Do you really know?

We chat with family, colleagues and strangers almost without noticing.

But as our lives become more digital, we can now go hours, sometimes even days,  without having a proper conversation. And that may matter more than we think.

Do we really talk less than we used to? But why are we talking less? Does talking less actually affect our brains? Is talking good for our mental health? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

To listen to the latest episodes, click here:

What 5 foods can improve brain performance?

What does loneliness do to our brains?

Could brain dumping help you manage your anxiety?

A Bababam Originals podcast written and realised by Amber Minogue.

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Regular listeners will be familiar with a number of Scandinavian lifestyle trends by now, given we’ve discussed the likes of Denmark’s hygge, Sweden’s lagom and Norway’s friluftsliv on the show in the past. Today, we’re going to talk about a custom from Finland which has gained international recognition in recent years.

Kalsarikännit is made up of two Finnish words: “kalsari", which means "underwear" and "kännit", which means "getting drunk’. An odd combination, you might be thinking. Put them together and what do you get? The term actually refers to the tradition of getting tipsy at home alone.  It has also been loosely translated and anglicised into the word “pantsdrunk”.

How did it get to be so popular? Isn’t drinking alone at home kind of sad? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

To listen to the last episodes, you can click here:

⁠Is it bad to drink water with a meal?⁠

⁠Are Skyr yoghurts really good for you?⁠

⁠Why is physical contact important for our health?⁠

A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance.

First Broadcast: 18/10/2023

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What do chicken nuggets, margarine and instant noodles all have in common? Well, they may look tasty, but they’re loaded with sugar, salt, fat and chemicals that strip away their nutritional value. That’s due to the heavy processing that goes into making them, which sees them completely transformed from the original raw ingredients. 

And they’re increasingly ever present on our shelves and in our stomachs. In 2022, the National Institute for Health and Care Research found that ultra-processed foods made up almost two-thirds of Britain’s school meals. Furthermore, the British Medical Journal has reported that ultra-processed foods account for 56.8% of total energy intake in the UK diet.

Can you identify them by looking at the ingredient lists on product packaging? What’s the difference between processed foods and ultra-processed foods? Why should we limit the consumption of ultra-processed products? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

To listen to the last episodes, you can click here:

⁠How much do surrogate mothers get paid?⁠

⁠What is the Barnum effect?⁠

⁠How to spot, prevent and treat heatstroke ?⁠

A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance.

First broadcast: 11/6/2023

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"There are way easier places to work, but nobody ever changed the world on 40 hours a week." That’s exactly what Elon Musk tweeted in November 2018, as part of a call for new talent to join his companies. The post went viral, leading to a lot of people critiquing Musk's take on work and merit. Despite the criticism he faced, a lot of people, and followers of hustle culture in particular, stood firmly behind him.

Hustle culture essentially glorifies putting in excessive effort at work, often at the expense of health and personal relationships. In this mindset, our identity becomes intertwined with our work role, with work being seen not as a means to a comfortable life but as an end in itself.

When did the trend of hustle culture really kick off? Is there a shift happening? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

To listen to the last episodes, you can click here:

⁠How can I avoid falling victim to roaching?⁠

⁠What are the dangers with being overly perfectionist?⁠

⁠What is the Mandela Effect?⁠

A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance.

First Broadcast: 23/4/2024

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Flat Earthers believe that the Earth is not spherical, but rather a flat disc and the Sun and the Moon are also flat discs that circle above the Earth. According to them the edges of the world are surrounded by a wall of ice, which is what we know as Antarctica. And as for the pictures of the Earth from space - they are all fake, part of a huge conspiracy to hide the truth.

The earliest cultures that believed in a flat Earth were the ancient Egyptians, Babylonians, and Greeks. They had different models that depicted the Earth as a flat surface, often supported by pillars or resting on a giant animal. But not all ancient Greeks shared this belief.

Why have people started believing in this again? And why do some people still believe in the flat Earth theory despite all the evidence that contradicts it? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

To listen to the last episodes, you can click here:

⁠⁠What's the best way to choose my toothpaste?⁠⁠

⁠⁠What are the dangers of hustle culture?⁠⁠

⁠⁠What is the Mandela Effect?⁠⁠

A podcast written and realised by Amber Minogue.

