All posts tagged: exploring

Presiding Bishop George R. Lucey, FCM, releases two new works exploring faith, inclusion, and the transformative power of Christ’s love

Presiding Bishop George R. Lucey, FCM, releases two new works exploring faith, inclusion, and the transformative power of Christ’s love

Published by Sam Flores

Catholic theology informed from Vatican Council II WEST ORANGE, N.J. — Bishop George R. Lucey, FCM, Presiding Bishop of the American National Catholic Church, has released two new books offering timely reflections on faith, community, and the healing presence of Christ in the lives of those often overlooked by institutional religion. Together, Where Else Shall We Go, Lord? Reflections on Christ’s Love and Compassion for Those at the Margin of the Church and Shepherding Peace present a compelling pastoral and theological vision for a Church rooted in mercy, justice, and authentic welcome. A Pilgrimage of Faith and Belonging: Where Else Shall We Go, Lord? In Where Else Shall We Go, Lord?, Bishop George R. Lucey, FCM, offers a deeply personal and spiritually rich exploration of God’s transformative love. Drawing from his decades of ministry as a priest, bishop, and theologian, Lucey reflects on the central question at the heart of Christian life: What difference does Jesus make? Part memoir, part theological meditation, the book invites readers into a journey through the joys and tensions of …

‘The vast wooded wilderness doesn’t look like England’: exploring Northumberland’s Kielder Forest | Northumberland holidays

‘The vast wooded wilderness doesn’t look like England’: exploring Northumberland’s Kielder Forest | Northumberland holidays

Published by Sam Flores

Deep in Kielder Forest, on the northern side of the vast Kielder Water stands Silvas Capitalis, a giant, two-storey timber head, one of the most striking of the 20 sculptures tucked between the pines. It’s an eerie sight, almost shocking; its mouth ajar, as if astounded by all it sees. It’s my first visit to Kielder, and my face has been wearing a similar expression since I stepped out of the car at the lakeside trying to take in the scale of the landscapes unfolding around me. Kielder doesn’t look like England – at least, not the England I know. For a start, it’s vast; 250 sq miles (648 sq km), with 158m trees, mostly sitka spruce conifers planted by hand. And even though it’s a plantation, there’s a wilderness feel that reminds me of Finland or Canada; a great swathe of nature at its most intense. It’s a working forest, involving 500 full-time jobs (not including tourism) and 2026 marks the centenary of the very first plantings, when the UK was in need of …

NASA–ESA partnership: Artemis II paves way for exploring Moon’s far side and south pole – Spotlight

NASA–ESA partnership: Artemis II paves way for exploring Moon’s far side and south pole – Spotlight

Published by Sam Flores

François Picard speaks to Didier Schmitt, head of future preparation for the European Space Agency. He says the Artemis II mission marks a key moment in contemporary space exploration. It is highly technical and collaborative – a test of systems, international partnerships, and our ability to extend human presence beyond Earth once again. He says the flyby will help validate critical technologies, from life support to propulsion, while also highlighting the growing role of Europe through the European Service Module. At the same time, he stresses the scientific importance of exploring the far side of the Moon and, in the near future, its south pole, where untouched materials may reveal the Moon’s, and by extension, the Earth’s evolutionary history. Ultimately, this mission is seen as a necessary step in a longer journey: mastering lunar exploration before venturing further into deep space, including Mars. What we are witnessing is not a return to past achievements, but laying the foundation of a new era of exploration. Produced by François Picard, Théophile Vareille, Juliette Laffont and Guillaume Gougeon …

Babies – the new drama exploring the invisible grief and multiplying longing of pregnancy loss

Babies – the new drama exploring the invisible grief and multiplying longing of pregnancy loss

Published by Daniella Wilson

Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture email Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter As is customary for actors auditioning to play people in love, Paapa Essiedu and Siobhán Cullen underwent a chemistry test. But the scene was not a flirty meet-cute or a moment of intimate tenderness. Instead, says Essiedu, “It was this big and long, quite horrible argument – and that’s how they wanted to see how well we got on.” Seeing the two of them fight would serve as an apt litmus test for Babies, the new BBC drama in which Essiedu, 35, and Cullen, 36, play a couple whose relationship is rocked by a series of crushing miscarriages. “It’s a good scene because not only are they arguing but they’re doing a whole lot of work to try not to hurt each other,” says Cullen. “That’s how couples argue, right? You land the punches, but there’s also a way of couching …

Totally Med: exploring Menton, where the French and Italian rivieras meet | France holidays

Totally Med: exploring Menton, where the French and Italian rivieras meet | France holidays

Published by Sam Flores

‘It’s not France, it’s not Italy, it’s Menton.” The seaside town on the French-Italian border has changed identities many times in its history. It was the only town in France completely annexed by the Italians during the second world war, but has also belonged to the Grimaldis of Monaco, was part of the kingdom of Sardinia, and only became French after a public vote in 1860. Today, ignoring the colours of Il Tricolore and Le Tricolore, almost everything is painted in various shades of yellow, a celebration of the town’s reliance on its beloved lemon. Mauro Colagreco, the chef at the spectacular Mirazur restaurant, a few steps from the border, takes me up into the hills to visit one of his lemon and citrus fruit suppliers. “You can eat the peel of a Menton lemon; it has a thick, sweet rind. You can eat the whole thing; it’s totally organic and very juicy.” Menton’s microclimate, its warm winters, terraced hills and sandy soil make it perfect for growing citrus fruit. “What’s particular to the Menton …

