Katharine Hamnett: the original fashion eco-warrior
Katharine Hamnett Slogans are still central to the Hamnett brand’s DNA (Credit: Katharine Hamnett) The designer talks activism, rebellion, slogan tees – and why she was ‘the original spoilt brat’. Interview by Bel Jacobs. Bundled up in one of her own recycled-polyester parkas, Katharine Hamnett sits in her studio in London, recounting – in some […]
OED expands to reflect Coronavirus
ENB New words and new uses of words related to the pandemic have entered the English language in recent weeks Language, like the humans who deploy it, has an organic quality: it grows, decays, ages, withers, and evolves. The Oxford English Dictionary, which is the definitive measure of the English language, issues updates quarterly. In […]
What would a flying-free world look like?
ViewStock/Alamy Rail would rule in a world without planes (Credit: ViewStock/Alamy) Aeroplanes are incredibly polluting, but could we ever live completely without them? Aviation has long been a pain in the neck for those working to cut human-caused greenhouse gas emissions. It is the pinnacle of a “hard-to-decarbonise” sector: energy-intensive, lacking in immediate technical options […]
Covid patient ‘better’ after monoclonal antibodies used on Trump
Cardiff and Vale health board Melanie James took part in the trial after her health deteriorated very quickly A woman has become the first person in Wales to have the same experimental antibody treatment for coronavirus as US President Donald Trump. Melanie James, from Cardiff, received a transfusion of monoclonal antibodies at University Hospital Llandough […]
How to spot patterns in people’s waste
Getty Images Garbology is the science of sifting trash for insights (Credit: Getty Images) Whether it’s indulgent food choices, sexual habits or North Korean secrets, the stuff that people throw away can reveal all, says Chris Baraniuk. Dangling over the pool of sewage, at the end of a mercifully long handle, was a small fishing […]
Storm causes Cambridgeshire power cuts and cancels show
Christopher Burlinson A tree is uprooted in the orchard of Jesus College, Cambridge Dozens of trees were uprooted and power cut after strong winds battered the east of England. UK Power Networks managed to restore power to thousands of homes, with gusts of up to 74mph recorded at Wittering. The storm led to the final […]
Why ‘bio’ and ‘green’ don’t mean what you think
Getty Images A bag made from cassava starch (Credit: Getty Images) The language brands use to promote their environmental sustainability can be misleading and unverifiable. How do you spot a buzzword from a real claim? Green. Bio. Natural. Clean. Organic. Eco-friendly. Sustainable. These are words we are confronted with constantly: on billboards, online and on […]
How it all went so wrong for the bank
TSB TSB boss Paul Pester swimming during a charity triathlon last year All surfers know the feeling of being hit hard by a wave, being left bruised and disorientated, and then having to get up and do it all again. TSB chief executive Paul Pester, a fanatical surfer, must have felt much the same each […]
How vegan cheese is made without milk
Getty Images Vegan cheese is now ubiquitous, but few people seem to know what it’s actually made of. Here’s the lowdown on this delicious-yet-enigmatic substance. They may seem synonymous with modern life, but meat and dairy-free alternatives have been around for centuries. Fermented tofu, which originated in China, for example, has been consumed for around […]
Neo-Nazi’s Facebook account left active
BBC Jack Renshaw admitted two charges on the first day of his trial Facebook is investigating after the account of a neo-Nazi who planned to kill an MP remained active despite the company saying it would be deactivated. Last week the social media giant announced a series of far-right Facebook pages would be removed. One […]