Music industry given new guidelines to tackle climate change
New recommendations have been put forward by scientists at the University of Manchester to reduce the music industry’s overall carbon footprint, including swapping jets for trains and offering free transport with tickets. If you live in the UK, you’ve likely seen a constant wave of Instagram stories from friends...
Current in Culture
You decide – is the ‘Nevermind’ lawsuit about exploitation or money?
The child star on one of the world’s most famous album covers is suing for irreparable damages. Are the claims genuine or a 'get rich quick' scheme? Spencer Elden, the four-month-old baby featured on the cover of Nirvana’s 1991 Nevermind album, is suing the band for alleged sexual exploitation. US law...
Eating a meat-based hot dog could reduce your life by 36 minutes
Need another reason to switch to a vegan diet? New research suggest that eating a single meat-based hot dog could shorten your life by over half-an-hour. BBQ doesn’t sound so fun now, eh? Forget drugs, getting too drunk, or attempting to do anything in the morning before a morning...
Potty training cows could put a dent in nitrous oxide emissions
In a bid to finally address the massive environmental toll of livestock emissions, scientists have decided to potty train cows. Yes, you read that right. Early signs are positive. If you can potty train a child, you can potty train a cow. At least that was the theory posited by a...
Musicians are taking a stance against posthumous albums
Could we begin to see more musicians following two artists’ decision to block album releases after their death? Last week, Lana Del Rey shared a photo of Anderson .Paak’s newest tattoo, which states that none of his demos should be released as an album in the event of his death. Lana...
Marseilles residents turn McDonald’s into community foodbank
A closed McDonald’s has been transformed into a lifeline for Marseille and now operates as a food bank. In between the majority Muslim neighbourhoods of Saint-Marthe and Saint-Barthélémy sits the first McDonald’s to be built in the ‘banlieues’ (suburbs) around France’s major cities. The fast-food restaurant was opened thanks to help...
Minecraft library liberates gamers in censored countries
One of the most successful sandbox video games of all time once again proves its versatility outside of tree-punching and cave-exploring by providing a journalism sanctuary for its 126 million active players. Thinking outside the box Oppressive governments and growingly sophisticated systems of surveillance have led to an increase of censorship in many parts of the world. Young people are having their expression and opinions manipulated by misinformation, and it’s going...
Yayoi Kusama pumpkin worth $3 million washed out to sea
One of Japan’s most iconic pieces of modern art was badly damaged after being swept out to sea by a strong storm. You might think you don’t know who Yayoi Kusama is, but chances are you’ve seen one of the Japanese artists’ pieces online or even in person. At 90 years old, Yayoi is one of the most in demand artists of her generation, creating installations which are both unique and...
New exhibition brings real stories of abortion into the open
My Body My Life is a public engagement project challenging abortion stigma by providing women with a safe space to share their experiences. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, attitudes towards the ever contentious pro-choice/pro-life debate have shifted significantly both ways across the globe. In Latin America, Argentina became the first major country in the region to legalise the practice, while Poland – on the flipside – outlawed the most common of...
Lil Wayne advocates mental health in new interview
Long-time rapper and musician Lil Wayne has opened up about his experiences with depression, suicide, and mental health, advocating that people speak up and recognise when something isn’t right. Lil Wayne has been featured in the latest episode of Emmanuel Acho’s ‘Uncomfortable Conversations’ on YouTube, where he discusses his experiences with mental health and details a suicide attempt at age 12. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_iKNketUXI&ab_channel=EmmanuelAcho ‘I shot myself in the chest’, he says during...
