The Michael Jackson Biopic and Other New Movies Everyone Will Be Talking About This Week
This week’s Australian cinema slate includes four distinct releases: Genki Kawamura’s art‑house thriller *Exit 8* (95 min, ★★★½), the estate‑backed Michael Jackson biopic *Michael* (123 min, ★★★), the gritty MMA drama *Beast* (97 min, ★★★½), and the pastoral romance *Alphabet Lane* (80 min, ★★★). *Michael* trims a originally planned 3½‑hour epic, sidestepping later‑life controversies, while *Beast* features real‑time combat injuries to heighten authenticity. The films showcase a blend of high‑concept storytelling, local talent, and varied genre appeal, positioning Australian theaters as a testing ground for both niche and mainstream fare.
BOY SODA Announces ‘Soulstar Deluxe’, Shares New Track ‘Chase Your Tail’
Australian R&B artist Boy Soda announced a deluxe edition of his debut album Soulstar, slated for June 19, featuring five new songs including the lead single “Chase Your Tail.” The track drops today via Warner Music Australia, coinciding with his...
Ultrahuman Launched the First Smart Ring Integration for Expert-Led Workouts
Ultrahuman has partnered with Les Mills to embed the PowerPlug feature into its smart‑ring ecosystem. The integration draws on data from the Ultrahuman Ring Air and Ring Pro—sleep, recovery score, HRV, temperature and menstrual cycle—to recommend two to three on‑demand workout...
Your Aerobic System Isn’t Broken
The article debunks "Aerobic deficiency syndrome" (ADS) as a marketing invention lacking any peer‑reviewed scientific basis. It critiques Phil Maffetone’s MAF method, showing that the 180‑minus‑age heart‑rate formula is not physiologically validated and can mislead athletes. The piece then outlines...
This Routine Heart Scan Sees the Danger Coming Long Before Symptoms Strike
Researchers at Kumamoto University demonstrated that adding a delayed imaging phase to a standard cardiac CT scan enables measurement of Late Iodine Enhancement (LIE) and Extracellular Volume (ECV) fractions. In a cohort of 1,207 patients tracked for an average of...
Bangkok Hawkers Center Street Food Open Now
A new Bangkok Hawkers Center, a purpose‑built street‑food marketplace, opened in the city’s central business district this week. The venue houses over 50 local vendors offering Thai classics, regional specialties, and modern fusion dishes. Designed with communal seating and a...
Scientists Unleash Giant ‘Freak Wave’ in Lab Pool and It Erupts Upward (Video)
Scientists have recreated a rogue wave in a circular wave basin by synchronizing computer‑controlled paddles to focus energy at the center, producing a vertical jet that mimics 65‑foot ocean swells. The experiment offers the first repeatable, lab‑scale visual proof of...
The Age You Start Regularly Watching Adult Content Predicts Your Future Mental Health
Researchers analyzed 1,316 U.S. adults to map when they first encountered sexually explicit material and when they began viewing it regularly. They identified three trajectories—Early Engagers (first exposure ~14, regular use by 18), Casual Engagers (first exposure ~28, regular use...
Wild Foxes: The Body Keeps the Score in This Affecting Drama About an Injured Young Boxer
Valéry Carnoy’s debut feature *Wild Foxes* (2025) captured two Directors’ Fortnight awards at Cannes and joins a wave of Belgian youth‑centric dramas. The film tracks teenage boxer Camille, whose swift physical recovery after a severe fall gives way to phantom...
“A Story Marshalled with Dazzling Skill and Precision”: All the President’s Men Reviewed in 1976
The review lauds Alan Pakula’s 1976 adaptation of All the President’s Men for its meticulous recreation of the Washington Post’s Watergate investigation, noting the film’s reliance on authentic newsroom props and tight script revisions with the real reporters. Robert Redford...
Surviving Earth: Slavko Sobin Is a Beguiling Presence in This Well-Crafted Debut
Thea Gajić’s debut feature Surviving Earth arrives in UK cinemas on 24 April, following the volatile journey of Vlad, a Serbian musician and recovering heroin addict played by Slavko Sobin. Sobin delivers a beguiling performance that balances charisma with self‑destructive impulses, anchoring...
