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The Buzz

This Month

Why is my teen talking about ‘ocean aliens’?

A rumour has been circulating online that recent US congressional hearings uncovered the existence of aliens living in our oceans. Could it be true?

  • Rachael Bolton

August

Starface pimple patches

How Starface pimple patches became a beauty obsession

The skincare company sold its billionth Hydro-Star patch and is on track to bring in $132 million of revenue this year.

  • Miranda Jeyaretnam
Jools Lebron has blown up the internet with her video about how to dress for work.

When you go to work are you demure and mindful?

A viral video of advice on how to dress for the office has sparked a social media storm and turned its creator into a hot property.

  • Wyatte Grantham-Philips

Why everyone is turning their fridge into a tiny wonderland

The new trend taking social media by storm is “fridgescaping” - and it involves a little imagination and a lot of spare time.

  • Lia Picard
Some passengers bring dozens of ducks to hide onboard.

Quackers: How rubber ducks are taking over cruise ships

The whimsical trend is growing in popularity, but not every cruise company is on board with it.

  • Sara Ruberg
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Tom daley in his hand-knitted Olympic sweater

Should knitting be an Olympic sport?

British diver Tom Daley may not be the first man to knit at the Games, but he’s probably the best known.

  • Stephen Clark

July

Aly McCormick’s Kamala mix on TikTok.

What is the KHive?

Likely Democrat nominee Kamala Harris has supporters embracing her quirky style and turning her cringiest moments into social media memes.

  • Madison Malone Kircher
Trump T-shirts were available minutes after the shooting.

‘Grazed, but not Dazed’: Trump T-shirts go viral

Entrepreneurs in Asia were quick to cash in on the attempted assassination of former president Donald Trump.

  • Marcus Lum and Sophie Yu
Grace Kelly, sunglasses queen, shortly before her marriage to Prince Rainier of Monaco in 1956.

How Grace Kelly inspired this season’s stylish sunglasses

Sunglasses are a shield from the shy, a friend to the tired and hungover, and don’t require the wearer to be a certain dress size.

  • Tamara Abraham
Kirsha Kaechele, picutred at MONA in December, felt an urge to reorganise exhibits after the court ruling/

MONA has a new home for its Picassos: The women’s toilet

MONA is appealing a ruling that closed down its Ladies Lounge after finding it was discriminatory to men.

  • Rachel Pannett

June

Tennis player Anna Kournikova popularised the no-show sock.

Are your socks showing your age?

Millennials are having to up their game in the sock war with Gen Z.

  • Ashley Fetters Maloy and Samantha Chery
Figures of a king and two gods in jubilation.

Why Ancient Egypt is flavour of the year

If you missed out on the Ramses exhibition in Sydney, there are two more shows you can catch.

  • Theo Chapman
Jeremy Allen White.

Who, and what, is a ‘Rodent Man’?

Turns out it’s a good thing to look like a rat.

  • The New York Times Style Desk
Rupert Murdoch, 93, and Elena Zhukova, 67, had a garden wedding, which might have influenced his choice of shoes.

Rupert Murdoch’s surprising choice of wedding footwear

The internet can’t decide if it was a power play or just a practical choice for a man of his age.

  • Guy Trebay

May

Megan Boni whose TikTok song “Looking for a man in finance” went viral.

TikTok video about finance bros is a viral hit

A 19-second song poking fun at old stereotypes has become a viral hit.

  • Crystal Tse
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A growing number of millennials and Gen Zers love to send voice notes.

Why voice notes are having a moment

They convey more nuance than text but they can be daunting to listen to if they’re too long.

  • Tatum Hunter
The trial paid an average of £128 to participants.

Men paid $760 to lose weight in ‘Game of Stones’ health scheme

A trial of a dieting program in which participants potentially lose money has been so successful that it will be rolled out nationally.

  • Laura Donnelly
For the leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-un, music is a powerful tool.

How Kim Jong-un’s propaganda song conquered TikTok

“Friendly Father” is the first North Korean composition about the leader to go viral for its musicality.

  • Harriet Barber
Mui Mui nylon briefs will set you back $1370.

How did $1370 knickers become the world’s third-hottest fashion item?

Miu Miu’s unlikely nylon briefs are a highly coveted piece of clothing right now. A closer look at the brand’s strategies shows why that’s not so surprising.

  • Laura Craik

April

Effective Spaces channels show you how to bring order to your home.

How ‘Clean Toks’ can help you benefit from someone else’s clean home

A study from Cambridge University says when it comes to cleaning, you don’t have to lift a finger to lower your stress levels.

  • Theo Chapman

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/topic/the-buzz-6fi3