Ghosts

The Ostrich Inn in Colnbrook, Berkshire, is known as one of England's most haunted pubs, with a grim legend attached. In the 1600s, the story goes, the landlord and his wife would place wealthy guests in the Blue Room, where a bed bolted to a trapdoor dropped victims into a vat below so the couple could rob them. The tale continues to fascinate readers.

Drivers in the UK are talking about 'ghost plates' — number plates deliberately altered or covered so traffic cameras cannot read them. The topic has surged after reports that new traffic cameras can detect these plates, which are designed to help drivers evade speed cameras, congestion charges and police identification. Commentators warn that using them is illegal and can lead to fines, penalty points or prosecution.

A wildlife documentary set on Brazil's Rio Negro is drawing large audiences, focusing on the river's top predator known locally as the 'black ghost' and its hunting coils. Viewers are sharing footage of the dark, tannin-stained waters and the region's unique Amazonian wildlife, praising the film's close-up cinematography of rarely seen predator behaviour.

Formula 1 has released a ghost car comparison between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen from the 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix, showing the two champions' laps overlaid against each other. The clip, labelled from the season's Bahrain round, is drawing heavy engagement from fans debating the driving differences between the pair. The location tag referencing Malaysia is noted in the release title.

Sony is bringing its AI-powered upscaling technology, previously exclusive to the PS5 Pro, to the standard PlayStation 5. Digital Foundry reports that Sony announced QSSR AI upscaling for the base console, set to be used in upcoming titles Marvel's Wolverine and Ghost of Yōtei. Gaming outlets including Game Informer and The Verge are covering the announcement, with players discussing what it means for the value of the more expensive Pro model.

The Swedish phrase "grå hanna" is drawing attention online, ranking among top discussion topics in Sweden. The expression, best known as the name of a figure in Swedish folklore and in Elsa Beskow's children's story tradition, refers to a female ghost or grey-clad woman. No specific event behind the spike has been confirmed.

Actor and writer Danny McBride sits down for a long-form interview covering his first novel, his experiences with ghostly encounters, and his connection to North Carolina, where he lives and sets much of his work. The conversation touches on his move from screenwriting into fiction and the personal stories behind his interest in the paranormal.

French tech outlet Les Numériques looks at the wave of projects reviving the web's lost corners, from 56k.rip to online 'cemeteries' of defunct sites. The piece argues the internet tirelessly brings its ghosts back to life, driven by a broad mood of nostalgia for the early web, dial-up era aesthetics and abandoned platforms.

La Clef cinema in Paris is screening Valerie Veatch's 2026 documentary Ghost in the Machine at 7pm, marking the film's French premiere. The film examines what artificial intelligence conceals, and the screening will be followed by a discussion with guests from Data for Good, Tribe-X and Technopolice Paris-Banlieues as part of the venue's cine-club.

Iñaki López is trending in Spain after Iker Jiménez's television programme revealed the pixelated identity of one of the owners of Urbagestión, handing the story to Twitter users. Social media seized on the moment, with jokes such as "they've finally found a ghost", as public attention focuses on the company and its owners.

People have started placing 'ghost chairs' outside a Smyths toy store in Greenford, west London, to hold their place in the queue for a product release tomorrow. The practice, long associated with US product launches, involves leaving chairs or placeholders to claim spots without physically waiting. The scenes were shared by a toy collector, drawing surprise that queue-saving culture has now reached the UK.

The advocacy group MediaJustice hosted a screening of the documentary 'Ghost in the Machine' in Oakland, using the event to spotlight its campaign around artificial intelligence governance. The organization argues communities of color bear the brunt of unregulated surveillance and algorithmic systems, and it is pushing for stronger local and national oversight of AI technologies.

New research suggests neutrinos, often called ghost particles because they pass through matter almost unnoticed, may play a decisive role in whether a massive dying star detonates as a supernova or collapses directly into a black hole. Scientists studying stellar collapse say the behaviour of these elusive particles during the core's final moments could tip the balance between explosion and total gravitational collapse.

Max Verstappen secured his first pole position of the 2026 Formula 1 season, outqualifying Lewis Hamilton. The margin and lap were highlighted in a comparative onboard breakdown, with fans debating how the Red Bull driver edged out Hamilton in the session.

A new essay titled 'Haunted by the Ghosts of Materialism' has been published on the blog Coredump and is drawing modest attention on Hacker News. The piece reflects on materialism, apparently examining how the accumulation of possessions or habits of consumption continues to weigh on people. Beyond the headline, no specific details of the argument or the author's identity are available.

New coverage highlights a boss fight in the Ghost of Yotei downloadable content that pits players against giant, aggressive bears, with the encounter being called the DLC's best. The piece focuses on the fight's design and difficulty, drawing attention to the creature combat in the expansion of the open-world samurai game.

A new documentary series, De Spookvoetballer ('The Ghost Footballer'), is drawing attention in the Netherlands. The programme tells the story of a footballer without talent, exploring how he stayed in the sport despite lacking ability. Dutch viewers are picking up the show, with TV guide coverage encouraging audiences to learn everything about the player's unusual career.

'Paranormal Chronicles' is being promoted as a massive collection of 500 free hours of ghost hunting content, available to viewers at no cost. The supernatural-themed compilation is drawing attention from horror and paranormal fans looking for no-cost entertainment. No further details about the platform hosting the content or its producers were provided.

Researchers report that Cooper pairs in uranium ditelluride persist above the material's superconducting critical temperature, a phenomenon described as 'ghostly' because the pairs exist without producing zero resistance. The finding, highlighted by science outlets, suggests superconducting correlations survive into the normal state, deepening the mystery of unconventional superconductors and potentially informing future quantum technologies.

Ghost Recon Wildlands is back in the conversation, with reports that the tactical shooter is receiving new content and changes to its gameplay. Fans of the Ubisoft title, which launched in 2017 and remains popular for its open-world co-op missions, are discussing what the updates mean for returning players. Specific details about the size of the new content or the nature of the gameplay adjustments have not been confirmed.

A new horror-themed stage production, Theatre Hauntings: West End Ghouls, is being reviewed for 2026. The show plays on London's West End's reputation for ghost stories and theatrical hauntings. Early commentary so far is limited to a single review from the horror review outlet My Bloody Reviews, and the production's reception, run dates and venue remain unclear.