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Breathing Earth's Ancient PastMore than 2bn years ago, during the Paleoproterozoic era, the Earth's atmosphere began to fill with free oxygen, enabling the rise of aerobic life and, ultimately, humans. This Great Oxidation Event is now being experienced firsthand by visitors to the Museum of Old and New Art (Mona) in Tasmania, where French-Swiss conceptual artist Julian Charrière has created an extraordinary installation that allows people to inhale oxygen that has been trapped in iron ore since that ancient time.When Charrière came up with the concept for what would become 'Breathe,' Mona's owner David Walsh not only approved the project but created a bespoke space for it, recognizing the unique intersection of science, art, and human experience that the installation represents.The Science Behind the Ancient OxygenThe installation is a marvel of scientific ingenuity and artistic vision. Charrière has sourced ancient iron ore from Australia's Pilbara region, which is processed daily in an on-site laboratory. The water is extracted from the ore using specialized machinery, then put through a Hofmann apparatus—a piece of scientific equipment that electrolyzes water—to liberate the trapped oxygen molecules.This pure, ancient oxygen is then released into a specially designed room where visitors can breathe it in, creating a direct connection to the beginning of life on Earth. As Charrière explains: 'I want people to get all the way back to the beginning of the earth. It's like a time machine.' The installation is designed as a solitary experience, with visitors accessing a vault-like corridor reminiscent of a mining drift, flanked by raw sandstone and lined with deep red rocks from the Pilbara.The Immense Timescale of the InstallationThe timescale involved in 'Breathe' is almost incomprehensible. The oxygen visitors inhale has been trapped in iron ore for over 2.4 billion years—since the Great Oxidation Event that transformed Earth's atmosphere and enabled the development of complex life forms. This installation literally connects each visitor to the primordial beginnings of our planet's atmosphere.As visitors walk through the tunnel, the temperature drops as they approach a high-ceilinged cylindrical room, an underground windowless tower where lighting depends on the amount of sun that can be reflected through a small opening above. Walking over tiles made of polished ancient tiger ore, they circle a floor-to-ceiling clear glass tube that houses the Hofmann apparatus. It is here, at a small opening, that visitors have their closest access to Charrière's pure, ancient oxygen.Redefining the Art-Science Experience'Breathe' represents a groundbreaking fusion of scientific methodology and artistic expression, challenging traditional boundaries between disciplines. The installation creates a profound personal experience that connects visitors not just to art, but to the very essence of life on Earth.What makes this installation particularly powerful is its claim that each visitor is the first human being to ever inhale that specific oxygen. As Charrière explains: 'You are breathing something which is so pure and has not been touched by any being before you... And the beauty of the piece is you will carry it until you die. You're going to become a small part of this installation and you become a big part of the great oxygen cycle, and you will only finally free this oxygen once... once you're going in the other world.'This installation is part of a broader trend in contemporary art that incorporates scientific processes and concepts, creating works that are both intellectually stimulating and viscerally impactful.The Future of Scientific Art Installations'Breathe' is opening alongside Charrière's major new exhibition 'Hard Core,' which showcases both the ambition and scientific curiosity of the Berlin-based artist. Individual elements of 'Hard Core' have been exhibited elsewhere in the world, including at the Venice Biennale, but the full exhibition finds its perfect home at Mona, with its exposed rock, industrial aesthetic, and fusion of science with art.As museums and galleries continue to seek innovative ways to engage audiences, installations like 'Breathe' point to a future where art and science are not just displayed together but are fundamentally intertwined in the creative process. This approach has the potential to create more immersive, educational, and thought-provoking experiences that challenge visitors to see the world—and their place in it—in new ways.Charrière's work demonstrates how art can make abstract scientific concepts tangible and personal, creating connections across vast stretches of time and space. As our understanding of the universe expands, art installations like 'Breathe' will play an increasingly important role in helping us process and relate to these profound concepts.

