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What in the World

Film and TV show spoilers often come with a warning because people know they can be annoying. But when it comes to footage from concerts and gigs… those rules don’t really apply, as Olivia Rodrigo fans found out when clips of a surprise moment from her ‘Unraveled Tour’ went viral on socials. 
You might have saved up for a ticket to see your favourite artist, found the perfect outfit and be counting down the days to the big show, but the chances are that you’ll know what’s going to happen way before you get there. Fan clips of all the biggest moments, the surprises and the special guests are usually shared everywhere online and difficult to avoid. If you’ve been to a concert recently, you might have found it irritating if people are filming huge chunks of the show in front of you. Some artists like Phoebe Bridgers, are even banning phones from their concerts.
We ask if gig spoilers ruin the surprise or actually add to the excitement. And, if they’re not for you, what can you do to avoid them when you’re online? We speak to BBC journalist Riyah Collins who has been looking into this and ask music fans from Nigeria, Australia and the UK what they think.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk 
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: Chelsea Coates and William Lee Adams
Editor: Emily Horler

Are online gig spoilers ruining live music?

Can we really get swallowed by a black hole? And what would actually happen if we did? Black holes are really mysterious and there is still so much we don’t know about them. So, grab your space helmet because we’re getting into some of the biggest questions scientists are still trying to answer.
We speak to science journalist, Caroline Steel, to clear up some of the mysteries around black holes. How do they distort time? Are wormholes real? 
We also hear from astrophysicist and postdoctoral researcher Rowina Nathan - she separates fact from fiction and busts some of the most common black hole myths, answering questions from members of the Cosmic Girls Foundation, a global community helping teenage girls engage with space, science and technology.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producer: Baldeep Chahal, William Lee Adams and Rita Behadini
Editor: Emily Horler

Why are black holes still such a mystery?

Across France, thousands of high school students are protesting. They say they’re doing it because of conditions in their schools - that classrooms are overcrowded, there’s not enough teachers and they can’t concentrate on exams because school buildings aren’t being maintained well enough.
Five hundred schools are shut and some protests have turned violent, with riot police being deployed and some streets set on fire. Pupils, teachers and police have been injured. Many of the protesters are under 18 and at this point there is no sign of the demonstrations ending. So why is this happening? 
We hear from French teenagers who have spent the last few days protesting about what they want to change and why this is so important to them. We also hear from BBC reporter Pierre-Antoine Denis and former student union president Manès Nadel.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk 
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: Chelsea Coates, Emma-Louise Amanshia and Rita Behadini
Editor: Emily Horler

Why are so many students protesting in France?

It’s something you might dream of - or only see in films or read in books - moving to a remote island in the middle of the sea. Only wildlife around you. No bars or clubs and barely any people! 
Sound like a bit of you? Or maybe it’s your worst nightmare. We speak to BBC reporter Georgina Rannard, about why she’s swapping city life to be a farmer on an island in Wales with only three other people. We also hear tips from people that’ve done similar things. Jaleesah lives on Siquijor in the Philippines and Tom works on a research station in Antarctica. 
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producer: Mollie Perella
Editor: Emily Horler

Location: Tiny Island. Population: YOU

Researching ways to improve your sleep has been popular for years but now it’s evolved and there’s a whole new genre of social media content called ‘Sleepmaxxing’. It shows ways you can build your perfect night’s sleep, by taking magnesium supplements, using black-out curtains or white noise machines. Experts say the popularity has boomed thanks to the accessibility of smart watches which give users sleep scores. We hear from Ollie, who tracks his sleep and is aiming for the perfect score.
BBC reporter Ashitha Nagesh who’s been reporting on the trend, tells us why some experts advise against multi-layered sleep routines and an obsessive fixation with sleep called orthosomnia.
Plus, sleep expert Sophie Bostock tells us how reliable popular sleep trackers are and what they are really measuring.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Iqra Farooq
Producers: Mollie Perella, Emily Horler and Benita Barden
Editor: Verity Wilde

Is sleepmaxxing actually helpful?

