Tag Archives: captivating

Exploring the Impact of Illness on Our Lives: A Captivating Yet Imperfect Read

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Healthcare professionals in protective masks stand near a triage tent for possible COVID-19 patients outside Santa María Hospital in Lisbon on April 2, 2020. Over 500 lives have been claimed by COVID-19 in Portugal, with more than 6,000 confirmed cases. (Photo by PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA/AFP via Getty Images)

Healthcare professionals stand near a COVID-19 triage tent in Lisbon, Portugal, April 2020.

Patricia de Melo Moreira/AFP via Getty Images

The Great Shadow
by Susan Wise Bauer, St. Martin’s Press

Publishing a book on the history of disease seems timely given the ongoing challenges with public health. As we face yet another tough winter in the Northern Hemisphere, we reflect on the previous harsh winter during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our vulnerability to illness has never been more evident.

Introducing The Great Shadow: A History of How Disease Shapes Our Actions, Thoughts, Beliefs, and Purchases, authored by Susan Wise Bauer. This work chronicles how disease influences individual lives and collective societal behaviors over centuries. From our guilty pleasures to our shopping habits, microbial influences are always at play.

However, the subject isn’t entirely new; similar works have emerged since the pandemic, such as Jonathan Kennedy’s comprehensive essays, along with updated versions of Sean Martin’s A Short History of Disease and Frederick F. Cartwright and Michael Biddis’s Disease and History. So, what sets this work apart?

The distinction lies in Bauer’s emphasis. She explores the shift from the “Hippocratic universe” to our contemporary understanding steeped in “germ theory.” The former relies on antiquated beliefs regarding bodily humors and inner balance, while the latter focuses on scientific evidence.

A key revelation of this book is the prolonged timeline for this transition; the acknowledgment that microbes cause disease took centuries to establish and only gained traction in the late Victorian era—resulting in millions of unnecessary deaths.

Yet, have we completely moved past Hippocratic medicine? The Great Shadow doubles as a discussion piece. Each chapter unveils a timeline, navigating through urbanization, the Black Death, and the trenches of World War I, before linking historical events to current beliefs surrounding disease.

At its best, this research provokes contemplation. Are we surprised that 19th-century anti-vaccination advocates resemble today’s skeptics? At its worst, some discussions may prove perplexing. For instance, Bauer confesses that following COVID-19, she avoided checkups out of fear of being criticized for her weight gain—a worrying reflection on the pressures surrounding health discussions.

Nevertheless, glimmers of insight are present in The Great Shadow. Despite moments of verbose writing, Bauer efficiently crafts narratives from historical archives. Her account of early germ theory proponents like Alexander Gordon and Ignace Semmelweis, often marginalized for their views, merits cinematic adaptation.

The final, memorable aspect of this book discusses our shift from superstition to science, presenting the current crisis termed the Third Epidemiological Transition. Bauer notes that we face not only epidemic failures with antibiotics but also the rapid emergence of novel diseases for which vaccines and treatments are yet unavailable, facilitated by modern global travel.

Peter Hoskin is the Books and Culture Editor at Prospect magazine.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

2025’s Most Captivating Animal Photography Showcase

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Please wait a moment

Wenjian Sun et al. 2025

Remarkably, the rat is observed attempting to resuscitate its unconscious cage mate by pulling its tongue and clearing the airway. In studies, researchers found that certain rodents, when interacting with anesthetized mice, exhibited caring behaviors such as pawing, grooming, and biting unresponsive individuals. This discovery indicates that empathetic behavior may be more prevalent in the animal kingdom than previously thought.

How high can you shoot?

Claryana Araújo-Wang/Botos do Cerrado Research Project/CetAsia Research Group

The male Amazon river dolphin (Inia geofrensis) was caught on camera urinating while rolling onto its back. This behavior is thought to communicate with other dolphins, similar to how land mammals employ scent marking. Other males might be drawn to the urine that falls into the water, interpreting it as a message.

Stay away!

David Ongley

This beautiful wren can be seen perched cautiously on a branch (Marlus cyaneus), evading the cuckoo—a notorious brood parasite. Scientists have discovered that over 20 bird species utilize similar “call” calls to alert nearby birds, as cuckoos secretly lay their eggs in other birds’ nests to shirk their parenting responsibilities.

Ali tries origami

Dr Chris Reid, Macquarie University

The weaving ant (Oecophila smaragdina) is depicted rolling up a piece of lined paper, using teamwork to lock it together in a long chain. Each ant grasps the abdomen of the ant in front, enabling the construction of nests from rolled leaves. Studies show that individual ants can pull nearly 60 times their body weight, while teams of 15 can generate forces exceeding 100 times their combined weight.

Never seen before

ROV Subastian/Schmidt Ocean Institute

For the first time, a living giant squid (Mesonihoteutis hamiltonii) was captured on film. While these mollusks are believed to grow up to 7 meters, the squid filmed was just a baby measuring 30 centimeters. This rare footage was obtained by a vessel from the Schmidt Ocean Institute while streaming live from the depths of the Southern Ocean near the South Sandwich Islands.

That’s my arm!

Sumire Kawashima, Yuzuru Ikeda/Ryukyu University

This octopus appears fooled into believing that a fake arm made of white gel is its own. While it’s well-known that humans can be tricked in a similar manner, scientists have discovered that octopuses share this intriguing behavior as well.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

A Captivating and Cautionary Guide to Body Part Replacement and Repair

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These scaffolds provide structure for 3D printed organs

Tristan Fewings/Getty Images

irreplaceable you
Mary Roach one world publications (UK); WW Norton (USA)

Our bodies comprise various soft, hard, and intricate components. What should we do when these components fail or don’t meet our needs? Medicine provides several solutions, including dentures, skin, heart, and hair transplants, but don’t expect an instant replacement.

