01 Aug 2025

Friend Or Foe?

Q. True friends are gold: there with time, action, and a keen ear when the going is tough. There with deep-bellied cheers when the going is uncommonly good. Which qualities do people treasure most in their friends? . A. In 2022, researchers Apostolou and Vesta reported out on 3 studies

15 Jul 2025

Taking It Slow

Q. You go, crown cheetah. Speedy silver to you, pronghorn antelope. But, when the days get hot, relatability points to those creatures who move the slowest. To whom shall we raise a UPF 50+ hat? . A. These somewhat moving beings have got going slow down to a science. Petbook

01 Jul 2025

13 Canadian Food Inventions

Q. Happy Canada Day! For those who live in Canada: what will you be eating to celebrate? What are some foods that were ‘invented’ in Canada? . A. Since we’re writing from BC, we’ll start in the deep woods… If you are hiking in the forest and want to avoid

20 Jun 2025

Happy Campers?

Q. Where are you on the camping to glamping to no doors/no windows/no thank you continuum? What is on the mind of would-be campers this summer? . A. With summer but inches away, ‘camping’ searches are spiking on Google. Some particularly hot topics: • Easy camping dinners • Foil dinners

07 Jun 2025

For The Birds

Q. For those of us glued to our bird ID apps and binoculars, it feels rude to pick our favourite birds. But pick we shall. Do you have a bird that you are particularly excited to see? Which birds get the most people plaudits? . A. Let’s look to the

01 Jun 2025

Breeches, Flannel + Ballet Flats

Q. Whose fashion style are people emulating these days? . A. Google Trends for May paints a rather unusual picture. The top trending sartorial searches? How to dress like: i.    Kate Middleton Ii.  A Parisian Iii. An Italian man iv.  A 90s kid boy v.   A hobbit . .

29 May 2025

A Passion for Peonies

Q. Flowers. Glorious flowers. If you could craft a bouquet with one type of flower – from the most exquisite samples available – what type of flower would you choose? Which flowers will be particularly sought for 2025 bouquets? . A. The UK’s Arena Flowers analysis of Google Search data

14 May 2025

Neighbourhood Quibbles

Q. We’ve seen neighbourhood brouhahas erupt in sitcoms and in real life. What types of goings-on are most likely to frustrate neighbours? . A. For answers, we look to Home Gnome who have surveyed 1,000 homeowners on all things neighbour. Let’s start with the good news. Which qualities do people

11 May 2025

Happy Mother’s Day 💚

Q. Happy Mother’s Day Weekend to all you amazing Mothers, and to those celebrating their Mums in person, at a distance, or in memorium. ♥ How have artists captured their mothers in portraits over the centuries? . . A. Albrecht Durer. Portrait of Barbara. The Artist’s Mother.  1490 . Rembrandt

29 Apr 2025

Animalian

Q. If someone was to compare your behaviour or body language to an animal, which animal would you like them to choose? What are some lesser heard animal-based adjectives? . A. Animal Adjectives These adjectives are related to… • Accipitrine – hawks • Anserine – geese • Aquiline – eagles