Latest Stories from Sofia
What’s behind the recent ‘orca uprising’?
During the last few months, a spate of killer whale attacks on boats has fuelled concern among scientists and speculation on social media that the cetaceans could be trying to fight back. But are they? Where were you when the ‘orca wars’ began? This is a question currently making the rounds on social media, in light of news that killer whales have been deliberately attacking and sinking boats off the...
Why are we all so obsessed with astrology?
Astrology is booming. Driven by younger generations, countless websites and platforms now cater to the astrologically inclined. We examine why this concept has taken over the zeitgeist again – and how it might be causing problems. While it may be a laughable concept to many, astrology now permeates almost every social media platform. Across TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter especially, it’s sparked an entire plethora of memes and subcultures. Terms like...
What are the positive effects of technology on beauty?
Contrary to popular belief, social media has the potential to transform our attitudes towards body image, industry sustainability, and representation for the better. If I were to ask for your opinion about the integration of beauty and technology, your response would most likely be negative. For starters, having witnessed the damaging impacts of social media on our self-esteem, it’s become increasingly difficult not to associate platforms like...
The fashion industry is a huge contributor to modern slavery
Walk Free’s new Global Slavery Index estimates that 50 million people are living in modern slavery worldwide, up 10 million since 2018. As suggested by the findings, garment production is largely to blame for this dramatic increase. According to the latest findings from Walk Free’s Global Slavery Index, the number of people living in modern slavery has risen by 10 million since 2018 to an estimated 50 million people worldwide. Slavery...
Could mushrooms eventually replace polystyrene?
A Ukrainian startup has successfully developed a 100% biodegradable and extremely lightweight packaging alternative made from mycelium roots that fully decomposes in just a month. If you’re familiar with my writing, by now I’m sure you’re well aware of my deep-rooted obsession with all things mycelium. This is pretty understandable, given the amount of recent findings proving that there’s very little these fantastic fungi can’t do. From communicating with ‘words’ (as though they...
New study reveals that menstrual misinformation is on the rise
According to research published this month by period tracking app Flo Health, there exist prominent gaps in the knowledge women have about their own bodies. While women’s health has undergone a generational culture shift in recent years, prompting more open discourse around historically stigmatised concerns regarding our wombs, it’s still pretty common for those of us who menstruate to feel conditioned to accept that debilitating pain is normal, nay something...
Exclusive – Kevin J. Patel’s community-centric approach to activism
We spoke with the intersectional climate justice activist and founder of OneUpAction International about his mission to support and empower young leaders to implement solutions by providing them with the resources they need to be changemakers. ‘Community is where it begins,’ says Kevin J. Patel, an intersectional climate justice activist who’s spent the last decade advocating for the environment. He is the son of working-class, Indian immigrants, who relocated to the...
Electronic implant helps paralysed man walk again in historic first
The revolutionary wireless device, which reads brain waves and sends instructions to the spine to move the right muscles, has allowed him to regain his natural mobility simply by thinking about it. In 2011, Gert-Jan Oskam was in a motorcycle accident that left him paralysed from the waist down. Now, thanks to revolutionary new technology, neuroscientists have given him control over his lower body again. ‘For 12 years I’ve been...
Why aren’t we talking about Binge Eating Disorder?
BED affects three times the number of people than anorexia and bulimia combined, but despite how common it is, research into and awareness of the condition remains limited. In our image-obsessed world, the fact that so many people suffer from an eating disorder is plausible and saddening. Every day, despite body positivity movements and calls for social media platforms to better regulate toxic trends, the amount of individuals struggling with a...
New Zealand unveils its biggest emissions reduction plan in history
Set to involve transitioning from coal to renewable electricity at the country’s major steel plant, the project will – according to the government – be equivalent to taking 300,000 cars off the road. As we inch closer towards the 1.5°C temperature threshold, countries across the globe are finding themselves hard-pressed to adapt, and fast. New Zealand, which has long been considered a ‘safe haven from the climate...










