Professor Didier Plassard is a leading scholar in theatre studies and puppetry at Paul-Valéry Montpellier 3 University in France. He has spent the last five years exploring the rich history of puppet theatre in Europe and its contribution to the development of a common European cultural identity. “Puppets have helped to build a
Lynch, the director of ‘Twin Peaks’ and ‘Mulholland Drive,’ died in January 2024 at the age of 78. Hector Mata/AFP via Getty Images Billy J. Stratton, University of Denver “There’s a sort of evil out there,” says Sheriff Truman in an episode of David Lynch’s iconic TV series, “Twin Peaks.” That line gets
A container ship sailing at night through the Baltic Sea, travelling along the Polish coast, pulls alongside a fishing boat. This behaviour immediately triggers the Polish authorities and raises questions. “You need to ask why are two vessels meeting in the middle of the sea in the middle of the night? Are they
Scott Lucas, University College Dublin After 15 months of bitter conflict on the Gaza Strip, a ceasefire deal has been agreed which promises an end to the fighting and will allow for the access of food and other desperately needed humanitarian aid to the civilian population. Since the Israel Defense Forces launched their
Natasha Lindstaedt, University of Essex Donald Trump has already walked back on his claim that he would solve the Ukraine conflict within 24 hours of taking office. Just as he once stated that he would resolve the healthcare crisis in the US easily, then backtracked to say “nobody knew that health care was
Stefan Wolff, University of Birmingham Donald Trump’s return to the White House on January 20 2025 is widely seen as ushering in a period of significant upheaval for US foreign policy, and a change in the way diplomacy is done. Trump’s favoured style of bluster and threats against foreign leaders already seems to
Asian architecture stands as an eloquent expression of the continent’s profound cultural legacy and its forward-looking ingenuity. This seamless interplay between ancient traditions and pioneering innovation has birthed some of the world’s most awe-inspiring and structurally ambitious edifices. From majestic temples and imperial palaces to avant-garde skyscrapers, Asian architecture reverently preserves its historical
The Earth, as we perceive it today, owes its astonishing and ever-evolving terrain to the unceasing ballet of tectonic dynamics that sculpt its visage. These colossal mechanisms, orchestrated by the planet’s inner furnace and gravitational orchestration, serve as the bedrock of geological study. From soaring alpine chains to abyssal oceanic chasms, each geological
Yap Boum, Mbarara University of Science and Technology The Ebola virus devastated west Africa in 2014, claiming over 11,000 lives in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea. It was the largest Ebola outbreak since the virus had first been discovered in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1976. Ebola is a terrifying virus which,
Title: Guinness World Records 2025 Author: Guinness World Records Pages: 256 For decades, the Guinness World Records book has been the ultimate authority on humanity’s most audacious, bizarre, and awe-inspiring feats. The 2025 edition, marking the 70th anniversary of this cultural phenomenon, doesn’t just deliver the usual jaw-dropping stats—it elevates the experience into