristic was the resulting discomfort. It’s important to recognise that not all transgender people experience gender dysphoria, as they may feel perfectly at ease with their bodies. In recent years, there’s been a shift in terminology, with gender dysphoria increasingly being used instead of other long-standing terms like “identity disorder” or “transidentity”. And yet, the term itself isn’t new! The notion emerged in 1973, around the time when gender studies were developing. It was coined in the United States by psychiatrist Norman Fisk and plastic surgeon Donald Laub. What can people with gender dysphoria suffer from? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is The Cartel Project? What is an mRNA vaccine? What is Fast Fashion? A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is The Cartel Project? Thanks for asking! In early December, the Forbidden Stories consortium unveiled The Cartel Project, which continues and publishes the work of other journalists who are victims of threats, prison sentences or murder. It takes its name from the work of Mexican journalist Regina Martinez, who was killed in 2012 while investigating links between drug cartels and politicians. Martinez was working for a weekly investigative news magazine called Proceso when she was found dead in her home. For several months now, 60 journalists from 18 countries have been continuing her work as part of the project, and looking into the suspicious circumstances of her death. They come from 25 different media outlets, including the Washington Post, the Guardian, El Pais, La Prensa and Le Monde. That’s impressive! How have all these media outlets managed to work together? Everything has been coordinated by Forbidden Stories. It’s a global network of investigative journalists which was created in 2017. Forbidden Stories was also behind the Daphne project, named after Daphne Caruana Galizia, a journalist who was murdered in Malta that year. But let’s get back to The Cartel Project. 199 journalists have been killed in Mexico since the turn of the century, with eight victims this year. These figures make it the world’s most dangerous country for reporters. A large proportion of these crimes are committed in the Veracruz region, where drug cartels have a strong influence. Working on links between politicians and drug cartels in Mexico is certainly a dangerous business. Founder Laurent Richard has gone on record as saying the Cartel Project is the most dangerous investigation that Forbidden Stories has ever opened. After 10 months of work, a lot of information has come out, in particular evidence that Mexican drug cartels continue to prosper with impunity for crimes against journalists. It has emerged that 99% of such crimes against Mexican journalists are never solved. If it’s so dangerous, why is the project looking into Mexico in particular? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is Fast Fashion? What is microwork? What is retrospective contact tracing? A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 mRNA vaccines, and in fact, it will be the very first time vaccines of this kind have been made available to the public. Patients in the UK already started being vaccinated a week ago, but some observers are concerned by the unknown characteristics of this technology. RNA is an abbreviation of ribonucleic acid. Inside our bodies, this substance transports the information contained in DNA, and produces proteins. Scientists have been aware of RNA for decades, but are still far from unravelling all its mysteries. Many studies have sought to find medical uses, like treating cancers or genetic disorders for example. There had already been some unsuccessful mRNA vaccine tests in the past. But the Covid-19 pandemic really caused research in this area to accelerate. What’s the difference between a traditional vaccine and an mRNA vaccine? Conventional vaccine procedures see patients injected with either a weakened or destroyed virus. As a result, the organism learns to recognise it and produce its own defences. The difference with an mRNA vaccine is that the person receives genetic material that encodes the viral protein. After this is injected, the person’s own cells are able to produce antigens and generate an immune response. On average, conventional viruses take between 10 and 15 years to develop. On the other hand, mRNA vaccines can be produced far more quickly, and at less cost, as they are constructed using only the pathogen’s genetic code. Given the gravity of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was essential to come up with a new vaccine to deploy on a large scale as soon as possible. That all sounds great, but aren’t we at risk of becoming genetically modified humans? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is Fast Fashion? What is microwork? What is retrospective contact tracing? A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 everybody criticises but still nevertheless consumes! Adopted by many clothing brands, this strategy consists of regularly bringing out new collections and offering low-price items. Customers are therefore encouraged to buy new clothes almost constantly. These practices haven’t just come about by magic. They meet an increasing level of demand caused by expanding middle classes across the world, especially in developing countries. These consumers want more clothes and in particular cheaper clothes. The MacArthur Foundation estimates that by 2050, clothes sales will have at least tripled worldwide. The fashion industry has no reason to sell less, as explained by Ryan Gellert, managing director for brand Patagonia The apparel industry has become one of the most polluting in the world. As an industry we're creating product that people don't need by stimulating demand, and creating this sense that if you don't buy it now it's not gonna be available. There's this race to the bottom on price and quality that is an unsustainable model. This all seems rather bleak, so what can we do? Stop wearing clothes and turn to naturism? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is retrospective contact tracing? What is the Iranian nuclear program? What is cultured meat? A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is microwork? Thanks for asking! Microwork is paid work which usually involves short and repetitive tasks carried out on a smartphone or computer. It could be identifying objects shown in an image, watching videos, labelling data, translating short sentences or recording one’s voice for example. Charging electric scooters or taking photos of products for an app could also be considered microwork. That sounds simple enough; what is life like as a microworker then? Generally speaking, each task is paid at a rate of a few cents so microwork is rather unstable. On the other hand, this kind of work is available to all as it doesn’t require specific qualifications. Another benefit is flexibility, with microworkers able to work when and where they want, as long as tasks aren’t time-sensitive. It’s as simple as registering on a platform which acts as the middle man between workers and companies. Amazon Mechanical Turk is an example of one such platform. Many companies use microwork to develop technology like artificial intelligence. To educate machines, we have to talk to them. For example, Alexa and Siri learn to understand our voices thanks to microworkers who record themselves saying all kinds of phrases, each with their own accent and sound environment of course. And driverless cars are able to recognise trees and pedestrians thanks to humans identifying them on millions of photos. This form of work is relatively recent, having emerged in the United States in the 2000s. Back in 2011, it was estimated that microwork contributed $375M to the world economy. However, 22% of microworkers live under the poverty line. And there are other drawbacks too, in addition to the lack of economic security. Some may be demotivated by the apparent lack of meaning in their tasks. Often, microworkers don’t know the name of the company they’re working for, or anything about the project to which they’re contributing. So are we saying robots aren’t yet ready to replace humans in the workplace? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is retrospective contact tracing? What is the Iranian nuclear program? What is cultured meat? A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is retrospective contact tracing? Thanks for asking! Vaccine is the word on everyone’s lips right now when talking about COVID-19. While making a vaccine available is of course important, it’s not the only option for countries continuing the long struggle against the virus. Another tactic, used successfully in Asia, but so far to a far smaller extent in Europe, is retrospective contact tracing. That aims to identify the source of infection of each case. looped mind Many European countries came out of lockdown in the early summer, with public authorities highlighting the importance of testing, tracing and isolating. That approach had limited success and since the continent was hit by a second wave, experts have been looking at how to improve tracing methods. Until now, the main focus has been on identifying who else a sick person may have infected, and testing those contact cases. But now, it’s being suggested that retrospective tracing may be more useful, to determine who exactly infected that sick person in the first place. If the person’s already infected, what’s the point? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is cultured meat? What is impostor syndrome? What are minks? A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is the Iranian nuclear program? Thanks for asking! On November 27th, nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh was shot dead a few miles away from Iranian capital city Tehran. Iran has accused Israel of being behind the assassination, using a remote-controlled weapon with the help of an exiled opposition group. Taking out Fakhrizadeh is seen as a direct attack on the Iranian nuclear program, which has been a subject of controversy for many years. So when did the Iranian nuclear program actually begin? It was launched in the 1950s by Shah Mohamed Reza Pahlavi, with the help of the United States. Ensuring the peaceful use of nuclear power was a critical global issue for some time, with the International Atomic Energy Agency formed in 1957 and the UN’s Non-Proliferation Treaty signed in 1968. Then in 1979, an Islamic revolution took place in Iran, with Ayatollah Khomeiny taking power. The country’s nuclear program was put on standby and things weren’t helped by a war with neighbouring Iraq in the 1980s, which saw a nuclear reactor bombarded and destroyed. Fast forward to the 2000s and Iran began to advance in the development of its Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant. Many international powers suspected the country of using the program as a cover for developing nuclear weapons. It was revealed that a uranium-enrichment site was under construction to the south of Tehran. Were the suspicions founded then? What’s gone wrong since the 2015 deal? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is cultured meat? What is impostor syndrome? What are minks? A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 the same time, we’re also increasingly conscious of the environmental impact, as well as ethical issues around animal slaughter. So imagine if you could eat meat without any animals being harmed, and with 96% less greenhouse gas emissions! Well, that is actually possible with cultured meat, which is grown via cell culture in a lab rather than from an animal. It’s also been described as “clean meat”, due to its perceived benefits, but this term has been criticised for not being neutral enough. So how is cultured meat actually made? Firstly, you take tissue cells from an animal and isolate them so they can grow in-vitro in perfect lab conditions. To do this, they need warmth and oxygen, as well as to be fed with salt, sugar and protein. The cells are effectively tricked into thinking they are still inside the animal they have come from. This enables them to grow and become food. With this alternative solution, there’s no need to raise and slaughter animals. Energy costs could be cut by up to 45%, with water consumption and greenhouse gas emissions dropping by a massive 96%. Considering that livestock farming accounts for a sixth of global emissions, that would make a huge difference. The world’s first cultured hamburger was introduced in London in 2013, by Pr Mark Post. His team from Maastricht University spent 2 years and $300,000 creating the 5-oz Frankenburger. Since then, famous names including Bill Gates and Leonardo Di Caprio have invested in cultured meat companies, which aim to bring the phenomenon to the mainstream. By next year, cultured meat could be available at the same price as traditionally farmed meat. Great, what are we waiting for then? Why aren’t we all already eating cultured meat? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What are minks? What is a mixtape? What is the circular economy? A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is impostor syndrome? Thanks for asking! Impostor syndrome is a psychological phenomenon which causes many high achievers to feel like frauds who haven’t really earned their success. Those affected think their accomplishments are simply down to luck, or other factors out of their control. Up to 70% of people are affected by impostor syndrome at some point in their life, according to the Journal of Behavioural Science. In the worst cases, it can be a crippling barrier which prevents us from achieving our potential. How did we get to know about impostor syndrome? The term was coined in 1978 by American psychologists Pauline Rose Clance and Suzanne Imes. They first looked at impostor syndrome in female college students, but further research has shown that men also experience such feelings. Clance later created a multiple choice survey, scored out of 100, which helps individuals evaluate the extent to which they have impostor phenomenon characteristics. Another impostor syndrome expert is Dr. Valerie Young, author of The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women. Young categorised impostors into five subgroups: perfectionists, superwomen or men, natural geniuses, soloists and experts. Even some of the human race’s highest achievers can experience feelings of fraudulence. Award-winning author Maya Angelou is one example, as is Albert Einstein, who described himself as an “involuntary swindler”. It’s important to underline that impostor syndrome isn’t necessarily a permanent state, rather a reaction to several factors which cause us to doubt ourselves. Where does this need to put ourselves down come from? How can we effectively deal with impostor syndrome? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What are minks? What is a mixtape? What is the circular economy? A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 talking about minks, which were recently culled in their millions in Denmark following an outbreak of the Cluster 5 coronavirus strain. The fear is that this particular strain, hosted by minks, could prove resistant to vaccines being developed. French authorities have since taken similar action, albeit in far smaller numbers. Controversies around mink farms are actually nothing new. That is the sound of the mink. If you’re having trouble picturing one, they belong to the weasel family, along with ferrets and otters. Minks are around 50cm long, have slender bodies and live in forests, alongside water. They’re semi aquatic predators and not afraid to hunt prey which are larger in size, like fish, rats or even swans. There are two species of mink: European and American. European minks are in danger of extinction and this decline is likely due in no small part to competition with their American cousins. What are American minks doing in Europe then? Humans have been breeding American minks on fur farms for decades. Mink fur is soft, silky and warm, which explains its popularity in the fashion industry. During that time, some have escaped from captivity, or been released by animal rights activists, and provided fierce competition for European minks. Does anyone actually still wear fur in this day and age? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is a mixtape? What is the circular economy? What is unicorn? A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 artists, which is usually released free of charge and with little notice. This format came from hip hop culture and is now being used more widely in pop music too, increasing creativity within the music industry. The name mixtape refers to the cassettes on which such compilations were originally recorded. The humble cassette may seem like an alien concept to anyone under the age of 20, having been created back in 1962. At the time, it was a revolutionary invention, its compact design allowing people to listen to music in the street with a walkman, or while driving a car. Even better, you could even record music onto a cassette. That’s how mixtapes emerged in the US hip-hop world: DJs would compile their tracks and the tapes would be passed around within the community. Younger generations may think of a mixtape as the equivalent of a playlist in today’s terms. But since then cassette tapes have disappeared, haven’t they? They have indeed, but mixtapes are still alive and well. The term has evolved and it’s now used most often to talk about a rapper’s first project, like a rite of passage. Or it could be a light release in between two studio albums. Often distributed free, mixtapes allow artists to create a buzz without investing the same time and money that goes into a meticulously worked album. A lot of modern-day rappers, like Kendrick Lamar, Young Thug or A$AP Rocky, have seen their career take off thanks to a mixtape. Just last weekend, Lil Wayne released the third edition of his No Ceilings mixtape series. No Ceilings 3 is hosted by DJ Khaled and features guest appearances by artists like Drake, Jay Jones and Cory Gunz. That being said, albums are still more accomplished works right? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is the circular economy? What is unicorn? What is Tourette's Syndrome? A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is the circular economy? Thanks for asking! The circular economy is an economic system where all resources are continually used and nothing is wasted. Goods and services are produced in such a way that primary resources are preserved as far as possible. European policy aims to support the transition towards a circular economy, but it requires significant change. The concept of a circular economy first appeared in the 1970s, as an alternative to the dominant linear economy model, which consists of a take-make-use-dispose approach. The increase in consumerism over the 20th century led to a tenfold increase in the extraction of natural resources, which aren’t always renewable. So in concrete terms what is the difference with today’s system? Think of the notion of a cycle, as the term circular economy suggests. Let’s take the example of an organic cotton T-shirt. Once used, rather than being thrown away and burned, it could be used to manufacture a couch. When the couch in turn becomes damaged, the cotton would then be recovered and reused to create glass wool. If years later the cotton fibres haven’t been exposed to chemicals, they could go back into nature, to grow more cotton. Are we saying the circular economy is a kind of economic utopia? Is this transition likely to lead to job losses? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What are microplastics? What is cultural appropriation? What is Big Pharma? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 right, we’re not talking about mythical animals, but economy and finance! The term was popularised in 2013 by venture capitalist Aileen Lee, with the choice of word reflecting the rarity of such success stories. Even more rare are decacorns and hectacorns, which have a value of over $10bn and $100bn respectively. Business analytics platform CB Insights reported that there were 450 unicorns in the world as of October 2020. That number has quadrupled since 2014. Some of the largest are well known, like Byte Dance, Snapchat or AirBNB for example, but most are unknown. Around a half of unicorns are American, and over a third are from Asia. Meanwhile, 16% are from Europe. According to GP Bullhound, the UK is Europe’s leading country by number of unicorns, with 30 in total and a combined value of $87bn. Five new UK companies have achieved that status since last year: Snyk, Checkout.com, Rapyd, HealthTech Babylon and MagicLab. Are you saying all I need is a good idea to turn into my very own unicorn? Well you need a strategy too and most importantly investors. Raising capital is where unicorns are particularly strong and to do that they go through external funding rounds. When a project appeals to investors, they take a chance on the future success of that startup. There’s no expectation of an immediate result, but in the long term investors will get back a return on their investment when the company is sold or launches on the stock market. Well if a company gets to be worth over $1bn, its investors must become super rich! In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is Tourette's Syndrome? What is Cluster 5? What are microplastics? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is Tourette’s Syndrome? Thanks for asking! Tourette’s syndrome is a neurodevelopmental disorder which usually begins in childhood. It’s estimated that around 1% of all school-age children and teenagers have Tourette’s, with boys several times more likely to be affected than girls. The main symptoms are involuntary sounds and movements known as tics. Some examples of physical tics are blinking, grimacing and shoulder shrugging. Meanwhile, vocal tics can be as simple as coughing or sniffing, or more complex like saying random words. More rarely, people may repeat sounds or sentences which can include obscenities. While it is often associated with the syndrome in the eyes of the public, swearing only actually affects around one in ten people with Tourette’s. The syndrome was named by French neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot, after his student Georges Gilles de la Tourette. What causes people to have Tourette’s? The causes and origins are still somewhat unknown. It’s suspected that a dysfunction in certain parts of the brain leads to abnormal activity of the neurotransmitter dopamine. Aside from being linked to reward and pleasure, dopamine is responsible for controlling body movements. Genetic factors also have a role to play; studies have shown that Tourette’s is highly heritable. Nevertheless, no single gene has been identified as the cause and it’s likely that many different ones are responsible. If the tics aren’t permanent, how do they appear? Is there any treatment for Tourette’s? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What are microplastics? What is cultural appropriation? What is Big Pharma? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is Cluster 5? Thanks for asking! At the start of November, the World Health Organisation announced that six countries had reported COVID-19 cases in mink farms. These include Denmark, which is the world’s biggest producer of mink fur, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Italy and the United States.This development led Denmark to take the radical decision of culling all 15 million minks in the country. The Prime Minister claimed a mutated strain of the virus, known as Cluster 5, had been transmitted back to humans, with 12 cases identified. So where does this particular strain come from? After spreading across the world, the coronavirus was transmitted from humans to minks. Its presence in these animals requires a mutation, which is how the Cluster 5 strain was created. And now the new strain has in turn been passed back to humans. According to the WHO, Cluster 5 has “moderately decreased sensitivity to neutralizing antibodies”, which could in theory threaten the effectiveness of a COVID-19 vaccine. Scientists believe the mutated strain of the virus was transmitted by farm workers to minks over the summer. During the mutation, it’s possible the spike protein of the virus changed, which is used to penetrate into human cells. Pharmaceutical companies seeking to develop a potential vaccine are mostly working on this particular protein. That includes the Pfizer vaccine, which the latest estimations have found to be effective in 90% of cases. There’s not yet any proof that this strain could scupper a vaccine, but the mutation identified means it’s theoretically possible. If all those millions of minks have been culled, does that mean things are now under control? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What are microplastics? What is cultural appropriation? What is Big Pharma? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What are microplastics? Thanks for asking! There are tiny fragments of plastic pretty much everywhere in the ocean, in the ground and inside animals, including humans! These are known as microplastics, and their potential impact on human health and the environment is a cause for concern. Microplastics aren’t a specific type of plastic per se. The term is used to refer to any fragments which are under 5 mm in length. Some examples are polystyrene, polypropylene, polythene and a bunch of other poly-things. They come from large plastic objects, like cosmetics or synthetic fabrics in clothing. Where are microplastics spreading the most? The obvious example is on ocean floors, where scientists have estimated there are 14 million tonnes of microplastics. Every minute, we fill the oceans with the equivalent of a garbage truck full of plastic. And then you’ve got microplastic pollution in soils. That causes damage to creatures like mites and larvae which maintain land fertility. There must be some protected locations out there, surely? What about in the mountains or at the North Pole? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is Big Pharma? Who are the Grey Wolves? What is food play? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 at the 2018 VMA awards, or Adele with her hair in Bantu knots to mark Notting Hill Carnival. That’s right, we’re talking about cultural appropriation in today’s episode. It’s a practice which has caused regular controversy in the world of pop culture. Most often, white artists are accused of using ideas, symbols or other items which come from non-Western minority cultures. The definition of cultural appropriation itself is somewhat controversial, with many saying it is often misapplied by the general public. Its meaning has evolved over time to have negative connotations. It’s problematic when someone belonging to a dominant community uses cultural elements from an oppressed people, for their own artistic or commercial benefit. In 1976, art historian Kenneth Coutts-Smith wrote one of the first essays to discuss cultural appropriation. He didn’t actually use the term itself, but brought together the ideas of class appropriation and cultural colonialism. I don’t understand the issue, what’s wrong with mixing cultures? It can be OK to mix several cultures, as long as it is a true exchange and not a one-way street. In the case of cultural appropriation, the minority culture doesn’t have the choice of accepting or refusing. In some cases, the original meaning of cultural items isn’t respected, or the elements are used in a way that reinforces stereotypes.The concept applies to more or less the entire cultural landscape. In recent years, designers and fashion creators have also come under fire for supposed cultural appropriation. High-profile shows have seen white models sporting dreadlocks or wearing African wax prints. Meanwhile at the same time in the fashion world, black models are underpaid or struggle to find work at all. So it’s not an exchange on any level. Another case would be rock and roll, a style of music which was taken from black musicians in the 1950s. The white-dominated music industry chose to promote white artists instead, with Elvis being the most famous example. So what could they do differently? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is Big Pharma? Who are the Grey Wolves? What is food play? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 companies likely to be responsible for producing it? A few multinationals dominate the global pharmaceutical market and they are collectively known as Big Pharma. Common criticisms include a lack of transparency, lobbying and high prices.The term first appeared in the United States in the 1990s. Much along the same lines as Big Food or Big Oil, it describes an industry which is dominated by a small number of players. In the pharmaceutical industry, these are Novartis, Roche, Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson and Sanofi. The 10 largest companies currently generate $500bn in turnover each year, a figure which has doubled in the last decade. So Big Pharma consists of a handful of companies who have huge power on a global level! Some observers have commented that they have even more power than states. The Big Pharma label is often used by conspiracy theorists, who believe these companies are hiding cures for cancer or forcing dangerous vaccines upon us. Most recently, it’s alleged that Big Pharma companies have deliberately blocked effective drugs from being used to treat COVID-19. All to inflate their stock price, rather than helping people with their health problems. I don’t get it - does Big Pharma actually exist, or is it a conspiracy theory? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is food play? What is Baby Shark? What is carbon neutrality? