48: ORBIT

RAZZ

ORBIT

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Last term, our ‘VINTAGE’ edition provided a cosy escape from the world - packed with fashion, culture, alcohol and fiction. This term we knew we wanted to attempt something different.

After much discussion, we decided to leap out of our comfort zone and produce an edition which was more ‘serious’ without losing that freshness and creativity which still makes us RAZZ. In other words, we wanted to do something impor.-. tant. That word, ‘important’, however, does not simply mean a rehashing of the .- --.. political and ethical issues which are currently gripping the media - we knew --.. that what was just as integral were the personal choices which structure our identities and our futures. For us, ORBIT represents all of those things.

We are experiencing a watershed moment in the history of our species - pressed into the kind of dramatic changes and revolutions which defined the industrial age. As human beings, we need to step away from our ORBIT and examine the damages incurred ....... against our planet - we need to force ourselves to abandon --..-. the easily-peddled distractions of modern technology ....... .... . and truly apprehend the injustices which permeate not ....... -- . -only far-off nations, but the highest levels of our own -... . .-. --..-government. The stars are disappearing, and we need ....... -... to raise our heads long enough to notice. This edition -.-- ....... is more important however, than one individual’s stale, - .... . ....... grandiose statements. Often, we may feel powerless -- . -to create changes in our lives - but that powerlessness -... . .-. only comes from a restricted ORBIT. We need to recog--..-nise our echo chambers, push ourselves both professionally and artistically, and introduce into our surroundings that which is conducive, healthy and kind.

Once more, I must thank my brilliant committee who only go from strength to strength in their dedication, humour and creativity in bringing these magazines to life. I promised at the end of my ‘VINTAGE’ note that it would only get better from here, and I am hopeful that we have delivered. If you decide to bring just one new thing into your ORBIT, let it be a copy of this magazine.

Print Editor in Chief - Nathan Steward .-. .- --..

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Whilst studying abroad (I’m a cliche, I know), I studied Astronomical Science: a world away from English Literature. I battled the astrological calculations, desperately trying to figure out where on earth I was. However, going from creative writing to celestial coordinates showed me the value of breaking out of your own ORBIT, and stepping away from your own perspective. I hope this orbital issue may inspire a similarly enlightening experience!

Deputy Print Editor - Catherine Beavis

ORBIT is everything we choose to keep in our personal rotations. Imagine yourself as a planet: what do you choose to keep in your circle? What interests are you focusing on this Spring, who are you surrounding yourself with, and what place are you inhabiting in the wider political context of our world?

Deputy Print Editor Kitty Carter

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us to forget who we are, why we stand here, and what we live for. We are just one of the numerous stars.

Nothing else is needed, other than to shine in your life, without having to earn those lights from others. You are the only one who can live for yourself. Draw your own ORBIT, even if it sometimes looks improper in its exposure; you are still you.

Creative Director Meina Sumida

Editor’s Note

Editor’s Note

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Masthead Print Editor In Chief -Nathan Steward Deputy Print Editors -Kitty Carter -Catherine Beavis Copy Editors -Chessie Fernandes -Mila Pascolini Maytum Creative Director -Meina Sumida Assistant Creative Director -Megan Ransome Cover Competition Winner -Theo Power Special thanks for background design - Megan Ransome

Content Contributors -Nathan Steward -Kitty Carter -Hattie Owen -Isobel Adams -Jasmin Siavoshy -Isadora Nosworthy -Anna Tolkacheva -Evie Merrilees -Jasmine Perkins -Chloe Fennings -Frankie Baxter -Poppy Read -Helen Totty -Katie Hackett -Jess Channon -Lily Habibyan -Bethany Adams -Paige Fitzsimmons -Varya Mishra -Emily Mcindoe -Evie Andrew -Sofía Tapia -Comfort Edmeads - Milk Chaisetsumpan

The Individual Orbit and the Modern Echo Chamber - 5-7 Everything Orbits Around Me: Is It Main Character Syndrome?

- 9-10 Written In The Stars? Astrology’s Role in the Lives of Generation Z - 11-12 Natural Orbit - 13-14 The Reason for Being - 15-16 The Orbit of Sex - 17-20 The Stars are Disappearing - 21-22 Professional Orbiting and the Class Barriers of Networking - 23-24 Control your Orbit: Self-care and the Term Two Blues - 25 ORBIT Mixtape - 26 Our Orbit from Film - 27-28 Sci-Fi Book Recommendations - 29-30 ORBIT Poetry - 31-33 Creative Opportunities to Keep in Your Orbit - 34 ORBIT Flash Fiction - 35-36 The View From Across The Pond - 37-40 America’s Climate Retreat - 41-42 Breaking Out of Orbit: The Ethics of Space Pursuit Amidst Geopolitical Crises - 43-45 ORBIT Crossword - 47-48 Bloody Heavens - 49-50

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One notable negative of social media algorithms is what is known as a ‘filter bubble’. This is, as suggested, material which is tailored and limited to a ‘bubble’ of all your existing interests and opinions, and is therefore enclosed from any exposure to other ideas and beliefs. This is especially problematic when social media content goes beyond simple entertainment. Instead venturing into politics, religion, current affairs or information which could have divisions of ideology and opinion. This sort of echo chamber endlessly reinforces opinions, limits diversity, and reduces opportunities for open dialogue. Over time, this could cause a harmful attachment to your own opinions, and an inability to think critically due to an extreme lack of exposure.

Another dark side to this form of data manipulation is the risk of misinformation. In a world where anyone can distribute anything with limited filters or obstacles, the chances of viewing fake news, fabrication or misinformation online are already tinguish between what is high. Algorithms can’t dis.. .. real and reliable, and what is fake and misleading.

Therefore, they push anything onto feeds as long as it generates interaction, regardless of accuracy. This can quickly cause an avalanche of misinformation, as there are little regulations as to what can be shared.

The spread of harmful content across extremely damaging social media is also on an individual level.

For example, the lack of human regulation means that they cannot distinguish between what is real, what has been digitally altered, or worse, what is artificially generated. Social media platforms are a hotspot for comparison, edited images and searches for validation.

If posts which emphasise unrealistic beauty are receiving engagestandards or lifestyles ment, then there is nothing to stop the algorithms from prioritising it, irrespective of the harm it causes to mental health, body image, and self-confidence.

The content that can be pushed onto our ‘For You’ pages is unlimited.

It’s easy to get caught up in these bubbles of perspectives. Many would argue that the concept of social algorithms are problematic due to a constant invasion of privacy, since our data is collected and our online interactions tracked. Our entire digital experience is moulded by global online engagements being recorded. Meanwhile, constant app and algorithm updates entice us further.

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The primary purpose of social media algorithms is engagement, keeping consumers hooked to the platform. An algorithm dictates the majority of what we see online. Any heightened engagement with a social media post, account, or trend is remembered, ready to be fed back to us again and again. In terms of consumer entertainment, this can be positive: no-one wants to open Instagram to irrelevant, non-personalised content. If we want easy escapism, it makes sense to enjoy the convenience and accessibility of a personalised feed. However, social media is not just the sunshine and rainbows of harmless entertainment. It also feeds into all of the sinister parts of online interaction. It is interesting to explore the darker side and observe what happens when they feed off general online activity rather than just personal consumption alone.

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Social media platforms are hives of activity, constantly swarming with new ideas, trends, concepts, and content. Amidst all of this noise, it is undoubtedly enticing when your online feed is tailored specifically to you. It seems harmless: an endless supply of cute animal videos, interesting recipes, or recent sports coverage all provide an immediate fix right at your fingertips.

But, behind the screen, the algorithms that drive these personalised feeds have more to them than meets the eye.That endless stream of interesting content is no accident.