The Play’s Journey from Cardiff to a Welsh‑Language FilmThe original one‑woman play Iphigenia in Splott debuted in 2015 at Cardiff's Sherman Theatre, portraying a modern Effie drinking vodka in a dressing gown amid austerity‑driven hardship. Eleven years later, writer Gary Owen and director Marc Evans have transformed the work into the film Effi o Blaenau, shifting the setting from Cardiff to the slate‑mining town of Blaenau Ffestiniog and filming entirely in Welsh. Numbers Behind the Revival: Dates, Reviews and Anticipated ReachOriginal stage debut: 2015Guardian five‑star stage review: 2022Film release announced: 2026Production backed by S4C and producer Branwen Cennard What the Success Means for Welsh‑Language StorytellingThe film’s commitment to Welsh dialogue, subtitles, and a largely female crew underscores a deliberate push for authentic regional voices. Owen notes that austerity remains “normality,” and the film’s gritty portrayal of post‑industrial life resonates with audiences still feeling the impact of public‑service cuts. Casting challenges highlighted a shrinking pool of working‑class talent, prompting the team to prioritize gender‑balanced hiring on set. Looking Ahead: Future of Regional AdaptationsWith *Effi o Blaenau* gaining critical buzz, industry observers anticipate more Welsh‑language adaptations of contemporary theatre, especially those that can translate local socio‑economic themes to broader markets. The film’s success could encourage broadcasters like S4C to fund similar projects, fostering a new wave of culturally specific cinema that reaches both Welsh‑speaking audiences and international viewers through subtitles.

The Comeback That Never MaterializedJust over a year ago, Lizzo appeared on Saturday Night Live, announcing a new album called Love in Real Life in grandstanding style. Wielding an electric guitar, clad in a Trump-baiting T-shirt that read Tariffied, she performed its title track and two other new songs, Still Bad and Don't Make Me Love U. As with her appearance earlier the same week on a late night talkshow – during which she ran into the audience to high-five fans who were yelling "we love you Lizzo!" – it looked very much like a defiant comeback, fit to drag her out of the controversy that erupted at the end of her hugely successful 2023 world tour. Three former backing dancers and a costume designer filed lawsuits against the singer alleging harassment and discrimination: damaging claims given how Lizzo's songs have preached a message of inclusivity, body positivity and self-confidence. Some of the allegations were dismissed by a judge but others are ongoing; Lizzo has refused to settle out of court, saying: "I'm fighting the case because I know that it's not true."The Album That Never WasBut the Love in Real Life single, a pivot towards rock that owed a little to Tom Petty's American Girls – or the Strokes' American Girls-indebted Last Nite if you prefer – failed to make the charts, a far cry from the period between 2018 and 2022 when Lizzo's singles seemed to go multi-platinum as a matter of course. The same fate befell Still Bad, a track much more in the vein of her big hits, prompting a rethink. The album was pulled, Lizzo apparently taking control of her own destiny – "I need to do shit my way". A mixtape that returned her more-or-less to where she started, before pop stardom came calling – punchy hip-hop, albeit tricked out with guest appearances from Doja Cat and SZA – appeared in its place: My Face Hurts from Smiling received mixed reviews and underwhelming streaming figures.A Career at a CrossroadsAll of which means that Bitch, her fifth album proper, lands at a deeply peculiar juncture in Lizzo's career. Given that the public apparently don't want her going rock, nor rapping in the style of her 2013 debut Lizzobangers, nor indeed making the kind of music they were buying in their millions three years ago, the question of what they actually do want has presumably hung heavy over its making.Musical Identity CrisisLizzo hasn't come up with a definitive answer. Bitch tries a bit of everything, from pastiching Tame Impala on Happy 2 Be to making clipped new-wave rock decorated with Cure-like guitars on She Stole My Man; Sexy Ladies is a girls-night-out-soundtracking reiteration of the old body positivity