Why the iconic English painting The Hay Wain by John Constable is not what it seems
John Constable’s The Hay Wain presents a bucolic view of England – but there’s a dark side to the idealised rural image. Widely satirised and reproduced on everything from bath towels to biscuit tins, John…
44 crates – lost for decades – were unsealed. Inside was a fair dreamed up by art legends
Children played on fairground rides designed by the world’s greatest artists for a single summer before they disappeared for decades. The attractions were part of the world’s first art funfair…
‘How I became Robbie Williams’ chimpanzee’
It’s 2001 and nine-year-old Jonno Davies is standing in the crowd as Robbie Williams entertains 65,000 people at the Milton Keynes Bowl. “He was just this symbol of cool, and…
Baby Driver teenage actor dies after falling from moving vehicle
Tributes have been paid to Baby Driver actor Hudson Meek, who died after falling from a moving vehicle in Alabama. The 16-year-old actor also appeared in TV series including the…
Man convicted for repeatedly lying about inventing Bitcoin
A computer scientist has been found to have committed contempt of court for falsely and persistently claiming to be the mysterious inventor of Bitcoin, Satoshi Nakamoto. In March, the High Court…
AI is trained to spot warning signs in blood tests
This is the third feature in a six-part series that is looking at how AI is changing medical research and treatments. Ovarian cancer is “rare, underfunded, and deadly”, says Audra…
Bat-watching, beach explorations and ‘sniff’ walks: How nature can provide a tonic for loneliness
There is an ever-growing list of the benefits of natural prescriptions – now researchers say nature could offer a cure for loneliness too. Kye Aziz didn’t consider himself a big…
Finland investigates Russia ‘shadow fleet’ ship after cable damage
Finnish police are investigating whether a Russian ship was involved in the sabotage of an electricity cable running between Finland and Estonia. The authorities said on Thursday that they believe…
Dating for homes saved me £20,000 on holidays’
Inviting a stranger to stay in your home might seem like the opposite of a relaxing holiday, but for some travellers house exchanges are worth taking the leap of faith.…
The Nigerian watch-lover lost in time
Ticking is the predominant sound inside Bala Muhammad’s tiny watch-repair shop, tucked away on a bustling street in the northern Nigerian city of Kaduna. It is like a time capsule…