What in the World

Christopher Nolan's latest film, The Odyssey, is already making headlines. Shot entirely with IMAX 70mm cameras, it’s got a star-studded cast including Zendaya, Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson and Lupita Nyong'o. The epic has also had a huge box office opening, earning nearly $260 million worldwide - that makes it one of the year's biggest releases so far.
But not everyone is celebrating. From casting choices to its portrayal of Greek mythology, the film has sparked debate and criticism online. We speak to BBC Culture's Nicholas Barber to break down the controversy and explain why so many people are talking about it.
Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: William Lee Adams
Producers: Chelsea Coates and Stefania Okereke
Editor: Verity Wilde

Loads of young men watch porn and there are plenty of studies that suggest it can be bad for mental health and relationships. Some governments have restricted access to porn sites, and there’s a growing movement towards cutting out porn.
Freddie Woodward is a British Diver and quit porn two years ago. He tell us why he did it.
Some people have healthy relationships with porn but there is some misinformation online and even harmful claims about sex, porn and masturbation. Jacqui Wakefield, our Global Health Correspondent, takes us through some of these claims.
Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: Emily Horler and Eleanor Sly
Video Producer: Baldeep Chahal
Editor: Verity Wilde

A monkey with striking orange lips and a black furry coat has been officially recognised as a new species in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It was first spotted back in 2008, but at the time researchers only managed to capture a blurry photograph, leaving many questions unanswered.
Years later, after extensive fieldwork and research, scientists have finally confirmed it as a species new to science. They've named it “Colobus congoensis”, while local communities have long known it as “Likweli”.
Our BBC Science Correspondent Victoria Gill reveals what makes this monkey so special and how researchers finally solved the mystery of its identity.
Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: Emily Horler and Stefania Okereke
Editor: Verity Wilde

A record 48 teams competed at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Now, with the tournament nearing the final on Sunday, 46 nations have been eliminated, leaving millions of fans to process their team’s defeat.
Football has an extraordinary ability to unite people. Fans have travelled across the world to support their teams, while millions more have gathered in homes, pubs and public spaces to share every moment together. Victory brings elation, celebration and national pride. But defeat can trigger equally powerful emotions – disappointment, anger, grief and even a sense of emptiness. So why do football results affect us so deeply?
In this episode, Martha Newson, Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Greenwich, explains the psychology behind our emotional investment in the beautiful game. We also hear from football fans in Belgium, Egypt, England and France about what it felt like to watch their teams lose on the biggest stage.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: William Lee Adams and Adam Chowdhury
Editor: Verity Wilde

For decades, only licensed doctors were allowed to ink tattoos in South Korea and breaking the law could lead to heavy fines or jail. Now, that law has been overturned, but there’s still a lot of stigma around body art in Korea, and east Asia more generally.
Leehyun Choi, our BBC Reporter in Seoul, takes us through why and what is changing in South Korea.
Plus, we hear from a Korean tattoo artist in the UK (@doo__tattoo) and a Japanese tattoo artist in Osaka, Japan (@taiki__tattoo) about how they see stigma towards tattoos changing.
Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: Emily Horler, Benita Barden and Lucy Davies
Video Producer: Baldeep Chahal
Editor: Verity Wilde