In Alternative You: Adventures in Human Anatomy, popular science author Mary Roach explores the most intriguing historical and current efforts to repair, replace, or enhance our body parts.

These efforts range from dentures designed like mouth piercings, lab-grown anuses, to gene-edited pig hearts, each delivered with a humor that had me laughing, wincing, and holding my breath throughout the pages.

Roach, drawn to the “human element of exploration,” shares engaging tales as she travels the globe to meet surgeons, scientists, patients, and other individuals at the forefront of body modification.

Her bold and often cheeky questions animate these encounters. For example, during a dinner discussion about gut-derived vaginas with her surgeon, she mentions that intestinal tissue generally contracts to aid in food movement.

“That could be advantageous for partners who have penises, right?” she quips. “It’s not overly aggressive,” the surgeon replies, sipping his Chianti.

Roach embraces self-experimentation, visiting a hair transplant surgeon and persuading him to relocate hair follicles from her head to another body area. Her goal? To gaze in wonder at the few long strands that might sprout on her legs. While the transplant fails, she quickly dives into the trials of growing hair from stem cells. Spoiler: we’re not there yet.

One significant innovation Roach covers is ostomy, where surgeons create openings in the abdomen for waste drainage into an external pouch. She speaks with individuals who use stoma bags due to conditions like Crohn’s disease and colitis, which can lead to inflammation and frequent bowel movements, complicating life outside the home. Roach highlights the importance of reducing stigma around ostomies and discusses the remarkable technology supporting this procedure.

As expected from a book on body part replacement, there’s a chapter dedicated to 3D printed organs. Roach approaches this topic thoughtfully, noting that it’s not merely about feeding cells into a printer. Most organs consist of multiple cell types that must be arranged with precise specifications, and printed tissues often lack the authentic properties that remain elusive for researchers.

I highly recommend this book to anyone curious about the human body. However, be advised—some vivid surgical descriptions are included. (If that’s not your cup of tea, feel free to skip the next paragraph.) At one point, Roach compares the tubes of fat and blood pulled from patients to “raspberry smoothies.” Additionally, when a leg implant is affixed to the femur, it sounds like “tent stakes collapsing.”

Such sensory details might not appeal to everyone, but for those willing to confront the raw, sinewy, and delicate reality of our bodies, this book serves as a profound reminder of our complexity and depth. I certainly walked away feeling grateful for all that I have.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Super Nature Review: Captivating and Unpredictable Nature Documentaries Filmed on Super 8

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Super 8 film captured a close-up of a silvery fritillary butterfly

Nature Hunter Films Limited

super nature
Ed Sayers hitting UK cinemas in 2026

Ed Sayers, a director of commercials and music videos, has an affinity for Super 8, a film format introduced by Eastman Kodak in 1965, and he’s not alone. This delicate film cassette continues to thrive thanks to a dedicated community of filmmakers worldwide.

What distinguishes Sayers is his organizational skill. His project, super nature, which premiered last month at the London Film Festival, showcases Super 8 footage from 25 countries, contributed by 40 filmmakers and local advocates for nature in their regions.

I must confess that as I looked over the concept of this film, I endured scenes with a sparrow and a household cat for 82 minutes, which I regret.

While the film’s distributor, BFI, boasts of its “green” credentials, the pitch feels a bit lacking despite the feature being a globally-focused documentary with zero air miles. It’s worth noting how uniquely different everything appears through this handheld, low-fidelity medium.

Super 8 resembles, as Sayers puts it in the narration, “someone painted your memories.” This becomes apparent as you adjust to the glare, flare, rocking movements, and shifts in color and tone inherent in this format. The Super 8 world reflects our own—not polished or curated, with imperfect lighting, much like real life.

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Among the film’s many charming moments is the delightful observation that puffins “have the kindest eyes.”
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However, the film is often breathtakingly beautiful, and this production is no exception. Some ambitious shots featuring elusive and wary creatures are challenging to interpret. Just because we catch a fleeting glimpse of them doesn’t imply their value is diminished. One sequence that didn’t resonate with me was the goose migration, which, despite being exquisitely filmed and edited, felt overly clever and “staged” with its setup involving microlights and two cameras. In contrast, lying in a puddle with a plastic bag over my head to shoot snails would make for a great idea.

Contrasting with high-budget nature documentaries, this film seeks to uncover hidden worlds, and while the thirst for new discoveries is compelling, I can’t help but ponder whether viewers will become weary of impeccably-lit, framed, and timed images found in productions like walking with dinosaurs.

super nature offers a refreshing take on the genre. Its structure revolves around its production journey. Each segment (from flamingos to earthworms to corals) comes with a voiceover by each filmmaker, sharing the significance of their footage. Among many delightful moments are descriptions of the sounds puffins make while running (humorous, reminiscent of oversized slippers) and the remark that “puffins have very kind eyes.”

The creators are genuinely inspiring. Some embarked on Super 8 journeys seeking a new perspective after experiencing personal hardships. Others advocate for environmental consciousness, while a few may even brave a cold water faucet (as ibex seem to understand the wisdom of the mountains).

Then we have Sayers’ own narrative. Act 1: The director dreams of documenting the natural world using retro technology and local filmmakers. Act 2: He faces disillusionment, piecing together footage of floods, fires, marshes in Ukraine, and plastic waste. Act 3: The director finds renewed hope, and the playful antics of seals turn the project into a triumph.

It’s a narrative arc as compelling as any, yet entirely predictable in contrast to the footage’s unpredictability.

Simon too Recommends…
Film
silent world
Jacques Cousteau and Louis Malle
While not the first to depict the deep ocean in color, Cousteau and Malle’s 1956 documentary transformed our perception of two-thirds of Earth.

TV Series
walk together dinosaur
Tim Haynes
First aired in 1999, this six-part BBC documentary (rebooted in 2025) introduced scientific rigor into its thrilling portrayal of the Mesozoic era.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 Review: A Captivating Noir Experience

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YYou awaken as an ancient and formidable vampire in the basement of a crumbling building in Seattle, with no recent memories and a peculiar seal on your hand. The first thing you do is provoke the cop who spots you. In a swift movement, you slam him against the wall, blood painting the bricks. A frenzied display of fangs follows as you seek favor with the local vampire court, while viciously battling hostile undead and their ghouls, all while attempting to remain hidden from the unsuspecting mortals in this sultry city.

Yet, this is also a detective narrative. Young night stalkers share your mind, including a voice named Fabian who speaks like a 1920s gumshoe, likely because he once was one. Unlike you, Fabian isn’t violent. He collaborates with human police and the vampire underbelly, extracting the blood of willing donors and wielding his mind-reading powers to uncover murders. These two narratives present distinctly different gameplay experiences in the same setting. Unfortunately, Bloodlines 2 feels awkwardly pieced together. Having just indulged in AMC’s Interview with the Vampire series, the juxtaposition is striking. One provides a thrilling, sexual, and clever adaptation of vampire lore, while the other is lacking.

“The interactions with the people in Seattle were really puzzling.” … Bloodlines 2. Photo: The Chinese Room/Paradox Interactive

Notably, this vampire tale appears to be under a curse. The original Bloodlines game, a cult classic RPG released in 2004, took more than a decade to spawn a sequel. Development for Bloodlines 2 commenced in 2015 at Hardsuit Labs in Seattle, led by writers from the first game. However, the creative lead was dismissed in 2020, and another writer was involved in a now-resolved cheating scandal. By 2021, a new developer, The Chinese Room, took over the project. The outcome is an intriguing patchwork, with The Chinese Room integrating elements from Hardsuit’s version into a coherent 25-hour narrative that, while not entirely resolved, is mostly understandable.

For instance, the vampire abilities you can acquire are displayed on a large screen, intended to offer multiple approaches to gameplay, such as seduction, coercion, and manipulation. Nonetheless, there’s little incentive to learn more skills as you begin immensely powerful, gaining some of the most enjoyable mind control and dark powers within the first few hours. When I attempted to utilize these abilities creatively, such as possessing dangerous prey on the street or probing someone’s mind for interrogation, the game frequently denied my attempts.

While the vampire interactions held intrigue, the encounters with Seattle’s humans were utterly baffling. Walking down the street, I heard sex workers yell, “I have to pay my school fees!” to no one in particular. A businessman on a bench initially asked, “Do you want to start a business together? A sexy business?” before he commenced following me around, exclaiming, “I can’t wait to have sex!” until my annoyance grew and I ended up consuming him. Although vampires may view mortals as inconsequential puppets, this felt excessively bizarre.

“Some of the most awkward first-person combat I’ve played in decades”…Bloodlines 2. Photo: The Chinese Room/Paradox Interactive

This odd and misplaced behavior from non-player characters further amplifies the feeling of Bloodlines 2 being a product of the late ’00s. Not only does the animation appear dated, but it also conjures memories of the clunky yet captivating first-person games emerging since Deus Ex in 2000. While gliding across Seattle’s rooftops at unnatural speeds is entertaining, much of the gameplay entails traversing the city and speaking with various characters. However, when facing ghouls—of which there are plenty—you’re thrust into some of the most awkward first-person combat I’ve experienced in years. I found it so tedious that I opted to lower the difficulty after a few hours to expedite the monotonous skirmishes.

Hidden within is an acceptable vampire story. Engaging conversations with dangerous fellow vampires represent the most compelling aspect of Bloodlines 2. I appreciated several locations in Seattle, particularly the dive bars pulsating with goth music. The Chinese Room has managed to transform a troubled game development saga into something playable and somewhat engaging. However, as time passed, my motivation to continue stemmed more from curiosity than genuine enjoyment.

Source: www.theguardian.com

This Chilling Snake Uses Its Spider-Like Tail as Lure in Captivating Photo

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The spider-tailed viper embodies the essence of two widely feared creatures: arachnophobia (the fear of spiders) and ophidiophobia (the fear of snakes).

Imagine the only scenario where you might confront both fears: donning a clown costume (a fear of heights) and dangling from a high ledge (another fear of heights).

Nevertheless, this scenario is improbable. The spider-tailed viper typically resides in the rocky crevices of the Zagros Mountains, straddling the borders of Iraq and Iran.

Its name derives from its extraordinary tail, which mimics a spider with a swollen tip adorned with elongated “leggy” scales.

The first documented specimen was captured in 1968 and preserved in formaldehyde. When researchers from the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago examined it two years later, they initially mistook it for a Persian horned snake, which is prevalent in the Middle East.

Initially, the spider-like appendage on the snake’s tail was thought to be a spider that inadvertently ended up in the jar. However, further examination revealed that the peculiar ornament was actually part of the snake’s tail.

The significance of this unusual anatomical feature remained ambiguous, with speculation about it being a rare anomaly linked to a parasite or tumor.

Watch a snake hunt in this clip from the BBC documentary Seven Worlds, One Planet.

