business

Modern smartphones have reached a plateau. Each new release makes only small gains, rendering frequent upgrades to new models a waste of time and money. The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. The good news is that smartphones now last a long time: … Read more

The first time I heard the phrase “boom boom” was at a fashion show in January: Prada in Milan. While I sat waiting for something incredibly tasteful to appear on the catwalk, out marched a bare-chested model with a pashmina-sized fur draped over his shoulders. Then came another, and another, and then one more in … Read more

Age: The coinage is new; the technique, ancient. Appearance: Self-absorption in empathy’s clothing. Is this when boomers ask me how I’m ever going to afford a flat when I keep buying avocados? No. Unlike everything else that’s wrong with the world, this has nothing to do with boomers. What is it, then? It’s a conversational … Read more

“Dead inside. Those were the words that were thrown at me in my 20s … It wasn’t even an insult. It was just who I was.” The man speaking has a handsome, sensitive face. His eyes look soulful – not like those of someone dead inside. But then, Ben Bidwell has broken free from his … Read more

At some point in the late 70s, during a Brownies meeting, something happened to Deborah that she has never been able to forget. Well, she can’t actually remember exactly what the incident was, but she knows the perpetrator – another girl, who still lives in her town. “I think she might have pushed me,” says … Read more

My daughter is beautiful. At least, I’ve always thought so and, like many mothers of babies and toddlers, I enjoyed the recognition of her gorgeousness from others. “Isn’t she cute?” “Her eyes are so pretty!” “Wow, what lovely thick hair!” There are, of course, many other wonderful things about my youngest – her voracious appetite … Read more

I read that the energy price cap is going up again in April and people are struggling to pay their bills, but I can’t find any information relating to homes with bulk LPG tanks. Does anybody care about us? Is there any control over the spiralling cost of buying it? At the moment we pay … Read more

From ancient star streams to the innards of white dwarfs, the Gaia space telescope has seen it all. On Thursday, mission specialists at the European Space Agency will send Gaia, which is low on fuel, into orbit around the sun, and switch it off after more than a decade of service to the world’s astronomers. … Read more

The vermilion, amethyst and jade ribbons of the northern and southern lights are some of Earth’s most distinctive features. But our planet doesn’t have a monopoly on auroras. Scientists have spied them throughout the solar system, weaving through the skies of Mars, Saturn, Jupiter and even on some of Jupiter’s fiery and icy moons. Lights … Read more

Oatcakes are that glorious thing: portable porridge – a high-fibre, high-energy, pocket-friendly snack that’s almost as good on its own as it is on a cheeseboard with a wedge of Hebridean blue. Commercial versions, however (which often contain some very un-Scottish palm oil), can be so sturdy that they could double as chipboard, but once … Read more