The Know Daily - Thursday 7 August 2025

_{Read in 4m 18s ∙ Listening to Declan McKenna ∙}

A woman in Cornwall is rescuing honeybee swarms from chimneys, rooftops, and even electricity substations and nurturing them back to strength. Molly Earl’s bee rescue business, Bees Off, has relocated around 250 colonies since 2020 with a 98 % survival rate, turning potential loss into thriving hives. Oh, and the resulting honey has won awards 😋

👩‍⚕️ TikTok doctors

TikTok doctors are becoming a go-to source for health advice, especially for younger audiences facing high healthcare costs or long wait times. 

Hold up, what’s a “TikTok doctor”?
On social media, “TikTok doctors” are medical professionals – often physicians or health experts – who share health advice via short-form videos. These range from cosmetic surgeons demonstrating procedures to general practitioners offering wellness tips. While many are qualified professionals, some videos feature AI-generated avatars posing as doctors – without any real clinical credentials. Although health-related misinformation is a moderation priority on the app, enforcement isn’t always reliable.

Who’s using them most?
The platform is particularly popular with Gen Z and young adults, nearly half of whom report getting health or wellness advice from TikTok, preferring it for speed and accessibility (guilty!). This appeals especially when traditional healthcare systems face long waits or high costs – like in the UK or US – helping users get basic guidance quickly.

Does AI come into it?
Yes – AI-driven avatars are increasingly used in health content. Rolling Stone reports a rise in deepfake or AI-generated “doctor” personalities offering unregulated advice, often promoting supplements or treatments without oversight. Others have highlighted the growing risk of scams using realistic but fake medical figures to mislead viewers.

Are they always right?
While many TikTok doctors provide evidence-based information, short video formats limit nuance. The Hollywood Reporter notes that even licensed specialists can oversimplify complex procedures for engagement, sometimes glossing over risks. This can create a false sense of confidence in self-diagnosis and treatments. Platforms like TikTok have introduced verification badges and policy enforcement, but fact-checking is still the user’s responsibility.

So are TikTok doctors a practical option?
TikTok doctors can be helpful for basic tips, especially where seeing a professional is costly or slow. For non‑urgent guidance – health hacks, symptom overviews, mental wellness strategies – they can offer handy advice. However, they should never replace medical consultations. Health advice on social media can lack nuance, risk misdiagnosis and sometimes unregulated treatments. A good rule of thumb is to always follow up with licensed medical professionals… even if you’ve already done your research!

🌕 Lunar power: NASA has announced plans to build a nuclear reactor on the moon by the mid-2030s.

• The bigger story: The US space agency’s acting administrator, Sean Duffy, said the lunar nuclear reactor must generate at least 100 kilowatts of electrical power. This is relatively small in comparison to a typical onshore wind turbine that generates 2-3 megawatts. But it’s hoped it would be sufficient to power a future base on the moon so astronauts could live and work on the surface for longer periods.

🟩 Green leadership: Voting has begun in the leadership contest for the Green party of England and Wales.

🦍 Besties for life: New research from Rwanda suggests that gorillas seek out old female friends, even after years apart.

🛒 Supermarket saving: This supermarket has been named the UK’s cheapest, surpassing Aldi which has been the cheapest weekly shop for the past two years.

🪪 Desert hopping: A new visa for visiting Gulf states – United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman – will be trialled this year, offering freedom of movement (like Europe’s Schengen visa).

🏠 Boomerang buyers: A survey has shown that four in five recent first-time buyers moved back in with parents to get onto the property ladder.

🐝 Peaceful picnics: Picnic season is underway… which, of course, the wasps are thrilled about too! Here’s a scientist’s guide on how to dine safely alongside the insects.

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Trivia answer: B) The US country star earned icon status after achieving 11 record-breaking titles over her career.

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