Democracy dates back to the ancient Greeks and is meant to give us a say on who’s in charge. But lately, some democratically elected leaders are acting more like kings than politicians. So, does democracy still work? And how do we stop “undemocratic” forces from manipulating us?

From a muddling Mr Darcy to Clueless diva Cher Horowitz, some of the most iconic characters in books, films and TV were conceived by Jane Austen — or based on her works. So, who was she, really? And what makes her classics... classic?

Google gets billions of searches every day. But now, the tech giant wants to be AI-fuelled “answer engine”, rather than a gateway to other sites. It poses a massive threat to journalism, but it’ll also affect the information we see and don’t see. 

If you needed a life-saving transplant, would you take a gene-edited organ from a pig? It sounds like science fiction, but this procedure has been researched for decades, and it could help solve the massive organ shortage. But is it ethical to use animals for their parts? And are there other risks? 

A Catholic and a Satanist walked into a bar ... and managed to fall in love? During the past two decades, more of us have become non-religious, but we’re also increasingly up for dating and marrying across the spiritual divide. So, how do interfaith couples make it work? And what can we learn from them?

Remember when you could drop off soft plastics at the supermarket and feel a little smug, because you knew they’d be recycled? Turns out that scheme was secretly stockpiling rubbish, not recycling it. So, why are soft plastics harder to recycle? And will a new scheme actually work? 

When you think of a saint, who do you picture? Chances are it’s not a tracksuit-wearing, video game playing teen, but that's exactly who the Catholic Church canonised recently. So, why was Carlo Acutis special? What miracles did he perform? And could his sainthood help drive younger people back to religion? 

At a stadium in Arizona, 63,000 people gathered to remember Charlie Kirk. Among them was President Donald Trump, who called the controversial right-wing figure a “martyr”. Who exactly was Kirk? Are politicians weaponising his death to crack down on their opposition?

While cinemas struggle to fill seats, horror films are bringing in billions. So, why do we enjoy being scared? And how come horror flicks are filled with nuns, crosses and other Christian imagery?

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If you liked this chat, send it to the cinema buff in your life. You might also enjoy our eps on how cults are being targeted with coercive control laws and why certain female body parts are named after shady, white men.  

Plus, check out Anna Levy’s article about religion in horror films.

From the sovereign citizen movement to vaccine conspiracy theories, extreme beliefs are on the rise, and they can make family gatherings super uncomfortable. Why do sensible people fall for irrational ideas? And can we challenge these ideas without alienating the people who hold them?