In 2003, a second specimen was discovered in a damaged state, yet still exhibiting the same tail’s adornment.

The snake was identified as a new species, Pseudocerastes uralachnoides, which translates to “false horn with a spider-like tail,” sparking curiosity among researchers about whether this reptile uses its tail as a lure.

While it may sound peculiar, numerous predators utilize parts of their bodies to draw in prey. For instance, monkfish develop bioluminescent lures protruding from their heads.

The tufted wobbegong shark boasts a caudal fin that resembles a fish. Additionally, over 50 snake species are known to employ a technique called caudal luring, where they wag their tails to entice prey.

The tail of the spider-tailed viper mimics a spider to lure its prey – Credit: reptiles4all via Getty

What makes the spider-tailed viper exceptional is that it is the only species known to have evolved a “caboose” that closely resembles a large arachnid.

It took thirty years for scientists to ultimately validate their hypothesis about its caudal luring technique. They set up camp in the arid mountains of Ilam province in western Iran and captured footage of six successful spider-tailed viper hunts, all occurring…

During these hunts, the snake wagged its spider-like tail, capturing the attention of nearby birds. As the birds approached, the snake struck and injected venom, resulting in the bird’s swift demise. Minutes later, the bird was consumed whole.

Spring marks peak hunting season, coinciding with birds nesting and feeding their young. However, juvenile spider-tailed vipers must adopt different hunting methods.

These young snakes hatch without their distinctive “spider butt” and develop it as they grow. Until reaching maturity, they are believed to prey on small mammals and amphibians.

The lesson here: if you’re trekking through the Zagros Mountains and spot a peculiar-looking spider, it’s best to keep your distance.

We don’t fully understand the effects of snake venom on humans, so you may want to avoid that curiosity altogether.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Strata Review: Unveiling the Captivating Narratives in Earth’s “Boring” Layered Rocks

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Rock layers reveal insights into our planet’s deep past, such as these in Canada

Paul Andreassen/Alamy

hierarchy
Laura Poppick (WW Norton)

The narrative of Earth is one of transformation. Over 4.5 billion years, our planet has evolved from a scorching mass of molten rock and poisonous gases into a temperate and vibrant habitat teeming with diverse life forms. This evolution was punctuated by pauses, restarts, and cataclysmic events, as the intricate biogeochemical processes shaped the most extraordinary phases in Earth’s history.

Our understanding of this vast tale is largely thanks to rocks. They preserve the chronology of events that contributed to the surface’s stratification through various deposits. This intricate ordering is understood through hierarchies, and the scientific discipline dedicated to interpreting them is known as stratigraphy.

In Strata: A Story from Deep Time, journalist Laura Poppick delves into this nuanced science of rock interpretation, offering insights on how planets respond to and recover from periods of upheaval. “Through these layers, we glimpse ancient versions of our planet, gaining contextual awareness as we traverse through the present,” she observes.

Poppick highlights several transformative periods in Earth’s history, selecting four key episodes. The first examines the development of oxygen-rich atmospheres, tracking the evolution of photosynthesizing microorganisms and significant oxidative events that led to mass extinctions around 2.4 billion years ago.

The second segment discusses “Snowball Earth,” a period approximately 720 million years ago when many regions are believed to have frozen over. Following this, she explores the advent of mud and the subsequent rise of vegetation. Finally, the Mesozoic era, dominated by dinosaurs, records atmospheric carbon dioxide levels much higher than today’s due to volcanic activity, offering a framework to understand planetary responses to climate shifts.

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Sedimentary rocks maintain a distinct layer system that clearly records the events that have shaped our planet’s surface.
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Throughout each episode, Poppick introduces geologists working to unravel the numerous unanswered questions regarding the timing and causes of these changes. She visits significant geological sites, from Newfoundland to the Australian Outback, where one can observe the strata that articulate these narratives.

The recurring theme emphasizes the importance of paying attention to rocks. To an untrained observer, they may appear ordinary; however, Poppick reminds us that “a trained eye discerns physical and chemical indicators—proxies—that reveal the characteristics of our planet during the formation of these rocks.” She underscores the value of geologists’ expertise.

This book is a remarkable attempt to make stratigraphy engaging. At times, it falters, and Poppick’s fragmented writing style led me to lose the thread of the narrative.

Her comparisons of geological transformations to human-centric changes sometimes felt uneasy. For instance, she likens the Mesozoic greenhouse climate to modern carbon emissions, though the historical era’s temperatures were so extreme that such analogies may be misleading, even at optimistic emission projections.

Another limitation lies in the currently incomplete nature of geoscience. Some of the pivotal questions raised by Poppick—including the true cause of Snowball Earth—remain unresolved or are subject to debate among different factions. By the end, I was left with a sense of uncertainty about what can be definitively stated. Yet, that unpredictability might be intrinsic to geology itself. “Nothing is immutable in stone as our understanding of geology continues to evolve, just like the rocks,” Poppick states.

Nevertheless, the book effectively captures the grandeur of the story embedded in rocks. It does so particularly well by showing how seemingly mundane observations about rocks can lead directly to profound insights into Earth’s history. Such revelations illuminate the stratigraphic process as Poppick examines overlooked outcrops, encouraging us to perceive the rocks in our surroundings with renewed appreciation.

