Milan Design Week showcases innovative biofilm breakthrough
At the world’s most important design event, Dutch designer Lionne van Deursen presented an innovative biofilm made from yeast. The eco-material could one day replace pesky plastic films that are notoriously difficult to recycle. Phasing out plastics is one of the biggest challenges of the 21st century. With 9 billion tons...
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Will Grammy’s honour more diverse nominations this year?
The 2023 Grammy nominations honour artists Latto, Lizzo, and Beyonce. But when it comes to supplying the trophies, will the Recording Academy pay Black women artists their dues? Beyonce has just cemented her status as the most nominated artist in Grammy’s history, alongside partner Jay-Z. With nine nods this year,...
Right wing government in Tennessee attempts to criminalise drag
The GOP has felt the sting as they sit neck-and-neck with Democrats in the midterms. But blue victories haven’t stopped Republicans from introducing far-right state legislature. This week, Tennessee Republicans introduced two new bills that would ban gender-affirming care for children, along with public drag performances state-wide. Sponsored by Republicans Ken...
Trans woman Nikita Dragun was placed in a men’s prison
Despite identifying as a woman since her transition in 2015, Dragun’s arrest highlights continued transphobia and human-rights violations within the US prison system. On Monday, YouTube star Nikita Dragun was arrested and charged with felony assault of a police officer. The influencer was taken to a men’s prison in Miami and...
New study finds drug testing sites make festivals safer
A survey analysed 250,000 festival attendees, examining the impacts of drug-checking provisions. It found that drug use did not go up, but instead festivals were safer overall. A new study by The Loop and Liverpool University suggests that drug testing facilities at festivals ensure a safer environment, with no...
RCA’s Virgil Abloh Scholarship fights underrepresentation in the arts
The Royal College of Art has announced a new scholarship honouring the late fashion designer Virgil Abloh – in an effort to support underrepresented communities. A new scheme by the Royal College of Art will see one ‘extraordinarily talented, but financially restricted, Black British student’ offered an annual scholarship...
Opinion – do we really need Christmas adverts this year?
Festive favourite brands like John Lewis and Sainsbury’s are toning down their Christmas adverts as the cost of living crisis looms. But is seasonal marketing truly necessary this year? For years, the start of the festive adverts has signalled the beginning of Christmas. Like most seasonal traditions, the launch of the Christmas ad has crept earlier and earlier. Now, department stores and supermarkets can be expected to drop extravagant marketing campaigns...
Magazine causes outrage with racist World Cup cartoon
A new cartoon by French magazine Le Canard enchainé has been decried for its racist depiction of Qatari footballers. It’s a prime example of football at its worst. A caricature published in le Canard enchainé has caused outrage on social media for its depiction of Qatari footballers as terrorists. The image, displayed in the French magazine’s October issue, depicts a group of bearded men in turbans, wearing Qatar football kits...
Opinion – ‘Queerbaiting’ creates unfair pressure on young celebrities
18-year-old actor Kit Connor announced he was bisexual this week, claiming that pressure from fans and the media had forced him out of the closet. Are we forcing celebrities out of the closet? It sounds like a bizarre question. Just a few years ago, being queer in the public eye was considered career ending. Now, fans of stars like Harry Styles and Taylor Swift are so desperate for their idols to...
Opinion – politicians should stop trying to be celebrities
Constant media coverage kickstarted the personalisation of politics, where leaders aren’t seen as representatives but more as ‘personalities’ that the public tries to know, relate to, and measure their own values against. Is this damaging? Yesterday, the wiser half of Britain collectively scoffed and eye-rolled after learning that its former health secretary Matt Hancock had signed up to star in the reality TV program, I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out...