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However, it is the subject of the content we are encouraged to consume which catapults this digital issue into the real world. The spread of false information, damaging messages and narrowed exposure to ideas is unavoidable considering we are constantly on our phones. We digest the various algorithm-specific content without truly considering what is being targeted towards us. We live in a world where we are unconsciously attached to our screens. This dependency threatens our ability to think freely and monitor our digital consumption.

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The algorithm’s record of what they think we want to see is based on superficial statistics, engagement time and general popularity, but isn’t necessarily representative of what people truly enjoy. It’s understandably easy to get caught in the loop of social media engagement. It’s no wonder that our online orbits are limited, when algorithms are targeting each user with an all-encompassing environment of content which is unrestricted and inescapable.

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Written by Isobel Adams 7

Illustrated by Evie Andrew

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“I want to be one of the greats.“

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This is what Timothée Chalamet announced during his acceptance speech at the SAG Awards last year. His confidence was met immediately with both backlash and admiration. It seemed that a stance on his statement corresponded with a level of fandom beforehand. As Vogue observed, “If you’re a tried-and-true Chalamet stan, you were likely to find the 29-year-old actor saying that he is ‘really in pursuit of greatness’ charming, and if you’re a Chalamet hater, you might have found the whole thing unbearably self-aggrandizing.”

Although Chalamet’s self-assertion into the canon was met with criticism, response articles and blogs also flooded the web with praise. After his win at the Golden Globes this January, Rolling Stone reported that “desperation suits him.”

Traditionally, the pursuit of “good” art is associated with years of quiet labour and humility, as though one must wait to be declared great before daring to desire it aloud. Even as children, we are familiar with this narrative through the life and art of Vincent van Gogh - unappreciated in his lifetime, yet revered after death. He sold just one painting while he was alive. To be ignored while living and celebrated once gone is framed as tragic, but noble. Van Gogh did not invent this mythology, but he became its archetype. Many artists who died prematurely are folded into the same story: John Keats, Franz Kafka, Nick Drake, even Johann Sebastian Bach.

Greatness, in this model, must be reluctant. It must be discovered by others.

The irony is that we no longer live in an age of quiet discovery. We live in an age of personal branding. As students, we are told to build portfolios and write applications for minimum-wage jobs in which we describe ourselves as “diligent” and “hardworking.” We curate LinkedIn posts, maintain a “professional presence,” and are expected to demonstrate impact before graduation. We are encouraged to market ourselves, but only tastefully. Ambition must be visible, but never excessive.

Confidence must be evident, but never declared outright.

A drama student who says they want to win an Oscar is indulgent. The writer who says they want to be one of the greats sounds delusional. The athlete who speaks of an Olympic gold too early is told to “stay humble.” The accusation is always swift: main character syndrome.

But what exactly is being punished? Not selfishness. Not cruelty. But decisiveness.

The discomfort seems to arise not from someone harming others, but from someone centering themselves without apology.

Would we tolerate Chalamet’s declaration if he were unknown? Would we admire the ambition of a first-year student the same way we admire a decorated actor invoking Daniel Day-Lewis?

Only “winning” appears to grant retroactive permission for boldness.

We celebrate ambition once it has been validated by success; beforehand, it is arrogance.

At what point does ambition become arrogance? And at which point does it become acceptable to show it to the world?

I would argue that the right day is day one. Day one of your craft, your sport, your pursuit. We live in an age where it feels acceptable to market yourself as successful and capable in almost every field; except art. It is allowed in every application, at every networking event, in every corporate aspiration. Yet when creative ambition is spoken aloud, it is treated as vanity.

Surely, at a time when art itself feels increasingly precarious, we have reached a point where we can admit our promise.

Because perhaps the real imbalance is not in those who dare to see themselves as central, but in a culture that demands we shouldn’t be ‘The Main Character’ until we have earned the right to expand.

‘E v e r y t h in g

The concept of “main character syndrome” originated on social media. It refers to a person who moves through life not merely as the protagonist of their own narrative, but as if everyone else is a supporting character in it.

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If you are Generation Z, it is likely that if someone asked you for your star sign, you’d be able to answer instantly. Perhaps you would even know your moon or rising sign, or your horoscope for the week. It is fair to say that in 2026, astrology is continuing to surge in popularity, and it shows no signs of slowing down. But what is the cause for this seemingly sudden obsession with star signs in the younger generations? What role does it play in the modern age, and why for many has it become an essential point of consideration when making life decisions?

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But why is Gen Z suddenly so fixated on using star signs to plan their lives?

Living in a digital age, the impact of social media on astrology’s rise in popularity cannot be denied. Across platforms like TikTok and Instagram, we are greeted daily by creators claiming to know what is in the stars for us.

It’s easy to become reliant on their advice because of taglines like “this video was meant for you”, and even more so when whatever they are saying coincidentally validates concerns or decisions over a particular relationship, for example.

However, this is not to say that astrology does not have its merits. We are living in an increasingly uncertain world, with uncontrollable conflicts, a spiralling climate crisis, and a job market in its worst recession for generations. It is no wonder, then, that Gen Z are turning to astrology to offer clarity in the chaos. In previous generations, religion was often the solution for uncertainty, a guiding light through hard times. But in an increasingly atheist or agnostic population, it is astrology that has become for many young people, a spiritual guide in the face of the unknown, free from the traditional judgements and rules of strict religion.

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Modern Western astrology is the culmination of a variety of ancient civilisations and individuals. It has roots in the city of Babylon, in the second millennium B.C., where priests were tasked with interpreting the stars and planets to seek out messages from the Gods. It was with the Babylonians that the earliest development of the twelve astrological signs took place. We have the ancient Greeks to thank for each sign being named after a constellation, and subsequently connected with specific dates, depending on their position in relation to the sun’s orbit. Claudius Ptolemy, an Alexandrian astrologer and astronomer, also played a large role in the development of western astrology. Our contemporary concept of personalised horoscopes finds its origins in Ptolemy’s text Tetrabiblos. Today, Western astrology dictates that it is your star sign at the time of your birth (your sun sign), the sign the moon was in at the time of your birth (your moon sign), and the zodiac sign ascending on the eastern horizon at the exact time and location of your birth (your rising sign), that can decide your personality, compatibility with others, and your future.

It is also important to note the significance of algorithms here. The more you interact with particular content, the more of that content you will be shown.

As a result, if someone who is an Aries, for example, were to continually interact with videos discussing Aries signs, they would continue to be exposed to them. The same is true for the topics of discussion astrology creators present: if you are liking videos claiming your soulmate is a water sign, more videos will appear on your For-You-Page about water signs being your destined soulmate, increasing user reliance on creator advice. It is easy to mould astrology to your life decisions to feel secure in your choice, or use it as an excuse to make a particular decision, when there are thousands of posts at your disposal catered to your specific situation. With social media being used the most by Gen Z and Gen Alpha, there is a clear correlation between astrology and the younger generations.

Gen Z, then, are leading the charge in the rising popularity of Western astrology to plan our lives. To date astrology is not supported by science, but that doesn’t make it any less valuable. Providing hope for the future, fostering online connections, and helping us to feel seen, there are clearly many benefits to astrology. So to those thinking of consulting the stars next time they are trying to make a decision, what’s the harm? Perhaps don’t choose to quit your job or end a relationship simply because mercury is in retrograde, though!

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Taking a walk can be a great strategy for mindfulness and for maintaining balance at university. However, it’s also vital to remain connected with the natural world around us: the maintained trails and sprawling views offer an ideal opportunity to take a pause. It’s a privilege to live near so many stunning parts of wild Devon, so why not explore?

