Study finds a key ingredient in sweetener damages DNA
Artificial sweeteners – made from sucralose – have been sold as a guilt-free alternative to real sugar, offering maximum flavour with little to no calories involved. New research is uncovering the true cost of this man-made ingredient. When zero-calorie sweeteners like Splenda first hit the market in 2004, they were...
Current in Change
Uganda’s anti-LGBTQ+ bill officially comes into law
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has signed a new anti-LGBTQ+ bill into law, which declares any ‘engagement in acts of homosexuality’ as a punishable offence. It proves that LGBTQ+ rights and legal protection are still intense issues that must be fought for. Uganda has passed a controversial new bill that...
Thred Talk – LGBTQ+ history you might not know
Pride month may be coming to an end, but LGBTQ+ history should be celebrated and shared all year round. In this Thred. Talk, Elliot gives a history lesson that you likely won’t find in your textbook - from transgender sword fighters to the mind behind microchips, this video proves just...
Plantd is creating carbon absorbing building materials from grass
Plantd is a burgeoning startup using grass fibres to create building materials instead of wood. Could this become a popular alternative in the future? The drive for constant economic growth comes at a cost to natural resources, particularly wood. The volume of wood used for lumber in a single year...
How are political disputes shaping the Arctic’s future?
With its vast resources becoming increasingly accessible, Arctic exploitation has caused notable geopolitical unrest. Nestled within the territories of eight different countries, the Arctic Circle is home to a population of 4 million people. Yet, it is the allure of the region's vast untapped resources that has captivated the ambitions...
Study shows recycling can release huge quantities of microplastics
Billed as a key solution to the climate crisis, recycling could be releasing huge quantities of microplastics itself, according to a new study. The vast majority of our plastic waste winds up in landfill, bonfires, and in our natural environment, but how efficiently is the 9% that is recycled...
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...
Do climate conversations need a rebrand?
Arnold Schwarzenegger has called for changes to the way we speak about the climate crisis. He says the current language used to describe the issue does little to create a public sense of urgency or incite changes in behaviour. Gen Z knows all too well how quickly family and friends tune out once the phrase ‘climate change’ is mentioned in conversation. While most of us are seriously concerned about our climate's...
Opinion – New York City discrimination bill is a sign of progress
In a city known for its diversity and progressiveness, New York City has once again made headlines by taking a bold step in the fight against discrimination. This week, America’s cultural capital announced a new law prohibiting weight-based bias in employment, housing, and public accommodations. It’s a surprisingly positive legal turning point, given the contentious state of Western politics in recent years. Amongst violent anti-trans legislation and archaic turns in female...