“Hierarchies are, in many ways, love letters from a maturing Earth,” she argues. This book abundantly reveals the reasons to uncover the secrets they hold.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Philippa James: Captivating Moments of a Teenage TikTok Star | Best Photos

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This began as a project involving my daughter and her friend. Being part of the smartphone generation, they were both 14 at the time and eager to explore their relationship with mobile devices. According to Ofcom’s 2022 research, nine out of ten children owned a smartphone by age 11, and by age 12, 91% were using video platforms, messaging apps, and social media. I discussed the negative perceptions surrounding mobile phones, teenagers, and screens with them. They shared that social media can both enhance confidence and diminish it.

I asked if I could take a photo. I didn’t provide much direction; instead of capturing them in a typical portrait style, I simply observed their interactions. The energy was vibrant: they moved swiftly, danced to short music clips, filmed one another, laughed, scrolled, chatted, took selfies, and rehearsed TikTok dances. I struggled to keep pace with their excitement. This image, titled TikTok, emerged from our session. I quickly directed Lucy to glance at me, capturing the moment just before they transitioned to the next activity. As a portrait photographer, you develop an instinct for certain shots, and I felt this one was special.

While editing, I reflected on how girls utilize their phones for visual communication, as theorized by Nathan Jurgenson, who refers to it as “Social Photography.” This concept emphasizes that photos are more about social interaction than mere objects, moving away from traditional photography’s intent of documentation or archiving, focusing instead on sharing moments visually.


Spending time with the girls revealed the darker aspects of mobile usage. I showcased this project as a continuing exhibition in Oxford, working with focus groups of teenage girls who shared their experiences regarding online sexism and sexual harassment. Some of the stories I learned were quite shocking. The final work incorporates photographs alongside handwritten testimonials.

To deepen my research, I explored the writings of activists Laura Bates and Soma Sarah. Initially, the project title was inconsequential, but as it evolved, I changed it to a catchy phrase from a TikTok soundbite my daughter had shared with me. This shift evoked feelings of protectiveness and annoyance as a mother and a feminist. Although the title may be discomforting, it serves to capture attention and foster awareness.


This photo embodies multiple layers of meaning. It is beautiful and captivating, capturing a remarkable moment that celebrates the joy of girls in their generation, and reflects the essence of their world. These teenage years are fleeting, and the joy they share is essential to witness in a safe environment.

Additionally, the image invites viewers to notice the dynamic gaze between the three girls. Lucy not only looks directly at the camera but also interacts with the viewer through her expression and stance. As a mother and a photographer, my perspective evolves with ongoing research. The viewers’ perceptions may mirror their experiences as teenagers, which introduces a fascinating tension into the conversation surrounding this subject.

The girl in my mind is now 17 years old. Much has happened in the world since that photo was taken, including the rise of figures like Andrew Tate, who gained notoriety even as our children were already aware of him. Recently, themes addressed in Netflix series have sparked broader societal discussions.

Just this week, my mom reached out to discuss “short skirts.” The conflict between my role as a mother and a woman often feels intricate. As a protective instinct kicks in, I question why women shouldn’t wear what they choose. Sadly, young women today face risks merely by possessing a smartphone, in a world that remains unfamiliar to us parents.

Phillippa James’ Resume



 Photo: Philippa James

Born: Bus, 1978
Trained: Kent (2000) in Art and Moving Image; Falmouth Photography MA (2023)
Influences: “The inspiration from Rineke Dijkstra, Miranda July, Lynne Ramsay, Tracey Emin, Abigail Heyman, Cindy Sherman, Samantha Morton, Catherine McCormack, Robert Altman’s film Short Cuts, and Lisa Taddeo’s book.”
Career Highlight: “Last year, I was honored to be selected for the Taylor Wessing Portrait Award and exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery, with funding from the Arts Council England to further develop my practice. I also received LensCulture’s Emerging Talent Award.
Career Low Point: “In 2020, I faced public backlash for including trans women in my first personal project, 100 Women in Oxford, which led to protests against the exhibition. This experience taught me invaluable lessons about responsibility, expression, and the emotional impact of capturing real people.”
Top Tip: “Stay committed to your work, reflect on your creations, and keep producing. Photography may seem easy, but it’s challenging; consistency is key.”

Source: www.theguardian.com

The Captivating First Image Reveals the Power of the Vera C. Rubin Observatory

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Trifid (top right) and Lagoon (center) nebula view from Vera C. Rubin Observatory

NSF-DOEVERA C. Rubin Observatory

The stunning pink and blue regions of this stellar nursery, along with dense clusters of surrounding galaxies, mark the initial insights from the Vera C. Rubin Observatory.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddz8piolnqc

These images were crafted from about 10 hours of observations atop Chile’s Celopachen Mountain, serving as tests to illustrate the types of captures Rubin can produce. The telescope’s extensive mission to monitor the night sky, recognized as a legacy study of space and time, is set to commence later this year.

The initial image (above) showcases the Trifid Nebula, a striking pink and blue formation located in the upper right corner, where numerous young stars emerge from a star-forming region. At the image’s center lies the Lagoon Nebula, a large expanse of interstellar gas and dust. To create this visual, astronomers amalgamated 678 individual photographs taken by Rubin over a span of seven hours.

A close-up of the full Virgo cluster as seen from Vera C. Rubin Observatory

NSF-DOEVERA C. Rubin Observatory

The subsequent image focuses on the Virgo cluster, a composition of thousands of galaxies recognized by astronomers for ages. While the brightest members are visible through a basic telescope, Rubin’s detailed capture presents the entire cluster and its surrounding galaxies. For a more comprehensive view, check out the full zoom-out image showcased in the video below, which reveals around 10 million galaxies.

These represent only 0.5% of the 20 billion galaxies that Rubin will observe throughout its lifespan, assisting in unraveling the enigmas of dark matter and exploring the potential for a mysterious ninth planet within our solar system.

