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An irony of the conflict in the Middle East is that the drones dropping bombs on Tehran are modelled on technology that Iran has been developing since the 1980s.
Looking to cut costs in military production, the US sought inspiration from the Iranian Shahed drone. The result was the Low-Cost Uncrewed Combat Attack System (Lucas) now being deployed by Washington to globally disruptive effect. The story of how one side’s innovation came to be the other’s weapon of choice reveals a lot about the nature of modern warfare.
As the bombing intensified, Beijing condemned the US action as a “flagrant violation” of the UN charter. There are major economic factors at play in this decision to side with Iran. China imports more than half its crude oil from countries in the Gulf, so there are immediate consequences from the crisis. That said, the potential for a protracted war does hold potential benefits for China.
I was dancing at a pool party that was way too cool for me last week when the DJ unexpectedly put on a track called Another Night by the Real McCoy. This song came out in 1994 and I probably haven’t heard it since then – yet I could still sing along to every single lyric as it played. It’s not an especially good song, and I don’t want to talk about the fact I was the only person at the party old enough to remember it. But how is it possible that I knew every verse after more than 30 years? Having experienced similar flawless recall in her car recently when an old tune came on the radio, anatomy specialist Michelle Spear is perfectly placed to
explain.
If you close your eyes and imagine being at a basketball game, what do you hear? The roar of the crowd, yes. The shouts of the players too. But I bet the overriding sound you imagine is the squeak, squeak, squeak of the atheletes' shoes as they slip and slide around the court. So why do they make this noise – and can’t the world’s brightest minds develop a silent version?
In a world that often leaves female filmmakers unacknowledged, Spain is blazing a trail. This year’s Malaga film festival featured more women than men in the best directing category for the first time. To mark international women’s day tomorrow, we’ve looked at six Spanish directors whose work is worth watching this weekend.
Also this week, why you should be sceptical when someone accuses you of taking their words “out of context”, how to decide if it’s worth retraining to avoid being replaced by AI, and what to read if you are open to having your perspective shifted by literature.
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