How to avoid doom scrolling on social media
2020 has been a rough one, nobody’s denying that, but our incessant flood of bad news stories is actively altering how we perceive the world. How many times in the last few years have we heard the phrase ‘this is the worst year ever’ or ‘I hope next year...
Current in Culture
This new AI experiment uses robot swarms to make paintings
We tend to see fine art as the essence of human experience, but AI could soon be helping paint the world’s next masterpieces. I still remember the first time I became aware that the world’s biggest painters have assistants to help them create large bodies of work. It makes sense...
Does cancel culture exist or are the powerful playing victim?
Is Gen Z’s desire for change inadvertently ushering in an age of cancel culture, or are the rich and privileged using the concept to shield themselves from scrutiny? Rife with hypocrisies from both sides of the fence, cancel culture has been one of 2020’s hottest topics. Those being criticised for...
Struggling airlines make bank with pop-up plane restaurants
As airlines search for novel ways of generating revenue during Covid-19 without leaving the runway, jumbo jet restaurants are proving incredibly popular. Here I was thinking that airplane food was without doubt the least exciting aspect of flying through a tin can at 36,000 feet, but it would appear the...
This new ‘living’ fungi coffin is revolutionising our graveyards
A Netherlands start-up has created a nifty new coffin called the ‘Living Cocoon’ that completely disintegrates within weeks, turning graveyards into brand new ecosystems. You may be the most sustainable person in the world during your living years, but what about when you’re dead? Being an environmentally responsible individual doesn’t only...
Kiss the Ground offers hope with regenerative agriculture
Woody Harrelson narrates this unusually optimistic film about the climate crisis, arguing that regenerative agriculture could be the key to turning things around. Netflix has released its latest documentary on the climate crisis called Kiss the Ground, which takes an extensive look at the use of soil and regenerative...
Disney responds to lockdown loneliness with GroupWatch
Disney Plus will now offer users the ability to share screens with up to seven viewers, giving it a significant advantage over Netflix. Despite its rocky launch and recent Mulan controversy, Disney Plus continues to enjoy huge subscriber numbers and viewing figures. In April of this year it managed to surpass 50 million paying users which will have likely increased significantly since then, making it a serious competitor to Netflix. It...
The unlikely rebirth of the drive-in cinema
Drive-in cinemas were widely associated with cheesy retro romcoms from a bygone era but now, thanks to coronavirus, they’re back like never before. You may have noticed that drive-in cinemas have starting popping up across the world over the last few months. 2020 has seen our idea of ‘normal’ flipped upside down. Where once we would cram ourselves into packed out stadiums and concert halls, we’re now extremely mindful of coming...
Why vinyl’s resurgence is hurting the planet
Vinyl sales have now overtaken CDs for the first time since the 1980s, but we need to talk more about the environmental damage of its recent resurgence. New figures released by the Record Industry Association of America indicate that vinyl sales have now overtaken CDs for the first time since the early 1980s. According to a new report released this week, vinyl sales generated $232 million and made up...
Stormzy’s new music video filmed inside Watch Dogs: Legion
The British grime and R&B artist has teamed up with Ubisoft for his latest single Waterfall, which was created entirely inside Watch Dogs: Legion. UK grime artist Stormzy announced that he’ll be featured in Ubisoft’s upcoming video game Watch Dog: Legions. The music video for his latest single ‘Waterfall’ was created entirely inside the game and shows off various notable London locations, including Brixton, Tower Bridge, and Trafalgar Square. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64s7q5cy1ho&ab_channel=Ubisoft Watch...