Observatory photos will be unveiled during the live stream today at 4 PM (11 AM EDT).

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Source: www.newscientist.com

The Year’s Most Impactful Science Experiment: 14 Captivating Images

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The finest science is not just intelligent—it’s extraordinary. Don’t take our word for it! For 28 years, Wellcome has hosted its annual photography competition, showcasing impactful images that highlight health, science, and medicine.

The Wellcome Photography Prize delves into various topics, including mental health care and the everyday experiences of living with disabilities. This year, we’re thrilled to reintroduce the biomedical imaging category, offering a chance to appreciate the beauty of science alongside intricate medical visuals. Additional categories include “Solo Photography” and “Storytelling Series.”

Among the highlights is the first non-invasive image of microplastics buried within human skin and a poignant journey to the Peruvian Andes, where Indigenous farmers combine traditional wisdom with innovative science to combat water pollution.

The winners will be unveiled on July 16th, 2025, followed by a free public exhibition at the Francis Crick Institute in London from July 17th to October 18th.

A total of 25 images have secured the prestigious top prize this year. And here’s our favorite.

Blooming Barrier by Lucy Holland

Tissue samples taken from infants affected by Hirschsprung’s disease, a condition impacting goblet cell development and leading to long-term digestive issues. – Photo Credit: Lucy Holland/Wellcome Photography Prize 2025

From Butterflies to Humans by Amaia Alcalde Anton

This image captures the brain of a metamorphosing butterfly, where new neurons are generated through neurogenesis—a process observed in various species during growth and maturity. – Photo Credit: Amaia Alcalde Anton/Wellcome Photography Prize 2025

I Have You Under My Skin: Microplastics in Mammalian Tissues by P Stephen Patrick and Olumide Ogunlade

This groundbreaking non-invasive image reveals the presence of turquoise plastic particles deep within a living mouse. Biomedical researchers Patrick and Ogunlade have pioneered photoacoustic imaging techniques that utilize laser interactions with samples to visualize microplastics. – Photo Credit: P. Stephen Patrick and Olumide Ogunlade/Wellcome Photography Prize 2025

Liver Cholesterol by Steve Gschmeissner

This depiction by Steve Gschmeissner illustrates blue cholesterol crystals in a human liver, with lipid cell structures. The lipid droplet measures approximately 12 micrometers wide. – Photo Credit: Steve Gschmeissner/Wellcome Photography Prize 2025

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Submarine Heat by Jander Matos and Joaquim Nascimento

Captured by researchers Jander Matos and Joaquim Nascimento at the Bioimaging Lab in Brazil, this image reveals the egg (0.56 mm wide) of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, a known carrier of diseases such as dengue and Zika. The yellow details in the egg indicate nodules that provide nutrients for survival in water. – Photo Credit: Jander Matos and Joaquim Nascimento/Wellcome Photography Prize 2025

Organoids by Oliver Mex and Nicole Ottawa

Photographed by Oliver Mex alongside biologist Nicole Ottawa, this organoid mimics the uterine lining and is colored for realistic representation. The organoid measures 0.2 mm in width. – Photo Credit: Oliver Mex and Nicole Ottawa/Welcome Photography Award 2025

Brixton Road, Lambeth in Southern London by Marina Vitaglione

Created by Marina Vitaglione in collaboration with Joseph Levermore and scientists from the Imperial College Environmental Research Group, this image visualizes contaminating particles (less than 0.01 mm) magnified from Brixton Road, London. It highlights these “invisible killers.” – Photo Credit: Marina Vitaglione/Wellcome Photography Prize 2025

Ice and Fire Record by Ingrid Augusto, Kildare Rocha de Miranda, and Vania Da Silva Vieira

This image illustrates the internal structure of *Trypanosoma cruzi*, the parasite responsible for Chagas disease, which is transmitted through contaminated food or bites from certain insects. Untreated, it can lead to serious cardiac and digestive conditions. – Photo Credit: Ingrid Augusto, Kildare Rocha de Miranda, Vania Da Silva Vieira/Wellcome Photography Prize 2025

Nemo’s Garden by Giacomo D’Orlando

Nemo’s Garden is the pioneering underwater greenhouse system located in Liguria, Italy, designed to explore agricultural solutions for regions facing challenges in plant cultivation. The findings showcase how submerged plants possess higher antioxidant levels than their land-grown counterparts, aiding in drug development. – Photo Credit: Giacomo D’Orlando/Wellcome Photography Prize 2025

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Ciril Jazbec’s Dream of Curing Water

This series by Slovenian documentary photographer Ciril Jazbec investigates the health impacts of rapidly melting glaciers in the Cordillera Blanca Mountain Range, threatening water supplies with heavy metals accumulated over centuries. Peru houses most of the world’s tropical glaciers, vital for mountain farming communities. Climate change has led to a 40% reduction in glacier surface area since the 1970s. – Photo Credit: Ciril Jazbec / Wellcome Photography Prize 2025

Stereo EEG Self-Portrait by Muir Vidler

This self-portrait by UK photographer Muir Vidler captures his experience after electrode implantation into the brain for epilepsy treatment—a procedure used when medication fails. He documented this photo on the first day following electrode insertion, which he had to keep for a week. – Photo Credit: Muir Vidler / Wellcome Photography Prize 2025

Find a Life by Sandipani Chattopadhyay

This poignant image shows locals gathering water from the riverbed in Purulia, West Bengal, India. Climate change has disrupted the monsoon patterns, leading to dry rivers and forcing many communities to search for drinkable water. – Photo Credit: Sandipani Chattopadhyay / Wellcome Photography Prize 2025

