WHAT’S HOT TO WATCH TODAY
ANY idea what these are? No, they’re not rabbits. They’re not meerkats. And nor are they mutant squirrels. You’re just being silly now.
So, do you give up? Right, I’ll tell you. They’re prairie dogs, a type of rodent mostly found in America’s south-west.
And why are they kissing? Because they’re grabbing the chance while they can, I’d imagine. As Liz Bonnin reveals in her new show ANIMALS BEHAVING BADLY (8pm, BBC1), the female prairie dog’s window of opportunity, if she hopes to conceive, is just six hours. Six hours per year, that is. So there’s no time to waste.
PEOPLE who suffer from narcolepsy, the condition where you suddenly fall fast asleep without warning, are usually prescribed Modafinil. It’s a socalled smart drug, but it turns out stupid people can take it as well. LIVE WELL FOR LONGER (8pm, Channel 4) reveals how popular it’s become among those just looking to boost their mental performance. Especially students.
So reporter Morland Sanders tries it himself, under controlled conditions (“What’s this little red pill about to do to my brain?” he asks, nervously), and finds that, yes, it does improve his learning ability, by about 25 per cent.
So any downside?
Just the loss of appetite. And the headaches. And the insomnia. And the anxiety. And the dizziness. And the dry mouth. And the diarrhoea. And the nausea.
Also, Kate Quilton and Tamal Ray investigate alcosynth, a substance which, its advocates claim, reproduces the effects of alcohol without as much harm. Or might, if drinking it were legal.