Why did LA’s graffiti artists target these downtown luxury apartments?
In the heart of Los Angeles stands three skyscrapers once destined to house luxury condominiums, a five-star hotel, a shopping mall, and more. Now, it’s completely abandoned and covered in graffiti. What happened? Since the year 2019, a trio of massive skyscrapers in downtown Los Angeles have been left completely...
Current in Culture
Why can nobody recognise this lost 1980s song?
A mysterious song snippet has been making the rounds online. Nobody seems to recognise the track or its origin. What gives? Despite the internet’s best efforts, it seems nobody can identify a mysterious 17 second song snippet that was uploaded to WatZatSong by a user called Carl92 in 2021. The...
Olivia Rodrigo launches ‘Fund 4 Good’ initiative for women
Singer and songwriter Olivia Rodrigo has announced a new initiative called ‘Fund 4 Good’ which will work to ‘support all women, girls, and people seeking reproductive health freedom’. Olivia Rodrigo has unveiled a new initiative called ‘Fund 4 Good’ that will finance non-profit organisations championing girls’ education, supporting reproductive...
Willy Wonka-inspired Glasgow experience scam shows danger of AI
An ‘immersive’ Glasgow adventure day based on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory has been described as a scam, after ticket-goers complained of a lacklustre experience. It’s an example of how unchecked AI advertisements can lead to serious product misrepresentation. Nearly everyone has seen or read the classic tale of...
Lyle’s Golden Syrup changes logo for first time since 1883
In an effort to appeal to a younger market, Lyle’s Golden Syrup has changed its logo for the first time in nearly 150 years. It’s a pivot toward flat design, a trend that continues to dominate labelling, packaging, and marketing across many industries. If you’ve ever bought Lyle’s Golden...
Are these drive-in parks the ‘petrol stations’ of the future?
A new kind of refueling station has popped up in the Danish town of Sønderborg. Rather than filling up on petrol, the facility has been designed to allow drivers to ‘recharge their minds’ alongside their electric vehicles. Most petrol stations only look good when captured on a retro film camera...
Opinion – Beyoncé’s new music is a nod to country’s Black roots
The Renaissance artist surprised fans with two new country singles this week. But the genre’s cultural roots prove her latest career move makes every bit of sense. Beyoncé has been dropping country themes since the launch of Renaissance in 2021. Most notable of these has been the recurring appearance of her mirrored cowboy hat, which became an icon of the Renaissance world tour. But when she launched two country singles...
The case of Bobbi Althoff encapsulates how fickle internet fame can be
Becoming famous overnight is a common dream for many young people today. That said, longevity is never guaranteed and no one is spared from the hypercritical, fickle tastes of online audiences. Last summer, 26-year-old Bobbi Althoff shot to immediate internet fame as the host of The Really Good Podcast. Her content is best described as off the cuff, so-awkward-they’re-almost-cringe conversations with global stars including Drake, Lil Yachty, Shaq, Jessica Alba,...
Opinion – We deserve to know about Taylor Swift’s Jet
The singer has threatened to sue a student for sharing the take-off and landing details of her private jet. But the information is already publicly available, and so it should be. After student Jack Sweeney began sharing the whereabouts and routes of celebrity private jets online, he established a dedicated following. His audience were united by one thing; their hatred of unnecessarily short private flights, taken by the world’s ultra-rich...
Is the bad PR surrounding lab-grown meat warranted?
The possibility of lab-grown meat landing on our plates in the near future has been met with mixed reactions. Now, widespread media campaigns are attempting to sway the public from even considering it. Removing meat from our diet has been proven to significantly lower our carbon footprint, but not all carnivores are willing to adopt a plant-based diet full-time or even partially. Hoping to solve this ethical dilemma, food scientists and...
