Do you really know?

Is feeding birds in your garden a bad idea?

A Bababam Originals podcast, written and produced by Joseph Chance.

In partnership with upday UK.

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

Who is Giorgia Meloni, the new face of the Italian far right? Oct 12, 2022

Show notes

Giorgia Meloni's far-right Brothers of Italy party won the most votes in the Italian general election of late September 2022. She is poised to become prime minister in October.

Meloni will be Italy’s first ever female Prime Minister, which would usually be a cause for much celebration. But many observers are more concerned about what the future holds for the country, which will have its most right-wing government since World War II.

What is Meloni's background? How did she rise to the top of the Italian political landscape? What are her political views? We answer all your questions in under 3 minutes!

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Why will we be using liquefied natural gas to heat our homes this winter?

Why will we be using liquefied natural gas to heat our homes this winter?

A Bababam Originals podcast, written and produced by Joseph Chance.

In partnership with upday UK.

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

[RERUN] What is mental health? Oct 11, 2022

Show notes

Yesterday, the 10th of October, was the World Mental Health Day. Since the start of the Covid crisis, mental health has become an increasingly important topic. Listen to our rerun episode.

The World Health Organisation defines mental health as “a state of well-being in which an individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.” One in four people experiences some kind of mental health issue during their lifetime.

What are some signs of mental health disorders? Do these disorders happen overnight? To what extent is mental health recognised by states? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

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What is Ramsay-Hunt syndrome, the disorder affecting Justin Bieber

A Bababam Originals podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance.

In partnership with upday UK.

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

Is feeding birds in your garden a bad idea? Oct 11, 2022

Show notes

Leaving food out for the birds seems like a harmless and even generous idea, but research by the British Trust for Ornithology is showing that bird feeders might be doing more harm than good.

Between 2008 and 2018, chaffinch numbers dropped by 29 per cent in the UK, while 67 per cent of the country's greenfinches were lost, the study reveals.

How do bird feeders spread this disease? How can I keep using my bird feeder safely? Are there other ways to support birdlife in your garden? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

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Why will we be using liquefied natural gas to heat our homes this winter?

What is Ramsay-Hunt syndrome, the disorder affecting Justin Bieber

A Bababam Originals podcast written and realised by Amber Minogue.

In partnership with upday UK.

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

Why will we be using liquefied natural gas to heat our homes this winter? Oct 10, 2022

Show notes

Talk of energy has been storming the headlines recently. A long, cold winter is approaching and prices are soaring, due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict...

Russia has long been Europe’s main energy supplier, but reducing dependence on Russian energy has now become critical, with many countries putting sanctions or boycotts in place. Meanwhile Russia stands accused of sabotaging gas pipelines which lead to the EU. In addition to a geopolitical crisis, Europe is now experiencing an energy crisis marked by the increase in the price of gas. In an attempt to solve this problem, the United States has proposed a solution, in the form of liquefied natural gas.

What's special about this gas? And why are we talking about it now? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

To listen to the latest episodes, click here:

Do I need to take vitamin D supplements?

A Bababam Originals podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance.

In partnership with upday UK.

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

[RERUN] What are sonic weapons? Oct 09, 2022

Show notes

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!

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Do I need to take vitamin D supplements?

A Bababam Originals podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance.

In partnership with upday UK.

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

How can I improve my concentration at work? Oct 09, 2022

Show notes

No matter how prepared you are going into your normal day at the office, spending hours at your desk can get mundane and boring. Before you know it, your mind is wandering and you’ve lost focus...

According to a study published by Economist Intelligence Unit in October 2020, a third of working time is lost to distractions. That’s equivalent to a whopping 581 active hours per employee per year. But actually it doesn’t take much to get that concentration back and make some progress on your to-do list.

What are some tips for refocusing? Do we have to focus on one task at a time to be more efficient? What about the internal environment? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

To listen to the latest episodes, click here:

Do I need to take vitamin D supplements?

A Bababam Originals podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance.

In partnership with upday UK.

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

What is Ramsay-Hunt syndrome, the disorder affecting Justin Bieber? Oct 08, 2022

Show notes

In June 2022, Canadian superstar singer Justin Bieber took to Instagram to reveal that he has a rare neurological disorder called Ramsay Hunt Syndrome.

He took a break from his world tour, and would do the same just a few months later, again using social media to tell fans about suffering with exhaustion and needing to “make health the priority”. After trying to restart the tour, he would eventually be forced to cancel his remaining concert dates.

How long have we known about this syndrome? What are its symptoms? Can you cure Ramsay Hunt syndrome? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

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Why should I avoid showering after a workout?

A Bababam Originals podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance.

In partnership with upday UK.

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

How does the "Scully Effect" raise young women's interest in science fields? Oct 07, 2022

Show notes

If you’ve ever seen an episode of 1990s series The X-Files, you’ll likely remember Dana Scully as an FBI detective. The character, played by Gillian Anderson for all 11 seasons, was also a graduate in medicine and physics.

The combination made for an unprecedented representation of women on TV at the time, with audiences far more accustomed to seeing scientists played by white men. The fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics are grouped together under the name of STEM professions. And Dana Scully was one of the first female characters in such a field to feature on prime-time TV, which would inspire a generation of young women to start careers in STEM professions. The phenomenon has become referred to as the Scully Effect.

Is there any data to back it up? Why did Scully become such an inspirational figure? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

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