Cultured

Bluesky users are posting vampire-themed memes and jokes across the platform, turning it into a running trend. Participants are sharing vampire imagery, riffs on classic horror tropes, and playful variations on the theme, with the joke spreading as users invite each other to keep the chain going. It is a lighthearted culture moment with no clear news trigger behind it.

A new market forecast projects the global pre-workout supplements market to accelerate through 2035, driven by rising fitness participation and growing demand for convenient energy products. Industry analysts point to expanding gym culture and consumer interest in on-the-go performance nutrition as key growth drivers. Market observers say the category is expected to attract further investment as health-conscious consumption trends strengthen worldwide.

SDF, one of the oldest public access Unix systems, has been offering free shell accounts and internet services to anyone since 1987. The community-run system in Dallas provides email, web hosting, chat and a member-supported social network, and continues to attract attention as a rare surviving piece of early internet culture.

The Museum of Flight in Seattle is preparing to install nearly 2,000 solar panels on its Aviation Pavilion, a large roof structure housing historic aircraft. The project would put renewable energy generation over one of the museum's main exhibition spaces and stands out for its scale at an aviation heritage site. Details on cost, timeline and expected energy output have not been made available.

A recent Saturday Night Live sketch is drawing attention for its take on how the internet shapes people's perception of reality. The Atlantic highlighted the sketch, arguing it captures something true about online life and the way digital feeds influence what people believe and how they see the world.

A new feature explores what it takes to photograph spirit bears, the rare white-furred black bears of Canada's Pacific coast, in their natural habitat. Photographers describe the patience, remote travel and luck required to encounter the animals, which hold deep cultural significance for Indigenous communities in the region. The article highlights both the bears' striking appearance and the conservation concerns surrounding their fragile rainforest home.

Researchers have developed a 96-well platform that grows miniature blood vessels, streamlining the creation of vascular models in the lab. The miniaturized format allows many vessel samples to be cultured and tested simultaneously, which could speed up drug screening and research into blood vessel-related diseases while reducing cost and manual workload compared with traditional single-sample approaches.

Tabletop role-playing games are drawing renewed attention in culture discussions, with players and hobbyists sharing experiences, campaign stories and the social appeal of games like Dungeons & Dragons. The conversation reflects growing mainstream interest in tabletop gaming as a creative, face-to-face pastime and its expanding community across the globe.

KelpFest is taking place on the Mendocino Coast in Northern California, combining science, art and food centered on kelp. The event highlights the region's connection to its kelp forests, offering attendees education and local culture in one gathering. Locals and visitors are engaging with the coastal ecosystem through talks, exhibits and food.

A social media user describes how a stranger's simple favourite on a post about flowers led them deep into the Finnish corner of the fediverse. They noticed profile headers full of snowy trees and scenery reminiscent of Canada, prompting reflections on how small interactions online can open unexpected windows into distant communities and cultures.

The Irish Times has looked back at the viral moments that shaped Ireland's online culture, citing the Krispy Kreme opening rage, Teresa Mannion's storm reporting, and the HomeToVote campaign during the 2015 marriage equality referendum. The piece frames these as defining internet moments for the country, blending humour, national events and social media energy.