Do you really know?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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