Tech

The Guide #229: How an indie movie distributed by a lone gamer broke the US box office

In this week’s newsletter: Iron Lung, a largely unheralded indie horror game adapted for the big screen by a YouTuber is a hit of a very modern kind, built on blood, sweat and parasocial relationships

AI analysis casts doubt on Van Eyck paintings in Italian and US museums

Tests on both versions of Saint Francis of Assisi Receiving the Stigmata were unable to detect brushstrokes of 15th-century master

Why has Elon Musk merged his rocket company with his AI startup?

SpaceX’s acquisition of xAI creates business worth $1.25tn but whether premise behind deal will work is questioned

Anthems, agency and arias: baritone Davóne Tines on rewriting his role

The acclaimed US opera singer refuses to restrict himself or his audience. His current Barbican residency sees him range across genres. Always ask questions, always engage, he says. He talks ‘capital O opera’ and big ideas

Rage against the machine: a California community rallied against a datacenter

Organizers in Monterey Park took inspiration from other US cities to fight against the construction of a giant datacenter

Lord of the Flies: the castaway classic is such excellent, surreal horror that you will feel sick throughout

Jack Thorne takes on William Golding – and you’ll never have felt so grateful to live under the rule of law, that ultimate dweeb’s charter