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ICEBERG ESCAPADE
In December, the world’s largest iceberg, known as A23a, broke free from Antarctica after being trapped for months in an ocean vortex. It is now on a collision course with South Georgia. Some scientists think it could obstruct feeding routes for penguins and seals, increasing juvenile mortality. Others think it may bring rich nutrients to the surface, encouraging plankton blooms and, in turn, prey abundance.…
Is our future underground?
AGRICULTURE Underground farming involves growing crops beneath Earth's surface in controlled environments, such as tunnels, basements and abandoned mines. It relies on artificial lighting, hydroponics and climate control to create optimal growing conditions without relying on sunlight or weather. Advocates, including the operators of a farm in the London Underground, argue that the method conserves water, reduces the need for pesticides and allows year-round production, while increasing food security in densely populated areas. EARTHSCRAPERS Imagine an inverted skyscraper that extends for storeys under your feet instead of over your head. Developers claim that building earthscrapers will save on steel costs, as well as on heating and cooling systems. Proposed examples include the earthquake-proof complex Underground Science City, planning to house 4,500 researchers in Singapore. In 2018, the InterContinental Shanghai Wonderland…
Our deepest effect on the planet
UNSUSTAINABLE irrigation and drought have emptied nearly all of the Aral Sea’s water since the 1960s, causing changes extending all the way down to Earth’s upper mantle, the layer beneath the planet’s crust. This is probably the deepest recorded example of human activity changing the solid inner Earth. “To do something that would affect the [upper mantle] is like, whoa,” says Sylvain Barbot at the University of Southern California. “It’s showing you how potent we are at changing the environment.” The Aral Sea in Central Asia was once one of the world’s largest bodies of water, covering almost 70,000 square kilometres. But Soviet irrigation programmes starting in the 1960s, as well as later droughts, emptied the sea. By 2018, it had shrunk by almost 90 per cent and lost around…
A Fashion MOVEMENT
When British fashion designer Phoebe Philo broke into the fashion scene, she introduced a thoughtfulness that many had longed for in a creative director: a clean, minimalist eye, combined with a practical approach to everyday style, all carefully held together with a touch of glamour. With the swipe of a pencil on her drawing board, she tapped into the zeitgeist of the woman at the turn of the millennium— ambitious, intelligent and armed with impeccable taste, ready to take on the world at a moment’s notice—but, true to Philo, always with subtlety. At Richemont’s Chloé, succeeding classmate and friend Stella McCartney, Philo blended luxury with baby doll dresses, towering wooden wedges and the iconic Paddington bag, which has proven its timeless appeal with a recent resurgence on the autumn/winter 2025…
‘He Needs Help’
A concerning new public sighting of Justin Bieber has led fans to wonder if everything is currently OK with him. The 31-year-old singer was seen in Palm Springs on April 9 looking dishevelled and distracted. He then berated nearby photographers who’d wished him “good morning” by responding, “No, not good morning. All you want is money. Get out of here”. A source tells New Idea that those closest to Justin, who welcomed son Jack Blues with wife Hailey eight months ago, are “worried”. They add that becoming a father has made him “even more protective of himself and his family”. Our source says, “Justin can’t bear not being his authentic self these days. He’s sick of playing nice to people he doesn’t care about.” But friends have expressed concern over…
‘I COULD USE A HUSBAND – A BRITISH ONE’
When Chelsea Handler turned 50 earlier this year, she celebrated in her own inimitable style. Instead of dressing up for dinner, the US comedian stripped down to a swimsuit, put on a pair of skis and sped down a snowy mountain, margarita in hand. “Skiing is how I let my hair down, and this is how I’ve been celebrating my birthday for a few years now,” Chelsea tells HELLO! from her chalet in Whistler, Canada. “At first, I just took my pants [trousers] off; then I took my top off. Then I was like: ‘Oh, I don’t even need a top.’ And then my nephews were like: ‘Can you please put your top back on? We don’t need people at our high school talking about our aunt.’” Chelsea has certainly…