The issue of safety on college campuses is nothing new. But it’s back in the spotlight again because of the re-opening of a case at Cornell University, New York in the US. A woman alleges she was gang raped at a fraternity party in October 2024. The group is being called the ‘Cornell 7’ on social media. The incident was reported to campus police at the time, but no formal charges were made. 
The woman claims she was drugged and raped at a frat house and says the uni didn’t protect her or adequately punish the men she says were involved. Cornell rejects this. Her lawyer says she was traumatised and dropped out of uni. 
Now, two years later, state prosecutors have reopened the investigation following a civil lawsuit she’s filed. So - what happened with the case the first time? And what’s different now?
We speak to the BBC’s New York correspondent Nada Tawfik about the case and the conversations about consent, accountability and campus sexual assault. 
If you are affected by any of the issues in this episode, details of help available in many countries can be found at Befrienders Worldwide. www.befrienders.org     
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producer: Mollie Perella 
Editor:  Emily Horler

Why everyone’s talking about Cornell University

More and more of us are picking up side hustles - US national employment data shows that the number of people with more than one job is going up year on year, and a survey found that the majority of them are 16-24 year olds. So why are more of us turning to side hustles? And what’s the best way to start one?
We hear from Katie (@katiesgarms), Vera (@viavera_) and Shania (@shaniasvault) who have all started successful side hustles. They share how they got into them and their top tips for getting started. And Chelsea Coates from the What in the World team explains why the current global job market is encouraging more people to pick up second jobs - and the things to look out for if you’re thinking of doing this.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Iqra Farooq
Producers: Mollie Perella, Chelsea Coates and Emma-Louise Amanshia
Video Journalist: Chelsea Coates
Editor: Verity Wilde

Is it time to find a side hustle?

Madonna won Artist of the Year and Taylor Swift made a splash at Sunday’s MTV Video Music Awards - she became the most decorated performer in VMA history, and premiered her music video for Patient Zero, the lead single from the encore to her album The Life of a Showgirl. 
And there’s a reason the VMAs might have been so keen to have her - award ceremonies aren’t pulling the big audiences that they used to. Millions of people used to tune in and pore over the outfits and the speeches, hoping their favourite artists would win. But now, viewing figures are falling for shows like the Grammys, the Oscars and the Emmys.
So… why are award shows in their flop era? And what’s being done to revive them?
BBC culture journalist William Lee Adams breaks it all down - and we hear from music fans on whether they think award ceremonies are still relevant.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: Benita Barden and Chelsea Coates
Editor: Emily Horler
VMAs 2026 audio courtesy of MTV/CBS

MTV VMAs: Does anyone even watch award ceremonies anymore?

Would you bring an iced coffee to a job interview? A viral TikTok from Caitlin Wehniainen - a recruiter in Florida - has stirred up a huge debate. It’s after she said that Gen Z candidates turning up to job interviews with an iced coffee can look too casual and unprofessional.
But seriously…can an iced latte actually hurt your chances of getting a job? And what does your coffee order have to do with whether you’d be good at it? Grab your drink of choice because we’re getting into it with BBC reporters Baldeep Chahal, Leona Gasper and Stefania Okereke from the What in the World team. BBC journalist Sanjana Idnani tells us about the difficult job market recent graduates are having to contend with. And BBC reporter Basma El Atti shares her thoughts from Nairobi. 
Plus: We get hot takes from content creators Alexis Wilson (@sucseed_academics), Olivia Monday (@oliviamonday_) and Piper Phillips (@piperphillips) from Instagram, and Coka (@cokafree), Anne-Tso @theportfoliocareercoach, Evan (@thisamericanmess) from TikTok.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: William Lee Adams
Producer: Baldeep Chahal 
Editor: Verity Wilde

Is it OK to bring iced coffee to a job interview?

We’ve seen more and more women talking about cycle-syncing. It’s where you adjust your diet and work outs to match the different phases of your period. Things like eating more in certain phases or taking it easy in others.
But does cycle-syncing help you get better results? Does the science back it up or is it just another wellness trend and rule book for women to follow?
BBC reporter Zara Salaria takes us through what cycle syncing is, we hear from people who have tried it and a doctor breaks it down for us: does it work?
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: Emily Horler and Benita Barden 
Video Journalist: Baldeep Chahal 
Editor: Verity Wilde