Entertainment
Utqiagvik, Alaska, plunges into 65 days of continuous darkness
The northernmost town in the United States has officially entered its annual period of perpetual twilight.
Utqiagvik, Alaska, began its “polar night” this week, marking the start of roughly 65 days without direct sunlight.
In the region, the sun set on November 18 and will remain set till January 22, 2026.
The axial tilt of Earth causes this astronomical phenomenon. In astronomy, this axial tilt is referred to as obliquity is the angle between an object’s rotational axis and its orbital axis, which is the line perpendicular to its orbital plan; equivalently, it is the angle between its equatorial plane and orbital plane.
The axial tilt of Earth is about 23.5 degrees relative to its orbital plane and is primarily responsible for seasons and varies in a cycle of about 40,000 years.
In absence of this tilt, the seasons would be much less extreme, or they would not exist at all.
The Northern Hemisphere leans away from the sun during winters and for communities located far enough north like Utqiagvik, the sun remains below the horizon for an extended period.
Around 5,000 people are residing in the neighbourhood.
Only natural light for the next two months will come from a faint twilight glow near the southern horizon and the spectacular illumination of the Aurora Borealis dancing in the sky above.
The polar night will also be followed by extreme cold, with temperatures often plummeting well below zero degrees Fahrenheit.
This period of darkness is a prominent characteristic of life in the Arctic. But, it is a temporary state.
Around mid-May,the cycle of the seasons will be reversed and Utqiagvik will experience the extreme opposite weather with over 80 days of continuous daylight, known as midnight sun.
For now, the community settles in for the long, dark winter, a testament to life in one of the planet’s most extreme environments.
Entertainment
Future King’s visit to Isles of Scilly leaves locals inspired
The British future monarch, Prince William, surprised locals as he travelled to the Isles of Scilly by a new pilot boat to attend a series of engagements.
The Prince and Princess of Wales sahred the details of William’s trip on their official IInstagram account as William, known The Duke of Cornwall in the region, arrived at the harbour in Hughtown on its new pilot boat, John Guy, named in memory of a long-serving Scillonian-born Duchy worker.
The vessel, funded by the Duchy of Cornwall, plays a vital role in keeping island waters safe and supporting daily life for the Scillonian community.
A crowd of excited tourists had gathered to greet the royal on the quayside.
William’s opened a new facility at the Isles of Scilly Hospital, where he also met staff and patients, sharing a laugh and a cup of tea with care home residents.
He has taken close interest in the development of healthcare provision on Scilly since he took over the Duchy when he became Prince of Wales and is keen to increase medical capacity to the Isles.
The upgraded facility combines NHS services with social care provision under one integrated model, allowing for more efficient use of staff and shared resources.
William also toured the near-complete construction site where the Duchy is delivering 10 new sustainable homes designed to address the islands’ severe housing shortage.
Entertainment
Why Matt Damon and Tom Holland got jealous of Zendaya during ‘The Odyssey’
Zendaya apparently had two of her The Odyssey co-stars feeling a little jealous on set.
According to Matt Damon, director Christopher Nolan handed Zendaya praise so rare that both Damon and Tom Holland couldn’t stop talking about it.
Speaking to Elle for Zendaya’s latest cover story on May 21, Damon explained that Nolan is famously reserved when reacting to scenes. “Yep, good. Okay,” is apparently about as enthusiastic as the Oscar-winning director gets after a successful take.
But Zendaya managed to earn something far more elusive: a “perfect” take.
“Tom [Holland] and I were obsessed with this. She got a ‘perfect’? I’ve never even gotten a ‘great.’ She got a ‘perfect’?” Damon, 55, recalled.
The actor, who plays Odysseus in the upcoming epic, admitted the compliment sparked ongoing jokes between him and Holland, who plays Odysseus’ son Telemachus. “He and I bi*ched about it for the entire rest of the film. ‘Did you get anything today?’ ‘No, I got a ‘good’ – moving on.’”
The feat becomes even more impressive given that Zendaya was juggling four different projects at the time of filming: The Odyssey, Euphoria Season 3, Dune: Part Three, and The Drama.
“I remember being on set for Euphoria; it was a night shoot at a ranch. I was so tired, but I was also learning my Chakobsa lines for Dune,” the actress, 29, said. “It’s not like I have a lot of lines in The Odyssey, but I was working with Christopher Nolan! The most embarrassing thing in life would be messing up my lines, which did happen once,” she admitted.
Luckily, Nolan had nothing but praise for Zendaya’s professionalism and “grace” during the demanding shoot, calling her “a true movie star, but also an incredible actor.”
Zendaya portrays the goddess Athena in the upcoming film, which is based on Homer’s ancient Greek epic. The ensemble cast also includes Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, and Charlize Theron.
The Odyssey is set to hit theatres on July 17, 2026.
Entertainment
Charlie Heaton’s exciting role in ‘Peaky Blinders’ TV series revealed
Charlie Heaton is officially stepping into the Shelby family business.
The Stranger Things star has been revealed as the adult version of Charles Shelby, the eldest son of Cillian Murphy’s Tommy Shelby, in the upcoming Peaky Blinders sequel series.
Netflix and the BBC unveiled the first-look image of Heaton in character on Friday, May 22, finally solving the mystery surrounding his role after his casting was announced last month. And judging by the photo, Heaton looks right at home in the gritty world of the Shelbys.
The new series takes place a decade after World War II and follows Charles after years away from the notorious family empire. According to the official character description, Charles fought in a violent war before attempting to leave the Shelby lifestyle behind and embrace a quieter life. But the story teases a familiar question for the crime dynasty: “Can you ever escape your own blood?”
The series will also see Jamie Bell take over the role of Duke, Charles’ half-brother, previously played by Barry Keoghan in The Immortal Man — the new Peaky Blinders film which came out in March.
The casting marks another major Netflix role for Heaton after five seasons playing Jonathan Byers on Stranger Things. New additions to the Peaky Blinders universe also include Jessica Brown Findlay, Lashana Lynch and newcomer Lucy Karczewski.
Production on the series is currently underway in Birmingham.
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