Astonishing returns, cult overtones and a ‘perfect virtual world’. How the HyperVerse scheme caught fire online
Bizarre videos promoted the alleged Ponzi scheme and senior promoters lived the high life, but for thousands around the world the reality was a huge financial loss
What AI doesn’t know: we could be creating a global ‘knowledge collapse’
The long read: As GenAI becomes the primary way to find information, local and traditional wisdom is being lost. And we are only beginning to realise what we’re missing
The tyranny of the algorithm: why every coffee shop looks the same
The long read: From the generic hipster cafe to the ‘Instagram wall’, the internet has pushed us towards a kind of global ubiquity – and this phenomenon is only going to intensify
On side A, our baby’s first words! The vinyl-carver sparking a craze for cutting records at home
Using a diamond needle, lathe-cutters can turn blank vinyl discs into your very own record – with a pressing run of however many or few you fancy. We report on a booming business
‘All it takes is a quick walk’: how a few minutes’ exercise can unleash creativity – even if you hate it
Do you have your best ideas while running to the bus stop, or walking the dog? You’re not alone. Researchers are finding remarkable links between movement and blue-sky thinking
Can’t pay, won’t pay: impoverished streaming services are driving viewers back to piracy
As subscription costs rise and choice diminishes on legal sites, film and TV fans are turning to VPNs and illicit streamers, with Sweden – home of both Spotify and The Pirate Bay – leading the way