Do you really know?

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