Illustration: Rita Liu/The Guardian What are microplastics? Microplastics are tiny particles of plastic. The usual definition is anything under 5mm in length or about the diameter of a grain of rice. Where do microplastics come from? Microplastics may be created and intentionally added to consumer products, such as the tiny beads in face and body … Read more
As we live longer, our risk of cognitive impairment is increasing. How can we delay the onset of symptoms? Do we have to give up every indulgence or can small changes make a difference? We asked neurologists for tips on how to keep our brains healthy for life. Take care of your health generally “All … Read more
Name: The baby name generation gap. Age: Hopefully it wears off by three or four. Appearance: Thin-lipped disapproval. Is this about changing tastes in baby names? It’s about differences of opinion. Between whom? Parents and grandparents. One in five grandparents say they’ve hated one of their grandkids’ names. That sounds a lot. Luckily, only 4% … Read more
After three decades as a jobbing actor, Colman Domingo finally ascended to the Hollywood A-list in 2023 off the back of Rustin, a biopic of Bayard Rustin, an adviser to Martin Luther King Jr and civil rights icon. But while his performance was brilliant, Domingo’s meteoric rise was also down to something else: his masterful … Read more
There is so much to love about a drink in a tin. Cans can be quickly and easily chilled, with their contents staying fresh; they’re widely recyclable, compact, lightweight and portable; there’s no fear of cans smashing into smithereens; you don’t require any gadgets to open them – and they vastly improve any journey or … Read more
When a trembling dog was placed in my arms in the early hours of a December Saturday I was not too concerned by her terrified state. After all, I knew about rescue dogs. Cabbage, our lovely collie cross who had died at the beginning of the year, had come from a Dogs Trust rescue centre … Read more
It was the summer of 2001 and I was on the brink of adolescence, embarking on my first journey outside the United States to the tropically convenient American territory of Puerto Rico. I was 11, and already the goofball in my group of friends – but, away from those with whom I was familiar, I … Read more
Tuna is a chiweenie with a hyperbolic overbite, a tongue that sticks out aggressively when he sleeps, a neck shrivelled like a raisin – and 1.9m Instagram followers. Fans tune in to watch him pose as Harry Potter next to platform 9¾, dress as a spicy tuna roll or to savour no-frills shots of him … Read more
Kari Johnston felt ready to retire after 45 years in nursing when, at 63 years old, she decided to launch her own business – a professional decluttering and organising service. She had read about decluttering and, fascinated, quickly created a website and advertised. Her first clients were friends. Three-and-a-half years later, Johnston, from St Monans … Read more
Around a year ago I noticed that my account on the British Gas app had acquired a new address in Glasgow. I have only one house and it is in London. I called up its customer service number and I was told someone would look into it. I waited patiently but nothing happened, so I … Read more