Neuroendocrine Signature of ME/CFS: Meta-Analytic Evidence for Bioactive Cortisol Deficit and Exaggerated Feedback Sensitivity
A new meta‑analysis of neuroendocrine studies in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) reveals a consistent deficit in bioactive cortisol and an exaggerated hypothalamic‑pituitary‑adrenal (HPA) feedback loop. The pooled data indicate roughly a 30% reduction in free cortisol levels compared with...
Interfacial Polarity Modulation of Positive Electrode Active Materials for High-Potential Lithium Metal Batteries
Researchers have introduced a polarity‑modulation strategy for positive‑electrode active materials that stabilizes high‑potential lithium‑metal batteries. By applying tailored self‑assembled monolayers and fluorinated surface treatments, the cathode interphase becomes LiF‑rich, suppressing electrolyte oxidation above 4.5 V. The approach delivered a 4.6 V Li||LiCoO₂...
Beyond the Grant: How Philanthropy Can Rewire Education Financing
A new report highlights a $97 billion annual education financing gap, worsened by projected ODA cuts of $3.2 billion. Private philanthropy can act as a catalyst, with $3.3 billion in grant redirection potentially unlocking $52 billion of new capital for low‑ and middle‑income countries....
The Art World This Week: AI Reveals El Greco Authorship, Finland Retracts From Venice Biennale, National Gallery Receives $116m Donation,...
Scientists at Case Western Reserve University unveiled a machine‑learning tool that can detect multiple artists’ contributions in a 17th‑century El Greco altarpiece, offering a new method for attribution studies. Finland announced it will withdraw from the Venice Biennale if Russia is...
Do the Silent Middle Get to Belong in Higher Education?
The article highlights the “silent middle” – students who meet minimum requirements yet remain invisible in higher‑education belonging initiatives. It argues that current belonging frameworks privilege vocal, visible engagement, overlooking structural, cultural and strategic reasons many learners stay quiet. By...
Why Protecting Mental Health in the Workplace Has Never Mattered More
Mental health is being recognized as a workplace priority as the nation confronts a self‑reported crisis, with nine out of ten voters acknowledging the issue. The article argues that non‑clinical distress is pervasive, eroding meaning and productivity among employees. It...
Fixed or Flexible? Study Shows Vision-Related Neurons Can Rapidly Switch Codes
Neuroscientists led by Doris Tsao have demonstrated that neurons in the inferotemporal (IT) cortex do not rely on static tuning functions as previously believed. Using high‑resolution recordings in awake monkeys, the team showed that individual visual neurons can flip between...
Researchers Explore New Approach to Multivirus Drug Development
Researchers at Stanford Medicine, led by Shirit Einav, are pioneering a host‑targeted antiviral strategy that disables human enzymes essential for viral replication rather than attacking the virus directly. Their recent Nature Communications paper describes a small‑molecule, RMC‑113, which halted replication...
How to Sharpen Lawn Mower Blades for a Cleaner-Looking Yard
Keeping lawn mower blades sharp is essential for healthy grass and efficient mowing. Dull blades tear grass, leading to brown tips, increased disease risk, and longer mowing times. Experts recommend sharpening blades every 20‑25 hours of use, or more frequently...
The Pace of Workplace Change Isn’t the Problem—Leadership Is
The Qualtrics 2026 Employee Experience report finds 72% of workers feeling significant change, while the World Economic Forum predicts 39% of core skills will be obsolete by 2030. CEOs are urged to shift from managing isolated initiatives to leading continuous...
Jim Carrey's Highest-Rated Drama Hailed as "Flawless" Lands New UK Streaming Home
The 1998 dramedy The Truman Show, starring Jim Carrey, has become his highest‑rated film on Rotten Tomatoes and is now available to stream on Prime Video in the UK. The film holds a 94% critic score from 160 reviews and...
Got A Little Extra Kitchen Foil? Make Your Vegetable Garden A Safe Haven For Hummingbirds
As spring arrives, gardeners are inviting hummingbirds for pollination and pest control. Homemade nectar can ferment quickly in heat, posing health risks to the birds. Wrapping the feeder’s reservoir in aluminum foil reflects radiant heat, keeping the solution cooler and...
New Clues to Hepatitis B Species Restriction Could Help Build a Novel Model for Studying Infection
Researchers at Rockefeller University discovered that mouse liver cells can generate hepatitis B virus (HBV) covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) at levels similar to human cells, overturning the long‑held belief that DNA composition blocks infection. The study pinpointed a late‑stage...