This Is Endometriosis – 2014 – 2022: Five Years by Georgie Wilman

This self-portrait by UK photographer Georgie Wilman notes the dates of her scars resulting from endometriosis surgery. Affecting one in ten women and females assigned at birth, endometriosis is often downplayed as “painful periods,” a phrase that fails to encapsulate its severity, which causes internal bleeding and damage to organs. Wilman’s imagery powerfully conveys the struggles and impacts of living with endometriosis. – Photo Credit: Georgie Wileman / Wellcome Photography Prize 2025

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Beautiful Disasters by Alexandru Popescu

This aerial view depicts a former village in the Loopa area, Transylvania, Romania. In 1977, Nicolae Ceaușescu forcibly relocated its 1,000 residents to create a toxic waste lake linked to Roșia Poieni copper mine. The lake grows approximately 100 cm annually, jeopardizing local groundwater quality. – Photo Credit: Alexandru Popescu / Wellcome Photography Prize 2025

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Review of Civilization VII – Your civilization will rise to new heights in this detailed and captivating game

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Many years ago, during the progress of Civilization II, I began my career as a writer for the video game magazine Edge. As an enthusiast of the original Civilization game, I was eager to review its sequel and impressed the editor enough with my comprehensive analysis of the complex turn-based strategy game that I nearly lost my job due to my addiction to playing it non-stop for two weeks instead of writing my assigned articles. This led to a stern warning about my performance and ultimately ended my tenure as a game writer. Consequently, I did not review the next four installments of the series. Now, Civilization VII is making a comeback, and I find myself facing this captivating nemesis once again.

This game has always been a favorite among me and many other fans, offering a compelling simulation of building an empire from ancient tribes to modern superpowers. As a player, you have the opportunity to establish cities, gather resources, research new technologies, send out settlers, merchants, and armies, and expand your influence through peaceful relations or conquest. Victory can be achieved through military prowess, cultural dominance, or economic power, depending on your chosen playstyle. Each campaign offers a unique experience, making it a game that has withstood the test of time.




Extra nuances … civilization VII. Photo: 2K game

In this latest installment, Firaxis has made some significant changes, deviating from guiding a single civilization through the entire campaign. Instead, players now choose different leaders with unique attributes and guide them through three distinct historical ages, each time selecting a new country to control. Each country brings its own units and buildings, adding depth to the gameplay. The game structure encourages continuity and strategic decision-making, enhancing the overall experience.

Civilization VII will be released on PC (version tested), PS4/5, switch, Xbox One, Xbox series S/X on February 11th.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Review of Rise of the Golden Idol: A 1970s detective game with a dark, twisted, and captivating storyline

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a Brutal Scene: A shadowy figure forces someone into a high-voltage circuit box. The victim becomes unable to move at the moment of death, his body convulsing and sparks flying. Downstairs, everyone froze in shock the moment the lights went out. You must scrutinize this scene to determine who everyone is, where they are, why they are there, and, of course, who committed this murder. Examine faces and objects, search everyone’s pockets to see what’s inside, and read notes, signs, and letters for clues. Eventually you’ll piece it together and fill in the report with the missing words that describe exactly who, what, when, where, and why.

Rise of the Golden Idol is a 1970s alternate reality detective game where, when solved, individual scenes tell us something about a larger mystery. This is a sequel to The Case of the Golden Idol, set 300 years after the game’s Age of Exploration mystery, but following the trail of the same cursed object. Some of these scenes are relatively harmless and even funny, such as a drive-in cinema where an unexpected fire breaks out and cosplayed patrons rush for the exit. There are other scary things too. In the opening incident, the strangulation unfolds in an endless loop, like an Instagram boomerang story.

Intentionally grotesque art style…the rise of the Golden Idol. Photo: Color Gray Games

Solving these cases is very satisfying, but you better hope your memory for names and faces is good. Scenes could include 10 or more people and required a notebook to record them. There are more and more obvious hints offered when you get stuck, but as the game warns, using them takes away the fun of using deductive reasoning. Nevertheless, when I understood the gist of the case but couldn’t get someone’s last name correctly, I was glad that there was a button to show me which blanks in the report were incorrectly filled in. I thought.

The strangeness of Rise of the Golden Idol is what makes it so memorable. The art style is intentionally grotesque, with the characters’ asymmetrical faces and eyes moving like crazy, and the backgrounds filled with paint pens. The murders, robberies, and other crimes here are strange, and the picture becomes unsteady in its eternal two-second loop of movement. Until I solved the problem, the scene stuck in my head and I ended up staring at my phone screen for half an hour at a time, thinking, cross-referencing, and taking notes. Where is the character’s gaze leading me? Why is that rug in disarray? Where did that dirt come from?


The big story that comes from these details is worth all the effort. As the chapters change, the fill-in-the-blank incident report turns into a fill-in-the-blank summary of everything you’ve learned from several past cases, helping you draw connections that make the story full of intrigue. This is not a game you can play while thinking about something else. You have to pay close attention, focus your thoughts, and see what your brain can do. I was pleasantly surprised by my own reasoning skills.

The crime scenes are so bizarre that you never know where this game will take you, but there’s always something you need to solve.

“Rise of the Golden Idol” is currently in theaters. £16.75 or included with your Netflix subscription

Source: www.theguardian.com

Review of Zone Zero: A Stylish, Captivating, and Enchanting Game Without Zen

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ohOne of the biggest changes in the modern video game industry is happening just beyond the reach of the average console gamer. Free-to-play gacha games, where you spend real money or in-game currency for a randomly selected set of characters and weapons, are booming in the Chinese market, led by publishers like miHoYo, NetEase, and Yostar. Some of the most popular games in this genre include Genshin, Arknights, and Another Eden, with tens of millions of players on smartphones and significant revenue from players willing to pay to enhance their collections.

