Latest Stories from Flo
Kent meningitis outbreak identified as less-targeted strain
Staff and students at the University of Kent were devastated by a fatal outbreak of meningitis last week, which left two people dead and more than 10 hospitalised. The incident has thrown a community into chaos, as students begin to worry about those they’ve come into contact with and University staff try to manage the outbreak. Hundreds of young people have since begun queuing for antibiotics, while in-person exams...
There are microplastics in women’s ovaries now
Researchers are still exploring how the discovery could impact fertility. Microplastics were found in human ovaries for the first time last June. Yet the news largely flew under the radar. Perhaps this reflects our collective desensitisation to all plastic-based health warnings. After all, when you consider how embedded the material has become in our lives, it’s easy to feel helpless. Why spend time worrying about something that’s quite literally become a...
How effective is medical AI? It’s complicated
Some healthcare professionals believe artificial intelligence will buy them more time with patients. Others fear it puts jobs, and lives, at risk. In a recent episode of The Pitt, a viral TV show about the inner-workings of a Pittsburgh hospital, overworked doctors battled a new antagonist: AI. An attending physician tells her staff that the technology can cut their time spent on charting results by 80%, buying them more time to...
Turns out a lot of us care about ballet and opera
Timothée Chalamet’s dismissal of ballet and opera raises a lot of questions around the survival of the arts. Has Hollywood’s golden boy tarnished his crown? Timothée Chalemet was a shoo-in to win the coveted Best Actor trophy at this year’s Oscars. It’s his third nomination in the category, and despite having just turned thirty, a win for Chalamet feels like it’s been a long time coming. Few leading men have established...
Is the UK on the brink of a full-scale food crisis?
Experts believe a weakened food security system has left Britain vulnerable to riots and unrest. Britain has never been self-sufficient when it comes to food. It’s a tiny island that – until immigration and colonisation brought the gift of global cuisine – survived mostly on bread and potatoes. But thanks to modern trading systems, food security isn’t something we tend to worry about in the UK. We have fancy supermarkets and expansive restaurant...
Is being offline a privilege?
Plenty of us want to check out from the algorithm. But is this a luxury few can afford? I told myself this would be the year I get rid of social media for good. It started with a phone detox – my addiction had reached its peak when I found it difficult to sit through an episode of great TV without glancing at the screen in my hand. I hit rock...
The Jim Carrey conspiracies prove AI has already won
The actor’s recent appearance caused an internet spiral that suggests reality is slipping from our grasp. Are we entering a new age of authenticity? Back in the 90s, Jim Carrey was a household name. You’d be hard pressed to find someone who hadn’t heard of the actor or his bevy of successful movies – Ace Ventura, The Truman Show, Liar Liar, the list goes on. Carrey had built a career with his...
Wellness culture has us training for pregnancy
Overzealous women are preparing for motherhood like it’s a marathon. The wellness girlies have become wellness mothers. Our societal love-affair with anything self-optimising, be it an overpriced supplement or a cyborg-adjacent beauty tool, has infiltrated the minefield of motherhood – particularly for first-time parents. Social media is window dressing for the global wellness industry, which now boasts a $6.8 trillion+ valuation. Influencers sell us their spotless morning routines and plates of...
Broadcasters failed everyone at the BAFTAs
The BBC’s handling of a racial slur was damaging for all involved. It’s proof that inclusivity amounts to more than just a seat at the table. Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo endured a living nightmare when they took to the BAFTAs stage last week. It should have been a night of glorious celebration. Their film, Sinners, was up for a bevy of awards (it’s also bagged a record-breaking 16 Oscars nominations) and co-star...
Opinion – Biathlete Sturla Holm Laegreid’s speech was a hot mess
The Olympian’s admission of infidelity came at the wrong time in the wrong place. By framing it as a romantic gesture, Laegreid embodies everything wrong with patriarchal, ego-driven ideas of love. Sturla Holm Laegreid’s speech was not the grand romantic gesture he thought it was. Before the 20km individual biathlon took place at the Winter Olympics in Italy last week, you’d probably never heard of Laegreid. He’s a successful Norwegian...