message. This scatter-gun approach makes Bitch a disjointed listen.The Subdued ToneMoreover, there's something oddly subdued about its tone, whether it's dabbling in 80s retro – Don't Make Me Love U brings to mind the arena-rousing keyboard hook from Tina Turner's The Best, but renders it into a distant, affectless backing vocal – or delving into jazzy R&B; on Too Nice. The vibraphone-heavy beat on the latter is fantastic, rich in small-hours atmosphere, but the actual song feels nondescript: it only really comes to life in its dying moments, when Lizzo stops singing and starts playing a flute solo. The title track interpolates the chorus from Meredith Brooks' 1997 pop-grunge hit of the same name, but somehow flattens it in the process. Crooned over smooth, G-funky R&B;, it feels stripped of its fiery power, less of a snarl and more of a shrug.Equivocal LyricsThe lyrics often seem similarly equivocal. You don't want for apparent references to Lizzo's recent woes – "I hope it makes you happy to hurt somebody else", "the thing about depression, you think your life is over", "you'd still be working at the mall if it wasn't for me" – but they ultimately feel neither pugilistic nor racked, just confused and sore: "I have feelings too," she sings on piano ballad A Toast.Highlights Amidst the StruggleNot everything here is underwhelming: Whose Hair Is This is a great southern soul pastiche, home to an impressively raw vocal and a snappy plot twist at the end of the lyrics; That Grrrl employs an old-school Chicago house bassline to energising effect. But what's definitely lacking is an unequivocal pop smash, the kind of thing that Lizzo once seemed to be able to write to order.A Changing Cultural LandscapePerhaps that's inevitable. One of the reasons Lizzo hit so big in the first place was that she made pop music that perfectly captured a zeitgeist, and that zeitgeist has moved on: the era of body positivity has been displaced by the era of Ozempic and Mounjaro; the kind of post-pandemic, post-Trump optimism embodied on 2022's About Damn Time now sounds like a transmission from a distant lost age. We're living in a different world now, and Bitch suggests Lizzo has yet to work out how to respond to it: "I'm doing my best," she sings on A Toast, which feels like the most telling lyric of all.

The Week's Ecological Highlights This week, the natural world provided a fascinating glimpse into animal behavior and breeding success. From the relaxed demeanor of coastal mammals to the delicate hatching of raptors and the genetic rarity of primate births, these events serve as vital indicators of ecosystem health. Three Stories of Nature's Resilience The Lazy Sea Lion: A coastal observation highlighted a sea lion exhibiting unusually relaxed behavior, suggesting a period of rest or a shift in hunting strategies amidst changing environmental conditions. Baby Ospreys: The hatching of baby ospreys marks a successful breeding season for these raptors, signaling a healthy population in their chosen nesting grounds. Rare Lemur Quads: The birth of four lemur quadruplets is a statistically significant event, as multi-births are uncommon in this species, pointing to a successful breeding cycle. Significance of Rare Sightings The observation of rare lemur quadruplets is particularly noteworthy for conservationists. Typically, lemur births are singletons or twins; a litter of four represents a significant reproductive success. This event provides critical data for researchers studying primate population dynamics and genetic diversity. Implications for Conservation Efforts These sightings, widely reported by outlets like The Guardian, reinforce the importance of habitat preservation. The successful nesting of ospreys and the healthy birth rates of lemurs suggest that current conservation measures are effective in maintaining biodiversity. These moments of human-wildlife coexistence remind us of the fragility and resilience of the natural world. Outlook for Wildlife Monitoring As technology advances, the frequency of such detailed wildlife observations is expected to increase. We can predict a rise in citizen science initiatives and remote monitoring, allowing for more frequent documentation of rare events like lemur quadruplets and unique behavioral shifts in species like the sea lion.

The Great Painted Lady Migration: Britain's Orange Surge of 2026Britain is currently witnessing a spectacular natural phenomenon as the largest arrival of painted lady butterflies in 17 years sweeps across the nation. Driven by a combination of recent heatwaves and benign southerly winds, these vibrant insects are migrating north in record-breaking numbers, transforming gardens and fields into a kaleidoscope of orange.The Mechanics of the Northward FlightThis annual migration is a marvel of endurance. The butterflies fly north from sub-Saharan Africa at the start of every year. Successive generations breed in north Africa and the southern Mediterranean before reaching northern Europe. While September typically sees them fly south again, the current influx is a result of a successful breeding cycle in Europe during the recent heatwave.Lifecycle Speed: Painted ladies can develop from egg to adult in as little as four to six weeks in warm weather.Generations: The current influx includes both faded grey "grandparent" butterflies from long-haul flights and brighter orange "short-haul" offspring born in France and Spain.Other Arrivals: The favorable weather has also facilitated the arrival of rare moths like the eastern bordered straw and striped hawkmoth.Record Numbers and Rare SightingsThe scale of this event has been confirmed by experts at Butterfly Conservation, who describe it as a "once-in-a-decade" occurrence. Sightings have been concentrated along the east coast into northern England, with a notable cluster at Hickling national nature reserve in Norfolk, where 253 butterflies were spotted feeding on bramble flowers in a single location.Ecological Benefits and Citizen ScienceThis influx is a boon for gardeners and farmers, as the caterpillars of painted ladies devour a wide range of thistles. Furthermore, the abundance of butterflies is set to significantly impact the Big Butterfly Count, the world's largest citizen science insect count.Upcoming Event: A large British-born generation is expected to emerge in five or six weeks.Voting Impact: The surge may boost late voting in the poll to find Britain's favourite butterfly, potentially challenging the peacock butterfly for the top spot.The Future OutlookWith the current immigration wave and the imminent emergence of a new generation, the summer promises to be exceptionally rich in butterfly life. This event not only delights the public but also provides critical data for conservationists tracking the health of the UK's insect population.

The Encounter with the 'Queen of Trees' I breathe in the bluebells as a blackcap sings. At the crescendo, a flash of yellow breaks up the blue – a brimstone butterfly flies up to my face, then moves back, approaches, then draws back, repeating the fluttered action until I follow. A Moment of Connection in the Forest Together, we weave through fresh-scented firs before my companion flits away and I realise that I have come further into the forest than intended. My feet start to throb and the wind, as the sky grows overcast, brings a chill. I see the leaves of a vaulted canopy stir overhead and feel the softest carpet of fallen catkins underfoot. Although the threat of rain urges me forwards, a tree, an imposing common beech, makes me stay. The Majesty of the Common Beech Looking up through the domed crown, I think of the beech’s moniker as the queen of British trees. The long-living, high‑growing beech can grow over 40 metres tall and – with age, perhaps spanning multiple centuries – provide habitats for deadwood specialists like wood‑boring insects and hole‑nesting birds. This tree’s girth speaks of a long life that I find myself imagining; how many winds have run through the leaves, how many birds have been held in the branches, how many foot‑sore humans have found relief sinking into fallen catkins? A Shared Moment with a Tawny Owlet Thinking myself alone, it takes a confused moment to disentangle my eyes from another’s, to realise that – deep in the tree’s crevice – a tawny owlet is watching me. My eyes take small circuits around the white patches of the bird’s face: first the beak, then over the left eye, the right, then back again. I blink. It blinks. I blink. It blinks. We are reaching some kind of accord. A Peaceful Goodbye I move back a little and wait. Every now and then, its eyes meet mine. It blinks. I blink. It would be easy to fall asleep, as no doubt it was before my approach. But I know that I cannot stay. As I edge away, I mutter thanks to the brimstone for taking me on a different route, for leading me to this sheltering beech and the secrets that it keeps.