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There is a wide range of wildlife to watch out for at Haldon Forest. The forest itself is an SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest). If you’re around at dawn or dusk, you may be able to spot the European Nightjar, a bird considered rare due to the major loss of its crucial breeding habitat: heathland. Haldon Forest is home to 1 per cent of the UK’s breeding population across the nation, and they have an almost supernatural reputation, rumoured to be able to steal milk from goats. Though adders are in decline, they can also be found in Haldon Forest. They are well camouflaged and extremely shy; they only bite when disturbed or in defence. Adders are a bioindicator species, which means their presence reflects the health of an ecosystem. Be mindful as you walk of observing, not disrupting, the various species that call Haldon Forest their home!

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Seek me by the river, half a mile east of the bridge that looks over the marsh, then three miles north. Go past the tree with the roots shaped like a cat prepared to pounce, until you find the hidden path, guarded by a canopy of trees. Follow the gnats until the soil gets softer and the moss smells riper, and there you’ll find the hideout.

My favourite nature spot near Exeter is a walk in Topsham: the Topsham North Circular and Goosemoor Nature Reserve.

Starting at Topsham train station, you wander past Darts Farm, walk along a path that takes you to Bowling Green Marsh, stroll along the River Clyst, walk past Topsham Museum, and you’ve ended up back where you started. It’s a loop - hence ‘circular’ - which allows you to see Topsham’s nature in all its glory.

You get a mix of everything on this walk; there are lots of different natural environments to encounter. You wander through forests, across open plains, over bridges and along the boardwalks that accompany the River Clyst. The area consists of saltmarsh and reedbeds, and deep mud at low tides. There is also a cycle path that takes you past Darts Farm, and the circuit ends at the Bridge Inn - a great pub.

Bowling Green Marsh is full of birds, if that’s something you’re interested in. You can see Redshanks, Greenshanks, Dunlins, Eurasian Wigeons, Eurasian Teals, Northern Shovelers and Curlews.

Along with this, the route to Goosemoor has many lookouts where you can see Little Egrets, Black-tailed Godwits, Bar-tailed Godwits, Swans, Geese, Shelducks and other wetland birds. If you are lucky, you may spot a Ruff, a Sparrow Hawk, or even a Peregrine Falcon.

This walk is a great opportunity to see Devon wildlife, take in beautiful views and get some fresh air.

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Haldon Forest Park is the perfect escape from the city centre; 3,500 acres of forest and trails, far enough from the bustle of life as a student that you can truly embrace the outdoors. While our campus has beautiful scenery, sometimes we need a change of scenery. It’s only a 20-minute drive out of Exeter, and often part of the escape is just that: driving somewhere new.

There are three different trails– Discovery, Raptor, and Butterfly– so there are plenty of options to choose from, as well as a café for pre-walk fuel or a postwalk treat.

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Tears often carve into the skin, forging riverbeds which begin from the eyes and flow endlessly. The feeling is familiar and comforting as a university student; those springs are formidable, and I know that giving way to them is easier, much easier than opening the curtains and registering the chaos outside.

Feeling emboldened after watching a thirty-second video captioned ‘How to reclaim your life,’ you may walk over to the window, glance through the gap in the fabric, and see something like a golden, fiery sphere of vengeance breach the atmosphere. Some thousands of years ago in Ancient Greece, it was said that Phaethon was doomed to fall, and you can see him now clouding the skies, painting them in shades of crimson mixed with smoke, and that is enough for those curtains to be pulled tightly closed for the foreseeable future.

Putting on a blindfold and headphones with the volume turned up all the way becomes a daily ritual to ignore the frantic masses, shouting until their vocal cords become raw. Glimpses of faded memories surface occasionally - when you did not know civility, and you danced with daisies twisted in your hair.

Your back garden was your kingdom, dragging your feet through the mud and performing cartwheels under the sun. Where did it all go? Your thoughts used to bounce around freely like moonlight glimmering on the surface of a pond, but now they prefer captivity, ignorant of what is happening. What is happening? Our planet is out of orbit. Atlas was supposed to be at his post for eternity, yet he has abandoned the heavens, and they are a waterfall crashing down at our feet. All of this is so much bigger than you. How are you expected to pull the Earth back into the solar system with your bare hands?

Perhaps there is something problematic with how we are meant to treat everything as if it were something to be fixed. Chaos is frightening and confusing, yet we forget that it is the precursor to the origin of life as we know it.

Before the orbit of the planets, there was nothing, a primordial void or expanse of space, and that in Greek mythology was known as Chaos. It is okay to be in chaos because to have something, we need to start with nothing; a fact that is always accompanied by fear and perplexity, yet that news brings peace to my soul. This poses the question: what if we embraced the disarray happening to us? Our fate would no longer belong to the unknown forces controlling the universe. It would be ours, a part of ourselves.

There is a quiet strength which comes with acceptance and pressing your palms against the window, observing the world folding in on itself and smiling through the absurdity, and that is not the only way you can take it all in.

You can swim in the rivers hugging your face, you can stargaze under the world-destroying asteroid and submerge your head in the waterfall because heaven is closer to you now. You can spin and scream into the ground, fists full of dirt, with the eyes of an emperor. Your life was never meant to be reclaimed. You have your life, you always have. And your kingdom was never lost. It lives on, despite it all, with you.

By Varya Mishra

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Sex, since, has never been simply private, but has functioned as a social foundation. Religion and politics have always been deeply interwoven, especially in laws regarding sex and abortion rights. Across numerous countries, same-sex relationships, sex outside marriage, and reproductive autonomy became criminalised, often under religious influence. In the United States, the overturning of Roe v. Wade during Donald Trump’s first presidency marked a cultural shift in the United States, returning judgement on abortion rights to individual states and reigniting religiously framed debates around the ‘sanctity’ of life.

The more visible that sex becomes within public discourse, the more intensely it appears to be policed.

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Sex. It’s everywhere, whether in subtle undertones in top-charting song lyrics, or as plain as the Instagram OnlyFans models advertising their pages in every comment section. It is aestheticised, monetised, capitalised, and sold. Meanwhile, politics, power, and the law omit a darker discourse, deeming who is allowed to love, who is allowed to abort, and who is allowed desire at all.

The society we live in revolves around sex, and yet it cannot decide whether to embrace or condemn it.

Sexual intimacy has existed for as long as humanity itself, interwoven through every civilisation, though never understood in quite the same way. India’s ancient texts, such as the Karma Sutra, saw sexuality not simply as an act of reproduction, but as a philosophical and artistic dance between two beings. Desire was not hidden, but rather theorised, discussed and encouraged, such that sex became embedded in cultural meaning, rather than viewed with moral panic.

However, as Abrahamic religious frameworks quickly spread and dominated parts of the world, sexuality became increasingly regulated. Sex was situated firmly within traditional, patriarchal, and heteronormative systems, focusing on marriage and reproduction. Acts that fell out of heterosexual and marital necessities were labelled as sinful, reinforcing the belief that sexuality’s primary function was procreation and lineage. As morals fell into play, sexual acts no longer became personal and intimate, but theological, legal, and political.

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This tension has become apparent in modern culture. Despite an increase in public conversations about sexuality, there have also been instances of online shaming, moral surveillance, and anxiety surrounding children’s education and exposure. Hypervisibility has not produced uncomplicated freedom, but rather intensified people’s moral fear and scrutiny of others.

At the same time, advances in modern technology have allowed the capitalisation of sexuality, transforming it into a global industry. Pornography, once kept on separate magazine aisles and late-night TV channels, has become widely available with a click of a button. Platforms such as OnlyFans have monetised desire, allowing anyone to easily convert intimacy into income. A 2024 global study found that almost 3 per cent of the world’s population is struggling with a porn addiction - not surprising in the age of constant internet access - particularly following the global isolation of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The commodification of sex brings to light a further cultural discomfort during moments which blur what is “technically” allowed in a legal sense. When Bhad Bhabie, a rapper who went viral for her appearance on the tv talk show ‘Dr Phil’ in 2016, reportedly earned almost one million dollars within hours of turning eighteen on OnlyFans, the event was framed as entrepreneurial success.

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This is also apparent in a number of popular TikTok accounts managed by parents with an unnerving focus on their children doing seemingly innocent acts, but with sexual undertones. These viral videos often have intense discourse and disgust in their comment sections, but this unfortunately only boosts their popularity in the algorithm, and the number of saves on these videos would make anyone’s skin crawl. Algorithms boost suggestive content - online dating or hookup apps press casual encounters - and to top it all off, advertised AI-driven chatbots are now simulating intimacy. Sex - once a philosophical and intimate art - has become available to anyone, anytime, anywhere.

Capitalism does not repress sexuality, but industrialises it.

And so sex has become another foundation of society.

Whilst desire is capitalised in music videos, subscription platforms, and adverts, its morality is being legislated in courtrooms. Whilst bodies are marketed and economised, bodily autonomy is being increasingly controlled. It masquerades as freedom and liberation whilst tightening regulation. Sex has become structural and defined by a unique intersection of biology, culture, reproduction, pleasure, and power. It is the act of physical love, trust, and intimacy, which inexplicably fuels billion-dollar industries.

Sex surpassing being an act or an identity has become situated as a way of control, authority, and profit. Until society confronts this duality, it will continue to switch between repression and indulgence; fronting as desire but legislating as control.

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Mary and Joseph were led by the star of Bethlehem, sailors navigated using the North Star, and many people have been spiritually guided by astrology, a word that translates from its ancient Greek origin to “the study of stars”.

In his 2014 study The Vanishing Stars: Natural Experience and Meaning, Paul O’Connor explores the historical culture of stars and “Astral religion… widespread in both ancient and traditional culture… infused with a sense of the majesty, beauty and munificence of the stars”.

O’Connor argues that as humanity’s needs have changed, artificial light has extended our working and leisure hours, and drowned out the night sky mercilessly in favour of round-the-clock productivity: “[if] in the past the night sky suggested the idea of a cosmic harmony to which humans might distantly aspire, today it mirrors the narcissism and self-containment of our consumer society”. Now, it seems a life after dark is more romanticised than the stars currently visible to us in the night sky.

Although it seems stars have vanished from our skies, they remain in place, obscured only by the brightness we have created. Unlike many environmental problems, skyglow may be reversed immediately with the right initiatives in place.

Dark Sky International is one of the leading organisations fighting skyglow, with almost 200,000 advocates, supporters and members. Founded in 1988, they provide tools to reduce light pollution for both industries and individuals. Specifically, they focus on conserving starry areas of sky, evaluating and certifying dark sky lighting, and providing education and outreach.

Reversing skyglow would benefit the health of humans and animals, whilst also restoring our connection with the stars. I hope that my children grow up staring with wonder at the night sky, and that we all begin to embrace the clear, celestial darkness once again.

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Skyglow refers to the increased brightness of the sky, currently reducing the visibility of stars. Dr Christopher Kyba, outlined the primary causes of this phenomenon: population growth, expanding settlements and new lighting technologies. Despite cultural optimism maintaining that a switch to LED and energy-efficient light sources instead of traditional street lighting might decrease skyglow, Dr Kyba notes that “decorative and advertising lighting produce a larger fraction of horizontally propagating light than modern street lighting does”.

Skyglow, a consequence of light pollution, is increasing the brightness of the night sky by approximately ten per cent each year. The figures have been reported on Globe at Night, an international campaign designed to raise public awareness of the impact of light pollution, which invites citizen-scientists to measure and submit their sky brightness observations. Although this percentage increase might not sound too dramatic, it means that the sky may double its brightness within a decade. For example, if you are an early 2000’s baby like myself, you have most likely never seen the Milky Way from your home or garden - unlike the generations before you.

Whilst I have never been particularly into astronomy, I romanticise the idea of stargazing on a picnic blanket. I can vividly remember my parents pointing out the stars in the sky. This isn’t a new fascination. Within life and literature, across many cultures, stars have historically symbolised hope, destiny and guidance through journeys.

ons

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Professional Orbiting and the Class Barriers of Networking

because it ignores these message on LinkedIn, it is rassing yourself, wondering space at all. such as The 93% Club matter. It represents (who make up 93% of the UK population), by that career success is dependent on class ates an environment where students can ask without judgement because for students withmilial guidance, this support is essential. Students encouraged to build networks rather than believing on not what you know, but who you know.

so unhelpful, a

By Jess Channon

The solution is not to shame the fortunate students who benefit from connections, but to instead acknowledge this clear imbalance in accessibility. We need to build inclusive support systems, adapt University initiatives, and shape effective educational policy to help bridge this gap. Ultimately, networking is not just about confidence. It is about access, and access is often inescapably tied to class.

This is why societies state educated students challenging the idea privileges. It crequestions out fashould feel that success depends

Perhaps this is why networking advice can feel social nuances. It is not just a case of sending wondering whether you are embarwhether you even belong in that

The University offers helpful employability talks, careers fairs and initiatives, such as Social Mobility Week. These events are valuable, however there is an absence of long-term support.

Networking requires a level of confidence that not all students are able to attain. For working-class students, the professional world can feel intimidating. Not because they lack talent or knowledge, but because they lack the appropriate support systems, like not having parents who have work experience in certain industries. Even the seemingly smallest details - an accent, certain clothing, or an unfamiliarity with industry jargon - can reinforce detrimental feelings of imposter syndrome.

Students are often encouraged to “put themselves out there”, but not taught how. Where can you network? Who are you meant to speak to? When is the right time to start? Most advice is vague and unhelpful. Even LinkedIn can reinforce insecurity. Endless posts about internships and exciting opportunities are designed to generate motivating buzz, yet they also fuel the cultural anxiety that everyone else in your job market is climbing higher and faster than yourself.

I have to remind myself that I am no less capable, I just have to start from scratch. However, this imbalance becomes even greater in competitive industries, such as Law, where internships and experience feel like basic entry requirements. Often these opportunities are unpaid, despite being based in expensive cities. Once again, this economic bias favours the student who can afford to work without payment and travel with ease.

As the first member of my family to go to university, networking feels like learning some sort of secret language. It is not enough to just be confident, it is about knowing the rules of the game before you even start. I’ve seen friends casually mention they have a family friend who can “sort out a week of work experience” for them, which makes it feel like you’re behind before you even start.

Although networking is advertised as an equaliser, it often highlights the underlying class barriers that tend to dictate student experiences. Some students start university with the comforting safety net of parents and family friends with corporate contacts. Other students arrive possessing ambition and drive, but no idea who they are supposed to talk to, or how.

If you are reading this, then you probably have the same issue as me: as a working-class student at university, it feels like everyone else knows the right people before they have even started. You are told networking is simple. All you need to do is show up to events, talk to people, and somehow your dream career will unfold in front of you. But for many working-class students networking doesn’t feel accessible. Instead, it feels like trying to navigate a space that you don’t belong in.

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St. Petersburg – Brazilian Girls Static – Steve Lacy The Woman That Loves You – Japanese Breakfast Sleeping Lessons – The Shins Sleepwalking – Better Oblivion Community Center, Phoebe Bridgers Blue Light – Mazzy Star Mice City – Hotel Ugly North – Clairo Call It Fate, Call It Karma – The Strokes Summer’s Over – Jordana, TV Girl Eventually – Tame Impala Simulation Swarm – Big Thief But Not Kiss – Faye Webster Growing/Dying – The Backseat Lovers How Can You Swallow So Much Sleep – Bombay Bicycle Club Giant Peach – Wolf Alice

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Life is a constant orbit. We live inside routines that centre around survival, whether that’s studying, working, family, sport. But every now and then we stop and question the meaning: what makes life worth living? We take a step back from the orbit and look at it from a distance.

Again, and again, humans break out of their current cycles and seek what is worth fighting for. This playlist explores what fuels that step back, that separation, and that decision to make a new path.

In contrast, some of these songs further epitomize the subliminal space of wishing for change but never leaving. The weird feeling of being entirely directionless.

Existing at the cusp of the unknown, whilst observing it from afar. Living in uncertainty, going round circles with no potential to break out.

Each of these songs have very different stories, but all link back to the same theme: the constant orbit of life and the question of changing what that looks like.

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By Isadora Nosworthy

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By Evie Andrew

ORBIT MIXTAPE

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Control your ORBIT: Self-care and the Term-Two Blues

1. The curved trajectory of a celestial object under the influence of an attracting force. (Wikipedia, physics.)

2. One of two round areas in the skull that contain the eyes. (Cambridge Dictionary, anatomy.)

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initial months of the year can feel like such a drag. The holiday season is a distant memory, money is tight, and the sun is absolutely nowhere to be seen. In addition, university-life reaches a crescendo which never seems to settle. So, how can we overcome these term-two blues? How do we continue to get up in the morning with no pub garden to look forward to later? If the main causes of the winter blues are out of our control, what is in our orbit that we can control?

It is essential to recognise that in life, you get back what you give. A change in mindset can make all the difference, starting with your environment. Whilst it’s difficult to fully realise your interior-design dreams in student accommodation, even the most miniscule additions to your space can transform your mood. Embellish your walls with art (created or curated), experiment with mood lighting, textures, trinkets... there are no rules. Envisage your room as a reflection of your inner self and your creative vision. Creating a sacred environment helps to protect the centre of your orbit – yourself. With a clear environment comes a clear head, so instead of wishing for brighter days, make the most of the present. Embrace the gloomy skies, the cocoon of a thick scarf, and, on the odd occasion, the joy that comes when the sun threatens to peek through the clouds.

Great artists embrace the volatility of nature and emotion.

Picasso’s depressive ‘Blue Period’ produced masterpieces, encapsulating grief in muted blues and greys. In other words, try to see the beauty in the winter blues. Treat it as a period of hibernation, self-reflection and preparation before the kaleidoscopes of spring and summer.

Orbit (noun):

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Everyone is familiar with the winter

ORB . . . . . blues. If you don’t know what I’m IT talking about, I envy you. The

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The first science fiction film I loved scared me half to death.

I was nine years old, cross-legged on a carpet, watching a vast alien ship hover silently over Johannesburg in District 9. Something about that image — enormous and rusted — lodged itself so deep in my chest that I couldn’t shake it for weeks. I didn’t have the vocabulary for it then, but I understand now what I was feeling: the specific thrill of a story that holds a mirror up to the world and distorts it just enough to show you the truth.

UR ORBIT

O R O M F I LM F

Science fiction cinema has repeatedly achieved this effect. From the silent, expressionist dread of Metropolis to the warm, aching wonder of Interstellar, the genre operates on two frequencies at once: one that soothes, and one that warns. It is perhaps the only genre that can make you feel that humani-

ty is both gloriously imaginative, and spectacularly doomed.

The power of escapism is unapologetically immersive. There is something restorative about surrendering to a world where the rules are different. When I watch Arrival, I am not thinking about deadlines or the mountain of work I have to get through. I am inside Louise Banks’s grief and wonder, tracing the circular logic of a language that dissolves time. Science fiction creates total immersion in a way few other genres can because the world-building demands it. You are not just following characters; you are learning the physics of an entirely new reality.

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That cognitive absorption — the pleasure of a mind fully occupied — is not trivial. It is, in the most literal sense, a rest from reality.

But the best science fiction never lets you rest entirely. It uses the distance of the fantastical to say things that realism cannot risk saying directly. WALL-E is a children’s film about a lonely robot. It is also an unflinching portrait of consumerism, ecological collapse, and the slow abdication of human agency to convenience. Parasite — if we extend the genre’s edges (as we should)— uses the architecture of a thriller to dissect class with a precision no earnest drama could match.

The metaphor is not decoration. It is the primary argument.

This dual function — escapism and warning — is not a contradiction. It proves the genre’s central genius. By transporting us somewhere else, science fiction lowers our guard. We are open to learning the lesson because we came looking for the adventure. The dystopian political landscape lands harder in our minds because we are enjoying the spectacle. The environmental warning resonates because we grow attached to the characters living in the wreckage.

What moves me most after returning to these films again and again is how fundamentally optimistic the genre is — even at its darkest. To make a science fiction film is to believe that the future exists, that it is worth imagining, and that imagining it might change something. Even the most harrowing entries in the canon — Children of Men, Annihilation, Mad Max: Fury Road — pulse with a strange, defiant energy. They say, “look at what we might become.” And embedded in that warning is always its opposite: “it doesn’t have to be this way.”

That is why I keep coming back. Not just for the spaceships or the aliens or the dazzling production design (though I love all of those things without shame). I come back because science fiction is one of the few places where humanity dares to hold up its own reflection, examine it honestly, and still choose to keep dreaming. In a world that often feels too loud and too certain, that combination of courage and imagination feels, to me, like one of our finest qualities.

By Bethany Adams 28

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The Word for World is Forest by Ursula K. Le Guin

Written in 1972, Ursula K. Le Guin’s The Word for World is Forest remains chillingly allegorical fifty-four years after publication. The book is set on the planet Athshe, home to the peaceful people known as Athsheans. Despite their green fur and short stature, the Athsheans are just as human, if not more so, than the brutal ‘yumens’ who have colonised their planet.

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As tensions between the groups escalate, violence becomes inescapable — and this violence is startlingly familiar.

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Stanisław Lem, renowned for pushing science fiction writing beyond its conventional borders, first published Solaris in 1961 amid a transitioning intellectual climate in post-Stalinist Warsaw. The novel is deeply philosophical, focusing on a human encounter with a planet’s sentient ocean surface which resists all scientific attempts at communication. Lem explores themes that profoundly resonate with modern concepts of artificial intelligence, algorithmic manipulation of human data, and virtual reality, whilst offering an important critique of human knowledge and scientific inquiry.

The ocean-planet manifests the characters’ most painful and repressed memories as physical, tangible entities, leading to their gradual psychological unravelling. Despite having accumulated vast libraries of research, the crew remain incapable of comprehending Solaris, often due to attributing human-like qualities to it. We are left with the unsettling recognition that technological advancement does not bring us closer to true understanding of the universe, or of ourselves.

Lem’s Solaris endures as a masterpiece of science fiction not merely due to its anticipation of contemporary anxieties surrounding modern technology, but because it exposes human difficulties in confronting trauma, repressed guilt and innate tendencies like anthropomorphism, which shape and constrain human progress.

Book Recommendations....

The novella follows three narrators, one being Captain Davidson, whose racism and fact-over-feeling mentality are reminiscent of a certain US President. Davidson’s hatred of Athsheans, or ‘creechies’ as he calls them, echoes the rampant anti-immigrant rhetoric of today.