Chicken Gene-Editing Advance Opens Path to Drug-Producing Eggs
University of Missouri researchers used CRISPR to insert a gene cassette into the chicken housekeeping gene GAPDH, overcoming epigenetic silencing that has hampered stable transgenic poultry. The inserted reporter stayed active for months of cell division, proving continuous expression. This...
Private Money, Public Retreat
A $116 million endowment from a billionaire will permanently fund the National Gallery’s art‑loan program, while the Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater in Cape Cod has suspended operations due to a tightening philanthropic climate. Similar strains appear nationwide: Brazil’s film sector relies...
Our May Issue Celebrates Exceptional Timepieces and the People Who Wear Them
Monocle’s May 2026 issue celebrates the art of timekeeping, pairing its annual Design Awards with stories about a delayed train to Churchill, Canada, and the revitalisation of Cairo’s historic neighbourhood. The issue features a deep dive into why professionals still...
There Is a Cost to Being Unreachable. But the Cost of Being Available Is Far Higher. Jerusalem Demsas’s Experiment in...
Acclaimed novelist Helen DeWitt publicly declined the $175,000 Windham‑Campbell Prize after the award’s organizers demanded a week of public appearances, a podcast interview, and a full‑day video shoot. Unable to secure Wi‑Fi in Amsterdam and battling severe mental‑health challenges, DeWitt...
Prophets Used to Be Executed for Being Wrong. While the Penalties Are Less Severe, the Lure of Prediction Remains the...
Carissa Véliz’s new book *Prophecy* traces prediction from ancient oracles to today’s AI, arguing that forecasts are tools of power rather than facts. She highlights how big‑tech’s AI hype steers markets and policy, granting a small elite outsized influence. Véliz...
The Monocle Design Awards 2026: The Most Beautiful Buildings and Architectural Design
The Monocle Design Awards 2026 spotlight a diverse slate of award‑winning buildings, from Lombard Odier’s lake‑front Swiss headquarters to Seattle’s waterfront park that replaced a crumbling viaduct. Winners demonstrate how architecture can reinforce brand values, address skills shortages, and revive urban...
Stellar Flares May Expand Habitable Zones Around Small Stars
Researchers from China have refined the ultraviolet habitable zone (UV‑HZ) around low‑mass K‑type and M‑type stars, showing that stellar flares can push UV radiation outward and potentially overlap with the liquid‑water habitable zone (LW‑HZ). Using models on nine confirmed exoplanets,...
New Tool Can See How Different Brain Cell Types Work Together
Boston University researchers unveiled PhysMAP, a machine‑learning tool that isolates the electrical signatures of individual brain cell types from mixed neural recordings. Trained on seven publicly available optotagged datasets, the algorithm outperforms existing methods and can be applied to new...
Study: Malaria Shaped Human Settlement Patterns for Over 74,000 Years
A new study by Max‑Planck Institute and Cambridge researchers shows that malaria drove early humans to avoid high‑risk areas across sub‑Saharan Africa for the past 74,000 years. By integrating mosquito species distribution models with paleoclimate data, the team mapped malaria transmission...
HHS Still Developing Long COVID Biomarkers, Online Patient Resource Hub
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced that HHS is still working to identify biomarkers for Long COVID and is creating an online patient‑physician resource hub. The effort follows criticism that the previous administration dismantled the...
Psychology Says a Truly Successful Life Isn’t Measured by What You’ve Accumulated, It’s Measured by Whether the People Closest to...
Psychologists argue that true success isn’t about assets or accolades but whether the people around you feel more authentic after interacting with you. The article cites research linking close relationships to happiness and highlights personal anecdotes about presence over productivity....
Cosmetics From Waste? Microbial Discovery Unlocks Greener Route to High-Value Chemical Products
Researchers at the University of Toronto have identified how chain‑elongating bacteria can be coaxed to produce medium‑chain carboxylic acids (MCCAs) such as octanoic acid, a high‑value chemical used in cosmetics, surfactants and animal feed. The study, published in Nature Microbiology,...
John John Florence Calls Cloudbreak ‘Best Wave In The World’ in New Edit
John John Florence released a new mini‑documentary on his YouTube channel, declaring Fiji’s Cloudbreak the "best wave in the world." The edit blends surf footage, local Q&A, and behind‑the‑scenes moments from Florence’s boat, highlighting the wave’s power and the community...
Shark Deterrent Surfboard Fins Currently Being Developed by Australian Research Team
University of Wollongong’s Surf Flex Lab is developing “smart composite” surfboard fins that embed miniaturized sensors, electromagnetic emitters and illumination to deter shark attacks. The project, partially funded by the Australian Composites Manufacturing CRC, aims to match the flex and...
HorsegiirL Releases Crunchy New Single for Earth Day
horsegiirL, the half‑human, half‑horse pop persona, has released her debut single “Earth is Turning” ahead of Earth Day. The track leads up to her first full‑length album “Nature Is Healing,” scheduled for June 5, coinciding with Pride celebrations. The artist, who...
Nike's Cloudy Air Max 95 Has Fire on the Forecast
Nike has launched a new “Thunder Blue” Air Max 95 in partnership with South Korean streetwear label WORKSOUT. The sneaker showcases a cloud‑inspired blue upper, ripple‑textured navy Swoosh and a sandy outsole, echoing stormy skies and beach tones. Priced at $190 on...
Family Environment Can Shape Life Outcomes Across Generations
A Swedish study of more than 12,000 sibling pairs found that children adopted into higher‑resource families faced significantly lower risks of mental illness, criminal behavior, and reliance on social benefits compared with their siblings who stayed with biologically disadvantaged parents....
3 Stretches to Release Your Tight Back and Hamstrings
Yoga Journal revisits a classic 1994 routine that teaches three forward‑bend sequences designed to loosen tight hamstrings and alleviate back tension. The program starts with a wall‑supported warm‑up stretch, moves into a strapped seated forward bend that preserves spinal length,...
The Chicago Pizza Experience Giving Diners Sweeping Skyline Views
Giordano’s, Chicago’s iconic deep‑dish pizza chain, now serves its signature pies on the Willis Tower Skydeck. Diners can choose the glass‑enclosed 103rd‑floor "The Ledge" for intimate dates or the 99th‑floor space for larger groups, with availability limited to specific weekdays. The...
10 Upcoming Animated Movies That You Cannot Miss
An upcoming slate of animated releases promises a strong 2026‑27 season, mixing sequels from established franchises with bold original projects. Netflix leads with *Swapped*, starring Michael B. Jordan and Juno Temple, while Illumination follows its Mario success with *Minions &...
Q&A: What Do Teenagers Need From Their Parents?
Greg Fosco, a Penn State professor, explains that teens thrive when parents combine attentive monitoring with trust‑building autonomy. His research shows that stable, supportive parent‑teen relationships lower risky behaviors, improve mental health, and create a halo effect that influences peers. He also...
Overlooked Brain Damage Sets Off a Chain Reaction that Could Change How Neurodegeneration Is Fought
Cambridge researchers have shown that localized damage to white‑matter myelin can provoke a cascade of changes in distant gray‑matter regions, including reduced neuronal activity, microglial activation, and loss of synaptic connections. The study, published in Nature, demonstrated that these effects...
How Adam Milstein’s “Active Philanthropy” Turned Jewish Giving Into a Strategic Weapon
Adam Milstein has reshaped Jewish philanthropy with his “Active Philanthropy” model, demanding donors stay engaged beyond writing checks. His foundation evaluates nonprofits like venture‑capital deals, focusing on leadership, scalability, and measurable ROI. The approach, built on hands‑on board participation, strategic...
Interventional Radiology Procedure Offers Relief From Painful Blood-Clot Side Effect
A new NIH‑sponsored trial, C‑TRACT, evaluated catheter‑directed stent placement for patients with post‑thrombotic syndrome (PTS) after deep‑vein thrombosis. The study enrolled 225 participants across 29 U.S. centers and compared stenting plus standard care to anticoagulation and compression alone. Six months...
Embryonic Pathways Found to Balance the Adult Mind
Researchers identified the embryonic GPCR Smoothened as a critical regulator of adult striatal learning. In cholinergic interneurons, Smoothened shortens the acetylcholine pause, tightening the window during which dopamine can reinforce behavior. Mice lacking Smoothened learn motor tasks faster but lose...
Catherine Fletcher on The Firearm Revolution
Catherine Fletcher’s new Princeton University Press volume, *The Firearm Revolution*, traces the social and cultural history of early modern firearms, from concealed wheellocks in the 1520s to Venice’s regulated arms export system. The book reveals how European governments repeatedly lagged...