The BLT Episode 10: Booze, Lawsuits and Telescopes
There are few things certain in this life. The classics include death and taxes, but if this week is anything to go by, we can add discoveries and consequences to that list.
The other constant is of course the weekly news stories and curiousities that provide such rich material for illustrating the BLT!
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NASA open a window back in time
This week was a momentous achievement for astronomers seeking to get a deeper understanding of the universe and it’s origins, as the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) sent it’s first stunning images back to Earth. Succeeding Hubble, the JWST will be our eye in space for the next twenty years, bringing an even greater level of detail thanks to its use of infrared.
Van Gogh is still surprising us
After more a century in obscurity, an undiscovered self-portrait of Vincent van Gogh has been found when an X-ray of his painting ‘Head of a Peasant Woman’ was taken by the National Galleries of Scotland. Hidden under layers of cardboard and glue on the back of the canvas painting, experts are looking into how the two pieces could be separated. This story and the JWST story are perfectly timed, we loved paying homage to both in Van Gogh’s iconic visual style.
The new fungi species hiding in the Cairngorms
It’s not just galaxies and galleries giving us new discoveries, Mother Nature also reminded us that she still has plenty of mysteries this week. A species in the group Squamanita that’s new to science, was discovered. The species is also known as a ‘strangler’ fungus thanks to its tendency to take over other fungi.
Tweet revenge
After he made a move to buy Twitter, only to decide it was better to pull out of the deal, Twitter is suing Elon Musk. Twitter has accused Musk of a long list of violations relating to the merger. Musk claims that he was given ‘inaccurate representations’ and didn’t have the full facts about spam accounts. It’s now up to a Delaware court to decide.
The wait is over, there is now a hangover pill
There are many things happening in the world that could drive someone to drink, and now you can do it without paying the price of a hangover. The pill is named Myrkl’, and fittingly pronounced ‘miracle’, the company responsible claims the pill breaks down ‘up to 70% of alcohol consumed within 60 minutes’ and the pill has already sold out in the U despite costing 30 quid a pack. We’re waiting eagerly for the reviews!
Landscaper can’t escape the law
Meanwhile in Florida, police have arrested a man who tried to give them slip on a ride-on mower. Landscaper Dusty Mobley was wanted by police and had previously escaped by diving into a swamp. When police finally caught up with him, Mobley was tased and faces charges such as grand theft, resisting an officer, drug raps and possession of a concealed weapon by a felon.
The answer my friend, is laying in the asparagus
UK politics is facing uncertainty as the Conservative leadership content continues. While we all wait to see who the winner is, Jemima Packington, otherwise known as ‘Mystic Veg, has a different technique. By throwing asparagus spears into the air and interpreting how they land, Mystic Veg predicts events in politics. She correctly predicted Brexit and Boris, but her prediction about Ben Wallace as the next Conservative Party leader hasn’t turned out to be quite so accurate.
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In a meeting this morning it was mentioned that Trump had launched a crypto currency. Can that actually be legal now he’s just about to be inaugurated as President of the USA? To answer these questions I came across a Forbes article that was too good to miss. Naturally, I popped the kettle on for an Earl Grey tea and settled in for the latest instalment of crypto chaos: TrumpCoin crashes, MelaniaCoin takes the spotlight, and somewhere, Donald Trump is undoubtedly seething into his gilded Diet Coke chalice.
The Parker Probe isn’t just a shiny example of what humans can achieve when they stop arguing on X for five minutes. It’s also a reminder that big problems—whether they’re cosmic or corporate—need both boldness and a plan.
When we strip away the layers of imposter syndrome, it often boils down to storytelling—about who we are, what we’ve done, and where we’re headed. The narratives we tell ourselves shape our reality, and reframing those stories can unlock a healthier sense of self-worth.
Facebook and Instagram are going “back to their roots” of free expression. Because, clearly, what the internet desperately needed in 2025 was more rucks.
Watching The Traitors is like observing a high-stakes version of a spider weaving its web. Every accusation, every alliance, every teary-eyed confession pulls on the delicate threads of trust until the whole thing collapses in a heap of suspicion.
Ah, New Year’s resolutions. The annual tradition where we collectively trick ourselves into believing we’re only one heroic declaration away from becoming flawless human beings. This year, this will be the year we shed those bad habits like a moulting snake. Right? Wrong!
If you could pin down the essence of truth, could you draw it? That’s the question that lingered in my mind after speaking with Dan Ariely for my RSA Animate documentary—a project allowing me to reconnect with some of the most compelling thinkers of our time.
I have written a lot about failure. It’s something of a fascination for me. I am in a constantly evolving process with failure. When does failure become a success? Are there any true failures or is it just an endless process?
If you’ve spent any time in creative circles, you’ll know that while education has the potential to transform, we’ve been wielding this so-called "weapon" like a blunt instrument for far too long.
No matter where we find ourselves on the spectrum of human experience, creativity can play a vital role in survival, healing, and hope.
AI could revolutionise the NHS by taking on administrative tasks, giving doctors more time to spend with their patients. However, while this sounds like a dream solution, it comes with challenges. With great power comes great potential for, let’s face it, accidental chaos.
So, here’s the reflective takeaway: in a world of endless scrolling and relentless sameness, being bold is essential, but it’s only the first step. Jaguar has smashed the glass case, but now they need to decide what to do with the diamond.
Let’s face it, presenting isn’t just about showing up with slides and stats. It’s a performance. A dance. A chance to make ideas leap off the screen and stick. But how do you know if you’re nailing it? That’s where the Presentation Pulse Check comes in.
The familiar feels safe, even when it’s clearly sinking. Here’s the harsh truth: in a world that moves as fast as a TikTok trend, being slow to adapt is a recipe for stagnation.
Over-complication isn’t just tedious—it’s the nemesis of efficiency. Enter the KISS principle: “Keep It Simple, Stupid.”
Here’s the thing about getting comfortable – it’s the silent killer of real growth, and I am not talking about bottom-line growth – I’m talking about the type of growth that is far more valuable.
Ah, the Inverted Pyramid—It sounds like a tragic prog rock album you might find at a car boot sale, but it’s a concept that’s as intriguing as it is practical.
Sometimes it’s bloody tempting to focus on fighting today’s fires while forgetting the bigger picture, isn’t it?
Affordance is how something shows you what it can do, like a door handle that makes you want to pull the door open or a button that looks like it should be pressed.
Have you ever been in a meeting where you could just feel your team's energy slipping away? Sometimes meetings drag on, and fresh ideas are as rare as a decent cup of tea, well, in the whole of America!
This peculiar proportion, approximately 1.618, has been lurking in the shadows of human creativity for millennia, like a mathematical James Bond, seducing architects, artists, and designers with its promise of perfection.
Have you ever been in a meeting where you could just feel your team's energy slipping away? Sometimes meetings drag on, and fresh ideas are as rare as a decent cup of tea, well, in the whole of America!
Why do we see faces in clouds, cars with expressions, or even attribute human emotions to our household appliances (admit it, your Henry Hoover has feelings)? The answer lies in the ancient concept of anthropomorphism—a principle as old as humanity itself, born from our inherent need to understand and relate to the world around us by projecting our own characteristics onto it.
Picture this: You walk into a diner with a menu the size of a small novel. You’re hungry, but now you’re stuck—overwhelmed by choice, paralysed by indecision. Welcome to Hick’s Law in action, a psychological principle that’s been quietly dictating human behaviour since the 1950s...
We’ve all been there, haven’t we? That frantic rush, always trying to keep up with the latest trend. Blink, and it’s gone—again. It’s like standing on a moving walkway, but it’s speeding up, and you’re dragging along a suitcase packed full of never-ending to-do lists.
Understanding the Scaling Fallacy isn't just for philosophers or over-caffeinated academics. It's vital for anyone who wants to make an impact with their ideas, especially in creative fields where size does not always equate to success.
Here’s the thing—staying in your comfort zone isn’t just boring; it’s risky. You know what they say: “If you’re not growing, you’re dying.”
Performance Load teaches us that less truly is more. Visual thinking is about distilling complexity into clarity, turning a tangled web of ideas into a neat, navigable roadmap.
You know that feeling when you’ve just nailed a quick win? The rush, the thrill, the sense of accomplishment—it’s like a hit of dopamine, making you feel like you’re on top of the world. But here’s the thing no one tells you...
Ever heard of the phrase, ‘necessity is the mother of invention’? Turns out, constraint is its often-overlooked sibling—perhaps the unsung hero of creativity.