If you’re in London during the Paralympic Games and you happen to overhear a pair plotting—in Elizabethan English—to assassinate a monarch, you needn’t be alarmed.


Rather than something sinister, they’re more likely part of the London 2012 Festival Cultural Olympiad. Co-hosted by London Mayor Boris Johnson and created by Tony-award winning actor Mark Rylance, ‘What You Will: Pop Up Shakespeare” will appear in cultural hot-spots throughout the capital during the first week of the Paralympics, which begin next Tuesday.

With a historical location announced each day via Twitter, the mixture of one-to-one surprise interactions and Shakespearean flash-mobs will further the festival’s theme of “art in unusual places.” Without any props, costumes, or sets, the actors will blend seamlessly into the crowd and in some cases, appear as though they don’t intend to be overheard at all.

Jonathan Moore, acclaimed actor and director of the experience, hopes the pedestrian theatrics will result in someone asking: “Was that Hamlet that just walked past me on the River Thames?”

The pop-up production’s 50 cast members also include deaf or physically impaired actors. In line with the ethos of both the Paralympics and Shakespeare himself, the casting process was intended to be as inclusive as possible, explained Moore.

“The danger of Shakespeare is that it’s sort of middle class white men from Oxbridge talking in posh voices,” Moore said. “But Shakespeare wasn’t an Oxbridge type of person—he speaks to all people of all cultures. So why can’t he speak for and through physically challenged actors, deaf actors, and hearing impaired actors as well?”

The universal truth and appeal of Shakespeare’s work is timeless, Moore said, but the way people experience his prose nowadays has become far too rigid. While attending a production was once as commonplace as going to a football match, today Shakespeare’s works are rarely experienced outside of school studies or expensive theatres. Those cultural barriers often mean that only a portion of the population ever gets to experience those “moments and bits of grace and magic” that Shakespeare provides in droves.

Moore demonstrates what he means when, mid-sentence, he shifts imperceptibly into iambic pentameter. His musings, at first, sound unintelligible, but the rhythm and cadence of Shakespeare’s words are unmistakable.

“It’s that! That’s what it is,” he says with a laugh. “You hear the rhythm and there’s that lovely moment of delight where you think ‘My god, I’m being Shakespeare’d.’ People don’t have time to say they don’t understand it— so our hope is to bring the greatest writer that ever lived to the widest range of people.”

Image courtesy of Pop Up Shakespeare

  • Plastic pollution in drinking water could be solved by a simple seed from a ‘Miracle Tree’
    Photo credit: Canva(Left)Plastic pollution from the ocean and (Right) Moringa oleifera seeds.

    Plastic pollution has been a serious problem since the rise of fossil fuel-based manufacturing. As tiny plastic particles find their way into something as essential as drinking water, the world needs a solution quickly.

    The answer may be simpler than we expect. Researchers testing a salt-based extract from Moringa oliefera seeds were able to remove over 98% of microplastics from drinking water. The study published in ACS Omega showed that the simple filtration system could be adapted for water treatment facilities at a lower cost and requires less energy.

    safe drinking water, parenting, microscopic plastic, health concerns
    A father shares drinking water with his son.
    Photo credit Canva

    ‘Miracle Tree’ produces miracle seeds

    The Moringa oleifera is a tropical tree native to parts of South Asia. Today, it’s cultivated on a global scale. Thriving in harsh, drought-prone regions, this “miracle tree” has been used to treat hundreds of conditions. Healthline reported that it contains 90+ bioactive compounds that help combat everything from inflammation to stress. A 2023 study in MDPI showed medicinal properties could be utilized in nearly every part of the tree, from its leaves to its roots.

    However, the solution to the plastic problem comes from its seeds. Researchers ground and mixed the seeds with a salt solution to pull out positively charged proteins. This mix attracts impurities, including microplastics, like a natural magnet. Clumping and binding with the impurities in a process called “coagulation,” they then sink to the bottom.

    family, biology, microplastics, life
    Microplastics on top of a father’s and a daughter’s fingers.
    Photo credit Canva

    Microplastics removed from drinking water

    Researchers tested this plant-based method against the industry-standard chemical alum: aluminium sulfate. The moringa extract worked across a wider range of conditions than alum, demonstrating reliability in real-world applications. As concerns grow over the long-term impact of chemicals used in water treatment, there is a clear need to shift toward safer alternatives.

    Simplifying the filtration process can significantly reduce both costs and energy demands typically required on an industrial level. This approach enables communities lacking resources to have an effective solution for plastic pollution.

    water treatment, health, industrial plant, plastic pollution
    An industrial water treatment plant.
    Photo credit Canva

    Treating plastic pollution is a global problem

    Developing countries face major environmental and health threats from plastic pollution. A 2024 study in Science Direct showed 60% of global plastic consumption and production comes from countries lacking proper quality control. A 2023 study in MDPI revealed that even where infrastructure exists, it’s limited and overwhelmed. Facing 120 million tons of waste annually, the situation suggests pollution is widespread and underreported.

    Offering a cheap and efficient option, Moringa oliefera seeds could be an invaluable solution. But it’s still not a perfect system. The seed extract is an organic material. That means proteins and fats can remain in the water after filtration.

    A 2025 study in Scientific Reports found organic matter reacting with disinfectants like chlorine is linked to health risks, including cancer. Also, stored water would be susceptible to bacterial regrowth and become contaminated over time. Researchers on the study believe this is an area of ongoing work that requires more research.

    Microplastics are everywhere. With inconsistent water treatment, less monitoring, and weaker waste systems, exposure is high and poorly controlled. Moringa oleifera isn’t a flawless fix, but it’s a promising study. The seeds could eventually work alongside modern systems, bringing us closer to tackling the complex problem of plastic pollution in our water.

  • Illustrator says the best way to stay motivated when learning a new hobby is to spend money
    Photo credit: CanvaThere's a way to stay motivated while continuing to enjoy your hobby.

    Starting a hobby and keeping at it can be difficult. A person might feel discouraged because they aren’t good at it from the get-go. Another person might enjoy it fully but think their time and/or money could be put to better use. Embroidery illustrator and author Sara Barnes offers a tip that can help people stay motivated in their pastime: investing in professional resources and equipment.

    Barnes argues that, while experimenting with a new hobby on your own can be fulfilling, putting money towards classes taught by professionals can help a hobbyist stay motivated to grow and further enjoy it. Depending on your hobby, purchasing professional-grade equipment can keep you interested and invested. The thought process behind it is that, if a person spends money on a hobby, they’re more likely to stick with it to justify the cost.

    @artist.mackenzie

    Always buy the best art materials ❤️ Top tips for artists. Buy the best you can afford. Like all things in life there are levels and I truly believe that the better quality of tools can help in no end. There are times when I look at the colours I’m able to make with my pastels and think ‘how is that possible’ it amazes me. ❤️ Same goes for my paper, sculptures etc etc. ❤️ This if from a list in the book of top tips for artists ❤️ Art for all ❤️

    ♬ original sound – Artist Mackenzie

    Spending money literally makes you more invested

    A painting class taught by a pro means person-to-person input and lessons. These advantages expand your knowledge and skill, encouraging you to play around with more techniques as you learn and grow. After all, it’s hard to keep a hobby without a sense of growth or accomplishment attached to it.

    Signing up for professional boxing training forces you to get off the couch and grab your gloves. In return, you’ll learn more about boxing, get quality exercise, and have fun incorporated into your schedule. Also, investing in quality gloves will similarly motivate you to be intentional about your training.

    Purchasing expensive gear and supplies for a simple hobby you might not maintain may sound risky or foolish, especially given the current state of the US economy. On the contrary, it can be a quality investment of both money and time. During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic uncertainty, hobbies were necessary investments to promote good physical, mental, and social health.

    @edwina.co

    JUNE 2025: hobby costs + me realising why I still need to work my corporate job 🫠 Money can’t buy happiness, but it can fund all your interests and hobbies #hobby #hobbies #corporatemillennial #adultmoney #corporategirlies #hobbygirlsummer

    ♬ Bossa Nova jazz that seems to fit in a cafe(1433079) – TAKANORI ONDA

    Pricier classes and equipment might actually save money on hobbies

    Even financial experts recommend investing in your hobbies as long as you’re not taking on debt to pursue them. They say it might even improve your budget. 

    After all, budgeting for an expensive pair of high-quality running shoes only once will end up being less expensive than paying for monthly streaming services you barely watch. Getting a pricier but sturdier table saw for woodworking will save money  compared to frequently buying replacement parts when cheaper models break. Taking a cooking class can encourage you to cook more at home and eat out less in the long term.

    On the surface, it may look silly to spend money on a weird color of paint, professional-grade ice skates, or a Thai recipe cooking class, but what you’re really spending money on is your well-being. Hobbies not only provide mental breaks from the stress in life, they offer opportunities to socialize with and befriend others who share your interests.

    With time and experience, the initial investment in your hobby will become cheaper. You’ll either already own the equipment needed to do the hobby, have enough expertise to pursue it without attending a class, or both. It depends on what hobbies you pursue and enjoy, but this philosophy can apply to almost anything.

    So, while figuring out where to invest your money, consider making your hobby a priority. It not only keeps you motivated, but can provide a positive impact on your body, mind, and long-term finances, too.

  • Ancient teeth reveal clues to the environment humans’ early ancestors evolved in millions of years ago
    Photo credit: Zelalem BedasoChemicals in your tooth enamel record evidence of your diet that can last millions of years.

    Teeth are like tiny biological time capsules. They tell stories about ancient diets and environments long after their owners have died and landscapes have changed.

    After bones break down, tooth enamel stays hard and unchanged, even in fossilized teeth that have been buried under sediment and rock for millions of years and are now being uncovered by erosion or excavation.

    Tooth enamel forms when an animal is young, and it remains chemically stable for the rest of that animal’s life. The food an animal eats and the water it drinks during its youth leave chemical signals within the enamel.

    Because of that, hidden within the enamel of fossilized teeth, scientists can find traces of extinct forests, expanding savanna grasslands, shifting climates and evolving animal communities.

    A group of oryx, a type of antelope, on a dry landscape.
    A small group of oryx forage in the open savanna of Awash National Park in Ethiopia, with scattered acacia trees and dry grasses illustrating the park’s semi-arid environment. Zelalem Bedaso

    Over the past 30 years, my colleagues and I have been analyzing chemical traces in fossil teeth from Ethiopia’s Afar region in the East African Rift Valley – often referred to as the cradle of humanity – to uncover what animals ate there millions of years ago, around the time early human ancestors were evolving, and what the world looked like around them.

    These clues from ancient meals are enabling scientists to reconstruct pictures of entire ecosystems, including forests, wetlands and grasslands that existed at the time. It’s a reminder that in a very real sense, organisms are what they eat.

    Traces of ancient diets in fossil teeth

    To determine which plants ancient animals ate, my colleagues and I collect a small amount of enamel powder from fossilized teeth. We then analyze this powder in the laboratory using specialized instruments that detect chemical signals preserved in the enamel.

    Trees and grasses have different ways of using photosynthesis to convert sunlight into energy. These methods leave distinct chemical patterns in plant tissues, which then become incorporated into the teeth of animals that eat those plants.

    By examining these chemical patterns in tooth enamel, we can determine whether animals primarily fed on trees and shrubs or on grass, providing insight into the vegetation that once covered the ancient landscape.

    A scientist looks at a sample with layers of rock in the background.
    The author conducts fieldwork in the East African Rift, collecting samples from ancient lake and river deposits. Courtesy of Zelalem Bedaso

    We can then figure out how an environment changed over time by collecting fossil teeth from different rock layers. Each layer formed at a different time in the past, so teeth found in deeper layers are typically older than those closer to the surface.

    By analyzing tooth enamel from fossils across these layers, we can compare the chemical signals preserved in the teeth and see how animal diets and the plants growing in the landscape changed through time.

    Adding that knowledge to data from different types of fossils, we can track long-term shifts in vegetation, climate and ecosystems.

    A changing landscape in the last 4 million years

    Four million years ago, the Afar region looked very different from the dry landscape you will see there today.

    Fossils, including tooth enamel, reveal that the area supported a diverse range of environments. Rivers flowed through wooded areas, lakes were scattered across the landscape, and grassy plains stretched across the basin.

    A map of the East African Rift Valley
    Three tectonic plates are pulling apart at the Afar region, near the Red Sea. Val Rim/Wikimedia CommonsCC BY-SA

    Fossilized teeth from animals like antelopes, giraffes, pigs, horses, hippos and elephants show a wide range of diets. Some animals browsed on leaves and shrubs, while others grazed on grass in open habitats.

    The chemical signals in the teeth indicate that grasslands were expanding at the time, but forests still played an important role. They show that animals moved through this environment and adapted to the food sources around them.

    A dry valley landscape with layers in the rock.
    Ethiopia’s Afar Depression and Awash Valley, shaped by rifting and erosion, are among the world’s most important regions for fossil discoveries of human ancestors. Some of those fossils date back 3 million to 4 million years. Zelalem Bedaso

    Around 2 million to 3 million years ago, the environment shifted more drastically toward open grasslands.

    The East African Rift Valley gets its shape from three tectonic plates that have been slowly pulling apart. This tectonic activity has changed the landscape over time, altering the regional climate and drainage. Two to three million years ago, it helped shift environments from more wooded habitats to a mix of grasslands and open savannas.

    Animals that relied on grass flourished, and the populations of those that didn’t adapt declined. Horses and certain antelopes, for example, developed teeth that could grind tough, gritty plants. This adaptation is recorded on their enamel.

    Early humans in a mosaic world

    Early human ancestors, like the famous “Lucy,” whose skeleton was discovered in the Afar region, lived in this dynamic landscape.

    Fossil teeth from Australopithecus afraensis, an early human that lived in eastern Africa between about 2.9 million and 3.8 million years ago, indicate that early human relatives did not rely heavily on grass. Instead, the chemical signal in their enamel indicates mixed diets and dietary flexibility, which included fruits, leaves and roots, depending on what was available.

    In a landscape that combined woodland patches and open savanna, that adaptability may have been key to survival.

    This period of environmental change coincided with several important evolutionary developments and morphological changes in pre-humans. Early human ancestors were walking upright. Brain size also gradually increased, allowing for more complex behavior and problem-solving.

    During this time, early humans began making and using stone tools, marking a major step in technological innovation and helping them adapt to changing environments.

    Diet shapes destiny

    The dietary changes in the East African Rift Valley over the past 4 million years, documented through tooth enamel, are providing important clues for reconstructing the environment in which humans’ ancestors lived and how those environments changed.

    They also show that species that adjusted their diets as landscapes changed were the ones most likely to survive.

    This ongoing research helps explore profound questions of how environmental shifts shaped life on Earth, including human trajectories. And that is helping humanity unlock its collective past.

    This article originally appeared on The Conversation. You can read it here.

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