1) Weight Loss Drugs and Scurvy
Ozempic (and its variants) have been a great success in reducing weight, and also in treating Type 2 Diabetes, and as a result, in improving markers of health (such as bringing down blood pressure, cholesterol, etc). But an unexplored side effect is potential nutritional deficiencies, from not eating enough of the right foods. In April 2025, Robbie Williams (the singer) said that he had been diagnosed with scurvy, after taking a weight-loss drug and dropping 13 kg in weight.
But there is a way out.
2) Language – Kiki & Buba
In the 1920s, it was discovered that most speakers of the English language associated the nonsense word, “kiki” with a spiky shape, but the nonsense word “buba” is associated with a round shape. Maybe the letters used to write the words might influence the “mental curvature” of the words. And it seems to work with monkeys!!
(And separately, we still don’t know where “language” came from, or how it evolved
A) Bow-Wow Theory. This suggests language began through imitation of natural sounds. Early humans, according to this theory, copied the noises around them: animal cries, splashing water, thunderclaps and birdsong. Words such as “buzz,” “hiss,” “bang” and “splash” seem to support the idea because they sound like what they describe.
But there is a problem. Different languages hear the same sounds differently. English dogs go “woof” or “bow-wow,” but in Turkish they go “hev-hev,” while Indonesian dogs go “guk-guk.” Even animal noises, it turns out, are filtered through culture and language. And onomatopoeic words (words that imitate sounds) make up only a tiny fraction of our vocabularies. Most words sound nothing like their meanings. For instance, there is nothing inherently tree-like about
the word “tree.”).
B) Ding-Dong Theory suggest that sounds and meanings are naturally connected in some deeper, almost mystical way. Some words do seem to fit their meanings uncannily well. “Mini,” “teeny” and “itsybitsy” feel small and delicate. “Lump,” “rump” and “plump” sound heavier and rounder.
Modern linguists call this sound symbolism. One famous experiment asked participants to match two nonsense words, “bouba” and “kiki,” to two shapes: one rounded and one jagged. Most people matched “bouba” with the soft shape and “kiki” with the sharp one.
C) Pooh-Pooh Theory proposes that speech began with instinctive emotional cries such as “ouch,” “oh” or perhaps less publishable exclamations uttered after stubbing a toe. According to this idea, language evolved from spontaneous vocal reactions to pain, surprise, fear or joy.
Again, though, there are complications. Interjections vary widely across languages. English speakers say “ouch.” Greeks say “aou.” Czechs might exclaim “ach.”
Emotional sounds are not nearly as universal as they seem.
D) Yo- He-Ho Theory suggests language emerged from rhythmic chants used during collective labor, like sailors chanting “yo heave-ho” while hauling ropes, or workers singing together to coordinate physical effort.
The theory may sound quaint, but modern researchers do think rhythm, cooperation and social bonding played important roles in human evolution. Language is, after all, deeply social.
E) La-La Theory, links language to music. Charles Darwin entertained the possibility that speech evolved from musical calls used in courtship and emotional expression.
Before humans spoke, perhaps we sang?
Some modern theories echo this idea. One hypothesis suggests that, as early humans began walking upright, parents increasingly needed to soothe babies from a distance. Sing-song vocalizations, cooing and proto “baby talk” may have helped strengthen emotional bonds and eventually paved the way for speech.)
The next update was that it seems to work with 917 speakers of some 25 languages – or at least, it worked with 70% of them that had languages using the Roman alphabet. In languages such as Japanese, that do not use the Roman alphabet, the percentage drops to 63% (which is still significant). (This effect did NOT happen with Mandaring, Albanian, Turkish and Romanian languages).
The most recent update is that it seems to work with some primates!! (Or, at least 9 monkeys that live at the Mandai Wildlife Reserve in Singapore – 8 long-tailed macaques and 1 southern pig-tailed macaque)
They had each monkey stand in front of two cups with food hidden below a lid. One lid was blank, while the other featured a shape that combined both spiky and rounded elements, a kind of Bouba-Kiki hybrid.
At this stage, no sound was played.
Once the monkeys learned that the cup with the shape contained food, they proceeded to the real test.
Here, they were presented with two cups covered by lids with either the spiky or round shapes typical of the Bouba/Kiki experiment. In this test, a recording of either the word ‘Bouba’ or ‘Kiki’ was played repeatedly in the background.
Each monkey completed 24 trials divided into short blocks of three, with the position of the round and spiky shapes, as well as Bouba and Kiki playback, counterbalanced between trials.
This experimental design allowed them to see which choice monkeys make in the presence of these particular sounds, though they had not been trained that any particular response was ‘correct’.
The results were remarkably similar to those from experiments in humans. In most instances, the monkeys spontaneously selected the lid with the round shape when they heard ‘Bouba’, and the lid with the spiked shape when they heard ‘Kiki’.
Statistical analysis revealed these selections occurred at rates above what we would expect from random chance.
3) How are you? I am better because I am standing in your shade.
This is a Japanese greeting, that spreads good-will through the society. It carries a sense of group help and protection.
Okagesama — the phrase Japan uses to answer “how are you.” Taken literally, it means: thanks to an honorable shadow, I am well. Gratitude, in Japanese, often goes to what you cannot see.