
How The Sims accidentally invented the cosy game genre
Ooboo Vroose Baa Dooo! Thats happy birthday in Simlish, the delightfully nonsensical language of The Sims. The life simulation video game franchise turns 25 this year, making me feel officially old. Like many others, I...
While plastic dominates human consumption, the global economy will remain hooked on fossil fuels
Plastic waste in the Maldives. MOHAMED ABDULRAHEEM/Shutterstock In early December 2024, hopes for a landmark global treaty to curb plastic pollution were dashed as negotiations in South Korea stalled. Leading the campaign...

Presidential smiles: the untold story of teeth in the White House
When Donald Trump joined Elon Musk for a live interview on X (formerly Twitter) late last year, the conversation covered a range of significant topics: his near-assassination, Bidens withdrawal from the race, and the...
Why drying clothes indoors could put your health at risk
Magic Lens/Shutterstock Hanging the washing out to dry in the garden has been a rare sight these last few months, with winter storms bringing freezing temperatures and 100mph gusts of wind. But does the way we dry our...
How to argue without falling out – an expert guide
Pormezz / Shutterstock To disagree is an inescapable part of being human. We simply are not all the same. But whereas a small disagreement may remain amiable, particularly over text or online where we can edit our...

The Sims: from Hot Date to Get Famous, why expansion packs have been key to the game’s longevity
SimCity 3000, the predecessor to The Sims, played a pivotal part in my childhood, growing up in Hyderabad, India. Its recreation of the western, urban world helped me understand how cities were planned, designed and...
Boundaries are about what you do when something triggers an emotional response from you, and how you communicate to others what you are feeling. (Shutterstock) Setting our boundaries can sometimes be tough. Maybe youre...