News in 60 Seconds!

Compelling Stories for the Curious-Minded

A Royal Fake? A family image of the Princess of Wales and her children has gone viral for all the wrong reasons. After it became apparent that parts of the photograph had been edited, conspiracy theories and questions surrounding Kate Middleton’s health resurfaced. Media outlets have rejected the photograph, citing misinformation concerns. However, manipulated images of the Royals are nothing new. Some of the earliest photographs of the British Royal Family have been composites — multiple images fused into one whole. The real issue is that even the Royals like to tweak reality.
The New Happy: Stephanie Harrison, founder of The New Happy movement that has nearly one million online followers, asks us to drop the idea that happiness is about wealth, being completely independent, and triumphing over others in competition. Rather, true happiness is about accepting the fluctuations, ‘muddling through’ the struggles and disappointments, and finding joy in our humanity.
Is ‘Beef Rice’ the Future? Lab-grown meat is on the rise in the search for environmentally sustainable food options. The latest offering comes from South Korean researchers who have successfully grown beef cells in rice grains. Rice poses fewer allergy risks than soya and nuts, and at $2 per kilogram and a smaller carbon footprint, has all the potential to be a protein alternative to animal farming.
Fair or Foul Play? The Chinese Government has accused the U.S. of ‘bullying’ and being ‘on the opposite side of the principles of fair competition and international trade rules,’ following a possible TikTok ban that cites national security concerns. Unless TikTok severs ties with China, over 170 million Americans could lose access to the popular video hosting service.
It’s a Strange World: Smaller animals experience time differently from humans. Lizards and salamanders, for instance, feel time more slowly due to their brains’ slower processing power.
Kahlo in Her Own Words: A new documentary on the Mexican painter Frida Kahlo promises to reveal the artist from her perspective. Frida, directed by Carla Gutiérrez, recovers important aspects of the painter’s tumultuous life and unique personality through diaries, letters, essays and print interviews. Kahlo, who rejected the surrealist label, felt homesick in America and asserted that she never painted her dreams, but rather her reality, finally has a chance to have the last word.