More recently, the genre has expanded beyond mobile with Zenless Zone Zero, the newest addition. Developed by HoYoverse, the game is an expansive, anime-inspired action role-playing adventure set in a chaotic sci-fi dystopia. Earth has been invaded by extra-dimensional aliens, and human survivors now reside in New Eridu, a city built on the remains of a previous civilization. Players can choose to play as Wise or Bell, sibling hackers who run a video rental store, or as proxy agents sending teams of warriors on missions for clients.




Everything you do earns you some form of currency… Zenless Zone Zero. Photo: HoYoverse

Similar to the popular Persona RPG series, Zenless Zone Zero combines story, beat ’em up, and life simulation elements. Players navigate through various activities like fighting aliens, managing a video store, running errands, playing games, and capturing photographs of neighborhood cats. Actions in the game earn players currency, which can be used for upgrades and acquiring new characters. Completing contracts involves solving puzzles before battling aliens, leading to more lucrative missions and a continuous cycle.

Combat is straightforward with one button for attack and another for dodging. Characters have unique abilities and weapons, each with special and ultimate moves for enhanced gameplay. Switching between characters during combat adds visual effects and explosions, making it engaging.




Laser beams, bullets, blades flying…Zenless Zone Zero. Photo: HoYoverse

Visually, the game embodies cyberpunk anime with a rundown cityscape contrasted by advanced technology. Marauding gangs, AI raids, and cute robots coexist in a dystopian setting reminiscent of Studio Ghibli and Ghost in the Shell. The game allows for exploration of the environment, interactions with characters, and development of human relationships among the agents. The gacha system in the game entices players with rare items available for limited times, encouraging engagement through in-game currency or real money.

Zenless Zone Zero is a captivating gacha game with a mix of gameplay elements and a compelling narrative. Despite the controversial nature of gacha games, the experience offered by Zenless Zone Zero is engaging and rewarding, making it a fair exchange for players invested in its world.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Winners of the 2024 Underwater Photographer of the Year Awards: 17 Captivating Images from Below the Surface

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Alex Dawson’s stunning photo of a freediver examining a whale carcass has won this year’s award. Underwater Photographer of the Year.

“Whale Bones was photographed in the most extreme conditions,” explains jury chair and renowned photographer Alex Mustard. “A breath-holding diver descends below the Greenland ice sheet to witness a carcass. This composition invites us to think about the impact we have on the great creatures on this planet. Since the advent of humans, wild animals were reduced by his 85%.

“Currently, only 4 percent of mammals are wild animals, and the remaining 96 percent are humans and livestock. We need to change the way we do things to find a balance with nature.”

Portuguese photographer Nuno Sa has been named the Save Our Seas Foundation’s 2024 Marine Conservation Photographer of the Year. His photo, dubbed “Saving Goliath,” depicts a beachgoer’s futile efforts to save a stranded sperm whale off the coast of Portugal.

Underwater Photographer of the Year is an annual competition that celebrates the best underwater photography since 1965.

Today’s competition attracts entries from all over the world, with 13 categories testing photographers in themes such as macro, wide-angle, action photography, and shipwreck photography, as well as four categories specifically for photographs taken in British waters.

Below are the winners of this year’s contest and our favorite ranked images.

Winner – Macro Category

Pot-bellied seahorse (ventral hippocampus) Pictured surrounded by bright green corals with interesting patterns. Photographed on Bear Island, Australia. Photo credit: Talia Grace/UPY2024

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

2023’s Most Captivating Robot Images: From Runways to Film Sets

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See robot dogs perform alongside models at Paris Fashion Week

François Durand/Getty Images

While the majority of robots have remained in labs, there were indications that robots will be more commonplace in 2023. These images display some of the most attention-grabbing machines from the past year, illustrating the growing presence of technology in our daily lives.

Spot, the robotic dog, makes its appearance on the runway. Originally unveiled in 2016, Boston Dynamics’ Spot has become more prevalent in real-world settings since its commercial release in 2019. The New York City Police Department has even acquired two Spot robots to use in various scenarios. Additionally, Spot was witnessed removing jackets from models during a Paris Fashion Week show.

Joining actors and writers at Paramount Studios in Los Angeles, the robot dog Gato partook in a demonstration against artificial intelligence. The SAG-AFTRA and Writers Guild of America strike highlighted concerns about the potential threat of advanced AI, ultimately leading to an agreement between the union and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.

Adam, the robotic barista and bartender, was showcased at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, exhibiting the growing automation in the food and beverage industry. While the prospect of automated food and beverage service looms, the closure of a San Francisco-based automated pizza truck company indicates that this shift is not inevitable.

At the World Robotics Conference in Beijing, humanoid robots displayed their emotional range, showcasing the advancements in technology that are narrowing the gap between humans and robots. Despite the existence of the “uncanny valley,” in which minor differences between humans and human-like robots can evoke uneasiness, there has been progress in refining details such as skin, facial expressions, and eyes.

The humanoid robot Amy, created as a visual artwork by Dutch artist Dries Verhoeven, represents the increasing prevalence of humanoid robots aimed at assisting individuals in coping with challenging realities. Though pharmacists may not have much to fear at the moment, the emergence of robots like Amy indicates a growing trend of humanoid robots being utilized to support those facing difficult circumstances.

Source: www.newscientist.com