Do you really know?

What is the black fungus epidemic? Thanks for asking!Since May 2021, India has been faced with an additional epidemic on top of Covid-19. It’s that of a black fungus, also known as mucormycosis. This rare infection spreads among Covid patients, first of all attacking their faces, in particular the nose, sinuses or eyes, before moving onto the brain and lungs.According to AFP, India has recorded over 45,000 black fungus cases in the last two months. That’s compared to less than 20 cases per year in pre-Covid times. The real figure may be much higher and the epidemic is causing major concern, especially given the infection has a mortality rate of 50%.Why has this epidemic taken off in India? What is done to treat those infected with mucormycosis? Is the black fungus a new kind of Covid then? Has it been seen in other countries? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!To listen to the last episodes, you can click here:What is geophony? What is Earth Overshoot Day?What is Godwin’s Law?A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance.See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is geophony? Thanks for asking!Taking its name from the Greek prefix geo, as in the earth and phony as in sound, geophony could be most simply described as part of Planet Earth’s music. It’s a component of the soundscape that has surrounded us humans ever since we have been present on Earth. We owe the concept to experts like Canadian composer and environmentalist Raymond Murray Schafer, who popularised the idea of the soundscape, or American and bioacoustician Bernie Krause. This field of study gives us a lot of insight into the state of the planet.What kinds of sounds are we talking about? What can geophony tell us about the world? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!To listen to the last episodes, you can click here:What is Godwin’s Law?What are the Puppy Blues?What are blue zones?A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance.See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is Earth Overshoot Day? Thanks for asking! July 29th saw an unwelcome landmark in the calendar as we reached Earth Overshoot Day. It might sound like a celebration, but the reality is a lot more troubling. Earth Overshoot Day marks the point during a year at which humans have used up all the planet’s resources. To use a budgeting analogy, from that day onwards, we’re effectively living on credit and building up ecological debt.It’s estimated that we currently use 74% more resources than what the planet can produce. To sustain consumption rates, we would need 1.7 planet Earths. Spoiler alert: we only have one! The consequences on the environment are drastic.What kind of resources are we talking about? That’s a positive sign at least, isn’t it? Is the calculation foolproof? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!To listen to the last episodes, you can click here:What is Godwin’s Law?What are the Puppy Blues?What are blue zones?A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance.See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is Godwin’s Law? Thanks for asking!The events of the Holocaust are part of the compulsory curriculum in many countries across the world, especially in Europe. Indeed, it’s pretty rare to come across any adult who hasn’t heard of the unique horrors that took place. Most people would agree that comparing recent Covid-19 restrictions and vaccination campaigns to Nazi atrocities is at best extreme and misguided; at worst disrespectful and downright offensive. But that’s exactly what some politicians and members of the public have done during recent protests.This is an example of an adage known as Godwin’s Law, which originated on an internet forum in 1990. It reads as follows: “As an online discussion continues, the probability of a comparison to Hitler or to Nazis approaches one.” What does that even mean? Who are these people comparing Covid-19 rules to the Holocaust? Is Godwin’s Law still relevant in the 21st century? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!To listen to the last episodes, you can click here:What are the Puppy Blues?What are blue zones?What is Niksen?A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance.See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What are the Puppy Blues? Thanks for asking!You’ve no doubt already heard of the baby blues, a nice-sounding euphemism for the rather unpleasant postpartum depression. Well, some new pet owners have started talking of puppy blues in the same way, to describe the sadness they sometimes feel after adopting a new furry companion.The puppy blues might be behind increased animal abandonment rates during the summer. Additionally, Fortune magazine reported a week ago that many Americans are surrendering their pets now the time has come to return to the office.What is it like having the puppy blues? What can I do to get more confident about being a pet owner? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!To listen to the last episodes, you can click here:What are blue zones?What is Niksen?What is Pop-It?A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance.See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What are blue zones? Thanks for asking!Humans have wondered about the secrets behind longevity since the beginning of time. Well, as it turns out, the world’s five blue zones offer some revealing insight into this mystery. In these regions, people seem to live longer than in the rest of the world. Researchers have sought to understand the unique lifestyles that may be behind this phenomenon.Let’s go back to the year 2000. Studying the province of Nuoro in Sardinia, Italian professor Gianni Pes and Belgian demographer Michel Poulain discovered to their great surprise that certain villages were home to a high number of people in their 90s or even over a hundred years old. The researchers marked these locations with blue circles which is how the non-scientific blue zone label was coined.Where are the other four blue zones then? So what are the secrets behind these people’s long lifespans? Diet and exercise have something to do with it too? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!To listen to the last episodes, you can click here:What is Pop-It?What are sonic weapons?What is the I.O.C.?A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance.See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is Niksen? Thanks for asking!Ever had one of those days when you just feel like doing nothing at all? Well, increasingly we as humans are wired to be doing something all the time. We might even feel guilty when not dedicating every last moment of our day to accomplishing tasks from a written or imaginary to-do list. Technology no doubt has a role to play, what with us being connected almost constantly.Maybe we could all learn a lesson from the Dutch concept of Niksen, which celebrates occasional idleness. It’s formulated as a verb, with the prefix Niks literally meaning “nothing”. We’ve discussed the Danish concept of hygge on Do You Really Know? in the past and Niksen is another Northern European wellness trend that seeks to combat the stress of modern life.Isn’t that just an excuse for being lazy and unproductive? How does one go about doing nothing then? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!To listen to the last episodes, you can click here:What is Pop-It?What are sonic weapons?What is the I.O.C.?A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance.See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is Pop-It? Thanks for asking!If 2017 was the year of the hand spinner in the toy world, 2021 is the year of the Pop-It! Even if the name doesn’t immediately ring a bell, the chances are you’ve seen one of these fidget toys in a picture or video on social media without realising. Manufacturers have had to ramp up production due to the recent surge in popularity.The Pop-It is basically a silicone-based tray containing colourful half-sphere bubbles. You’d be forgiven for saying it looks pretty unremarkable at first. You can push the bubbles through one by one, which creates a satisfying popping sound. Once you’ve finished popping one side, you can simply flip it over and pop back the other way!It sounds like a reusable version of bubble wrap! What’s the appeal of Pop-It then? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!To listen to the last episodes, you can click here:What are sonic weapons?What is the I.O.C.?What is the global bike shortage?A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance.See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is the Pegasus Project? Thanks for asking!Ever since the Snowden case of 2013, the world has gotten used to the idea that states use surveillance to monitor people’s activity. All the same, the fallout from the Pegasus Project revelations of recent weeks has been huge, making it a highly significant cyber espionage scandal.The initiative was coordinated by French media nonprofit organization Forbidden Stories, who last year obtained access to a list of 50,000 phone numbers targeted by Pegasus spyware. Thanks to the work of a consortium of investigative journalists from all around the world, as well as the support of Amnesty International, the global scale of government surveillance has become apparent.Where does the name of the project come from? Who do the phone numbers belong to then? What have the repercussions been following the Pegasus Project revelations? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!To listen to the last episodes, you can click here:What are sonic weapons?What is the I.O.C.?What is the global bike shortage?A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance.See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What are sonic weapons? Thanks for asking!In June it emerged that Greek police had acquired two long range acoustic devices, designed to discourage migrants from approaching the country's border with Turkey. At the size of a small TV, the cannons don’t look particularly threatening, but are capable of emitting powerful sound waves as loud as a jet plane.An LRAD is an example of a sonic weapon, which is an umbrella term used to cover the many different types of acoustic harassment devices. They emit a particularly audible sound in a precise direction, making it very unpleasant for those who get close. The use of LRADs has been a source of controversy in a number of scenarios. In addition to the pain and disorientation caused, their alert feature has been reported to cause lasting hearing damage.In what other scenarios are sonic weapons used? Is there anything peaceful protesters can do to protect themselves? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!To listen to the last episodes, you can click here:What is the global bike shortage?What is Eswatini? What is mansplaining?A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices