Alex Jones to pay $965 million USD for Sandy Hook defamation
Infowars founder and right-wing conspirator Alex Jones has been ordered to pay nearly $1 billion USD in damages to the families of Sandy Hook victims, after years of abuse and harassment from his followers. Right wing conspirator and commentator Alex Jones has been ordered to pay $965 million USD...
Current in Culture
Opinion – ‘Kim, there are people that are dying’ is a toxic mindset
The popular phrase has become a default when we – or others – complain about trivial things in our lives, but could this thought process be damaging? We live in the era of heightened global awareness, with the ability to know what’s going on in virtually any part of the...
Scooby-Doo writers finally confirm Velma is gay
After years of speculation, ‘Scooby-Doo’ has officially confirmed Velma is gay. If that news seems both obvious and overdue, that’s because it is. In the new straight-to-TV film ‘Trick or Treat Scooby-Doo’ – the thirty-fourth of the series – show runners decided to give fans what they’ve been waiting for. A now viral...
This new sustainable lamp uses water to generate light
A Colombian designer has collaborated with renewable energy company E-dina and Wunderman Thompson to build a lamp that generates light using salt water. It could help over 800 million people worldwide with little access to electricity. Ever been stuck out in the wilderness without a torch? Phone run out...
Opinion – Kanye needs to stop using ‘art’ as an excuse for hate
Kanye West’s new ‘Wh*te Lives Matter’ T-shirts are more than a cry for attention. They’re dangerous. This year, Paris Fashion Week burst at the seams with viral conversation starters. Despite a disappointing lack of sustainable sentiment, it would be hard to deny the future-facing stance of Paris’ shows – with a...
Does Netflix’s ‘Dahmer’ drama trivialise real tragedy?
Ryan Murphy’s drama adaptation of the Jeffery Dahmer case is a huge hit for Netflix. Despite seemingly well-intentioned studies of racial tensions throughout, the show still glamourises Dahmer and reduces real tragedy to convenient social media one-liners. Currently sitting at the top of Netflix’s home page, ‘Dahmer’ dramatizes and...
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 untouchable – their fame endless. Of all celebrities, perhaps none are more beguiling than the child star. The ability to achieve...
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 in the last few years. Making up close to 92% of the estimated 5.25 trillion plastic objects floating on the...
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 help. Houston rapper and Grammy-winning artist Megan Thee Stallion practically invented the popular phrase ‘hot girl summer,’ which encouraged women everywhere...
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 was first announced in 2016. When Halle Bailey, a young Black musician – and five-time Grammy award winner alongside her...
