The Know Daily - Monday 1 December 2025

_{Read in 4m 13s ∙ Listening to Kelly Clarkson ∙}

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Australia’s tiny brush-tailed bettongs are bouncing back (literally!) 🐾 Once on the brink of extinction, these miniature kangaroo-like marsupials are now thriving again thanks to reintroduction efforts in the Yorke Peninsula. 

🗞️ The headlines this month

Dive into our rundown of some of the standout stories that the team couldn’t stop talking about.

Editors’ picks
🫧 The AI bubble: Excitement around generative AI and new infrastructure has tech investors pouring billions into data centres, chips and AI tools, pushing valuations far ahead of current profits. Some warn it looks like past bubbles – dot-com or crypto – but others argue AI is different, with real potential to transform industries and productivity. The takeaway? While prices are high, long-term winners will be the companies that turn AI’s hype into lasting innovation and growth.

👩‍💻 Microshifting at work: Many UK employees want to ditch the rigid 9-to-5 in favor of shorter, flexible work blocks that fit around life and energy levels. The trend is especially popular with Gen Z and Millennials, offering autonomy, better work-life balance and room for side hustles. While it requires discipline and clear communication, companies that get it right can boost engagement, retention and overall team performance.

From our inbox
👩‍🎤 Celebs and elections: When we asked you if there is a place for celebrities in politics, 45% of you said that you think there is, whilst 40% said definitely not and 15% are unsure.

🎓 Tuition fees and inflation: We took a deep dive into the decision to increase undergraduate tuition fees with inflation. 61% of you think it’s a bad idea, although 24% said it’s a plan that makes sense, leaving 15% unsure.

🤳 Parasocial relationships: We dug into Cambridge Dictionary’s word of the year and asked if you’ve ever experienced a parasocial relationship and 40% of respondents said yes.

Some of our most popular stories over the past month: 
❣️ AI topping the music charts
❣️ What “shrekking” means in dating
❣️ The 6-7 trend

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💰 Money Monday: Apparently, getting honest about money early could be one of the most helpful things you do when in a relationship.

• The bigger story: The Guardian says couples can avoid a lot of stress by being upfront about spending habits, debts, savings and day-to-day budgeting from the start. Experts recommend agreeing on a bill-splitting approach that feels fair for both partners – whether that’s 50/50 or based on income – and reviewing it regularly as life changes. They have plenty more tips on navigating finances as a couple.

🇨🇭 Voters in Switzerland rejected two initiatives in a referendum on Sunday. One proposed a 50% inheritance tax on the super-rich and the other was mandatory national service for women.

🌌 NASA's Perseverance rover has detected what scientists believe to be lightning on Mars after the crackling sound of electrical discharges were captured by a microphone on the rover.

👫 Your Party – a political party co-founded by Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana – will be led by its members rather than a single MP to avoid a leadership contest between them after a tumultuous start.

👩‍❤️‍👩 Women over 50 in the UK say close female friendships bring them more joy than romantic relationships, according to new research.

🎧 “Locking in” for the winter has been a buzz phrase on the internet recently – here’s what it means.

🔗 Last week’s most clicked: Hardwater and your scalp, the most expensive shopping destination in the world and free domestic flights in Japan.

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Trivia answer: C) Hamburg will become the new home of an opera house with panoramic views over the harbour.

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