Do you really know?

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

What is environmental amnesia? Thanks for asking! Why are we so slow to become aware of climate change and act against it? The explanation may lie in our brains, which are affected by environmental amnesia. This term was invented in 1999 by American psychologist Peter H. Khan. He theorised that humans were forgetting the history of the environment, or more accurately becoming used to its degradation from generation to generation. Children tend to base their view of what is a “normal” environment on what they experience at a young age. This is true even though in reality they are increasingly growing up in polluted ecosystems. When they grow older, it then becomes difficult to change their viewpoint, as that norm has become their reference point. I guess it’s hard to ‘forget’ something you’ve never seen yourself! Fisheries scientist Daniel Pauly discussed the similar concept of a “shifting baseline syndrome” in 1995. He noted that fishing researchers tended to assess stock based on the norm at the start of their career. That didn’t necessarily take into account that the stock level was already depleted compared to previous generations. Many were unable to accurately identify the baseline population size of how abundant a species of fish was before human exploitation. So why does this happen then? We usually remember the history of our ancestors, from ancient times to the World Wars. That is because we are taught about it at school from an early age, whereas the history of the environment is seldom taught, if at all. In addition, many of us live in urban areas, further and further away from nature. National Trust research published in 2018 showed that UK children play outdoors for an average of 4 hours per week, which is less than half than their parents’ generation. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is Amazon deforestation? Thanks for asking! Situated in South America, the Amazon tropical rainforest is home to somewhere between 50 and 70% of the world’s biodiversity, according to the World Wildlife Fund. It stretches across Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Surinam, French Guiana, Ecuador, Bolivia and most of all Brazil, which contains 60% of the Amazon alone. Huge fires are currently ripping through various parts of the rainforest, which could end up being even worse than the 2019 outbreak. This is closely linked to the issue of deforestation. After more than a decade of downward trajectory, Amazon deforestation has risen abruptly in the last two years. We’ve been talking about deforestation in the Amazon for a long time; when did it actually start? Deforestation began in the 1960s, but went up considerably between 1991 and 2003. Several local, national and international factors are to blame. There have been huge peaks in deforestation over the years, while measures taken by former Brazilian President Lula had some impact in slowing the rate in the first decade of the 21st century. In 2009, a Greenpeace report claimed that 80% of the deforested area in Brazil was being used for cattle farming. Soy plantations were also cited as a key problem. Trees are cut down for timber, then the cleared land is used for grazing cattle or cultivating soybeans. In the first six months of 2020, 3000km2 of forest have been cut down.The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation has stated that Brazil is the country where the most forest has been lost in the last decade. What has happened since Jair Bolsonaro became head of state in Brazil? Unfortunately, it’s had a real negative impact. When Bolsonaro became President in January 2019, deforestation immediately increased by 54%. And that trend has continued since. Bolsonaro encouraged cattle farmers and miners to ramp up operations in the Amazon. Their deforestation is often illegal, with many accused of deliberately starting fires to free land for their activities. In 2019, exports of beef from the region went up 32%. In addition to destroying biodiversity, deforestation threatens the lives of native tribes living in the Amazon. In 2020, the Brazilian government proposed a draft bill allowing mining and farming to take place on indigenous lands. Human activity and global warming are pushing the situation to a point of no return. Scientists say it may already be too late for the Amazon rainforest to regenerate. A few different scenarios have been outlined. The World Bank claims that 40% of the Amazon will have disappeared by 2050. Meanwhile, the WWF believes it could be as much as 55% by 2030. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is transhumanism? Thanks for asking! Transhumanism is all about improving the human condition by enhancing our intellect and physiology. From 2021, billionaire Elon Musk is planning to test brain implants on human beings. With his Neuralink device, he is looking to create an interface to treat and enhance our brains. So is the merging of man and machine just around the corner? The transhumanist movement advocates surpassing our biological limits through technology. That means using tools such as implants or chips to cure illnesses, improve performance and even prevent death. And humans have been dreaming of immortality since time began. Transhumanism is a bit like the digital version of the fountain of youth or the philosopher’s stone. But this time around, it’s not a fantasy - are we really are going to become transhumans? Elon Musk, head of Tesla and Starlink, believes strongly in transhumanism. His Neuralink project promises to create a neural interface which cures epilepsy or Parkinson’s. With time, the aim is to allow our brains to communicate directly with computers. In late August, he introduced a pig called Gertrude at a press demo. The Neuralink brain-machine interface was implanted in her brain, with her brain signals analysed by a computer which could predict her movements. Musk used the occasion to announce that American health authorities had given permission for similar tests on humans to begin in 2021. But beyond PR and marketing, the reality is that Musk himself hasn’t really invented anything. Such techniques have been around for years. One of the first examples dates back to 2006, when scientists helped Matthew Nagle, a young paralysed man, to control a mouse cursor using a chip in his brain! Since then, mind-controlled prosthetic arms and hands have also been developed, sometimes without the need for a brain implant. Thanks to these transhuman inventions, scientists hope to make blind people see again and help paralysed people to walk. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is OPEC? Thanks for asking! The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries is an international cartel currently made up of thirteen member states. Over the years, it has played an important role in the global economy, coordinating the petroleum policies of its members. But right now, its influence is waning, due in no small part to the Covid-19 pandemic. OPEC was created in 1960 in Baghdad. At the time, there was a high level of competition between petrol companies, meaning prices were low. The main petrol-producing Arabic countries therefore decided to join forces to rival Western companies. Together, they decided to produce less petrol, forcing prices up as a result. All about supply and demand, huh! And it worked! That’s how founding members Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Kuwait and Venezuela increased their power on the international scene. By determining petrol prices, they were directly influencing the world economy. OPEC’s actions even led to the first oil crisis in 1973. During the Yom Kippur war, its members decided to stop supplying petrol to allies of Israel. The effect was immediate, with the price of a barrel increasing fourfold in just a few months. Despite this exploit, OPEC member countries haven’t always enjoyed great diplomatic relations between one another. Due to wars and disunity, its influence on petrol prices is more and more limited. OPEC’s current member countries are between them home to over 80% of the world’s proven oil reserves. Wow, they really are the petroleum cartel! And yet combined they only account for 40% of global oil production. That’s because OPEC has serious competition from other countries, in particular the United States. In the last few decades, the US has become the number one petroleum producer in the world. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is Novichok? Thanks for asking! Novichok is a family of chemical agents which disrupts communication between nerves and muscles. Its name means newcomer in Russian and it was developed in closed laboratories during the Cold War, as part of the Soviet Foliant programme. The international community only discovered the existence of Novichok in the early 1990s, after a Russian chemist revealed the truth about the programme in a Moscow daily newspaper. In early September 2020, Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny came out of the medically induced coma he had been in for three weeks. Tests carried out at a military laboratory in Germany, where Navalny was hospitalised, showed that he had been poisoned with a Novichok nerve agent. The substance exists in two forms: liquid, which can be mixed into food or drink; and solid, as a powder. Is Novichok poisoning lethal then? Novichoks bind to the acetylcholinesterase enzyme, known as AChE for short. Its role is to break down the acetylcholine neurotransmitter when released into synapses. Symptoms of novichok poisoning can include nausea, spasms, heart failure and respiratory arrest, leading to death through suffocation. The lack of oxygen can quickly lead to significant brain damage. Novichok agents are at least five times as lethal as other chemical agents such as VX or Sarin. Anyone who has been poisoned needs immediate medical attention if they are to survive. In the case of Navalny, he started feeling the effects of the poisoning on August 20th, while on a flight from Siberia to Moscow. He was then quickly evacuated to Berlin in a medical airplane. Although Navalny has now come out of his coma, doctors can’t rule out long-term effects. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is negationism? Thanks for asking! Historical negationism refers to the practice of manipulating historical records to deny that certain events happened, or distort the narrative around them. The term is relatively recent, having been coined by French historian Henry Rousso in 1987, relating to Holocaust Denial. Six million Jews were murdered by the Nazi regime during the Second World War. Holocaust denial is certainly one of the most well-known and common examples of negationism. But similar distortion strategies have been seen relating to other genocides and war crimes across the world. Negationism is a crime in some countries like Germany, while elsewhere the approach is more cautious, due to questions about freedom of speech. Other laws can apply to negationist statements, if they are also of a hateful or discriminatory nature. So what exactly does negationism look like? Techniques include using forged documents to justify an alternative version of events, creating doubt about genuine documents, manipulating statistics and deliberately mistranslating texts. Then you’ve got the destruction of physical evidence through book burning or smashing statues. In the case of Holocaust Denial, some deny the existence of the gas chambers in concentration camps. They downplay the extent of Hitler’s Final Solution, claiming that the Nazis merely deported Jews and didn’t exterminate them. Others recognise that there was mass murder, but put the death toll significantly lower than the accepted figure of 5-6 million. Surveys in recent years have shown there is still a shocking level of Holocaust denial in the 21st century. Just last year, a survey found that 5% of UK adults do not believe the Holocaust took place. In other regions, like Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, the Middle East and North Africa, awareness levels are much lower. But among those who have heard of the Holocaust, only half or less believe it has been accurately described by history. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is the Great Barrier Reef? Thanks for asking! The Great Barrier Reef is planet Earth’s largest living structure. It has remarkably rich biodiversity, but is gradually disappearing due to pollution caused by humans. Tourists have been absent from the reef since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. But paradoxically, this isn’t likely to help the situation. The reef is located in the sea off the coast of North-East Australian territory Queensland. Its surface area is larger than that of Italy and it can even be seen from space! In some places the corals can be found several miles underwater; in others just under the surface. According to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, the diverse Reef ecosystem is home to 1625 species of fish, including 1400 coral reef species. Then you’ve got over 3000 species of molluscs, 630 species of echinoderm, 14 breeding species of sea snakes, 215 species of birds, six species of marine turtles, 30 species of whales and dolphins, 133 species of sharks and rays, and much more. Among them are many vulnerable and endangered species. Well it sounds like they won’t be there for much longer, if the situation is as bad as I understand? Indeed, the Great Barrier Reef is under threat. It’s estimated that up to half the corals have disappeared in the last few years. One of the biggest dangers to the reef is the crown-of-thorns starfish, which feeds on coral and has few predators. So why are they suddenly invading the Barrier Reef? And what about the tourism? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is cancel culture ? What is the Louise Michel ? What is collapsology? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is cancel culture? Thanks for asking! Cancel culture is the popular practice of withdrawing support for an individual or company, to such an extent that they become irrelevant as a result. This is usually due to something the person has done or said that is considered offensive. Cancel culture has become an effective tool for so-called social justice movements, with feminist, antiracist and LGBTQ+ activists incr easingly adopting the tactic. It tends to involve the use of social media to call for a boycott of an individual, who may or may not be a public figure. This online shaming can include fair criticism, insulting and harassment to destroy the person’s reputation. Many have suggested that cancel culture has now gone too far, including former US President Barack Obama. Well, internet users can be very sensitive can’t they? One clumsy tweet and social media goes into a frenzy! And it’s not just present-day tweets that are used as justification for “cancelling” someone. In some cases, posts from many years ago have been dug up, screenshotted and shared all over the internet. The term “clicktivists” is used mostly in a negative way to label those who use social media to shame others online, mainly to boost their own egos. In July 2020, a group of 150 activists, writers and academics called for an end to cancel culture. Part of their open letter, which was published in Harper’s Bazaar magazine, reads as follows: “The free exchange of information and ideas, the lifeblood of a liberal society, is daily becoming more constricted.” J.K. Rowling, Salman Rushdie and Margaret Atwood were among those to put their name to the letter. Cancel culture is all the rage at the moment, isn’t it?! In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is collapsology? What is flexitarianism? What is a super-spreader? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is the Louise Michel? Thanks for asking! The news was broken as an exclusive by the Guardian less than two weeks ago, drawing attention to a crisis which has been getting worse since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Famous British street artist Banksy had funded a project to carry out rescue missions in the Mediterannean Sea, which more and more migrants are trying to cross from North Africa to Europe. To do this, he relaunched a former French navy boat, 30 metres long, painted in pink and depicting a young girl with windswept hair, holding out a heart-shaped safety buoy. The name of the boat? The Louise Michel, after the 19th century French anarchist feminist of the same name. Well that’s a fitting name for such a project! On board the Louise Michel are 10 European activists who have significant experience in sea rescue. The NGO vessel is commanded by German captain Pia Klemp, whose ships have saved several thousand people in recent years. An email sent from Banksy to Klemp last year reads as follows: “Hello Pia, I’ve read about your story in the papers. You sound like a badass.” He then offered to buy a boat with the money he had made from his migrant crisis-themed artwork. The plan was carried out secretly between London, Berlin and Spain, so that European authorities would be totally unaware. The boat’s existence only became public knowledge due to having saved 90 people, off the coast of Libya. Some of those survivors had fuel burns and other injuries. The crew carried out a second rescue mission the same night, taking the total number of migrants saved to 220. One person had already died when found on a rubber dinghy. The Louise Michel being able to accommodate a maximum capacity of 120 people, many had to spend several hours on a liferaft deployed alongside. Unable to move their boat, the crew made repeated emergency calls for assistance to Malta and Italy, the closest European countries. Did anyone come to their help? So will the migrants now be sent to a place of safety in Europe? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is collapsology? What is flexitarianism? What is a super-spreader? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is collapsology? Thanks for asking! Collapsology is the transdisciplinary study of how our industrial civilisation could collapse, and indeed what may come afterwards. Its ideas are gaining in visibility and popularity. The term collapsology is a neologism, having been created in 2015. It was popularised by French authors Pablo Servigne and Raphael Stevens, who that year published a book called How Everything Can Collapse. As far back as 1972, the Meadow Report published by MIT researchers warned of the risks of exponential population and economic growth on a planet where resources are limited. One of the main ideas of collapsology is that human activity is affecting the planet in a negative and lasting way. It is to blame for global warming, a loss of biodiversity and the increase in natural disasters. Well, there’s nothing new in those ideas, really. Collapsologists go even further by linking what Servigne and Stevens call “systemic instabilities''. This refers to the various crises the world is undergoing: Economic, health, environmental, war, democractic, and so on. Worse still, it’s already too late to save the situation. The combined impact would see civilisation as we know it collapse by 2050. Collapsologists say that by then, us humans will be faced with drastic food, water and housing shortages. So we’re all screwed then! In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is a super-spreader? What is fan fiction? What is an authoritarian regime? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is flexitarianism? Thanks for asking! Flexitarianism is a portmanteau word combining flexible and vegetarianism. It’s a mostly vegetarian way of eating which nevertheless allows for occasional meat dishes. The aim is to reduce red meat and animal protein consumption, replacing them with high-protein plant foods.This type of diet is becoming increasingly common, and the word flexitarian was added to the Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary in 2012. So if I understand correctly, being flexitarian is basically being a part-time vegetarian. That’s more or less right. Many people try flexitarianism as preparation for going full veggie. It makes the transition easier, without making you feel like you’re going cold turkey. All foods are allowed. Fruit, vegetables, cereal, dairy products and fats can be eaten every day, along with an occasional serving of meat or fish, when there’s no plant-based alternative. Flexitarians don’t only limit the quantity of meat in their diet. On the occasions they do eat meat, they also pay close attention to where products come from. They may choose to only consume meat and produce that has come from an organic farm, where animals are raised free-range. Sustainability is a key concern, as meat production has a high carbon footprint. It’s estimated that livestock is responsible for 18% of all greenhouse gas emissions. More and more people are avoiding meat, in order to eat more responsibly. But I’ve been eating meat all my life. How am I supposed to know how to cook and eat all these plant-based products? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is a super-spreader? What is fan fiction? What is an authoritarian regime? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is a super-spreader? Thanks for asking! While summer 2020 draws to an end, the COVID-19 pandemic is far from being over. Some European countries are seeing increased infection rates and have reinforced public health measures in anticipation of a second wave. A recent Scottish study suggested that just 10% of those infected could be responsible for 80% of infections. The term super-spreaders has emerged to describe those who spread the virus to a greater number of people than the R0 reproduction rate. So are these 10% to blame for everyone else getting contaminated? It’s not quite that simple. Everything is linked to that R0 rate; the average number of people we infect when we have a contagious disease. Of course if the R0 rate was three, not every single person would have the same level of infectivity - it’s just an average. Some would infect many more than three, and others none at all. So there are other important indicators to take into account. Firstly you’ve got the dispersion factor, which is represented by the K value. This sheds light on how the transmission rate varies. As Dr Adam Kucharski recently told The Guardian: “The general rule is that the smaller the K value is, the more transmission comes from a smaller number of infectious people.” The latest studies suggest that the K value for COVID-19 is between 0.1 and 0.5, which seems to back up the idea that super-spreaders are generating the majority of transmissions. Who are these super-spreaders then? It sounds like children do in fact spread COVID-19 after all? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is fan fiction? What is an authoritarian regime? What is the Istanbul Convention? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is fan fiction? Thanks for asking! Fan fiction refers to texts written by a fan using characters or storylines from another existing story, usually a popular novel, series, film or video game. They are also known as fanfics, and in the digital age, the quantity of such works is exploding! Fan fiction has even become recognised as a literary genre, and has created a unique niche for itself in the publishing industry. Fan fictions were first published in the 1960s and 70s. Star Trek fans have long been known for their passionate following. So it’s little surprise that Trekkies came up with the first early such texts in their fanzines. A similar trend emerged around the same time in Japan. Manga fans began producing independently published comics and novels, known as doujinshi. The creation of the internet allowed fan fiction to develop on dedicated sites and forums. The largest online collection can be found at fanfictions.net. The site has over 2.2 million registered users, who write in 40 different languages! What are the common characteristics of fan fiction then? Generally speaking, a piece of fan fiction focuses on one or more characters. The author looks more closely at the character’s personality and psychology. Certain elements of the original story, like the main characters and settings, remain unchanged. This part of the source narrative is referred to as “canon” by fans, which is short for canonical fictional universe. But a fanfic can also take place in an alternative universe, known as an AU. Fan fiction terminology includes an extensive range of genres, subgenres and other jargon terms. For example, slash fiction tells stories about relationships between two characters of the same sex, like Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson. The most well-known franchises like Star Wars, Harry Potter and Marvel comics have hundreds or thousands of fanfics. Harry Potter in particular inspired the imagination of fans, with a multitude of alternative endings emerging. How about Voldemort triumphing at the end of the series? Or a love triangle between Harry, Ron and Hermione? It can’t be easy for an unknown writer to make a name for themselves creating fan fiction, right? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is an authoritarian regime? What is the Istanbul Convention? What is OnlyFans? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is an authoritarian regime? Thanks for asking! An authoritarian regime is a form of government which monopolises authority and restricts political freedoms. Such regimes have strong central power and little accountability to their population. Authoritarianism is effectively the opposite of democracy. The term has come back into the news of late, with the reelection of Alexander Lukashenko as President of Belarus. He will now serve a sixth consecutive term, having remained head of state since 1994. His regime is considered authoritarian. Indeed, international media often refer to Lukashenko as “Europe’s last dictator”. So what are the characteristics of an authoritarian regime? One that immediately springs to mind is repression. Authoritarian regimes often resort to illegitimate tactics to enforce their power, such as the use of force. Another is how political opponents are, let’s say, ‘controlled’. That’s a euphemism because they are often imprisoned or disappear completely. Political pluralism is restricted and any anti-regime activities are swiftly suppressed. There are no trade unions and no NGOs. And the list goes on and on. Under an authoritarian regime, violating the freedom of the press and locking up journalists are common practice. This happens frequently in countries like China, Iran and Egypt. National television channels are run by the state, with no place for independent media, who often end up in exile from their home country. To enforce censorship, some authoritarian regimes have cut internet access.This was done for a five-day period in Gabon in 2016, after the announcement of President Ali Bongo’s reelection. Meanwhile, other regimes in Kazakhstan, Iraq and Iran have forced citizens to use an internet certificate in order to monitor their browsing activity. Are there many authoritarian regimes in the world today? And why don’t other countries take sanctions against them? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is the Istanbul Convention? Thanks for asking! The Istanbul Convention is an international human rights treaty which was signed in 2011 by 45 European countries. It came into effect in August 2014 and was the first legally binding instrument to establish rules combatting violence against women. Its full name is the ‘Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence’. A bit of a mouthful, we think you’ll agree! The Council of Europe is less well-known than the European Union, although it actually predates it, having been founded back in 1949. The organisation has a reputation for promoting the protection of women, due to several campaigns over recent decades. The convention’s main aims are to prevent violence against women from occurring, protect victims and ensure perpetrators are punished. So what exactly is in the convention? Like all European texts, the convention is set out in a specific, structured way. writing sound It has 81 articles and 12 chapters, defining gender violence as a violation of human rights. The preamble states that “violence against women is a manifestation of historically unequal power relations between women and men, which have led to domination over, and discrimination against, women by men and to the prevention of the full advancement of women.” It also clearly sets out the acts and forms of discrimination which could cause physical, sexual, psychological or economic harm to women. So it’s a hugely significant text for countries which have ratified it, so long as they respect it. States have to put in place measures to counter such violence, carry out awareness campaigns and educate their population on gender equality. Why is the Istanbul Convention making headlines now in 2020? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is OnlyFans? What is an oil spill? What is Kairos? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is OnlyFans? Thanks for asking! OnlyFans is a digital content platform which operates on a subscription model. As with social media platforms, when you follow a user, you get access to that person’s content. Since being launched in the UK in 2016, the service has drawn criticism from some quarters. One key difference with other social networks is that it enables content creators to charge fans for access to their images and videos. It’s a whole new way for influencers to make money online. So it’s a bit like a paid version of Instagram is it? Onlyfans subscriptions tend to range from $5 to $50 per month. Once a fan subscribes to an influencer’s account, they can view their content and send them private messages. So the premise is that to see exclusive content, you have to pay. And the rules around what can be published are pretty liberal, compared to Instagram’s strict policy on nudity. In fact, OnlyFans has strong links with the adult entertainment industry, counting many sex workers among its users. Some media outlets have referred to the platform as the ‘Instagram of porn’. Users are allowed to share images of themselves in little or no clothing, and even pornographic videos. And it’s all completely legal, as long as the people in the images are of age. To create an account, you must be over 18 and submit proof of age. But it’s not completely all about nudes. Some musical artists are active on OnlyFans, including rapper Cardi B. What’s in it for them, you might be wondering? Well they can host private shows for their fans and share exclusive footage from the filming of a music video, for example. Fitness coaches also share workout routines and personalised tips. As paying subscribers, the fans are also to some extent customers. So there’s a certain expectation that content creators will regularly deliver new pictures and video clips, to maintain the link with their online community. So why are people talking about OnlyFans at the moment? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is Kairos? What is a sebum cure? What is a caffè sospeso? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is an oil spill? Thanks for asking! An oil spill is a form of pollution whereby petrol is released into the sea or ocean due to human activity. This is sometimes accidental, sometimes intentional. In both cases the environmental and social consequences can be disastrous. Just a month ago, a Japanese-owned cargo ship transporting 4,000 tonnes of fuel oil crashed into a coral reef near to the coast of Mauritius. The ship leaked nearly 1,000 tonnes of oil into the pristine waters, which are known for their rich biodiversity. So what is the impact on the planet? An oil spill is a real environmental catastrophe. The oil itself can cause irreversible damage to ecosystems by impacting the whole food chain. News coverage often includes dramatic images of birds or other animals covered in oil. Unable to escape, they generally die of suffocation. Then you’ve also got economic repercussions to consider. A huge effort is required to clean up the coastline, including suspending tourism in the affected area, as well as fishing and aquaculture. Cleanup teams sometimes use chemical products called dispersants. Their purpose is to break down oil into small droplets, clearing it from the water’s surface. This makes it less likely the oil slick will reach the shoreline. But some types have been labelled harmful by environmental organisations, due to their toxic nature. Are there other ways of cleaning up after an oil spill? How do such large-scale disasters come about? And do they happen often? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is Kairos? What is a sebum cure? What is a caffè sospeso? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is Kairos? Thanks for asking! The ancient Greeks had two words for “time”. The first, Chronos, refers to chronological time which can be clearly measured. Meanwhile Kairos is more about quality. It is used when talking about an “opportune moment”. As the saying goes, timing is everything! It was originally used in science by Hippocrates, who is seen as the father of medicine. He and his students suggested that there were two ways of failing when treating an illness: either taking action too early or too late. Of course in between the two, you have the opportune moment to carry out treatment. In rhetoric, kairos is a strategy based on the timeliness of a line of argument. Aristotle connected it to his rhetorical triangle of ethos, pathos and logos, teaching that in each situation, the right moment will come to use one over the others. So it wasn’t enough to simply express a correct idea. It was considered just as important to state it at the right time. Kairos is therefore also considered a mode of persuasion in rhetoric. In Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle introduces the notion of kairos to analyse human actions. Taking advantage of kairos is to seize the rare moment when our desires and fate coincide. So how can I make sure I don’t miss out on kairos?! In so far as many of the circumstances which define kairos are external, there are no strict rules on how to benefit from it. Seizing an opportunity isn’t an exact science after all. It requires finesse, flair, intuition and various other qualities. You can sometimes create a situation which allows you to communicate at the opportune time. Some observers have suggested making time for kairos moments on a daily basis, especially in the world of work. Kairos time may help us achieve objectives, reduce burnout and keep us passionate about what we do. Do you have any concrete examples then? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is a caffè sospeso? What is a leap year? What is nudge theory? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices