Caleb McLaughlin opens up about racist ‘Stranger Things’ fans
McLaughlin’s experience proves one thing: that whether young, old, or wildly successful, even those who seem untouchable still face racism. We’re all guilty of mystifying Hollywood stars. We immortalise them, so much so that the death of a mainstream actor feels like the loss of a loved one. Their wealth feels...
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Student wins design prize for microplastic collecting robot fish
A student at the University of Surrey has designed a robot fish capable of filtering waterways to collect microplastics. The digital code is open source too, so anyone with access to a 3D printer can create their own. Microplastics are an ecological menace that have only really entered global discourse...
Meg Thee Stallion launches mental health platform
The program, called ‘Bad Bitches Have Bad Days Too’ provides an expanse of resources for therapy services and mental health helplines. It also showcases organisations offering advice for Black and LGBTQ+ communities, with the hope of improving access to mental health care and removing the stigma around asking for...
Opinion – why Halle Bailey’s portrayal of Ariel is so important
The new trailer for Disney’s live-action remake of The Little Mermaid features a Black actress in the title role. Conflicting responses from young children and racist adults prove why Ariel’s new casting is so important. Scheduled for a 2023 release, a live-action The Little Mermaid has created buzz since it...
Why is queerbaiting often a misunderstood term?
From Noah Schnapp to Madonna, accusations of ‘queerbaiting’ have been the source of controversy and debate across social media, but the term has often been misunderstood and misused. Just last week, Heartstopper star Kit Connor deleted Twitter after accusations that he had been ‘queerbaiting’ by playing a bisexual character in...
Dutch students build solar power motorhome
Is it a car? Is it a house? Technically this sustainable motorhome is both. Running on solar power, Dutch students created the vehicle to promote cleaner travel and demonstrate the potential of green living. A group of Dutch students from the Technical University of Eindhoven have built a new...
Researchers create solar powered cyborg cockroaches
The idea of using cockroaches to help search and rescue missions has been in development for quite some time. Now, Japanese researchers have implemented solar cells into an electronic backpack which can be mounted onto real cockroaches. Some scientific research projects are so off-the-wall it’s hard to believe they’re actually real. Such is the case with RIKEN’s newly-developed solar cell cockroach backpack. Created by researchers in Japan, it mounts onto...
Opinion – Hadid Palestine backlash shows importance of identity
Bella Hadid has admitted to losing ‘so many jobs’ and experiencing harassment from both strangers and friends after vocalising her support for Palestine. Today Bella Hadid would be considered as an ‘it girl’. Her fashion sense drives global trends, her hairstyles have triggered viral tutorials, and her facial features have boosted the popularity of niche surgical treatments. With this fame has come equal parts criticism. Bella’s privileged upbringing, white complexion, and...
Wind turbines may soon be recycled into gummy bears
Researchers at Michigan State University have created a new composite resin for wind turbine blades that allows them to be recycled into a variety of new items, including sweets. Next time you drive past your local wind farm, you may be looking at a future bag of gummy bears. Yes, really. Michigan State University has developed a composite resin using glass fibres combined with both plant-derived and synthetic polymers. This...
The Academy finally apologises to Sacheen Littlefeather
Apache activist and actress, Sacheen Littlefeather, was booed off stage after accepting an Oscar on behalf of Marlon Brando. Now, 50 years later, the Academy has finally apologised. When Marlon Brando won an Academy Award for ‘The Godfather’ in 1973, he wasn’t there to receive his accolade. Instead, indigenous actress Sacheen Littlefeather, of Apache heritage, walked on stage to collect the Oscar on Brando’s behalf. Littlefeather’s surprise appearance was part of...
