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Latest Episodes:

What are fine particles? Dec 04, 2021

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What are fine particles?

According to a European Environment Agency report in November 2021, 307,000 people in the EU died prematurely in 2019 due to fine particle pollution. That number represented a 10% decrease compared to the year before, but that’s not exactly cause for celebration; the figures are still alarming. Fine particle pollution is everywhere, especially in urban areas, and considerably impacts public health. This invisible killer is a major item on the environmental agenda.

Are they visible to the naked eye? So are they dangerous for your health? Which countries are the most affected? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

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

What is woofing?

What are Yuccies?

Who is Peng Shuai?

A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance.

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What is Albedo? Dec 02, 2021

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What is Albedo?

The Albedo scale is studied and used in multiple fields like astrology and geology. It actually refers to the reflective power of any surface. The term comes from the Latin word for whiteness, and came into use in the field of optics in 1760. The notion is also significant in climate studies, and the idea of global warming.

So how is it calculated? Can you give me any other real life examples? That’s all fascinating, but what does it have to do with climate change? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

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

What is woofing?

What are Yuccies?

Who is Peng Shuai?

A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance.

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What is woofing? Dec 01, 2021

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What is woofing?

The world is still in the middle of a health crisis. And while travel has resumed with the reopening of borders, more sustainable tourism practices have come to the fore in the past two years. One such example is wwoofing, which started growing in popularity prior to the Covid pandemic. And no, it’s got nothing to do with dogs despite the name! The name is derived from the acronym WWOOF, standing for World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms.

So if I work in woofing, do I get paid? So where does woofing come from? How do I become a woofer in the UK? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

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

What are Yuccies?

Who is Peng Shuai?

What is climate change famine?

A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance.

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What are Yuccies? Nov 29, 2021

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What are Yuccies? Thanks for asking!

In today’s episode, let’s talk about a term which mixes sociology and lifestyle newspeak. Yuccies is an abbreviation for Young urban creatives.

The term started trending after American journalist David Infante introduced it in an article on Mashable in June 2015. Within weeks, the concept had been covered on many other websites, with the original article being shared over 75,000 times.

Hmm, that sounds a lot like hipsters? What sets yuccies apart? What kind of careers do yuccies tend to pursue? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

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

What is climate change famine?

What is an unvaccinated lockdown?

What is the four-day week?

A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance.

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[RERUN] What is Fast Fashion? Nov 28, 2021

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What is Fast Fashion? Thanks for asking!

Friday, November 19th, 2021, it was Black Friday. The opportunity to come back on the concept of fast fashion. Fast fashion is to fashion what fast food is to dining. That is to say a poor-quality imitation, which everybody criticises but still nevertheless consumes!

Adopted by many clothing brands, this strategy consists of regularly bringing out new collections and offering low-price items. Customers are therefore encouraged to buy new clothes almost constantly.

These practices haven’t just come about by magic. They meet an increasing level of demand caused by expanding middle classes across the world, especially in developing countries. These consumers want more clothes and in particular cheaper clothes. The MacArthur Foundation estimates that by 2050, clothes sales will have at least tripled worldwide.

This all seems rather bleak, so what can we do? Stop wearing clothes and turn to naturism? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

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What is Ikigai?

What is PTSD?

Who are Abba?

A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance.

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Who is Peng Shuai? Nov 27, 2021

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Who is Peng Shuai? Thanks for asking!

If you’re not a tennis follower, the chances are you may never have heard of Chinese player Peng Shuai. But in her discipline, she is kind of a big deal. A two-time doubles Grand Slam winner, she has also been ranked as high as 14th in the world during her singles career.

But rather than asking “who is Peng Shuai?”, the question on everyone’s lips over the last couple of weeks has been “where is Peng Shuai?”. Indeed the Twitter hashtag has been used many thousands of times, since she vanished from the public eye.

How did it all start? What happened next? Has she been seen since? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

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

What is climate change famine?

What is an unvaccinated lockdown?

What is the four-day week?

A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance.

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What is climate change famine? Nov 25, 2021

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What is climate change famine? Thanks for asking!

The COP26 summit, which took place earlier this month, revealed that concerns related to climate change are now more pressing than ever. In June 2021, Madagascar became the first country in the world officially affected by a climate change famine that swept over the south of the island as a result of global warming.

What makes it a particularly affected area is that 9 out of 10 people there live below the poverty line. According to the UN, 30,000 Malagasy are suffering from famine and 1.3 million are victims of acute malnutrition. The World Food Program reported that the figure includes 500,000 children, with over a fifth of those children affected by a severe form.

How did this climate change famine come about? What do Madagascar's inhabitants eat then? Is there a chance of similar famines breaking out in other countries? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

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

What is an unvaccinated lockdown?

What is the four-day week?

What are primitive reflexes?

A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance.

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What is an unvaccinated lockdown? Nov 24, 2021

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What is an unvaccinated lockdown? Thanks for asking!

Just when we thought Covid lockdowns were a thing of the past, the pandemic has once again taken a turn for the worse in Europe. Despite a full vaccination rate at 65.5% on average across the EU, a new wave is hitting hard in the build-up to winter.

Some countries are now taking a more targeted approach by imposing restrictive measures specifically on those who are not vaccinated. This started out last week, when Austrian Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg announced such a lockdown. Those who hadn’t been fully vaccinated would only be able to leave their homes for essential reasons, like going to work or buying food.

What has the reaction been in Austria? Have other countries introduced similar measures? What’s the logic behind such restrictions? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

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

What is the four-day week?

What are primitive reflexes?

What is Demon Slayer?

A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance.

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What is the four-day week? Nov 22, 2021

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What is the four-day week? Thanks for asking!

It might be an unlikely dream for most of us, but many Spanish workers will be trying out a four-day week from the start of 2022. 200 companies have put themselves forward for a three-year pilot project. The best part? There won’t be any pay cuts to worry about, thanks to a 50M€ support fund released by the country’s government.

Spanish fashion company Desigual got off to a headstart, bringing in a similar move a few weeks ago after employees heavily backed the initiative in a vote. In exchange for the additional day’s rest, workers at the company’s Barcelona HQ accepted a 6.5% pay cut. And the results so far certainly seem satisfying both on the worker and employer side.

What is the Spanish government hoping for? Have other countries tested the four-day work week? What about in the UK? Could we see something similar soon? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

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

What is Demon Slayer?

What is PMS?

What is Ikigai?

A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance.

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[RERUN] What is the Covid vaccine pill? Nov 21, 2021

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What is the Covid vaccine pill? Thanks for asking!

The United Kingdom has announced the approval of the molnupiravir-based Covid-19 tablet treatment developed by the American laboratory Merck. Summer 2021 has seen Covid-19 vaccine campaigns making steady progress around the world. As of the start of August, 15% of the global population had been fully vaccinated.

While health authorities in some countries are considering a third dose by injection, Oravax Medical, a subsidiary of Israeli pharmaceutical company Oramed, is hoping to produce a Covid-19 vaccine in pill form.

A pill?! So you’d just swallow it like paracetamol then? How would the vaccine actually work? Is it really that revolutionary of a vaccine method? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

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

What is Ikigai?

What is PTSD?

Who are Abba?

A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance.

In partnership with upday UK.

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