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Who are the Grey Wolves? Thanks for asking! The Grey Wolves are a Turkish ultranationalist organisation which has come under the spotlight in several European countries of late. In France, for example, the group has now been officially banned, while there have been calls for the same action to be taken in Germany. Tell me more about the history of the Grey Wolves and their ideology. The organisation was founded in the late 1960s as the militant wing of Turkey’s Nationalist Movement Party (MHP). Its aims include creating a pan-Turkish state, stretching from the Balkans to Central Asia. The Grey Wolves ideology focuses strongly on Turkish history and identity, blended with Islam. Also known as the Idealist Hearths, the group is hostile to virtually all non-Turkish peoples in the country, including Kurds, Armenians and Christians for example. It has a history of political violence against left-wing activists, journalists and intellectuals, dating back to the 1970s. On an international level, perhaps the most notorious Grey Wolf member is Mehmet Ali Agca, who attempted to assassinate Pope John Paul II in St Peter’s Square in 1981. The Pope was shot and wounded, suffering severe blood loss, but nevertheless survived. The Grey Wolves salute consists of joining together the middle finger, ring finger and thumb to look like the side of a wolf’s face, while raising the little and index fingers in the form of ears. It was banned in Austria early last year, while German politicians have also proposed making it illegal, suggesting it is reminiscent of the Nazi salute. Why are the Grey Wolves currently being targeted by European governments? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is food play? What is Baby Shark? What is carbon neutrality? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 erotic situation. Also known as sitophilia, it’s not necessarily a disorder or perversion as such. You could class it as a form of paraphilia, which is the experience of arousal relating to atypical objects or fantasies. For those who partake in food play, it’s mostly a bit of harmless fun which brings together two essential human pleasures: sex and eating! OK, tell me more about what goes on in food play. When solid foods are used, it’s most often for penetrative purposes. Their phallic shape makes them suitable for vaginal or anal insertion. Some examples include bananas, carrots, cucumbers and courgettes. Non-solid foods, such as whipped cream, honey or chocolate sauce can be spread over a partner’s body and then licked off. I’ll never look at those foods in the same way again! Why would you want to bring food into your sex life anyway? Can this practice become problematic for individuals or couples? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is carbon neutrality? What is Islamism? What is a non-essential shop? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 over 7 billion plays. This children’s song about a family of sharks is driving the whole world crazy, for good and for bad! No-one really knows where the song originally came from. It may have been sung in children’s summer camps in the 1970s, or invented following the release of Hollywood blockbuster Jaws in 1975. A German version called Kleiner Hai had some success in 2007. Whatever Baby Shark’s origins, Korean educational entertainment company Pinkfong was particularly taken by the song. It published its own version on Youtube in 2015, sung by 10-year-old Korean-American girl Hope Marie Segoine. The video features children dressed up as fish, making dance moves to represent various members of a shark family. It instantly became a hit in Asia, largely thanks to K-pop groups singing it in concert. But only in 2018 did Baby Shark really go global. The Baby Shark Challenge hashtag went viral on TikTok and the song made it onto American TV, first on the X Factor and then on The Late Late Show where it was sung by Sophie Turner and Josh Groban. In 2019, the US Marine band even played Baby Shark at a White House ceremony for World Series winning baseball team the Washington Nationals. Baby Shark has been officially translated into eleven languages, including Spanish, Japanese and German. There’s also an almost endless number of remixes online, with various styles of music. How can a simple children’s song become such a phenomenon? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is carbon neutrality? What is Islamism? What is a non-essential shop? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is carbon neutrality? Thanks for asking! All over the world, states are committing to reaching carbon neutrality in coming decades. That means achieving net zero CO2 emissions, by not emitting more than what planet Earth is able to absorb. If humanity doesn’t manage it, climate change could quickly become irreversible. We’re already feeling the effects of global warming through heatwaves, rising water levels, flooding, mudslides and loss of biodiversity. And it’s only just getting started, unless humanity manages to follow the IPCC’s recommendations to limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. That’s what 195 countries signed up for with the 2016 Paris Agreement. One of the main ways of meeting that target is through carbon neutrality. Does that mean we’ll totally stop emitting CO2? No, it simply means we’ll limit our greenhouse gas emissions to a level that nature is capable of absorbing. Certain reservoirs, known as carbon sinks, are able to absorb more carbon than they release. These include oceans and forests for example. How close are we to reaching that balance right now? That’s a lot of work to do, in not a lot of time! How on earth are we going to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050? Isn’t there a way of removing greenhouse gases from the atmosphere? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is a non-essential shop? What are incels? What is blasphemy? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Austria. Political leaders have attributed the violence to Islamists, calling for a united front in battling this form of radicalism. Nevertheless, use of the term “Islamism” is somewhat controversial. So what’s the difference between Islam and Islamism? It’s important to make the distinction between the religion Islam itself, which is practised by all Muslims, and the separate political concept of Islamism. Islamism is related to forms of activism which advocate that society should be guided by Islamic principles. So that includes social and political life, in addition to individuals” personal lives. In some cases, movements call for Sharia Law to be fully implemented in an Islamic state, where non-Muslim influences would be removed. Sharia is derived from the Quran and fatwas issued by Islamic scholars. Most Islamists believe in peaceful mobilisation to pursue political change. But some justify the use of extreme violence, such as terrorist attacks. Well-known extremist groups include Boko Haram, Al Qaeda, the Islamic State and the Taliban. For example, Al Qaeda recently released a statement saying it is the right of every Muslim to kill a person who insults the Prophet Mohammed. What’s so controversial about the term Islamism then? Are there other better alternatives to talking about Islamism? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is a non-essential shop? What are incels? What is blasphemy? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 pandemic. A new lockdown began in England last Thursday, due to last until at least December 2nd. The rules are seen as stricter than earlier in the year, coming at a time when trust in the government is low. Certain businesses have already been designated as non-essential and forced to close during the four-week period. So how do we know which shops and products are essential or not? Well this can vary between countries as the rules are different. Prior to the covid-19 pandemic, there was no real precedent for governments to refer to. According to a dictionary definition, “essential” refers to something which is “necessary, indispensable or unavoidable”. In theory, the decision is taken primarily based on what is genuinely needed to survive. So you’re talking food and healthcare products for example. But other businesses are also allowed to remain open, like petrol stations, banks and hardware stores. By that logic, you could make an argument for all consumer products being essential! In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is blasphemy? What is mental health? What is antimicrobial resistance? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What are Incels? Thanks for asking! Incel is a portmanteau word which is short for “involuntary celibate”. These people are single despite themselves, and have abandoned any hope of one day finding love or even sex. The incel community is overwhelmingly made up of young men, who are particularly active online, expressing their hatred towards women. Members of this subculture are obsessed by the fact that women apparently refuse to have sex with them. Ironically, the term itself was actually invented by a woman. How can that be the case? Back in 1997, a female Canadian student built a website known as Alana’s Involuntary Celibacy Project. She intended to create a community for sex-deprived people of all genders, to discuss their lack of sexual activity, whether it be due to social awkwardness, being marginalised, or any other reason. Since then, tens of thousands have joined incel forums online and community groups. But in most cases, they are straight men between 18 and 35 years old. Their common idea is that women are responsible for their long-term single status. Many incels openly display their resentment towards women in online posts, labelling them as “pathological liars” for example, or using misogynistic insults like “slut” and “whore”. Incels have their own jargon, calling supposedly more attractive men and women “Chads” and “Staceys”. These people are able to choose their sexual or romantic partners, whereas incels can’t. That’s violent language! Has Incel anger ever manifested itself in physical attacks? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is mental health? What is antimicrobial resistance? What is K-Pop? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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, and one which can lead to tragic consequences. So should insulting God or a religion be a crime or recognised as a basic right? The Abrahamic religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam have long condemned blasphemy. In the Middle Ages, the notion was written into law in certain places. It was feared that insults to god would anger him into causing natural disasters and contagious diseases. Is blasphemy still illegal in this day and age? It is indeed in some places, such as Italy where blasphemy is clearly outlawed. gavel Meanwhile in Germany, Poland and Greece among other countries, there are laws against religious defamation which could apply to blasphemy. In Saudi Arabia or Iran, blasphemy is punishable by the death penalty. Other countries have actually gone the other way and scrapped previously existing blasphemy laws, like Denmark in 2017. That was the case in France too as far back as 1881, when a law on freedom of the press was introduced. Sometimes, the legal distinction can be subtle. While it may not be illegal to make general criticism of a religion, it is usually a criminal offence to insult somebody based on their faith. There has long been a tradition of drawing religious figures in satirical cartoons or works of art. Think about the Piss Christ painting created by Andres Serrano back in 1987, or more recently the French magazine Charlie Hebdo, which has frequently published cartoons depicting the Muslim prophet Mohammed. Such works make national or even international headlines, generating significant public debate. Amid the controversy, there is often a violent backlash from religious extremists. If national laws are clear on the subject, why is there still so much debate around blasphemy? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is mental health? What is antimicrobial resistance? What is K-Pop? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is mental health? Thanks for asking! New lockdown measures are due to come into effect across England this week, following Boris Johnson’s announcement on Saturday. Pubs, restaurants, leisure facilities, most shops and places of worship will be forced to close, with remote work encouraged where possible. These new restrictions are sure to have an impact on the population’s mental health. The World Health Organisation defines mental health as “a state of well-being in which an individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.” One in four people experiences some kind of mental health issue during their lifetime. What are some signs of mental health disorders? Well, there are over 500 different kinds, so the answer is it really depends. It could be something like difficulty in controlling emotions or getting a good night’s sleep. Then you have more serious disorders like bipolar or schizophrenia. The most common mental health issue among Europeans is anxiety, followed by depression. A study found that the continent’s most affected countries were Finland, the Netherlands, Ireland and France. Meanwhile at the lower end of the scale were Romania, Bulgaria and Poland. These disorders don’t just happen overnight do they? To what extent is mental health recognised by states? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is antimicrobial resistance? What is K-Pop? What is the Electoral College? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is antimicrobial resistance? Thanks for asking! Antimicrobial resistance, or AMR for short, refers to how bacteria are able to become resistant to antibiotics. This phenomenon has been increasingly common since the turn of the century and is of great concern to public health authorities. AMR could become one of the highest causes of mortality across the world. Back in 1928, Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin, the first ever antibiotic. It was revolutionary in the world of medicine and antibiotics ended up increasing human life expectancy by 10 years! But the widespread uptake of such treatments has led to the development of AMR. To put it simply, antibiotics are becoming less and less effective. So are we saying that doctors prescribed antibiotics too often, leading to this problem? That’s partly true, and sometimes for conditions or illnesses which didn’t really require antibiotic treatment. But that’s not the only issue. Antibiotics are also used on animals, in livestock farming. Research published in Science magazine last year showed that resistance rates had doubled at some farms since the start of the century. When resistance develops in animals, it can be transmitted to human beings, especially through food. After being exposed to antibiotics, bacteria can evolve and develop defence mechanisms, eventually being able to resist the impact of medicine. Even worse, when this resistance develops in one species of bacteria, it can be transferred to others too. In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is the Electoral College? What is synthetic DNA? What is tax evasion? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 company itself, you’re more likely to have heard of BTS, one of the bands they created. In barely 24 hours, the success of the IPO had exceeded all expectations. A single day of trading was enough to bring the value of Big Hit Entertainment up from $4.5bn to nearly $7.4bn. Also known as the Bangtan Boys, BTS are the most famous boy band from South Korea, and a global music phenomenon. Particularly popular among teenagers, the group’s last single “Dynamite” reached 350 million views on Youtube in under a month. So what’s the magic K-pop formula? There are two essential ingredients really. Firstly a flashy look, usually accompanied by an equally extravagant hairstyle. And the second key part is of course the Korean language. K-pop band members are generally young and quirky. Throw in a strong marketing push and you’re ready to turn these young people into stars. K-pop bands really are popular icons for the youth of South Korea. The songs themselves talk about various themes like friendship, love, life and death, right and wrong, and of course sex! It sounds like a neatly packaged commercial product! In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is the Electoral College? What is synthetic DNA? What is tax evasion? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is the Electoral College? Thanks for asking! In the United States, the President isn’t actually directly elected by citizens. That responsibility goes instead to the electoral college. The system means it’s actually possible for the candidate elected president to have less votes overall than their defeated opponent. Since the year 1880, Election Day has taken place on the Tuesday following the first Monday in November. Next week, Americans will go to the ballot and cast their votes in the 2020 election. As you may well recall, four years ago Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump went head-to-head. What if I told you that Clinton actually won that election? I’d say you were living in an alternative universe! Well, Hillary Clinton received 48% of all votes, while Donald Trump got 46%. There was an overall difference of 3 million votes between the two candidates. Don’t get carried away, Donald Trump didn’t cheat. He did win the electoral vote. But Clinton won the popular vote. It was only the fourth time that had happened in the history of the US election. How is that even possible?! In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is synthetic DNA? What is tax evasion? What is a think tank? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Sometimes the solutions to our problems are right before our eyes. Or even in every cell in our body! Soon enough, we may end up using synthetic DNA to store our data. In the last few years, scientists have made significant progress in sequencing and synthesising DNA. We are now able to create DNA quickly, without needing to use chemistry. And this progress is leading to great hope. But what’s the point of producing DNA? Synthetic DNA can be used to create new medicines, produce better quality food and cruelty-free meat or leather for example. Researchers are trying to use this technology to meet a wide range of modern-day challenges. But we hear most about the promise of synthetic DNA in relation to the digital world. With the ever-expanding internet and increasing number of connected devices, there’s an endless amount of data that needs to be stored somewhere. For the moment, we rely on enormous data centres, which have to be permanently cooled, consuming billions of litres of water to do so. They’re expensive to maintain, they take up a lot of physical space and they’re really not good for the environment. So are we going to replace massive hard drives with tubes of DNA? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is tax evasion? What is a think tank? What is QAnon? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is tax evasion? Thanks for asking! Tax evasion refers to individuals, corporations, or trusts using illegal means to avoid paying tax. This could be by exploiting loopholes in the state tax system, or transferring property or business activities activity to another country with a more favourable tax regime. Meanwhile, tax avoidance, also known as tax optimisation, consists of using legitimate methods to minimise the amounts paid. Some companies and rich households do this by transferring their profits or revenues to a tax haven. Hold on a minute - what’s a tax haven? The OECD has been officially concerned with the matter since the 1990s. In 1998, it published an international report defining what a tax haven actually is.There are three criteria for a country to be considered as such. Firstly, a very low tax rate for companies and individuals compared to levels applied in other countries. Secondly, a lack of transparency in tax calculation. And finally, a lack of cooperation with other countries, with regards to the identities of tax declarants and the sums they declare. These fiscal laws often provide for banking secrecy, which guarantees the confidentiality of banking data, and a legal privilege which allows company owners to remain anonymous. But why do these countries choose to have such a low tax rate? How can countries fight tax evasion then? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is QAnon? What is the anti-vaxxer movement? What is linguistic discrimination? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 are many powerful think tanks all over the world, and some are criticized for a lack of transparency. Perhaps the world’s oldest think tank is the Fabian Society, which was founded in London in 1884 and is still active to this day. It wasn’t until the 1970s that think tanks started proliferating. It’s estimated that there are currently over 6,000 across the world. The idea behind think tanks is that they connect researchers and politicians. Experts propose new ideas in various fields, such as economics, the environment, IT or geopolitics. Some think tanks involve confidential meetings with decision-makers, where they discuss their ideas. Others address the general public and share their expertise by means of the media. So in a nutshell, think tanks are groups of researchers who want to make the world a better place! That’s one way to put it, but they are powerful researchers, mainly from Anglo-Saxon countries. Since their rise in the 1970s, think tanks have contributed to strengthening liberal economic policies of the United States and Great Britain. The group called the Project For The New American Century also influenced George W. Bush's decision to wage war in Iraq. In the US, some think tanks have become “incubators” for the elite ready to be employed by the government. But what's the difference between a think tank and a lobby? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is QAnon? What is the anti-vaxxer movement? What is linguistic discrimination? "Ambience, London Street, A.wav" by InspectorJ (www.jshaw.co.uk) of Freesound.org See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 the media and politics. The only person who can stop this cabal? President Donald J Trump of course. Critics have talked about QAnon beliefs as internet misinformation, while others have described it as a disturbing movement or even a terrorist threat. As a phenomenon, QAnon is quite recent. It first sprung up on the 4Chan online forum in 2017. A certain Mister Q presented himself as an informer who shares secret data of American intelligence agencies. His alias refers to the Q qualification required to access classified information. Since QAnon is anonymous, nobody knows who is hiding behind the 5000 messages published over the last three years. There are now thousands of QAnon groups on social media, amassing millions of followers. And what are the main beliefs of QAnon followers? Buckle up and hold on tight. A secret group of paedophile elites is set on world domination, at the same time organizing a child trafficking ring. Powerful figures like Hillary Clinton and Nancy Pelosi have sacrificed and eaten newborns, all the while filming the Satanist ritual. Presumably with the aim of obtaining the elixir of life. Luckily, Donald Trump was made head of the United States to become the saviour and clean up this mess. Over time, the movement has expanded to connect other conspiracy theories around historical events like 9/11 or the assassination of JFK, as well as anti-vaccine, anti-5G and anti-immigrant ideas. QAnon’s followers identify themselves as digital soldiers, waiting for the big storm which is supposed to put things back in order. But technically, it’s just a conspiracy theory much like any other? Does Trump disavow the theory? This all seems very American, we should be safe enough over here in Europe, shouldn’t we? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is the anti-vaxxer movement? What is linguistic discrimination? What is malnutrition? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is the anti-vaxxer movement? Thanks for asking! On October 1st the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention and National Foundation for Infectious Diseases launched the 2020-2021 flu vaccine campaign. According to estimates, nearly 200 million doses of vaccine will be available this season. What makes this year’s campaign special is that it’s conducted in the context of the global Covid-19 pandemic. A quick reminder: a vaccine is administered to immunise a person against a potentially serious infectious disease. In the past few weeks, calls for vaccination have become more and more persistent. Experts are concerned about the possible conjunction of influenza and Covid-19. Because yes, it is possible to get infected with both the flu and Covid-19. There are fears of a “twindemic” when flu season starts in the Northern Hemisphere. It’s seen as particularly important for certain groups of people to undergo vaccination. These include people over the age of 65, those who suffer from chronic diseases or obesity, and healthcare professionals. But some people are hesitant to get vaccinated themselves, or have their children vaccinated. Ah yes, the famous anti-vaxxers ! Anti-vax is short for anti-vaccination. Just last year, the World Health Organisation listed it among the top ten global health threats. These people are either skeptical about vaccines or completely opposed to them. It’s not just because they don't like needles; the reasons they cite are much more complex. According to a Pew Research Center survey from September 2020, only 51% of Americans said they would definitely or probably get a COVID-19 vaccine if it was available today. That’s way down from 72% back in May. On a more global level, other research conducted across 27 countries showed that 74% would be willing to get vaccinated. China ranked highest on that list with a figure of 97%, followed by Brazil and Australia. So are Americans the only ones who are skeptical about vaccination? But why are some people so vehement in their opposition to vaccines? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is linguistic discrimination? What is malnutrition? What is LSD microdosing? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

‌What is linguistic discrimination? Thanks for asking! Also known as glottophobia, linguistic discrimination is a form of prejudice based on a person’s way of speaking. For example, it could consist of mocking someone for their mother tongue, accent, or the range of vocabulary they use. Victims of linguistic discrimination are judged and treated differently as soon as they open their mouths. Studies into linguistic discrimination date back to the 1980s. Researchers noted the difficulties that non-native-English speakers encountered at work in the United States. Linguistic discrimination is also seen as one of the main factors in turning down a candidate for a job. Sometimes, this form of discrimination is even more brutal. In some cases in China, ethnic minorities are forced to abandon their languages. Similar policies were carried out by colonialists in past centuries, like the British Empire in Ireland, Wales and Scotland. But why would anyone reject people based on their accent? An accent or dialect are an important part of a person’s identity. He sounds foreign, she sounds like she’s from the countryside, he doesn’t sound well-educated etc. Traditionally, accents heard on the TV and radio have been held in higher esteem. In the UK, 28% of people feel they have suffered discrimination due to having a regional accent. Across the Channel in France, linguistic discrimination is worst for those from the north of the country, but those with strong southern accents aren’t spared. Back in 2018, politician Jean-Luc Melenchon openly mocked a journalist from Toulouse for her southwestern accent in front of TV cameras. MP Laetitia Avia then proposed a new law recognising glottophobia as a form of discrimination, but the idea ended up being abandoned. So if you have a strong accent, should you see a speech therapist to mask it? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is consent? What is the US Supreme Court? What is gaslighting? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Agriculture Organization was created in 1945. Let’s take the opportunity to talk about malnutrition. It’s the consequence of a diet which doesn’t provide a healthy amount of certain nutrients. According to the World Health Organisation, this is due to excesses, deficiencies or imbalance in a person’s energy intake. So as you may have guessed, malnutrition covers both undereating and overeating. Undernutrition leads to excessive weight loss and stunted growth. Meanwhile, eating too much can lead to people becoming overweight, obese and developing non-communicable diseases, like cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and certain cancers. Malnutrition can be a direct cause of death, and it also weakens the immune system, making people more vulnerable to other illnesses. That’s why it needs to be treated quickly and efficiently. When you combine the various forms of malnutrition, it is the number one cause of poor health and death in humans. How many people are affected? A Global Nutrition report from this year found that one in nine people suffer from hunger and one in three are overweight or obese. Malnutrition is already a problem in every country in the world and the UN estimates it will affect a further 2 billion people by 2050. It leads to more than 9 million deaths per year. Women and young children are the worst affected. Women are victims of inequality in certain countries, and don’t always have access to the food or resources they need to have a healthy diet. Children have more fragile immune systems and are therefore more vulnerable. So social inequality and poverty are among the causes of malnutrition. What are the others then? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is LSD microdosing? What is a flight to nowhere? What is consent? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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? Researchers are convinced that microdosing, that is to say taking tiny quantities of LSD, could have a positive effect on productivity, pain and even depression. Let’s go back to 1930s Switzerland. Chemist Albert Hofmann is tearing his hair out, tasked with finding a new treatment to regulate blood pressure. LSD, or lysergic acid diethylamide, to give it its full name, was his 25th attempt, which is why it is known as LSD-25. It didn’t yield results immediately, but five years later Hofmann renewed his interest in the substance. He became the first person to ingest LSD, taking 250mg and experiencing an acid trip. So before hippies adopted LSD in the 60s, it was born in a lab. Many doctors, especially psychiatrists, sought to find therapeutic uses for it. But the war on drugs of the 1970s, and its prohibition policies, put a stop to that. Half a century later, Silicon Valley is bringing the substance back to centre stage. Yoohoo, psychedelic algorithms coming up! Well that’s not really the idea. Tech workers who talk up the benefits of microdosing only ingest a tenth or even less of a standard LSD dose, in order to improve their brain performance and overcome stress or tiredness. There’s no psychedelic trip, and it works with magic mushrooms too. So once the drug of choice for hippies, LSD is now in the hands of capitalists! Is there any scientific basis behind all this? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is consent? What is the US Supreme Court? What is gaslighting? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 their flying fix. Airlines are organising “flights to nowhere”, which take off from an airport, fly around for several hours taking in scenic views, and then land back at their original point of departure. Great, I’ve been waiting months to take a flight. Where do I sign up? For the moment, the phenomenon has been more or less limited to Asia and Australia. Back on August 8th, Taiwanese airline EVA operated a special flight to nowhere with 309 passengers aboard. To honour the event, which took place on Father’s Day in Taiwan, they used one of their Hello Kitty decorated A330 aircraft. In Japan, All Nippon Airways treated customers to a Hawaiian experience on board its “giant sea turtle” A380 which usually flies to Honolulu. Passengers were served with pineapple juice and cocktails, while ground staff wore Hawaiian shirts. Meanwhile, Qantas made headlines a few weeks ago after apparently selling out a flight to nowhere in just 10 minutes. Tickets for the seven-hour flight from Sydney Domestic Airport went for $787 Australian dollars in economy class, $1787 in premium economy and $3787 in business class. Wow, it seems like flights to nowhere are the latest travel trend! But how about the environmental impact? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is consent? What is the US Supreme Court? What is gaslighting? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is consent? Thanks for asking! Public discussion around the issue of consent has been greatly increased in recent years, thanks to the MeToo movement, and the resulting Harvey Weinstein trial. So when can we consider that a woman or a man has actually consented to having sex? It’s often blurry isn’t it? When there are lots of signs that make you think you have consent, how are you supposed to know if you actually don’t? Whenever that question comes up, I like to share this little analogy. Imagine you offer someone a cup of tea and they first of all say “Yes please”. However, when the tea is then ready, they may decide they don’t actually want it. OK, it’s a little annoying because you went to the effort of preparing the tea, but that’s not a good reason to force them to drink it. They may have thought they wanted it, but they don’t want it anymore. People can change their minds from one moment to the next, even in the short time it takes for a kettle to boil. And importantly, they are perfectly within their rights to do so. Sex isn’t really worth having if you’re not in the mood for it or don’t take pleasure. Even if a person is a drunk, or they’ve said yes and then changed their mind, or it’s with their regular partner, nothing justifies forcing someone into a sexual act without consent. And if a person withdraws their consent at any point during sexual activity, you must stop immediately. So make sure to get consent verbally and by checking your partner’s body language, so you are sure they are participating freely and willingly. So when do we consider that a rape has been committed? Are there situations in which people are not able to consent? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is gaslighting? What is the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict? What is Peyronie's disease? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 quickly appoint a new justice to the US Supreme Court. To understand the importance of this nomination, it’s important to consider the major political influence of the Supreme Court justices. The Supreme Court was created in 1789, thirteen years after the United States Declaration of Independence. It’s made up of nine justices, each of whom has a lifetime tenure. Talking about the institution in 1907, New York state governor Charles Evan Hughes said: “We are under a Constitution, but the Constitution is what the judges say it is, and the judiciary is the safeguard of our liberty and of our property under the Constitution.” So are you saying the Supreme Court calls the shots in the US? Not exactly, but that’s not a million miles away from the reality. It is the highest court in the US federal judiciary. There’s no real equivalent in Europe, as the Supreme Court both rules on litigation between federal states, and enforces the law on a national level. The Supreme Court is the protector of the constitution, interpreting it and ensuring its application. Furthermore, Supreme Court decisions are irrevocable, meaning no-one can question its authority. What about the judges? Do they have significant power? What happens now that justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has died? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is Peyronie's disease? What is a hysterectomy? What is an antigen test? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is gaslighting? Thanks for asking! The term gaslighting refers to psychological abuse where victims are presented with false information by one or more manipulators. This is done deliberately to make them doubt their own memories and perceptions. The term originally comes from a 1930s play called Gaslight by Patrick Hamilton. The film adaptation, a 1944 psychological, thriller depicts a toxic relationship between a married couple. The husband, Gregory, becomes more and more distant from his wife Paula. He slowly manipulates her into thinking that she is going insane, to such an extent that she should be locked up in a psychiatric facility. OK, we’re talking about serious abuse then! Without always resulting in such extreme situations, gaslighting is nevertheless a form of abusive behaviour. The aim is often to make the victim start thinking: “Am I going crazy?!” It could apply in many situations. Politicians and dictators are often accused of gaslighting, for example. But the term is most often used to talk about manipulation in romantic relationships. It helps give a name to certain forms of behaviour that are common in toxic relationships. How can I know if I’m being gaslighted? What should gaslighting victims do? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is Peyronie's disease? What is a hysterectomy? What is an antigen test? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict? Thanks for asking! Just over a week ago, clashes re-erupted in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region between Azerbaijan and Armenia. The region is to the north of Iran, and east of Armenia. It has a population of around 150,000 according to a 2015 census. Nagorno-Karabakh is an ethnic enclave, mainly inhabited by Christian Armenians, while Azerbaijan is a Turkish-speaking country with a Shiite majority. In 1991, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the territory declared itself independent. Why has the conflict picked up again now? Azerbaijan and Armenia have disputed the region for several decades now. There have been long periods of ceasefire and stability, but also renewed border clashes. Last week, Azerbaijani troops entered Nagorno-Karabakh territory. The country’s minister for defense justified the move as a counter-attack, with the aim of ending Armenian military activities. Armenia, who provide military and financial backing to the Nagorno-Karabakh separatists, immediately mobilised its armed forces and declared martial law. Two days later, Armenia announced that Turkey had tried to shoot down one of its military aircraft, a claim denied by Turkey and Azerbaijan. A Turkish government spokesperson said: “Armenia should withdraw from the territories it is occupying, rather than resorting to this low form of propaganda.” Turkey has always been Azerbaijan’s number one ally in the conflict. And once again the country has announced its intention to help Azerbaijan “recover its occupied territories”. Since 1993, the border between Turkey and Armenia has been closed. OK, so clashes between Azerbaijan and Armenia are nothing new! What has the international reaction been? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is Peyronie's disease? What is a hysterectomy? What is an antigen test? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 result in the member becoming curved when erect. While most men with the condition can still have sex, for some it may be painful and erectile dysfunction is a symptom. The disorder isn’t contagious, but does transform the anatomy of the penis and can reduce a man’s sexual options, even making it impossible to have sex in the most extreme cases. How does one get Peyronie’s Disease? The exact causes behind the condition aren’t known for sure, but researchers have identified several possible factors. Many believe trauma to the penis can cause the plaque to form. This could be during sex, or due to an accident. In the case of repeated mild trauma, the patient may not even notice or remember any specific incident. Genetics may have a role to play when Peyronie’s Disease comes on over time, but there’s no definitive evidence to back this up. Are some men more at risk than others then? What treatment options are available? Can the condition get worse with time? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is an antigen test? What is a Smart City? Who are the Uyghurs? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 body, thereby making it impossible for her to become pregnant. In mid-September, a whistleblower alleged that forced hysterectomies had been carried out on unsuspecting migrants at an ICE detention centre in the American state of Georgia. Dawn Wooten, a former nurse at the facility, made a complaint of medical neglect and a high rate of hysterectomies to the Department of Homeland Security. She is quoted as saying: “everybody’s uterus cannot be that bad.” and claims the uteruses were passed on to a ‘collector’ doctor outside of the centre. That’s horrible! Those women are victims of sexual violence. Yes and it’s sadly not the first time that reports of forced hysterectomies have made international news. An investigation last year in India found that a number of female cane cutters were forced to have their uteruses removed, so they wouldn’t need time off work during menstruation. Women’s rights association Tathapi declared that 36% of females working on sugar cane fields were affected, even being forced to pay for the expensive procedure themselves. Are there legitimate reasons for carrying out a hysterectomy? How is a hysterectomy carried out? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is an antigen test? What is a Smart City? Who are the Uyghurs? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 tests for the flu, pregnancy and of course COVID-19. Antigen tests use antibodies to identify antigens in the body. The aim of a COVID-19 antigen test is the same as with the more common PCR test. That is to say, whether a person is infected at the moment of testing. There are several advantages to this method, but also some important drawbacks. So what’s the difference between an antigen test and a PCR test then? Both these forms of diagnostic testing are carried out by collecting a fluid sample through a nasal swab. But antigen tests differ from PCR tests in that certain proteins from the virus are detected, rather than its genetic material. Meanwhile, the serology test detects antibodies from a blood sample. Antigen test results can be delivered within 30 minutes. That’s much quicker than with PCR tests, which have to be processed in laboratories. Healthcare professionals believe this quicker turnaround will help to break down transmission chains. Are antigen tests the best solution to improve the current COVID-19 testing times? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is an antigen test? What is a Smart City? Who are the Uyghurs? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 working towards making them smart. Many dream of these connected cities becoming sustainable utopias, while others see them as the stuff of nightmares, with citizens under constant surveillance. The idea behind the smart city is to use state-of-the-art technologies to manage the usual resources and services that exist in urban areas. We’re talking transportation, drainage, lighting and policing for example. The end goal is to improve the quality of those services, and bring down the costs. Interesting, but do we really need such developments? We might not realise it at an individual level, but cities face a number of challenges. 50% of the global population lives in cities, a figure which is sure to increase further in coming years. All the city-dwellers out there use up resources, such as water and electricity, and create waste. Managing all this is complicated, which is where technology comes in to help. There are several examples of cities already using connected technology. In Barcelona, intelligent street lighting allows for energy saving. 10,000 LED lamps have been installed across the city, containing motion-detecting sensors. When no-one is around, the lights dim to reduce energy consumption. Meanwhile in Los Angeles, dumpsters are fitted with sensors to alert local authorities on their fill-level in real time. This prevents overfilling and means collection teams won’t need to make an unnecessary trip when the waste level is still low. Other examples of smart city technology include automated watering of plants according to ground dryness and police robots reminding people to respect social distancing rules. In San Francisco, there’s even an app which allows residents to send pictures of dog feces on pavements to the city’s Public Works Department. The name of the app? Snapcrap! Are we talking about data? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: Who are the Uyghurs? What is Peter Pan Syndrome? What is green hydrogen? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Who are the Uyghurs? Thanks for asking! The Uyghurs are a Turkish-speaking Muslim ethnic group. Some 11 million live in the Xinjiang autonomous region of northwestern China. They are one of 56 ethnic groups living in the country. For decades now, the Uyghurs have been subjected to systemic discrimination and intrusive surveillance from the Chinese authorities. But only in the last few years has the issue really been discussed at an international level. Human rights groups have repeatedly demanded official explanations of the repressive measures implemented. When did repression of the Uyghurs in Xinjiang start? Back when the People’s Republic of China was declared by Mao Zedong in 1949, Uyghurs made up 75% of the Xinjiang region’s population. In 2010 that figure had dropped to 45%, compared to 40% of the Han Chinese majority ethnic group. It’s claimed that the Chinese powers set out to deliberately repopulate Xinjiang with Han Chinese, and diminish the presence of minorities. Relations between the Hans and Uyghurs have been complicated since the 18th century. The Xinjiang Independence movement has long sought to establish the region as a homeland for the Uyghurs, wishing to rename it East Turkistan. In response to the movement’s growth in the late 20th century, as well as 9/11, the Chinese government started introducing counter-measures. Last year, the New York Times obtained hundreds of pages of leaked Communist Party documents which exposed the intentional crackdown on Muslims. These included secret speeches from Chinese President Xi Jinping, who expressed his wish to be much harsher and show no pity, after a Uyghur terrorist attack killed 31 people at a train station in 2014. In 2016, he appointed a new party leader to the region, charged with “deradicalising” its inhabitants. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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’s novel. But some people also struggle with adulthood for a long time, due to the “real world” responsibilities it brings. American psychoanalyst Dan Kiley noticed this pattern of behaviour in some of his patients during the 1970s and 80s. He wrote a book entitled “The Peter Pan Syndrome: Men Who Have Never Grown Up.” While Kiley’s work focused on men, the so-called Peter Pan Syndrome can affect women too. What are the symptoms of Peter Pan Syndrome then? Kiley noticed that many young adults were afraid of growing up and bearing the weight of adulthood on their shoulders. Once reaching an adult age, they continued to remain “kidults”. It’s not a recognised condition with a clinical diagnosis, but there is some consensus about the signs and attitudes relating to Peter Pan Syndrome. Those who have the syndrome often struggle with relationships, showing emotional unavailability and avoiding addressing issues. Finding or holding onto a job may also be a point of difficulty. Peter Pans might bet their hopes on a longshot dream like becoming a professional athlete or self-supporting actor. The syndrome is often discussed alongside narcissism, as there are some similarities, such as a failure to accept accountability or a fear of criticism for example. But Peter Pans don’t necessarily meet the criteria for narcissistic personality disorder, or always have narcissistic traits. So what’s behind this syndrome then? A lot of the time, people affected by Peter Pan Syndrome haven’t fully lived their youth and have been thrown into adulthood too quickly. In other cases, it may be people who have experienced a violent trauma which ruined their innocence at a young age. To protect themselves, they unconsciously keep their emotional development at the childhood stage. Michael Jackson is a prominent example of a celebrity who was labelled as having Peter Pan Syndrome. Jackson said he developed his Neverland ranch to live the childhood he never had, having been an entertainment performer from an early age. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is green hydrogen? Thanks for asking! Green hydrogen is an alternative to fossil fuels which is made by using renewable energy technologies. In reality, manufacturers have been using hydrogen as an energy source for years, but only grey hydrogen, which has a highly polluting production process. So could green hydrogen be the sustainable fuel of the future? There are certainly promising signs; it can power cars, producing three times more energy than petrol for the same weight. Furthermore, it stocks electricity significantly better than our current batteries. Wow, that sounds amazing. So, where can I find some green hydrogen then? That’s the issue. Let’s go back to chemistry 101 and talk about the non-toxic colourless gas known as hydrogen. If you remember the periodic table, you should know that hydrogen is element number one, and its symbol is the letter H. It’s the simplest element and the most abundant chemical substance in the universe. However, it can’t be found in its pure state on planet Earth. Rather, it is found in various compounds with carbon, known as hydrocarbons. And of course in molecular forms like water, which has a chemical formula of H20. That means two atoms of hydrogen for one atom of oxygen. Until now, manufacturers have used different techniques to separate hydrogen from other elements. For example mixing methane and steam at 1000°C or burning charcoal at over 1200°C. As a result, for every kilo of hydrogen produced, 10kg of CO2 is also emitted. Current hydrogen production pollutes as much as global air transport. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices