Do you really know?

What is juice jacking? Juice jacking is a type of cyber attack which involves hacking a smartphone or tablet through a public USB charging point. Imagine, it’s the middle of a fine day, the sun is shining and you’re looking forward to a spot of lunch. All of a sudden, shock horror your smartphone shows 3% battery. Disaster, totally ruins your day right?! How are you going to find your way around, reply to emails, meet up with friends in the evening? Fear not, technology has a solution for everything. Just find a charging point to connect your cell phone via USB. ambiance gare These are more and more common in public places like stations, malls, restaurants and public transport. Well, it might not actually be the best idea to connect to the first USB port you come across. In November 2019, the LA district attorney actually warned travelers against using public charging points, saying they “may contain dangerous malware”. Hackers are known for being resourceful people; they use a few different techniques to hack cell phones. Some install malware directly in the charging point. Others have developed clone charging points, which infect devices wih viruses, or steal personal data like bank details, emails and photos. Juice jacking is not totally new. As far back as 2011, the Defcon hacker convention was trying to raise public awareness of this kind of cyber attack. Event organisers set up informational juice jacking kiosks, which displayed warnings any time a visitor plugged their device into the charging point. The first such kiosk changed its display from “Free charging station” to “You should not trust public charging stations with your devices”. In 2012 the NSA issued a warning to its employees about juice jacking. But the general public is relatively unaware of the risks of USB charging points. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is pinkwashing? Pinkwashing is a practice used to appear LGBT-friendly for political or business gains. The choice of such a strategy by states and companies is motivated by a desire to have a modern, progressive image. Whereas in reality they are sometimes hiding practices that aren’t at all respectful towards sexual minorities. The term pinkwashing was created in the early 2000s to critique companies taking advantage of breast cancer campaigns to improve their image. Soon, use of the term spread to also apply to communications strategies by brands or institutions wanting to appear gay-friendly. One of the most flagrant and criticised examples of pinkwashing came from the Israeli government. It launched a “Brand Israel” campaign to paint the country as being modern and relevant. The Tel Aviv tourism board even invested $90 million in branding itself as an “international gay vacation destination”. Brands are also turning to pinkwashing more and more. Many would see it as a good thing if institutions want to be inclusive to LGBTQ people, rather than rejecting them. But students and associations are critical of the supposed double standards behind pinkwashing. For example, homophobic attitudes are prominent in Israel outside of Tel Aviv. As explained by professor Sarah Schulman writing in the New York Times, many believe the pinkwashing campaign is just a smokescreen. They claim the aim is to manipulate the country’s international image, and conceal human rights violations in neighbouring Palestine. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is phage therapy? Phage therapy refers to the use of bacteriophages to treat bacterial infections. While it has been used scarcely in the Western world in recent decades, some doctors and researchers see a need for it in the future, to combat antibiotic resistance among bacteria. In 1917, French-Canadian microbiologist Félix d’Hérellee discovered phage therapy. Bacteriophages, or phages for short, are actually viruses which are extremely common in the biosphere. They’re able to kill bacteria by invading them and multiplying within them. Phage therapy can be used to treat basic wounds, as well as different kinds of bacterial infection, like bone infection, respiratory infections and MRSA. Instead of using antibiotics, which destroy all bacteria they come across, specific strains or cocktails of phages are used for each patient. At the time antibiotics were created, public authorities considered them more simple and effective than phages. To such an extent that phages were gradually forgotten and even destroyed in many countries. But in the 21st century, certain bacteria have become resistant to antibiotics, which is a major health issue. Researchers have renewed their interest in phages and are looking at their potential uses to fight otherwise incurable diseases. Some countries actually already use phage therapy, most notably in Georgia. Sick patients from around the world are spending thousands of dollars to travel to Tblisi, the country’s capital. They then spend several weeks undergoing treatment at the Eliava Institute. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is Generation Z? The term Generation Z refers to people born from around the end of the 1990s onwards. Like all generations, the group has its own supposed defining characteristics. Members of Generation Z are often labelled as hyper-digital, super idealist and even depressed. But what’s the scientific basis for all of this? The term Generation Z originated in 2012 from an online contest organised by the daily newspaper USA Today. OK, so it’s not the most original name, with Generation Z following on directly from Generation Y, also known as the millennials. They in turn followed on from Generation X. When people first started talking about Generation Z, some saw 1995 as a would-be cut-off date. Others preferred to go with the year 2000. In the end, the Pew Research Center, an American think tank, came up with 1st January 1997 as a start date. Of course, the date is somewhat arbitrary. Researchers justify the date saying people born from then on have a different perception of the world. For example, they don’t have any memory of 9/11, but have always lived in a world that’s afraid of terrorism. They didn’t witness the creation of new technologies first-hand, but use electronic devices from an early age. According to The Economist, members of Generation Z are more educated, open-minded and militant, but also more stressed than preceding generations. Above all, they are generally criticised when arriving in the workplace. Too mollycoddled, oversensitive, smartphone-dependent, asocial, unaccepting of a hierarchy. In other words, a headache for a lot of companies. But along with that comes opportunities too. Generation Z are also the next big group of consumers. So it’s better for companies to learn to understand them! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is foie gras? Foie gras is a French delicacy often eating during the holiday season. The words foie gras literally translate to “fatty liver”, due to the way it is made. Ducks and geese are deliberately fattened for several days in order to produce foie gras. Animal rights groups are strongly in favour of banning foie gras production, a step which has been taken in several countries. The fattening process is known as “gavage”, and has its roots in ancient Egypt, where similar techniques were used to fatten animals. Foie gras spread to ancient Greece and Rome. Over time, Jews migrating to western and central Europe brought the tradition with them. Foie gras gradually became part of French cultural heritage, a status which is even protected by law. In the 1980s, production became industrialized and it became more and more popular among families at Christmas time. Nowadays, geese and mulard ducks are used to produce foie gras. The animals are force-fed large quantities of corn for around 12 days and then slaughtered. The fattening process is carried out by inserting a 10-inch tube into the birds’ throats. Their livers accumulate so much fat, they swell up to several times their normal size. This condition is a disease known as hepatic steatosis. Every year, animal rights groups around the world criticise foie gras producers. They cite findings from researchers which show that the force-feeding process is unnecessarily harmful. Organs surrounding the liver are often squashed, while the animals often also suffer from fatigue and diarrhoea. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is gamification in the workplace? Human beings love playing games. They stimulate our hormones, our brains and our emotions. Now, games wouldn’t necessarily be the first thing you’d associate with your job. But some managers are using gamification to help their employees feel more satisfied at work. In turn, they are often more efficient. So gamification in the workplace means using games to motivate or train employees. The idea is in fact not totally new. In 1920s Soviet Russia, engineers would organise competitions between workers in order to improve their productivity and cultural level. In the 80s and 90s, when fulfilment at work became a hot topic in society, gamification really took off. It’s now common to see workplaces with foosball tables and slides, as companies aim to instill a sense of fun in the environment. The term gamification comes from the word “game”, meaning game elements or principles are used in a non-game context. After all, games are structured by rules, which are part and parcel of worklife. Amazon are one example of an American company using gamification in their warehouses. Screens are installed next to workers’ stations, displaying video games. Every time a worker retrieves or stores a product, that physical action is translated into a virtual action on the screen. For example, it could be a car progressing around a virtual track. Workers can win badges and prizes by having high productivity levels. Clearly, gamification is intended to make tasks less tedious, in order to create a greater tempo and better mood in the work environment. And it appears that productivity is generally improved as a result. With video games all the rage among younger generations, could gamification in the workplace have a bright future ahead? Some purists think mixing work and play takes away too much of the traditional pleasure element. In the age of gamification at work, the game is no longer simply played for its own sake, but for financial reasons. It can even be seen as manipulation, because the true purpose of the game is somewhat hidden. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is the keto diet? The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, low-carb diet which allegedly helps weight loss and fighting diseases such as diabetes, epilepsy, Alzheimer’s and cancer. This diet is growing in popularity, but not without its risks. The keto diet was invented in the United States in 1920 to combat certain forms of epilepsy in children. Other treatments came along, pushing it to the background until interest picked up again. You can find dozens of books and Youtube videos on the subject. The idea is simple enough. Fats, proteins and carbohydrates are the macronutrients that make up the major part of our diets. With the keto diet, you drastically reduce the amount of one of those three groups. Carbs are more or less banned. To make up for that, you consume fats in larger quantities, as much as 90% of your daily energy intake. So say goodbye to cakes, cereals and bananas; hello to butter, meat, avocado and vegetable oils. The keto diet works like this. The lack of carbohydrates makes your liver work, converting fats into fatty acids and ketone bodies. These ketone bodies replace carbs as your body’s main energy source, and your body starts burning fat. It’s a pretty difficult diet to follow - you really have to be disciplined. But the short term results seem to be there. You can easily lose 5 - 10 pounds in a few weeks. Followers talk about the advantages the diet can have for preventing Alzheimer’s. It can also stop tumors from growing as they basically feed off glucose. However, scientists are adamant that no solid research backs up these claims. Some nutritionists have pointed to undesirable effects such as nausea, constipation, fatigue and vitamin or mineral deficiency. In the long term, the keto diet could increase your risk of cardiovascular diseases or kidney stones. And don’t even get me started on the excessive animal fats in the diet. They can bring on conditions like fatty liver disease or hypercholesterolemia. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is endometriosis? Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory condition which affects one in ten women. The main symptom is pelvic pain, which can be more intense during menstruation. Although it affects a relatively high proportion of women, the condition is commonly misdiagnosed. Each month, the womb lining thickens as part of the menstrual cycle. This is to prepare the womb to host a foetus in case of pregnancy. If no fertilization takes place, the lining detaches and is discharged from the body along with blood. Endometriosis is sometimes described as retrograde menstruation. Instead of leaving the body through the vagina, cells flow in the opposite direction up through the fallopian tubes. It can reach the organs of the pelvis, such as the ovaries, bladder and colon. The cuts and cysts caused can be very painful. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What are skin-whitening creams? Believe it or not, the market for skin-whitening creams is rapidly expanding. Many people are using these products to obtain whiter skin, despite health authorities warning about how dangerous they can be. Skin-whitening creams actually work by removing the surface layers of skin, or reducing the body’s production of melanin, the pigment which gives skin its colour. When their use is prescribed and supervised by a dermatologist, these creams can be useful in treating melasma, a skin condition where brown or grey patches develop on a person’s face. But these products have now gone way beyond their intended medical use. In 2019, the United Kingdom’s Local Government Association said that skin-whitening creams should be “avoided at all costs”. Nevertheless, it’s estimated this industry will grow to be worth over $25bn by 2024! The popularity of skin-whitening creams is partly down to a form of discrimination known as colorism. What that means is the lighter a person’s skin, the more privileged they are in society. Fashion and lifestyle magazines generally feature white people much more prominently than those of other ethnic backgrounds. On their covers and pages, white skin is sold as being a standard of beauty. Meanwhile, photographs of models are often retouched to make their skin look lighter. As you can imagine, colorism is leading millions of people to turn to skin whitening products, in order to change their appearance. It’s happening in many parts of the world, from Europe to Africa, to India. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What are bed bugs ? Bed bugs are insects that feed exclusively on blood. They often live on furniture or bedding and bite humans during the night. Eliminating bed bugs from one’s home can prove to be very difficult. And the problem is getting worse as these modern-day vampires are becoming more and more common across the world. The most common kind of bed bug is the Cimex Lectularius species. They measure around a quarter of an inch in length, have a flat oval-shaped body and are of a reddish-brown colour. Getting bitten by a bed bug isn’t painful, but the bites can become very itchy. Bed bugs have been around feeding on human blood since ancient times. They were particularly abundant during World War II, until a potent insecticide called DDT came along. DDT nearly wiped out bed bugs in many countries, but they have made an unwelcome comeback in the 21st century. Bed bugs are back with a vengeance, and have been known to invade entire neighborhoods across the United States and Europe. Bed bugs have almost certainly become more resistant to pesticides. At the same time, the most potent and dangerous pesticides have gradually been banned. The constant increase in global tourism has also had a role to play in the spread of bed bugs around the world. Bed bugs can just as easily set up home in hotels, hospitals, buses and subway trains. The issue is not just an issue of cleanliness or dirtiness; anyone can be contaminated. Bed bugs don’t usually cause any significant health problems. But an infestation in your household can quickly become a nightmare. It is extremely difficult to totally get rid of these insects. They lurk inside mattresses, walls and many other places where they are hard to find. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is HAARP ? The acronym HAARP stands for High Frequency Auroral Research Program. It’s an American research project dedicated to analysing the ionosphere. HAARP is funded by the American armed forces, and has been the target of conspiracy theorists since the 1990s. They believe the program is responsible for natural disasters and mind-controlling radio waves. The ionmmm osphere is a layer of the Earth’s upper atmosphere, from around 37 miles to 620 miles in altitude. Its characteristics are complex and varied due to solar activity. It is of interest to scientists studying the atmosphere, as well as armed forces, as it plays an important role in radio wave propagation. So the US army decided to finance the HAARP research program, in order to study the ionosphere, and more specifically the geomagnetic storms which occur inside it. Work on the facility began in 1993 in Alaska. The state was chosen because auroras occur frequently, and because it’s far away from wave interference caused by human activity. Such as electronics and lights for example. HAARP uses a high-frequency radio transmitter to temporarily excite precise parts of the atmosphere. The transmitter has 180 antennas and a total of 3.6 MW in transmitter power. In total, up to 300 million dollars were invested in the program. But the army decided to abandon it in 2014, as it was becoming too expensive to make equipment meet anti-pollution standards. The University of Alaska then took over the program, as well as all the conspiracy theories that come with it. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is greenwashing ? Greenwashing is a marketing practice used by corporations to convince consumers that their business is environmentally friendly. Of course the aim is really to sell more products. Consumers may be convinced they are acting in an environmentally responsible way. While in reality brands are often hiding practices that are not at all helpful to the planet. The term greenwashing first appeared at the start of the 1990s, around about the time mainstream Western society was becoming more aware of environmental issues. As soon as some kind of trend would appear, advertisers were lying in wait to capitalize. By the 2000s, ads using environmental claims were everywhere. Greenwashing is often very visually apparent. A product’s packaging might change, or it could be the communication about the product. For example, the colour green is used more; you see more flowers, trees or animals. Sometimes brands are more explicit in boasting about their environmental performance. And in a way that a lot of people would see as being inappropriate. Their products, whether it be anything from cars to detergents, can turn out to actually be harmful. In those cases, it’s borderline false advertising. In America, the Federal Trade Commission had to update its “Green Guides” in 2012, cracking down on greenwashing. Now brands have started using subtler tactics, making detection more difficult. Coffee is a perfect example and many authors have criticised this kind of greenwashing. One of the world’s best known coffee brands has managed to engineer a luxury image for itself, and also sell itself as being environmentally friendly. The reality is totally different however. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is female genital mutilation ? Female genital mutilation (or FGM) is an operation whereby some or all of the external female genitalia are removed, for traditional reasons. Procedures vary across the world, but most commonly the clitoris and labia are cut off using a blade. FGM is illegal in many countries, but still common across the world. In 2016, Unicef estimated that at least 200 million women in 30 countries had been subjected to the practice during their lives. FGM is usually carried out by an older woman, taking on the role of circumciser. The cutting may be done with or without anaesthesia, often using a non-sterile item like a knife, razor, pair of scissors, piece of glass or fingernails. The circumciser partially or completely removes the clitoris, and sometimes the inner labia too. In some cases, the outer labia are sewn closed with the vagina only opened for sexual intercourse when the girl is older. FGM is most commonly practised in Subsaharan Africa and the Middle East. In countries like Somalia, Guinea and Djibouti, it’s estimated that over 90% of women between the ages of 15-49 have been subjected to FGM. A CDC report in 2016 estimated that over 500,000 women in the United States were either at risk of FGM, or already victims. FGM has been carried out for thousands of years actually, since well before Islam or Christianity arrived in the regions in question. Some communities defend the practice, saying it preserves women’s virginity, increases sexual pleasure for men and decreases it for women. Other justifications include saying it is a rite of passage for young girls before they become an adult. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is sharenting ? Sharenting is a portmanteau word, made up of “sharing” and “parenting”. It’s used to refer to parents who share photos and videos of their kids on social media. Harmless, you might think, and the practice is becoming more and more common. However, it’s still an area which requires a level of caution. It all starts with a Facebook post around the time of the first ultrasound, announcing the pregnancy. In fact, 30% of children already have an online presence before being born. Then come more pictures when the newborn arrives, a video of the first steps or other happy family moments. All this is generally shared on the parents’ private accounts, or even on dedicated accounts created for the children themselves. 90% of kids have an online presence by the age of 2. It’s true that social media often helps strengthen bonds between loved ones who don’t live together, like long-distance grandparents for example. However, the dangers of sharenting have become more apparent in the last few years. In 2016, The Atlantic published an article on the subject, raising questions about consent, the right to privacy and parent-child relationships. There are direct risks, such as identity fraud, when you share personal information like a child’s name and date of birth online. Posting about family days out could potentially put relatives in danger. Pictures of children undressed could even fall into the hands of pedophile networks. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is the No Bra movement ? For women, wearing a bra to support their breasts may seem vital from puberty onwards. However, it’s claimed that bras may in fact be useless or even dangerous, which has led some to promote the No Bra movement. It has been linked to feminism, and isn’t universally accepted or popular. Bras were invented at the end of the 19th century, gradually replacing corsets and revolutionising women’s daily lives. Since then, wearing the undergarment has become an automatic reflex and a rite of passage for girls when they start to develop into young women. Designs have evolved a lot over the years, for example the standard model in the 2000s was padded, making breasts look round and high. Going braless in public would be seen a bit like going out with no panties. t’s been suggested that wearing a bra can weaken the tissue structures known as Cooper’s ligaments, which offer natural support to breasts. It’s a vicious circle. Women need bras because of wearing bras in the first place! French professor Jean-Denis Rouillon takes that point of view even further. He believes bras are bad for health, damaging breast tissue but also restricting bloodflow and lymphatic circulation. Some studies have even found links between excessive bra wearing and breast cancer. Faced with this information, women have created the No Bra movement. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is mental load ? Mental load, or emotional labour, is a sociological concept often relating to the daily management of a household. Research has shown that within traditional families, the strain of mental load is more often than not taken on by women. It’s become a feminist issue due to this imbalance. Early discussions relating to mental load date back to the 1980s. Sociologists noted how women in heterosexual relationships were often just as busy with managing household tasks or family life, as with their own job. And more so than men, in fact. In theory, homosexual couples should be less affected by the mental load, due to the gendered nature of the issue. But often one partner ends up taking on more mental load than the other, especially when there are big social differences between the two. That could be a difference in salary between the two partners for example. The term mental load has become more widespread in recent years, thanks in no small part to French comic strip creator Emma. She compares the traditional family to a small company, where the woman is a project manager in charge of household tasks. The male partner is simply an underling waiting on orders to carry out. The underling justifies his inaction by saying “You should have asked!” Mental load is a continuous cycle of organising domestic life. Tasks like buying milk, paying utility bills, organizing the kid’s birthday or booking medical appointments always have to be remembered. What’s more, this load by its nature entails invisible additional responsibility. While invisible, it’s definitely stressful and often forces women to make sacrifices when it comes to their social lives. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is lyme disease ? Lyme disease is a vector-borne disease, which means it’s spread by an intermediary. It’s actually the most common of all vector-borne diseases in the northern hemisphere. In the case of lyme disease, the intermediary is an insect called a tick. While ticks are very small, the consequences of the disease are potentially very serious. The number of infections is on the rise and there’s a lot of debate between scientists and patient associations. Ticks are the largest members of the acarine sub-class of arachnids. They measure around a ¼ of an inch on average. They can mostly be found either on the ground or attached to the skin of mammals. In America, blacklegged ticks are the most common culprit when it comes to spreading Lyme disease. They can bite human beings of all ages. The most common areas where this happens is in woods, meadows, parks and gardens. If you’re wondering what time of the year is the most dangerous, it’s generally between the start of spring and the end of autumn. The problem is that the tick population is increasing due to climate change. And therefore so is Lyme disease. Some say that it’s getting diagnosed more efficiently due to greater awareness among doctors and patients. Only a minority of ticks carry the disease. And the risk of getting it after being bitten is only 1-5%. But you have to keep an eye on how the bite develops. The most common and quick symptom would be red rings around the bite. These generally remain for a few days. When the disease is diagnosed and treated quickly, the outlook is good. In around 90% of cases, antibiotics are enough to treat it in 2-4 weeks. But if untreated, it’s a different story. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is polyamory ? Polyamory means having romantic or sexual relationships with more than one partner. It differs from the traditional model where two partners have an exclusive relationship and are faithful to one another. However, an important criteria is that all partners involved give their consent to these open relationships. It’s like swinging? Not really. Although the lifestyle does include having sex outside of the established couple, swingers tend to avoid any romantic attachment with their non-marital partners. Being polyamorous means you believe in the right to love more than one person and is therefore totally opposite to monogamy. It’s like polygamy ? That’s not really true either. Polygamy is by definition linked to the custom of marriage, and married life. Often in cultures where polygamy is practised, only the husband is allowed to marry several partners. An essential feature of polyamorous relationships is that all partners have equal rights. To understand polyamory, you need to analyse the concept of traditional loving relationships. Partners believe that they belong to one another and accept giving up their respective freedom. Any external relationship is seen as a threat and feelings of jealousy stem from this model. The thinkers behind polyamory, like Russian revolutionary Alexandra Kollontai, talk about principles such as equality in mutual relationships, the absence of possessiveness, empathy and caring for the well being of others. Therefore, polyamory doesn’t destroy faithfulness. Rather it reinvents it. Being faithful in a polyamorous relationship requires honesty, attentiveness, trust and trustworthiness. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What are loot boxes ? Creating video games doesn’t come cheap, and neither does it bring in a whole lot of revenue. At least that’s what game publishers would have you believe. They’re constantly looking for new ways to increase their profits in the long run. Loot boxes are just one example of that. They are virtual items which have been causing a lot of debate in recent years. The controversy really started when Star Wars Battlefront 2 came out in late 2017. There were a lot of disappointed gamers out there, so much so that they called for a full boycott of the game. Having already purchased the game itself, they realised they would have to spend over $2,000 more to unlock its full content. The idea behind loot boxes is simple. You buy a virtual box without knowing what’s inside it. You always get some kind of virtual item in return, you just don’t know how much it will be worth. Gamers are getting fed up with loot boxes. More generally, they’re fed up with the idea of “pay to win”, whereby they are incited to pay in order to have something in the game. Some think loot boxes should be considered a form of gambling and therefore made illegal for minors. It’s true that young people are twice as likely as adults to become addicted to games of chance. There are many risks, such as psychoactive substance use, anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, financial losses or a drop in academic performance. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What are GMOs ? The acronym GMO stands for genetically modified organism. Basically, a GMO is any living thing which has had its genetic material altered by humans. The term is most commonly used talking about crops which are genetically modified in order to be more resistant to pesticides or to improve food quality. Practically speaking, it does increase yield and prevent pests from damaging crops. Maize and soybean are among the plants most commonly linked with GM crops. Of course, genetic engineering techniques can also be used on other kinds of organisms, such as yeasts, for example. The main way of creating GMOs is through gene delivery, whereby foreign DNA material is introduced into host cells. At the end of the process, you get what we call transgenic products. The debate around GMOs is raging among scientists and the general public. Some cite the benefits they offer, like creating new medicines like insulin, being able to harvest land which had previously been unusable, and helping to reduce world hunger. On the other hand, counter-arguments include warnings against overuse of herbicides, the impact on plant life and wildlife, potential health risks for humans and the increase in production costs for farmers. In the United States, there is no particular federal legislation relating to GMOs. Instead, GMOs are regulated according to existing legislation on products. This is pretty favourable compared to other countries. The US is actually the world’s leading producer of genetically modified crops. And 75% of processed foods in the country contain GMO ingredients. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What are e-cigarettes ? An e-cigarette is a vaporizer that simulates smoking without tobacco consumption. A product like this could therefore help smokers to quit. The use of electronic cigarettes is on the rise, while tobacco sales are dropping. But before we get carried away about wiping out tobacco, we should remember that e-cigarettes are not totally risk-free. Smoking an e-cigarette is also known as vaping, as you inhale a vapor instead of cigarette smoke. This lukewarm liquid is made up of water, glycerol, propylene glycol, flavorings and the desired amount of nicotine. As no combustion takes place, e-cigarettes are considered less dangerous than tobacco. For example, the presence of nitrosamines, which are known to be carcinogenic, is reduced by 97% compared to traditional cigarettes. Invented in the early 2000s, e-cigarettes really took off from 2010 onwards. Smokers are attracted by their lack of smell and lower cost. But especially the lower health risks, due to there being no tar or carbon monoxide in the product. Many doctors advise smokers to try e-cigarettes in order to reduce tobacco consumption or completely stop smoking. But e-cigarettes have also come in for criticism. With a wide range of models on sale, and some users creating their own vaping liquid, you can easily end up with a bad-quality product. And most vaping liquids continue to contain nicotine, which is one of the most addictive legal substances out there. There have at least been some studies across the world over the last ten years. A lot of scientists have backed the e-cigarette. Actually, 35% of vapers have successfully quit smoking, so we’re talking about millions of deaths potentially prevented. On the other hand, there has been proof that inhaling vaping liquids can damage immune system cells. Experts have pointed out that flavorings contain chemical substances and ultrafine particles. You’ve got diacetyl for example, which is deemed as toxic when inhaled. You’ve also got the coil that heats the vaping liquid, right. Some devices allegedly give off heavy metals when that happens, like lead, chromium or nickel. So for a while some health organisations had been recommending e-cigarettes to help quit smoking. But then the World Health Organisation comes along and really throws the cat among the pigeons in July 2019. The WHO basically came out advising against using e-cigarettes, saying they are “undoubtedly harmful”. What’s more, they also warned that the tobacco industry has been misinforming the general public on the subject. In the WHO’s opinion, the use e-cigarettes should be regulated around the world. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is body positivity ? Body positivity has taken over social media in the last few years. The movement is based on the relationship we have with our bodies, encouraging us to achieve self-acceptance. The drive took off in 1996 thanks to two American women. Elizabeth Scott, a psychotherapist, was contacted by Connie Sobczak, who was victim to an eating disorder at the time. In honour of her dead sister, Sobczak created the Body Positive movement along with Scott. The organisation encourages individuals to change the world, rather than feeling the need to change their bodies . The two founders continue to offer seminars and other group training sessions to this day. Body positivity posts can be found all over Instagram, with hashtags alongside photos of people of all body types and morphologies. Body positivity is first and foremost an ideology, rather than just a collection of photos. The movement helps those with self-image challenges to love their bodies. Getting started is really simple. Stand in front of a mirror and say out loud the things you notice most about your body. Most people mention their supposed flaws before anything positive. A body positive attitude will help you see these “flaws” as qualities and therefore actually appreciate them. The idea is that you say what you like about yourself and show off your flaws, rather than hiding them. This helps us to feel beautiful and love ourselves. Which in turn allows us to overcome fears and break down taboos. Check out the story of breast cancer survivor Ericka Hart for example. She became a body positive symbol by posing topless following breast reconstruction surgery. It turned out that prior to the surgery, she hadn’t been able to find a single photo of a black woman having undergone the same procedure. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is begpacking ? Begpacking is a portmanteau word, combining the words ‘begging’ and ‘backpacking’. It essentially means begging in order to fund a journey, and the practice has come in for criticism from many quarters. Begpackers are mainly young Westerners travelling around the world, particularly in Asia. Some offer hugs or play music in exchange for money. Others simply sit in the street behind a sign reading “Help us to travel around the world”. Each begpacker has their own personal situation. Some may be broke, others simply craving further adventures. This somewhat hippy attitude might simply cause a few raised eyebrows in the Western world. But in Asia, it’s really not appreciated by local communities. In New Zealand, Wellington city councillor Brian Dawson spoke out against begpackers eating in local soup kitchens. Dawson said: “It does annoy me that people think it's a way to get around the country on the cheap...There's a huge difference between doing this for a cheap holiday, knowing that afterwards you can return to another lifestyle." Begpackers are seen as ignorant when it comes to cultural differences. In Asian countries, begging is a sign of social failure and only justifiable for people in extreme poverty. For a visitor to beg in order to fund their travel is therefore disrespectful to the country’s own population. Some in South-East Asia take their criticism of the tourism industry even further. They see white tourists as neocolonialists, seeing Asia as an exotic place for their own spiritual awakening. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is accelerationism ? Accelerationism is a radical school of thought, seeking to bring about a postcapitalist society. Accelerationists believe that this aim can be achieved by pushing capitalism past its limits, mainly through technological advances. Contemporary accelerationists include Nick Srnicek and Alex Williams, who created their accelerationist manifesto in 2013. This publication generated a lot of attention and debate in political spheres. In 2015, Srnicek and Williams expanded their manifesto into a monograph entitled “Inventing the Future”. So what makes this new theory any different from other leftist philosophies? Accelerationists believe that traditional left-wing parties are going down the wrong path, continuing to advocate increases to the welfare state. They say the economy is not able to sustain such a policy in the long term. Accelerationists also oppose the ideas of the degrowth movement, which is all about downscaling production and consumption. As the name suggests, accelerationism is about accelerating. Accelerating and going faster than capitalism, in order to overtake it. The theory puts technological advances a t the heart of its political project. We’re talking about artificial intelligence which can limit pollution, robots enabling humans to reduce their time spent working and therefore become emancipated. Technology should therefore not be left in the hands of capitalists, but appropriated and used to increase social justice. Accelerationists therefore don’t see new technologies as being inherently bad. Big data, algorithms and robots can all be adapted to create a new postcapitalist society. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices