Think of the scene from Harry Potter where Harry makes Ron think that he has spiked his drink with the liquid luck potion. Ron then goes on to play the best game of Quidditch he’s ever played, only for Harry to later reveal that he didn’t actually put anything in Ron’s drink. Ron played well because he thought his drink contained the liquid luck potion. 

This is called The Placebo Effect. But how does it work, exactly?



Image credit: Shutterstock

Think of the scene from Harry Potter where Harry makes Ron think that he has spiked his drink with the liquid luck potion. Ron then goes on to play the best game of Quidditch he’s ever played, only for Harry to later reveal that he didn’t actually put anything in Ron’s drink. Ron played well because he thought his drink contained the liquid luck potion.&nbsp;This is called The Placebo Effect. But how does it work, exactly?Image credit: Shutterstock

The world is in debt, but who are we in debt to? Pro-wrestling is fake, so why do we love it? These are the kinds of discussions we have on Today I Learned -- a weekly show exploring a plethora of topics, to satisfy your curious mind!

The world is in debt, but who are we in debt to? Pro-wrestling is fake, so why do we love it?&nbsp;These are the kinds of discussions we have on Today I Learned -- a weekly show exploring a plethora of topics, to satisfy your curious mind!

Today I Learned

The world is in debt, but who are we in debt to? Pro-wrestling is fake, so why do we love it? These are the kinds of discussions we have on Today I Learned -- a weekly show exploring a plethora of topics, to satisfy your curious mind!

The world is in debt, but who are we in debt to? Pro-wrestling is fake, so why do we love it? These are the kinds of discussions we have on Today I Learned -- a weekly show exploring a plethora of topics, to satisfy your curious mind!

How Does the Placebo Effect Work?

In the first month of 2026, Today I Learned will be focusing on different areas of personal improvement. For this episode, the question is: how can I sleep better? We sit down with sleep psychologist Julian Lim to understand how sleep really works - from its biological necessity to its changing value in society. 

Image Credit: Pexels

In the first month of 2026, Today I Learned will be focusing on different areas of personal improvement. For this episode, the question is: how can I sleep better? We sit down with sleep psychologist Julian Lim to understand how sleep really works - from its biological necessity to its changing value in society.&nbsp; Image Credit: Pexels

How Can I Sleep Better?

In the first month of 2026, Today I Learned will be focusing on different areas of personal improvement. For this episode, the question is: how do I make friends? We’ve heard about the Friendship Recession - and while most research is based on the US and European countries, there’s anecdotal evidence that the feeling of being disconnected and having fewer close friends is becoming a common experience for more people. We speak to Daren Despois, Counseling Psychologist & Certified ICF Coach about the art and skill of cultivating friendships.


Image Credit: shutterstock.com

In the first month of 2026, Today I Learned will be focusing on different areas of personal improvement. For this episode, the question is: how do I make friends? We’ve heard about the Friendship Recession - and while most research is based on the US and European countries, there’s anecdotal evidence that the feeling of being disconnected and having fewer close friends is becoming a common experience for more people. We speak to Daren Despois, Counseling Psychologist &amp; Certified ICF Coach about the art and skill of cultivating friendships. Image Credit: shutterstock.com

How To Make Friends

As we near the end of the year, it’s a busy time for family get-togethers, especially as children are on school break and adults are taking time off work. Whether you’re having dinner together with the extended family or going on a break with your partner (with or without children), it’s almost inevitable for some of us that there will be some minor disagreements. So how do we avoid them or at least prevent them from blowing up into major arguments? Here to guide us through that is licensed and registered counsellor Esther Chu. 


Image Credit: Shutterstock

As we near the end of the year, it’s a busy time for family get-togethers, especially as children are on school break and adults are taking time off work. Whether you’re having dinner together with the extended family or going on a break with your partner (with or without children), it’s almost inevitable for some of us that there will be some minor disagreements. So how do we avoid them or at least prevent them from blowing up into major arguments? Here to guide us through that is licensed and registered counsellor Esther Chu.&nbsp; Image Credit: Shutterstock

How Does the Placebo Effect Work?

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