Author: Liam Porter

When did you last experience total silence? In Hark, the author Alice Vincent goes to extreme lengths to eradicate noise as she spends time in an anechoic chamber, a heavily soundproofed space designed to swallow up sound waves. There she becomes aware of the noises of her own body, from involuntary swallowing to the soft, high-pitched ringing in her ears. But rather than feel unease, she is “confronted with a comfort I couldn’t have imagined – and a familiarity with quietude I didn’t realise I was living in”.Hark is a book about listening, being heard and the author’s shifting relationship with sound in…

The prosecution: Amina I’m not saying we should have no cakes ever, I just think we should stop assuming cake is always welcome I know how this sounds: I am the miserable cake police. But this isn’t about being joyless, it’s about creating a healthy working environment. There are 20 of us in the office, and there’s sugar everywhere. We have free biscuits and a constant rotation of cakes, doughnuts and baked goods that descend on us without warning. It’s so normalised, and if you politely decline, people ask if you’re on a diet.Ruby takes the lead in guilt-tripping. If you…

Rampant climate misinformation is turning the crisis into a catastrophe, according to the authors of a new report.It found climate action was being obstructed and delayed by false and misleading information stemming from fossil fuel companies, rightwing politicians and some nation states. The report, from the International Panel on the Information Environment (Ipie), systematically reviewed 300 studies.The researchers found climate denialism has evolved into campaigns focused on discrediting solutions, such as the false claims that renewable energy caused the recent massive blackout in Spain.Online bots and trolls hugely amplify false narratives, the researchers say, playing a key role in promoting…

As the mother of the bride or groom, you play a pretty special role in your child’s wedding—and you deserve to look and feel as special as you are! Luckily, plenty of fashion brands offer wedding guest dresses and outfits that reflect this important role, with styles that come in various silhouettes, necklines, and fabrics. And we found the best of the best.The elegant dresses you’ll find below really rise to occasion—because even though you may have attended dozens of weddings in your lifetime, you’re not just a regular guest here. On your son or daughter’s big day, you’re a…

Hundreds of assailants killed 34 Nigerien soldiers in an attack near Mali on Thursday, the defense ministry said. The “cowardly and barbaric” assault targeted Banibangou with fighters in vehicles and motorbikes, it added. Fourteen soldiers were wounded. 

The long-promised launch of Tesla’s robotaxi service in Austin is scheduled for June 22, and it sounds like the company’s initial offering will be modest at best. The Financial Times writes that Tesla will only have around 10 cars available for rides and that the company plans to make them “avoid the city’s most challenging intersections.” If issues arise, remote operators will also reportedly be able to take control of the cars to make sure they reach their final destination.Tesla CEO Elon Musk told CNBC in May that the robotaxi service might launch with less than a dozen cars, so…

The editor of BBC Breakfast, Richard Frediani, is taking an extended period of leave after allegations about his behaviour were reported in the media.An HR adviser from consultancy firm PwC is also supporting the corporation as it looks into the culture of the BBC One morning programme.It comes after the Sun and Deadline reported that an internal investigation is being carried out into allegations of bullying.The BBC said it did not comment on individual cases but takes “all complaints about conduct at work extremely seriously and will not tolerate behaviour that is not in line with our values”.A BBC statement…

Key eventsShow key events onlyPlease turn on JavaScript to use this feature90+7 min: A chance for Miami! This time it’s Fafa Picault who gathers a loose ball in the box, but Claudio Ramos saves again. He’s been so good for Porto today.Share90+4 min: Miami has retreated to a compact 4-4-2 to see this one out. They’re throwing bodies in front of passing lanes and blocking shot attempts. Porto might not get another clean look at goal.Share90 min: Samu AGAIN with a great chance! The striker’s darting rin into the penalty area was met with a nice layoff, but he got…

At the heart of the new Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile is the world’s largest digital camera. About the size of a small car, it will create an unparalleled map of the night sky.The observatory’s first public images of the sky are expected to be released on June 23. Here’s how its camera works.When Times reporters visited the observatory on top of an 8,800-foot-high mountain in May, the telescope was undergoing calibration to measure minute differences in the sensitivity of the camera’s pixels. The camera is expected to have a life of more than 10 years.A single Rubin image…

The day after I graduated from college, my sister and I flew to New York City, meticulously plotting out our visit hour-by-hour in a spiral notebook. But the moment we got to the city, we ditched the plan and beelined for Times Square. Hours later, she was live on MTV’s TRL (yes, this was 1999!) announcing the No. 1 song—and we instantly believed this was the place where dreams come true.  A few years later, my office was smack dab in the middle of Times Square. While my co-workers complained about the constant hoards of tourists, I secretly loved stepping…