Saudi Arabia announces plans for a futuristic city named The Line
The future of architecture could forever be changed by the design of a new vertical city in Saudi Arabia. Fresh details about the project pose it as an epicentre of sustainability, productivity, seamless living, and leisure for millions of people. Of all prosperous nations in the world, Saudi Arabia looks...
Current in Culture
Automated chess robot breaks finger of seven-year-old challenger
A small child had their finger broken by a robot during a chess game at the Moscow Open, according to Russian media. Should we be wary of potentially dangerous automation? For most, an innocuous game of chess does not come with the potential for violence, much less a broken...
AI-generated piece controversially wins art competition
This year at the Colorado State Fair, a piece of AI-generated art won an award for Emerging Digital Artists. In the days since, online debate about what constitutes ‘real art’ has ignited. If you keep up with Thred, you’ll already be completely in the loop regarding AI-generated ‘text-to-image’ programs and...
Five healthy alternatives to popular breakfast dishes
Looking for something to swap out for your usual breakfast choices? Here’s a quick guide to get you started. After 2 years of chaos, Covid-19 has not completely disappeared, with experts asserting that new waves of infection will reoccur on an annual basis. This seems like the perfect time to improve...
‘Friends’ Marta Kauffman apologises for trans misrepresentation
Kauffman has vocalised her regret over misgendering Chandler Bing’s trans parent – played by Kathleen Turner – for the first time. Well, it’s finally happened. After decades of wince-worthy jokes and a cast as white as Wonderbread, ‘Friends’ co-creator Marta Kauffman is addressing the show’s past mistakes. It may be long...
Why did Agnes Denes grow a field of wheat in New York?
In the 1980s, Artist Agnes Denes created a wheat field in central New York, protesting the imbalance of wealth, global warming, and the patriarchy. In the midst of this unprecedented heatwave, her work feels more relevant than ever. The idea of creating a two-acre large wheat field in central...
Experts believe sex for procreation could soon be obsolete
Despite the ethical concerns of many, reproductive options including designer babies and even ‘artificial wombs’ appear to be inevitable. Some experts even believe that sex for procreation may soon be obsolete. Imagine that. If this isn’t the weirdest thing you’ve read today, then I recommend deleting your browser history immediately. One could argue that with constant advancements in fertility drugs, artificial insemination, in vitro fertilisation, and increasingly barmy embryonic gene...
99% of Glastonbury tents were taken home by public
Emily Eavis has announced on Twitter that 99% of tents were taken home from Glastonbury, after the festival appealed for ticket goers to ‘leave no trace’ once they left. For music lovers, this summer has been particularly special. Festivals are finally back in full swing after two years of stalled, cancelled, postponed, or heavily reduced gigs and music events. Perhaps the biggest of them all – at least in the UK...
‘In the Black Fantastic’ dubbed best exhibition of summer
London’s Hayward Gallery opens a new show featuring 11 artists from the African diaspora and, according to critics, it’s must-see. Kara Walker and Nick Cave are just two of the artists showing in the Hayward Gallery’s ‘In The Black Fantastic’, which opened this June. Curated by Ekow Eshun, chair of the Fourth Plinth (a London-based art commission bringing free contemporary art to Trafalgar Square), ‘In the Black Fantastic’ uses fantasy...
Production workers for The Simpsons and Family Guy unionise
The Animation Guild is now unionising with production workers from The Simpsons, American Dad!, and Family Guy, having previously been left out compared to animators, writers, and actors. Production workers at The Simpsons, American Dad!, and Family Guy have gained voluntary recognition from 20th Television Animation, their parent company, to join The Animation Guild. It’s part of a wider push by The Animation Guild to expand the type of memberships...