Executive Snapshot: Waterfront Properties Capture Buyer AttentionThe Guardian’s latest photo feature showcases a curated collection of homes for sale that boast direct water views in both England and Scotland. The visual tour reflects a broader trend of heightened interest in premium waterfront living.Rising Tide of Listings: What the Gallery RevealsAcross the featured regions, agents are promoting a variety of property types—from historic cottages on the Scottish lochs to modern apartments overlooking English rivers. The diversity of styles indicates that waterfront appeal cuts across price bands and buyer preferences.Market Premiums: How Water Views Influence PricesIndustry data consistently shows that properties with water access command a price premium of roughly 10‑20% over comparable inland homes.Buyers are often willing to pay higher deposits to secure locations that offer scenic vistas and recreational opportunities.Limited supply of prime waterfront parcels intensifies competition, especially in sought‑after regions such as the Lake District and the Scottish Highlands.Implications for Regional Real Estate DynamicsThe surge in waterfront listings is reshaping local markets. In England, coastal towns are experiencing increased buyer traffic, while in Scotland, lochside communities are seeing renewed interest from both domestic and international investors. This shift may spur new development projects aimed at preserving natural views while meeting demand.Looking Ahead: Forecast for UK Waterfront HousingAnalysts anticipate that the appetite for water‑view properties will remain strong, driven by lifestyle aspirations and limited land availability. Expect continued price appreciation and a potential rise in niche financing products tailored to high‑value waterfront transactions.

The Lead UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has accused Elon Musk of trying to 'whip up division' in the UK over the murder of Henry Nowak, a case that has been exploited by far-right groups. Starmer's Criticism of Musk Starmer's comments come after weeks of posts by Musk on his social media platform about the murder, many of which have used far-right themes and talking points. Starmer met Nowak's family at Downing Street on Thursday to discuss a response to the actions of Hampshire police, who arrested the 18-year-old student as he lay dying from stab wounds after a false accusation of racist abuse by the killer. The Data Analysis The Hampshire Police Federation, which represents rank-and-file officers, has suspended its social media platforms after 'serious threats' against its members. It said: "We had a sudden surge in online trolls and AI going through all platforms trying to find any information they could about our members, with a view to threatening their safety." Misidentified officers have been forced to leave their homes and had serious threats made against their life. The Impact Analysis Starmer said Britain needed to 'assert who we are' as 'reasonable, tolerant people'. He also praised the Labour MP Jess Asato, who is taking legal action against Musk's xAI company after saying its Grok tool had helped a user produce fake sexualised pictures of her. The Prediction The police watchdog is examining the conduct of the officers who handcuffed Nowak after he had been fatally stabbed by 23-year-old Vickrum Digwa. Starmer's spokesperson said this type of misinformation was a matter for Ofcom, the media regulator.

Burnham's Vision for Social Care Andy Burnham has signalled he would begin transforming England's broken social care system this year if he became prime minister, accusing Westminster of 'flinching away' from tackling difficult policy problems. Plans for Social Care Reform The Greater Manchester mayor said politicians must be willing to take on 'the weight of the system' that stood in the way of radical change, as he began to set out his prospectus for government if he won the Makerfield byelection. Burnham first tried to change the social care system when he was Labour's health secretary in 2009, planning a levy on estates to pay for universal social care. He has talked about replacing inheritance tax with a progressive 'care levy' to fund a national care service. Leadership Ambitions and Labour Party Dynamics Burnham confirmed for the first time that he intends to run in a Labour leadership contest, suggesting there would be no snap election if he replaced Keir Starmer. He defended himself from criticism over a shadow leadership campaign. He argued Labour should be a broad church with more government ministers from the left of the party, but Jeremy Corbyn should not be allowed back in. Economic and Fiscal Policies Burnham denied he had left himself little room for manoeuvre by saying he would stick to the fiscal rules, arguing they had freed up significant resource for public investment. He suggested replacing 'iniquitous' council tax with a land value tax. He proposed reallocating £39bn earmarked for social and affordable housing solely to social homes. Brexit, Immigration, and Future Outlook Burnham argued it would be a mistake to rerun the Brexit referendum but that he wanted the UK to rejoin the EU in his lifetime. He praised Shabana Mahmood, the home secretary, for 'facing up' to the big issues on immigration. He suggested bringing forward the Casey review, tasked with drawing up proposals on funding, to 2026.