Latest Stories from Jessica
When will we finally close the door on toxic body trends?
While the body positivity movement has never been stronger, an almost overnight rejection of the BBL trend signals that we haven’t completely let go of ever-changing standards for women’s bodies. Few things change faster than society’s view of the ideal woman’s body type, and despite ‘body trends’ being highly problematic, the constant ebb and flow of which shapes and sizes are deemed desirable remains a sad reality. A look at women...
NASA plans to send swimming robots to habitable ocean worlds
Most nearby planets thought to be habitable are completely covered in water. With many taking years to get to, NASA has secured funding for a project that will help us get a look into their depths. As humans come to grips with the possibility of one day living on another planet, whether willingly or out of necessity, space experts are wasting no time trying to locate our options. Mars is –...
Farfetch launches sustainability tool with Good on You
Luxury fashion brands can now access a tool called Good Measures to secure a sustainability rating on the Farfetch website. The goal is to increase transparency on the environmental impact of the industry while incentivising brands to improve their practices. Now more than ever, the fashion sector is under immense pressure to sharpen its sustainability practices. With fast fashion giants like SHEIN and Fashion Nova generating more than enough waste to...
Drug that increases human lifespan to 200 years is in the works
Taken in pill form, the drug would eliminate cells in the human body that are responsible for advancing the ageing process – potentially doubling our lifespan. But is this desirable? Are you ready to live an additional hundred years? British computational biologist Dr Andrew Steele has published a new book on the longevity of human life, arguing it is entirely feasible for us to live well beyond a single century with...
Why are calls for book bans on the rise in America?
Book bans aren’t new, but the last year has seen over one thousand books discussing sexuality, gender, race, and racism challenged in America. What do we stand to lose when certain narratives are blocked from view? To learn to read is to light a fire, said Victor Hugo, author of Les Misérables. Reading provides the opportunity to endlessly explore new ideas, understand complex concepts, learn about the past and present,...
Two companies are making coffee time more sustainable
Drinking coffee is a non-negotiable for most people, despite the fact it produces unfathomable amounts of waste every year. Two companies are on a mission to make our morning brew a lot eco-friendlier. As the world’s third most consumed beverage, coffee gets a lot of love worldwide. But do you love it so much that you’d have coffee around your coffee? Before I explain, bear in mind that our dependency on...
A new technique turns organic biomass into durable plastic
Scientists have created a new type of plastic made from organic plant waste. It could be used to make packaging, textiles, medicine, and even electronics. Life in plastic, it’s fantastic… yeah, that didn’t age too well. Reducing our reliance on fossil fuels and the plastics created from them has been identified as one of the most effective and immediate ways to slow climate change. But ditching them won’t be easy. Finding an...
Are ‘reef safe’ sunscreen brands simply another example of greenwashing?
The term ‘reef safe’ is not regulated, meaning any sunscreen brand can include the phrase on its product labels. What does ‘reef safe’ mean and are these claims greenwashing? If you’ve been keeping up with skincare trends, SPF for your face and body are likely near the top on your holiday packing list this summer. The last few years have seen sunscreen promoted as the most important product in our daily...
Are past-focused approaches to therapy getting it wrong?
Traditional approaches to therapy tend to focus on unpacking difficult experiences from the past. Could incorporating a mindful, future-focused method be more practical? If you’ve ever been to therapy, you’ve probably been encouraged to tell your story and to ‘start from the beginning’. Our life experiences shape who we are, making past-focused counselling helpful for identifying the root of certain negative behaviours, thought patterns, and habits. But many people enter therapy because...
The mission to improve sustainability and ethics in the gold industry
Banks store it, people wear it, and in times of trouble, the world’s wealthiest hoard it. But what are the social and environmental costs of gold? In light of global inflation, investors are flocking to gold as a ‘safe-haven asset’ to protect their wealth. Because unlike money, gold’s value is retained or even hightened in times of financial uncertainty. As fears of a recession loom due to the war in Ukraine...
