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April 18, 2026
Six great reads: Iran’s social media memes, an abandoned department store and a 1,200-year-old record of cherry blossoms
Need something brilliant to read this weekend? Here are six of our favourite pieces from the last seven days
TL;DR
- Iran is reportedly winning a propaganda battle against the US through social media memes and videos.
- A philosopher critiques the tendency to view all activities and things as means to an end, rather than having inherent value.
- An abandoned department store in Britain has been transformed into a cannabis farm and skate park.
- The crucial 1,200-year-old record of cherry blossom bloom dates in Kyoto, Japan, will continue after the death of its tracker.
- A study suggests sperm whale communication, through clicks called codas, is highly complex and parallels human language.
- Lena Dunham discusses the challenges of early stardom and her 'lost decade'.