‘Children see magic in the smallest adventures’: exploring Scotland with my four-year-old | Highlands holidays

‘Children see magic in the smallest adventures’: exploring Scotland with my four-year-old | Highlands holidays

Published by Sam Flores

‘There! There – I can see it!” The cries of my four-year-old echoed around the ruins of 13th-century Urquhart Castle, causing a group of US tourists to come running over to the corbelled bartizans (overhanging turrets) where we stood. “It’s Nessie, I saw her,” he insisted, pointing at the ripples spinning out from the back of a sightseeing vessel on Loch Ness. This was day four of a budget, week-long Scotland adventure for the two of us, and we were spending the day in Drumnadrochit, on the shores of the country’s most famous body of water, looking for the fabled monster. It wasn’t the first time that reality and wishful thinking had seemingly combined on this holiday. When I told people I was going to take my son on a week-long trip across Scotland and my budget was £500, they were sceptical – especially as we were travelling in the school holidays. But as a woman who likes a challenge, I was up for proving them all wrong. double quotation mark The car journey was punctuated by stops …

Exploring the motivations for cannabis use during sex

Exploring the motivations for cannabis use during sex

Published by José Betancourt

A recent study published in The Journal of Sex Research provides evidence that young adults often use cannabis during sexual activity to enhance pleasure, reduce anxiety, and navigate societal expectations around gender. The findings suggest that conversations about combining sex and cannabis should move beyond focusing solely on the risks to acknowledge the roles of relaxation and sexual well-being. “Although cannabis is the second most commonly used substance during sex after alcohol, it has received relatively little attention in research and remains taboo in broader conversations about sexuality. Existing studies on the subject have also tended to focus primarily on risks and negative outcomes, often overlooking the important role that pleasure can play in young adults’ experiences and motivations for sex under the influence of cannabis,” said study author Maëlle Lefebvre, a PhD student at Université de Sherbrooke, who conducted this research at Université du Québec à Montréal. “In addition, little research has examined how these experiences are shaped by gender norms and expectations, which can influence how people navigate intimacy and substance use. As …

NASA Rover Exploring Strange Structures on Mars, About the Height of a Human

NASA Rover Exploring Strange Structures on Mars, About the Height of a Human

Published by José Betancourt

Sign up to see the future, today Can’t-miss innovations from the bleeding edge of science and tech NASA’s Mars Curiosity rover has been exploring a curious geological formation made up of ridges up to six feet in height for the last six months. Scientists theorize that the “boxwork” formations were left behind by lakes and rivers that dried up billions of years ago, making it a tantalizing place to look for signs of ancient microbial life. On Earth, similar structures form as groundwater flows through a network of rock fractures beneath the surface, coating the cracks with minerals and depositing them nearby. After the rock erodes away, these minerals are exposed. When viewed from space, these formations take on an even more haunting appearance. As first spotted by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter’s HiRISE satellite in 2006, the boxwork resembles a spiderweb-like structure stretching across a barren landscape at the foothills of Mount Sharp, a gigantic mountain that towers to a height of three miles. Now, scientists are hard at work finding a suitable place for …

Provence in bloom – exploring its flower festivals and the ‘perfume capital of the world’ | Provence holidays

Provence in bloom – exploring its flower festivals and the ‘perfume capital of the world’ | Provence holidays

Published by Sam Flores

As I take my seat in Galimard’s Studio des Fragrances, in the Provençal town of Grasse, I limber up my nostrils for the task ahead: to create my own scent from the 126 bottles in front of me. Together they represent a world of exotic aromas, from amber and musk to ginger and saffron. But given that I have left the grey British winter behind to come here, I am more interested in capturing the sunny essence of the Côte d’Azur. Here in the hills north of Cannes, the colours pop: hillsides are full of bright yellow mimosa flowers, violets are peeping out of flowerbeds and oranges hang heavy on branches over garden walls, even though it’s not yet spring. It is the perfect antidote to the gloom back home, and the chance to bottle these very scents is a joy. Over the next two hours, with the help of perfumery expert Manon Zamoun, I blend my own perfume that I name “Mimosa trail”. The scents (natural essences or synthetic aromas), are set out on three shelves, the top …

Apple is Exploring an ‘iPhone Flip’

Apple is Exploring an ‘iPhone Flip’

Published by skeptic

Apple is “exploring” the idea of a foldable iPhone with a “square, clamshell-style” design, according to Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman. A so-called “iPhone Flip” — unlikely to be the real name — would compete with devices such as Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 7 and the modern-day Motorola Razr. The clamshell iPhone would be released at some point after Apple’s first foldable iPhone, which is expected to launch in September this year. The first foldable iPhone is expected to open up like a book, similar to Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 7. This design will provide users with a large 7.7-inch inner display for watching videos and gaming, and there will likely be multitasking functionality. A clamshell iPhone, on the other hand, would be more about portability and pocketability. “Apple is betting that its first foldable iPhone will be successful enough to generate real demand for the category and that customers will want additional shapes and sizes, much as they have with traditional slab-style iPhones,” said Gurman. Nevertheless, he said a clamshell iPhone is “far from guaranteed to reach the …