Reality Check

Reality Check

News under the microscope. Visit the BBC's Reality Check website at bit.ly/realitycheck for more, or follow them on Twitter @BBCRealityCheck.
A man is sitting down to mix a protein shake after en exercise inside an abandoned warehouse.

What doctors actually want you to know about sports supplements

Athletic enhancers are big business. But it's not always clear which ones actually work – and what might be in them
Show more
Wo

‘Woolly mammoth mice’ are now real (and posing a major ethical dilemma)

Are scientists so preoccupied with whether or not they could bring back mammoths, that they’re not concerned with whether they should?
Show more
Little girl take a selfie lying on multicolour Background

A social media ban for children would actually solve nothing. Here’s why

COMMENT | Politicians are claiming social media apps are causing irreparable harm to our young. The science, however, says otherwise.
Show more

null

undefined

Larks vs owls: Are early risers really happier? © Getty Images

Early risers and night owls: A neuroscientist explains who is happiest

Does early to bed and early to rise really make you healthy, wealthy and wise?
Show more
Double exposed picture of thoughtful man

Why we need to stop stigmatising borderline personality disorder

Despite being recognised by psychiatrists for decades, the condition remains misunderstood and undertreated.
Show more
People exercising on bikes

Looking to lose weight? Here’s why exercise (probably) won’t work

Wanting to shed that spare tyre? It's not as easy as it seems. Trust me, I cycled the length of the country.
Show more
© Danny Lehman

Rewilding: is it the conservation silver bullet we need?

In mid-July, four bison were released into Kent as part of a rewilding effort to revert our land to its historical state. But is this the best way to boost biodiversity?
Show more
Electroconvulsive therapy: Does this treatment really work?

Electroconvulsive therapy: Does this treatment really work?

Recent reports claim that the controversial treatment can cause brain damage and memory loss.
Show more
Could bringing back samples of Martian rock contaminate the Earth with foreign microbes? © NASA/ESA/JPL-Caltech

Could bringing back samples of Martian rock contaminate the Earth with foreign microbes?

NASA and ESA plan to bring back samples or rock, soil and air from the Red Planet within the next two decades.
Show more
Reality Check: Are the hottest cities in the world becoming uninhabitable thanks to climate change? © Getty Images

Reality Check: Are the hottest cities in the world becoming uninhabitable thanks to climate change?

A recent heatwave in Jacobabad in Pakistan saw temperatures reaching a record-breaking 51˚C – a figure dangerously close to the limit of human survivability.
Show more
Reality Check: What drives pathological liars and how should you deal with them? © Getty Images

Reality Check: What drives pathological liars and how should you deal with them?

Rather than telling the occasional white lie, pathological liars habitually and regularly tell fibs, often painting themselves as a hero or a victim. Why?
Show more
Reality Check: How worried should we be about monkeypox? ©Getty Images

Reality Check: How worried should we be about monkeypox?

It is unlikely the disease will become a new pandemic but cases are likely to rise over the coming weeks, virologist says.
Show more
Reality Check: How much power do 'vampire electronics' really drain? ©Getty Images

Reality Check: How much power do 'vampire electronics' really drain?

Can you save £££s by switching off appliances at the mains, as suggested by some headlines?
Show more
What does it mean to be a highly sensitive person? © Getty Images

Reality Check: What is a highly sensitive person, and how can you spot the signs?

The singers Lorde and Kanye have said they are highly sensitive. What do psychologists make of the phenomenon and what can you do if you feel the same?
Show more
© Guido Mieth

Do girls avoid physics because it’s too hard?

In late April, head teacher Katharine Birbalsingh commented that girls didn’t like physics and are put off it because of the hard maths. Is this true?
Show more
W boson: Is the new measurement for the subatomic particle's mass the first chink in the armour of the Stand Model? © Getty Images

W boson: Is the new measurement for the subatomic particle's mass the first chink in the armour of the Standard Model?

Data from an old experiment hints at answers to some of the biggest questions in physics.
Show more
“Microbiome friendly” beauty products: Do they work?

“Microbiome friendly” beauty products: Do they work?

More and more hygiene products are claiming to be ‘microbiome friendly’ but how important is our skin microbiome, and can an out-of-whack bacterial community lead to conditions like eczema and dry skin?
Show more
Collection of seeds with compost

Is peat-free compost better for the environment?

Compost containing peat is due to be banned for UK gardeners. What’s the debate around ending peat sales, and are there any alternatives?
Show more
Want to be happy? The secret is to ignore the pursuit of happiness altogether © Getty Images

The secret is to ignore the pursuit of happiness altogether

All humans want a little of the good life, but is the sole pursuit of happiness actually making us a society of sad, selfish and solitary creatures?
Show more
High-functioning anxiety is an issue hiding in pain sight © Getty Images

What is high-functioning anxiety? How to spot it and what you can do about it

There’s nothing wrong with struggling with anxiety, but many successful, high-achieving people are suffering in silence.
Show more
Why can’t we find a cure for migraines? © Getty Images

Why can’t we find a cure for migraines?

Migraines affect 6 million people in the UK and can have devastating consequences on sufferers' lives.
Show more

Going to the cinema vs the pub: Everyday activities ranked by COVID risk

COVID restrictions are coming to an end in the UK but the risk of infection still remains.
Show more
London Underground train at station

Is the air on the tube filled with dangerous particulates?

Taking public transport is better for the environment – but could the air pollution on the tube be bad for your health?
Show more
This website is owned and published by Our Media Ltd. www.ourmedia.co.uk
© Our Media 2025