First Broadcast: 7/12/2023

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 21st century has seen true crime stories surge in popularity, dominating bookshelves and TV schedules. Documentaries like Making A Murderer and podcasts like Serial, which investigate real-life crimes, have become smash hits, attracting millions of viewers and downloads. Over in the US, a 2022 YouGov poll revealed that half of Americans enjoy true crime content, with one in three consuming it weekly.

True crime is a unique genre, and distinct from detective fiction or thrillers due to its non-fictional nature. To comprehend the modern fascination with true crime, you have to venture back in time. The roots of the cultural phenomenon trace back to the early days of penny dreadfuls, crime novels and sensationalised crime reporting in the 19th century.

How did it become popular? What is it about true crime that captivates so many people? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

To listen to the last episodes, you can click here:

⁠⁠⁠How can I protect my mental health during the holiday season?⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠Why is the UK not as happy as it used to be?⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠Why do we give each other gifts at Christmas?⁠⁠⁠

A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance.

First broadcast: 5/3/2025

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Imagine somebody spending months gaining your trust, only to eventually trick you into handing over your life savings. Well that’s the basic principle behind a scam commonly called “pig-butchering”. 

The name refers to gradually “fattening up” a victim’s confidence before taking as much money as possible. Law enforcement organisations prefer the term romance-baiting investment fraud, which is less potentially demeaning to victims.

How do these scams work then? Why might it look to a victim as though they’re making money? When does the “butchering” part happen? How can I protect myself then? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

To listen to the last episodes, you can click here :

How do sim swapping scams work?

Could you be at danger from quishing scams?

How do sim swapping scams work?

A Bababam Originals podcast.

A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance.

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Whether it’s making a wish over a birthday cake, waiting for lottery results, or opening an email following a job interview, it's pretty common to cross your fingers. It’s a way of communicating that we’re hoping luck swings in our favor and our wishes come true. Often, you don’t even need to physically cross your fingers; simply saying "Fingers crossed” is enough to get the message across. But the roots of this tradition go way back.

In the Middle Ages, folks crossed their fingers to ward off the Devil, mimicking the famous exorcism phrase "Vade Retro Satana" or "Back off, Satan!" uttered by a priest holding a cross. Yet, people were crossing their fingers for luck long before the Middle Ages.

Are you saying that it originally had nothing to do with religion at all then? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

To listen to the last episodes, you can click here:

⁠⁠What causes tocophobia, the fear of pregnancy and childbirth?⁠⁠

⁠⁠Is it a good idea to sleep with my pet?⁠⁠

How did flat Earth conspiracy theory start?

A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance.

First Broadcast: 10/12/2023

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Currently there are many people that just feel they cannot get onto the property ladder, but is buying your own home really the best way to invest your money? Well, there are many benefits to owning your home, such as the stability and peace of mind that it can bring you. You can’t be evicted by a landlord, you can decorate and furnish it as you want, and you can enjoy the social and psychological benefits of having a place to call your own.

Another benefit is you can save money. When interest rates are low, and if you have a big deposit, owning your home can be cheaper than renting. You can also control your monthly payments with a fixed mortgage. And of course you can make money. In a rising property market, you can benefit from the increase in property values. You can also use your home as an asset to borrow money, or rent it out if you live elsewhere for a while.

What are the cons then? And what are the advantages of renting? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

To listen to the last episodes, you can click here:

⁠⁠What is body neutrality?⁠⁠

⁠⁠What are the most popular and unusual baby names in the UK?⁠⁠

⁠⁠How can I return unwanted gifts?⁠⁠

A podcast written and realised by Amber Minogue.

First Broadcast: 2/1/2024

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Did you know that each of us has a truly unique body odour, which is influenced by a mix of genetic, hormonal, age-related, environmental, and lifestyle factor? And your diet plays a role in shaping your natural scent.

Some foods have their own noticeably strong odours, like garlic or onions for example, and can in turn cause us to sweat more. The same goes for spices and chili, which makes sense given how hot they are. If you eat a lot of turmeric, you may notice a tangy aroma emanating straight from your skin pores, caused by an uptick in sweat acidity and the presence of a molecule called carvone.

Is there anything else that could explain a change in odour? Are there any foods that can improve body odour? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

To listen to the last episodes, you can click here:

⁠⁠⁠Could Britain ever rejoin the EU?⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠What 5 foods can improve brain performance?⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠What is pandemic skip?⁠⁠⁠

A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance.

First Broadcast: 10/1/2024

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices