Six Great Reads for the Weekend
This week's selection of outstanding journalism covers a wide range of topics, from the dark side of children's beauty videos on TikTok to the surprising mental lives of apes and the accidental rewilding of the Chornobyl exclusion zone. Here are six articles we highly recommend.
1. The Dark World of Toddler Skincare on TikTok
Children as young as two are appearing in TikTok videos demonstrating their skincare routines, raising serious concerns about the beauty industry's reach and the lack of safeguards for child influencers. A team of Guardian reporters, data journalists, and software developers found evidence that many young people featured in these videos received free products in exchange for posting about brands, often through programmes open to young influencers. This investigation highlights the exploitative nature of this trend.
2. Every Shakespeare Play Ranked
To mark the bard's birthday, former Guardian theatre critic Michael Billington ranked all of Shakespeare's plays. From the exhausting Antony and Cleopatra to the magnificent but flawed Lear and the limitless Hamlet, Billington offers his expert opinion on which plays are must-sees and which are best avoided.
3. The Gangster Who Became an Icon of Modi's India
Lawrence Bishnoi has been in high-security custody for over a decade, yet his power seems undimmed. Linked to multiple high-profile killings in India and Canada, Bishnoi's story is explored in this Guardian Long Read by Atul Dev, who asks what explains his enduring influence.
4. Apes Are More Like Us Than We Thought
Recent findings about great apes' mental capabilities have transformed our understanding of these remarkable creatures. From bonobos enjoying pretend tea parties to chimps thinking rationally, Gloria Dickie examines how these discoveries reveal the rich mental lives of our closest relatives.
5. The Subreddit for Bald People Is Weirdly Wonderful
Being hairless on top has never been in style, but the r/bald subreddit offers a supportive community for those facing insecurity. Jason Diamond writes about this online space whose mission is to embrace baldness and make the world more bald-friendly.
6. Chornobyl's Wildlife Thrives Amid Pro-Nuclear Shift
Ahead of the 40th anniversary of the world's worst nuclear disaster, Jonathan Watts examines the mixed legacy of Chornobyl. The exclusion zone and the neighbouring Polesskiy radioecological reserve have become one of Europe's largest unplanned nature sanctuaries, an accidental rewilding project. Some experts suggest the long-term effects on nature may be less severe than if humans had remained.
