The Know Daily - Thursday 20 November 2025

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A clever new plan could give London’s hedgehogs their own transport links 🦔 The community led project, Growing Green, wants to build up to four tunnels underneath Swain’s Lane, creating a safe “hedgehog superhighway” between Highgate Cemetery, the Holly Lodge Estate and Hampstead Heath.

♻️ The end of plastic wipes

From spring 2027, selling or supplying wet wipes with plastic will be banned in the UK. The switch aims to help the environment and keep water bills down.

What’s it all about?
In the UK we use about 11 billion wet wipes a year and many of those contain plastic, with estimates suggesting up to 90% are not fully biodegradable. As a result, research by industry trade body Water UK found water companies spend £100 million annually to clear hundreds of thousands of blockages, in households and sewers, most of which are caused by wet wipes being flushed down toilets (yep, even those marketed as being flushable). In addition to the cost, wipes can break down into microplastics in our waterways, threatening wildlife and ecosystems.

Tell me more about the ban.
Earlier this year, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) published draft regulations, which have been approved in parliament this month. This means that from early 2027, it will be illegal to sell or supply wipes that contain plastic fibres, though there are some medical exceptions. Inspectors will be able to check shops and factories, and if businesses break the rules, regulators can issue fines or ask them to fix the issue.

What are people saying about it?
There’s a lot of support, with DEFRA’s consultation showing 95% of respondents back the move. Environmental groups like The Rivers Trust argue that this ban is a “big step” in stopping wipes from polluting waterways and harming wildlife.

On the other hand, some businesses point out the costs: DEFRA’s own impact assessment estimates a net annual cost of £46 million to companies, mainly from switching to new materials, reworking packaging or supply chains. 

What does this mean for households?
Wet wipes aren’t disappearing, they’re simply getting an eco-makeover. Over the next 18 months, your go-to brands will quietly swap plastic for greener alternatives – no panic shopping required. Loads of shops already stock plastic-free options, and if you’re feeling bold, give reusable cloths a whirl (they’re not as faffy as they sound).

You might spot a teeny price bump as things transition, but DEFRA-backed research says plastic-free wipes are kind to your bank balance and the planet. Bin them, don’t flush, and feel good knowing you’re helping water networks and wildlife alike.

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🤳 TikTok is giving users the power to reduce the amount of AI-made content they see on their feeds.

• The bigger story: With more than 1.3 billion AI-labelled videos on the platform, the company is also rolling out invisible watermarks to make it easier to spot bot-generated content. TikTok is pairing the update with a $2m AI literacy fund to support organisations like Girls Who Code to teach responsible use of the technology.

🧬 A new gene-editing approach could open the door to treating many rare diseases with one universal method, offering a simpler and more widely accessible path to future therapies.

💶 Women in the EU earn, on average, just €0.88 for every euro a man makes – meaning symbolically, they’ll “work for free” until the end of the year. From June next year, the EU's new rules mean companies will need to implement changes if the pay gap exceeds 5%, with more legislation to come in a Gender Equality Strategy.

📉 With the government’s autumn budget next week, the Office for National Statistics has announced the UK’s inflation rate has fallen to 3.6% – the lowest in four months.

🍂 Circadian rhythms – our body’s natural clock – can shift with the changing seasons, with studies suggesting it might be worth rethinking when we eat dinner as winter sets in. 

🖼️ A rare painting by Gustav Klimt has become the most expensive work of modern art ever sold at auction.

💖 Hey Barbie! The blockbuster’s set is coming to London as an immersive experience called “BarbieLand”. We’ll see you there 😉

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Trivia answer: C) It was revealed on Monday morning that the 2026 Met Gala theme will be “Costume Art”.

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