Latest Stories from Charlie
Japanese city to pay couples to live near old people
To combat an ageing population in Japan, the city of Chiba in Greater Tokyo is subsidising newlyweds who move into specially chosen buildings that house predominantly older residents. Ever looked at a care home and wanted to live next door? Consider yourself particularly accustomed to the company of elderly people? Starting next month, Chiba in Greater Tokyo will be subsidising up to $2,319 to new couples who move into specially...
McDonald’s exits major market for first time with Russia departure
Burger chain McDonald’s is to close all its Russian restaurants, marking the first time it has ever exited a major international market. It is another big brand boycotting Putin’s aggression in Ukraine. Russian citizens will no longer be able to order McDonald’s or work at its restaurants after the company announced it will be selling all 850 of its Russian eateries. It comes in response to Putin’s recent military aggression...
Explaining Gen Z’s unsurprising adoption of nihilism
Young people face a world of uncertainty. Climate change, political turmoil, growing wealth inequality, and many more knock-on capitalist trends have caused a rise in nihilistic attitudes. What is nihilism - and how can it both be freeing and oppressive? Whichever way you look at it, the world faces an ambiguous future. Regular IPCC reports present a bleak late-century climate, largely destroyed by rising emissions. Wealth inequality continues to grow....
Kendrick’s latest single utilises advanced deepfake tech
Kendrick Lamar’s music video for his new album teaser incorporates deepfake tech to portray the perspectives of various cultural icons. It’s an example of how realistic and advanced deepfake technology has gotten. If you’re a music fan, you’ll no doubt have seen and heard about Kendrick Lamar’s imminent album release, his first in five years. As is tradition with every Lamar drop, he released the fifth song in the ‘Heart’...
‘Power-Blox’ could provide clean energy to rural areas by 2030
They may look like giant LEGO bricks, but these ‘Power-Blox’ energy cubes provide portable electricity via solar panels. It’s hoped that they’ll be used to provide power to the world’s poorest regions. What if your regular LEGO brick could do more than just serve as a potential safety hazard for your feet? That’s the thinking behind ‘Power-Blox’, the energy cube that stores electricity via the power of the sun. Co-founder...
Has the pandemic made us more aggressive?
Comedians, public workers, and university tutors have been reporting more aggressive and socially stunted behaviours since we returned to ‘normal’ life. Has the pandemic dented our ability to communicate effectively and appropriately? It seems some of us may have forgotten how to behave in public after multiple years of lockdowns and social restrictions. Comedian Nish Kumar has openly described his experiences with hecklers and social misconduct during his recent shows...
Sunscreen chemicals found in Mediterranean seagrass
A new study has found sunscreen chemicals in Mediterranean seagrass. UV filters absorbed by Posidonia oceanica could cause long-term damage to local ecosystems. A new study suggests that sunscreen could be affecting our oceans. Chemicals from popular sunscreen lotion brands have been found ‘accumulating’ in Mediterranean seagrass. Scientists discovered ultraviolet filters in the stems of a certain type of seagrass known as Posidonia oceanica, found on the coast of Mallorca. Researchers...
New AI DALL-E 2 creates images from text prompts
A new AI system can create a variety of images both realistic and surreal from natural language descriptions. It has the potential to be game changing, but not without some concerns. Algorithms and AI continue to make waves across the art industry. The latest breakthrough comes from a research team called OpenAI, who has just unveiled a new version of its DALL-E program. This software is a text-to-image generation tool...
New study says Gen Z would quit jobs instead of being unhappy
A new research piece by Randstad, published by Business Insider, says that young people would rather quit jobs and look elsewhere than remain in a position that makes them unhappy. The age of company loyalty is officially over, if it wasn’t already obvious. A new study by human resource consultancy firm Randstad has found that a majority of Gen Z employees would quit their current job rather than be unhappy....
Urbanears unveils new earbuds made from 97% recycled plastic
These new earbuds are made almost entirely from recycled plastic, making them a more eco-conscious option compared to traditional AirPods or Bluetooth headsets. Want to listen to your favourite songs on the go but don’t want to invest in Apple’s extensive ecosystem? Music goers looking for a more environmentally friendly option may want to check out Urbanears’ new recycled plastic earbuds. Called the ‘Boo’ and ‘Boo Tips’, these aesthetically low-key...