The Know Daily - Monday 16 June 2025

_{Read in 4m 16s ∙ Listening to Luke Combs ∙}

In Kerala, India, swimming coach Saji Valasseril has made waves by teaching over 10k locals to swim for free. With patience and dedication, he’s turned the village river into a classroom of life-saving skills and encouraged swimmers to become volunteer lifeguards themselves.

♻️ The lowdown on microplastics

Companies and governments are facing calls to step up efforts to reduce microplastics after recent studies found them in humans.

What actually are microplastics?
They’re exactly what they sound like: tiny plastic particles less than 5mm in size. Some are made deliberately (like the now-banned microbeads once used in cosmetics), but most come from larger plastic items breaking down – things like water bottles, synthetic clothing, and even car tyres. They’re so small, they can slip past filters. 

Why are people talking about them now?
Scientists have discovered microplastics are making their way into human bodies and as a result, companies, governments and consumers are all being pushed to rethink their plastic use.

But can we totally avoid them?
Not entirely. Microplastics are in tap water, table salt, and the air we breathe. But that doesn’t mean we’re powerless to avoid them. Choosing natural fabrics, washing clothes less often, avoiding single-use plastics, and supporting plastic-free innovations (like biodegradable materials) are small steps that add up. On a larger scale, policies are shifting too – with new regulations targeting microbeads, synthetic fibres, and excess plastic packaging. Microplastics show us that our choices – even the tiny ones – matter. But they also show us what’s possible when awareness leads to action. 

So what can I do?
🧦 Choose clothes made from natural fibres like cotton, linen, or wool.
🧺 Wash synthetic garments less frequently and use a microfibre filter or washing bag.
🧴 Ditch single-use plastics where you can – bring your own bags, bottles, and containers.

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💰 Money Monday: CEOs at the UK’s top companies are paid on average 52 times more than a typical worker, according to a new report.

• The bigger story: Think tank High Pay Centre has highlighted inequality in the pay scale across businesses following regulations in the UK over transparency in the pay of top bosses. They’re now calling for a maximum pay ratio between chief executives and workers to help ensure “a fair reward for their contribution to business success”.

🕵️ Eye spy: MI6 has announced Blaise Metreweli as the first woman to lead the UK’s intelligence agency – and just like Judi Dench in James Bond, she’s got a codename.

🏖️ Tackling tourism: Campaigners organised coordinated marches across dozens of European cities over the weekend to encourage governing authorities to rethink tourism models.

🧠 Compassionate VR: A virtual tour has been created by an American non-profit, allowing users to experience what it’s like to live with dementia and help build more empathy.

🌎 Cleaner construction: Carbon dioxide is being transformed into a key ingredient to make cement by researchers at the University of Michigan, helping both the environment and construction projects.

📖 Brilliant books: The winners of 2025’s Women’s Prize for Fiction and Non-Fiction have been announced. Don’t mind me while I go make some room on my bookshelf…

🔗 Last week’s most clicked: Food capitals of the world, a new summer fashion trend and an ancient African writing system.

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Trivia answer: C) According to a new study, London has 75 nightclubs, 26 concert halls and 25 music festivals, giving it an overall score of 100 to top the list.

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