Alongside this, Le Guin’s depiction of the Athshean forest challenges our belief in the environment as an external entity. Instead, it promotes a union between humans and nature. We must respond to these challenges if we want things to change. Word for World kickstarts said change by decentring the human and fostering empathy towards the Other. In a world obsessed with barriers and division, this book is a vital and necessary reminder that we are all aliens somewhere.

By Jasmine Perkins

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Often hailed as the precursor to the genre of science fiction, Mary Shelley’s debut novel Frankenstein has undoubtedly stood the test of time. There have been countless adaptations — such as last year’s Oscar nominated rendition by Guillermo Del Toro — and the story invokes fascinating themes of isolation, ambition, and nature versus nurture. These universal issues exemplify how the novel has been able to speak to both past and future generations.

Part of the reasoning behind the public’s unfaltering fascination with the novel arises from Shelley’s unique astuteness to the very real fears of a society who, at the time, were facing previously unforeseen scientific advancements, and her ability to reflect these trepidations into a gothic cautionary tale about the horrors of unchecked scientific ambition. Through characterising the tragedy behind Victor’s hubris in the form of the creature, Shelley was able to not only speak to the terror of the readers at the time, but also predict the anxieties of future generations. As new technologies such as AI continue to be developed and enhanced, Shelley’s macabre tale serves as a potent reminder of why ethical considerations and taking responsibility for one’s creations remains an important topic to be considered in today’s climate.

By Evie Merrilees

Images from: https://www.faber.co.uk/product/9780571311576-solaris/?srsltid=AfmBOop476-qCVAhOWE1OlCem1j2IJ1O-FIjc98BLBVZZQppFcacJZx5 / https://www.amazon.co.uk/Frankenstein-Original-1818-Mary-Shelley/dp/B0G2SMVTW8/ref=asc_df_B0G2SMVTW8?mcid=b41dad8ce5653b7e8ca09ec5c25e6277&th=1&psc=1&tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=781385122026&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13754031801536291562&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9045343&hvtargid=pla-2456537396601&psc=1&hvocijid=13754031801536291562-B0G2SMVTW8-&hvexpln=0&gad_source=1/ / https://www.amazon.co.uk/Word-World-Forest-Ursula-Guin/ dp/0765324644

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Solaris by Stanisław Lem

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Mars Exploration Rover – B The MER-B, or the Opportunity Rover, sent its final communication during a dust storm that lasted over four months. Without the sun it could have no energy. 1,000 unsuccessful signals were sent to MER-B after its last message to Earth, but with no reply, the NASA team decided to send one final communication, “I’ll be seeing you” by Billie Holiday.

Mission complete. Goodnight, Opportunity.

Hour zero — thrust from Earth across a Miltonic chasm of Chaos and Night and called, fittingly, Opportunity, for indeed I was to venture where no one could.

Plunged into the flat, barren hellscape, naked, alone, the same sun still blaring relentlessly down upon me. For ninety sols I was to traverse this Martian realm, watched by eyes a year away, or a year old, the tricks of time are funny in this wide infinity.

Worlds away from home. I rove, drift— the Greek call this planētai meaning wanderer, I am a wanderer of this sphere which itself is wandering, product of human wondering, and so I continue to rove, to drift, for five thousand sols, the sun still watching over me.

Then the dust picks up, each particle charged with voltaic poison, poised to strike.

If I had hairs, they might be standing on end.

The sun but a speck — a hundred and twenty sols without its vigilant eye, this planet sits asleep.

The storm is raging on.

It is so cold here.

My battery is low and it’s getting dark.

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Poppy Read

O R B I T Briefly Winter was taking years to pass and he kept circling her, silver and fleeting, slender fingers tracing his cross, and it was the year she had decided to trust magazine astrology, and it had warned her to be wary of the fallout from a temporary risk but also to let her inner temptress run the show, and to avoid people in control and become the one in control, and she still really felt sixteen, and sometimes thought she would be stuck feeling silly and young forever, watching the hours crawl by like the fruit flies on her windowsill and waiting for him to drift closer, but instead the starlings danced across the telephone lines, preening and chittering, and she listened to them and watched him disappear as the skies became mauve, then blue, and the sun had come up on a spring day.

Kitty Carter

P O E T R Y

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Orbit In the lonely dark, it is all so small.

Far from the clutter, you have drawn back, up, you are unfixed eyeballs staring down at the marble and out at the run, dreaming of the edges, always moving further off.

It is quiet and cold to hang above yourself, where heat is distant — but the microbes on the membrane of your mantle itch, and if you aren’t careful, you might fall through the clouds and back to the melting — so hold it off. Stay awhile. Savour the silence, spin in the black, and if you wait long enough you might see tomorrow crest over your edge, too bright to watch straight on.

Helen Totty

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b it

O R B I T P O E T R Y

eep In Your o s t K e i t i o n r t u p p Or ta ive O

The most helpful thing I have ever done for my writing is throw it out into the wider world, for better or for worse. Competitions, bursary schemes, mentorships, open calls - these are defined tasks, often themed, which provide deadlines and incentives to write something entirely new, often in forms or genres you have never tried before. Most will almost certainly reject your work, some will not even respond, but that is besides the point. It is the attempt itself - the brainstorming, the writing, the feverish editing - which help make you a better and more resilient writer.

Of course, there are times when the stars will align, often for pieces which you had little hope for, and you will receive the other benefits of such schemes.

Through entering competitions, I have been paid for public readings (including during London’s Literature Festival), been published in multiple anthologies, received creative commissions from established literary bodies like UNESCO, been interviewed by BBC radio, and even received cold-emails from interested Literary Agents.

To begin with, I recommend checking Christopher Fielden’s very comprehensive list of writing competitions for a feel of how many there are - of almost every genre and theme. Almond Press (at dystopianstories.com) is my go-to list, and has been since I was sixteen - the website is updated almost daily, and all free-to-enter competitions are highlighted for ease of discovery. For more local ventures, I recommend keeping an eye on Exeter City of Literature’s ‘Creative Opportunities’ page, as well as Literature Works (a South West charity) ‘Opportunities’ page. The University will sometimes email about certain opportunities, and there are other methods too - for example, becoming a member of the Poetry Society opens up many new and free competitions. Even for those schemes which are pay-to-enter, if you come from a lower-income background, they will often offer bursary entries at the beginning of the submission cycle.

To enter your hat will feel you will will never

yourself into such a scheme and throw in the ring is the most difficult part. You like an intruder or an amateur - but never get better until you try, and you be a writer until you demand to be read.

By Nathan Steward 33

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Mayday! Mayday! Come save me, I need help. I do not know where I am. Where do I stand, in this vast, immense universe of life? I am completely surrounded by it. Different colours and shapes and sizes of life, so many, that I lost count years ago. Nowadays, they all blend together, so different but, at the same time, a united entity. After all, we are all just tiny specks of colour that together form the Earth’s portrait.

Can you see me? Can you help? Where am I? Who am I? I feel so insignificant at times, blended up with all those different colours. I try to separate myself from it, but that is impossible. I am but one cog in the machine. They need each and every one of us for life to function correctly. We are all in this together. Surely, that is where I stand…

But machine parts can be replaced, and I am but one cog. I play a valuable role in this play, yet there will always be an understudy ready to speak my lines the moment I stutter. I work day and night, going through the motions of life, and can be replaced at any time.

Actors look amongst themselves wearily after each and every scene. Did I play it right? Did I follow the script without skipping any lines? Did I bring my performance to life?

Oh, what am I, what am I, where am I? What kind of role do I play?

Will I receive endless remembrance and glory, or just be another piece in this disconcerting jigsaw? So perfect until it is not. So useful, purposeful… until I get rusty. When I can no longer work, when I am tired. A rusty piece can no longer keep the machine’s pace. Then I get replaced.

Now what?

I can try to get another role - try to fit myself into another mould.

What if I paint myself blue, to fit in with a different crowd?

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By Sofía Tapia

Or red, and have a whole different life when night comes crawling down? How should I arrange myself in this puzzle, this orbit, when everything is so very different, yet the same? Can I become a chameleon? Or must I resemble the work of art I came from, and be forced into different shapes and colours by an unsatisfied muse? Do I have free will?

I try my best to go with the flow of the paintbrush. I follow its direction to the best of my ability. I change colour and shape according to my surroundings. I just want to fit in with the right crowd, is that too much to ask? I want to be one with my surroundings, but they keep changing and mixing. What expectations they hold of me, I no longer know.

I try to keep to myself, retain my personal essence - if I ever had one. Was I not always just another star in this infinite galaxy? So insignificant, so small, compared to the magnitude of life… yet so easily affected and disturbed.

The most miniscule change in the opposite side of this universe ricochets off off my steady surface. I am floating, facing ever-changing issues which I know I cannot escape. I am trying but they will not let me. They say I am one of them and I will never leave life unaffected.

But I cannot do this anymore. Help! Let me out! Please contact ground control.

Tell them I need to leave this orbit.

Flash Fiction Orbit 36

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Art is rarely as paramount as it has been this year.

Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Streets of Minneapolis’ has become an instant anthem of the resistance, directly naming federal agents as “thugs” and challenging the official narrative of the Republican government with the lyrics: “It’s our blood and bones / And these whistles and phones / Against Miller and Noem’s dirty lies.”

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American Hero (Talking Blowback Blues),” a track that digs into the long-term consequences of aggressive domestic and foreign policy and the lingering effect on the American populace.

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It is in these contexts, though, that a cultural resistance has emerged.

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The current troubles in America have moved beyond policy debate into a visceral, and sometimes lethal, reality.

The recent murders of Renée Good and Alex Pretti on the snow-filled streets of Minneapolis crystalised the fear of what many are calling ‘King’ Trump’s private army – ICE.

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Other voices are also joining the chorus, such as Jesse Welles with his hit ‘Join ICE’ and the earlier ‘War Isn’t Murder’. The four-time Grammy nominated artist uses biting folk-satire to address the dehumanization of current enforcement tactics, exposing the insecurities of these federal agents. Joseph Terrell also came out with “Genuine

H we O a e t i t

In the winter of 2026, the political weather on both sides of the Atlantic turned increasingly cold. For those in the UK watching the escalation of violence by ICE agents in the US, the distance between the two nations is shrinking. What is happening in Minneapolis is no longer staying there; it instead serves as a grim preview for a British electorate currently weighing the rise of Reform UK against a futile Labour government and a flourishing Green Party campaign.

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This resistance is also being seen in smaller branches of government. The newly elected Mayor of New York City, Zohran Mamdani, has been a strong advocate against the mass deportation and targeting of immigrants across America.

In late February, he met with President Donald Trump and successfully negotiated the release of Elmina Aghayeva, a Columbia student wrongfully detained

by ICE. This was a rare win amidst countless false conditions of arrests, where agents have posed as police officers looking for missing children to gain entry to homes, arrested fellow agents, and harmed innocent citizens.

This moment of reprieve served to remind those in the US and across the Atlantic that local political pressure still carries a flicker of weight in a political field which seems to currently discard the voices of its citizens.

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The recent election in Gorton and Denton was a watershed moment as Hannah Spencer, a plumber and councillor, overturned a massive Labour majority to become the Green Party’s first-ever by-election winner. Her campaign just about surpassed the influence of Reform candidate Martin Goodwin – whose policy ideas include taxing childless women – and was fully endorsed by party leader Zach Polanski. With Green party memberships now surpassing 200,000, the Greens are leading the polls by six points in the under-65 category, regularly beating Reform in that demographic.

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Nigel Farage’s Reform Party also threatens public trust in PM Starmer. The far-right party is dominating the over-65 vote (33 per cent) and continues to surge in national polls.

Their rhetoric - echoing the ICE-style deportation promises seen in the Trump’s 2024 campaign - is finding fertile ground among those disillusioned by the current government, and minority groups find themselves once again used as scapegoats for the exploits of the super-rich.

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As always, though, there is hope.

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In Britain, however, the ripples of American unrest are hitting a shore already eroded by a loss of public trust. The Starmer government is currently fighting a war on three fronts: accusations of dirty play in their campaigning; the haunting shadow of Epstein scandals; and the fear of a far-right Reform government coming to power. Labour’s aggressive campaigning - including the infamous ‘Green madness’ vans attacking Green Party drug policies as extreme and dangerous – have gathered the attention of the public, with many labelling their actions as fearmongering. This claim that Polanski’s drug policies will harm the children of Britain comes after the resignation of Lord Peter Mandelson, a former Labour cabinet minister and British ambassador to the US, with significant ties to the child sex-trafficker, Jeffery Epstein. For many voters, the Mandelson scandal reinforces the idea of a political class more connected to the global elites than the struggles of their constituents.

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The UK and the US are currently navigating the same orbital complications: the fallout from the Epstein files, the polarizing nature of political conflicts, and a growing divide between those who want order and control and those who want hope and community. The surge in popularity for Reform UK suggests that a segment of the British public is ready to embrace the same hardline tactics tearing through American cities. If the UK government continues to rely on a petulant political strategy while ignoring the structural rot caused by the elite and highlighted by the Mandelson scandal, ‘Streets of Minneapolis’ might soon find an echo in the streets of Britain.

Ultimately, though, we can make change happen. If anything, this winter has demonstrated the significance of supporting local government and listening to those ... - . who lead with care, confidence, and drive. Though the view from across the pond is - .... . . looking dire, we’ve seen that resistance to suffocating regimes is possible. It is up -to. the people whether or not we follow in America’s footsteps. . .-

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Photography by Comfort Edmeads

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climate s ’ a c ret eri

Internationally, the reaction has been withering. Allies have expressed alarm as advocacy groups warn that the US is inviting others to lower their ambitions. The withdrawal undermines trust at a moment when cooperation is most needed, and risks triggering a race to the bottom in global climate action. Abandoning unified effort will not shield the US from climate impacts – it will only weaken its capacity to respond to them.

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ce in Washing t o n o

The formal exit from the Paris Accord is only the most visible element of a wider retreat. The administration has announced plans to disengage from UN climate bodies, sever ties with international climate science institutions, and abandon climate finance mechanisms supporting lower-income countries. The hope, clearly, is that these gestures will buy political space at home by recasting cooperation as an elite imposition on American voters and jobs. Yet, as so often happens with Trump’s gambits, short-term theatrics obscure deeper strategic damage.

Walking away from multilateral institutions does not remove climate risks and it simply leaves the US less able to shape the global response.

en evid

The symbolism is clear. Having re-entered Paris in 2021 and re-established Washington’s role in global climate diplomacy, the US has walked away from the world’s flagship climate accord for the second time, now grouped with Iran, Libya, and Yemen as the few countries outside of the framework. Trump framed the decision, signed within hours of resuming office, as a triumph of freedom and independence. In reality, it signals the collapse of a fragile consensus that environmental change is a shared problem requiring collective ownership, rather than denial.

ideo lo g y

Critics argue the economic case is deeply misleading. Weaker standards are expected to raise fuel costs, worsen air pollution, and intensify climate risk. The endangerment finding was grounded in decades of research, and its dismissal signals a broader hostility to evidence-based governance.

Barack Obama has warned that without this finding Americans will be “less safe, less healthy, and less able to fight climate change,” all whilst fossil-fuel companies reap the benefits. Indeed, what is sold as pragmatism increasingly looks like denial dressed up as realism.

r ove

: t a re

The Democrats spent four years rebuilding US climate cooperation following the 2020 general election. In a single day back in office, Trump dismantled the efforts as part of his ‘Make America Great Again’ stunt. Climate diplomacy was cut short by withdrawal from the Paris Agreement -- the only internationally binding framework to limit global warming -- and an aggressive return to fossil-fuel support. This was not a routine policy U-turn; it was a reckless abdication of responsibility that has left the US isolated and its credibility shredded. More troublingly, it reflects the growing entrenchment of anti-science rhetoric in American politics, repackaged as a defence of national sovereignty.

So, what now? The White House argues that deregulation and fossil-fuel expansion will drive economic growth and restore competitiveness.

Central to this claim is the repeal of the Environmental Protection Agency’s 2009 ‘Endangerment Finding’, the legal foundation of federal climate regulation. Trump has called its revocation the largest deregulation in US history, claiming that the savings are over one trillion dollars with cost reductions of roughly $2,400 per vehicle. The EPA has echoed these figures.

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The US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement and renewed support for fossil fuels signal not just a policy reversal, but the deepening grip of anti-science politics on American governance.

Ultimately, the problem is rooted in politics. Trump’s actions reflect the consolidation of anti-science policy within American conservatism, in which expertise is recast as elitism, and multilateralism as weakness. America now faces a stark choice: it can persist with withdrawal, deregulation and the rejection of science, ceding leadership on one of the defining challenges of the century; or, it can rediscover the logic that once underpinned its return to Paris -- that shared problems demand shared solutions.

By Lily Habibiyan

For now, the direction of travel is clear. The US has relinquished control of events it once sought to shape, and it is far from obvious how, or when, it intends to win it back.

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Breaking out of ORBIT - the ethics of space pursuit amidst geopolitical crises.

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The Artemis II mission is the most recent deep-space endeavour by NASA to test life-suppor t systems, expanding the possibilities of Lunar and Martian missions. Artemis II is ready to lift off in March 2026 at the earliest, providing the first flyby trip to the moon since 1972. This trip will validate new lunar landing technology, acting as “sustainable” lunar exploration, while legitimising future Martian missions. However, hydrogen fuel leaks have halted progress several times over, calling into question just how “sustainable” the strive for sustainable space exploration can be.

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On April 12th 1961, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to travel to space amid the bubbling tensions of the Cold War, completing a full orbit around Earth in 108 minutes before returning safely home.

On July 16th 1969, the Apollo 11 mis. . . . . . . - - sion made Ameri. can astronaut Neil Armstrong the first human to .walk on the moon, before returning to Earth .. and landing in the ocean 900 miles off the coast of Hawai’i. Since these major missions, space exploration has evolved to encompass the most advanced pieces of technology available, creating marvels such as the Soviet probe Luna 2, the International Space Station, and, most recently, the James Webb Space Telescope.

But how much do we need to explore space, and is it ethical to do so in the current political and environmental climate?

Why explore what is out there rather than addressing the pressing problems and believe me, we are not short of those - down here on Earth?

Expanding human knowledge for potential threats to life from develop our planetary defence solar events. Moreover, space tional cooperation and improve as when the Apollo-Soyuz détente in the Cold War in 1975.

of the universe and preparing outer space may help us to systems and predict major exploration can aid internainternational relations, such mission marked a period of

But it all comes down to money. when people on Earth are sufto foreign aid? How is it morally in predominantly POC-ingoing without running water? plunging us into the UN’s sobankruptcy”? Can these misare living with underfunded people are - both metaphoriout the doors of hospitals?

Are these missions humane fering in war without access right to fly off to Mars when, habited towns, people are When AI data centres are called “era of global water sions be justified when we healthcare systems where cally and physically - spilling

The exploration of space is the nourishment of mankind, post-pandemic global econnot matched inflation since ise from the exploration of (and more student debt) and (and underpaying factory has been exploited by comOrigin since the early 2000s. space travel has proposed suborbital flights averaging flights planning to become average commercial flight tonnes of CO2 per passenStarship system emissions 760 tonnes of CO2 per pasmore CO2 than that from a thermore, due to their higher released are more permeaever accelerating the ef-

certainly not a necessity for especially in the current omy, where wages have the 1980s. But to capitalspace - creating more jobs building new technology workers) - is an angle that panies SpaceX and Blue The commercialisation of seat prices in orbital and at $250,000, with these the norm by 2028. The releases about 2.5-3 ger, whereas SpaceX’s are an estimated 28 senger: over 30, 400% commercial flight. Furaltitude, the emissions ble to the troposphere, fects of global warming.

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These statistics set off ethical alarm bells, as these ventures will cause even more environmental damage that could lead to further destruction of both natural habitats and human infrastructure in vulnerable, usually lower-income communities. Musk and Bezos could use the money invested into these programmes to support such communities, and their actions in not doing so speak louder than words ever could. These are not scientific missions with research purposes and benefits, after all.

This all begs the age-old question: What need do normal, hard-working people have for this kind of travel? And the answer is simple. We don’t. Let’s face it, commercial space travel was never meant to be - and never will be - for anybody but the elite.

Even in the case of Blue Origin’s New Shepard flight in April of 2025, Amanda Nguyen - the only trained astronaut on the vessel, who used her time to conduct scientific research - was overshadowed by those who had bought their way onto the all-female crew, including the likes of 2010s popstar Katy Perry. Perry was hugely criticised on social media for her “tone deaf” display to the cameras set up within the spacecraft, both for her performative climate advocacy despite the flight’s impact on the environment and as an embarrassment to modern-day feminism, where all on the crew with the exception of Nguyen had paid for their place rather than having rigorously trained and fought for it.

So, what can we take from this? Space is where we, as a planet, are born from, and therefore there are certainly some benefits to exploring it, but we are not currently in an economic or environmental position as a society to do so. Not when our own planet and the people on it are dying thanks to the effects of climate change and poor economic planning. Perhaps in the future we may have the resources to explore further afield, discover new planets, and uncover new science. However, until then, humanity should focus on introspection and self-healing. We need to learn to love each other as people, rather than as resources.

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By Chloe Fennings

Illustrated by Emily Mclndoe 46

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Answers DOWN 1. Boycott 2. Collector 4. Interstellar 5. Herd 6. Automatism 7. Sagittarius 8. NASA 9. Orwell 10. Me 11. Sign 12. Light 13. Rotten 14. Escape

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DOWN 1. To cut-out, politically 2. Also, hoarder 4. Soundtracked by Hans Zimmer 5. Following; cows 6. Repetitive, mindless state of being, like that of a machine 7. Ruled by Jupiter (clue to 10 down) 8. Some believe they faked a moon landing 9. Author who writes about surveillance in a sci-fi world 10. It’s not you, it’s __ 11. Indicator (clue to 6 down) 12. Decline of stars (cause) 13. To the core 14. Why one explores nature

ACROSS 1. Mamdani 2. Collective 3. Obsess 4. Intrepid 5. Link 6. Twenty-one billion 7. Storm 8. Mask 9. Algorithm 10. Intersection 12. Night 13. Leap 14. Revolution

ACROSS 1. 112th Mayor of New York City 2. Beliefs shared across persons 3. To become pre-occupied, intensely 4. Adventurous 5. Star____ (Musk) 6. Amount of military aid sent by US Government to support the Israeli Military 7th October 2023 – 7th 9.

October 2025 7. Nature’s rage 8. Self-care item used on the face 9. Programming that dictates and personalises our social media feed 10. Cross point of two moving objects 12. Personified by Nyx 13. Of faith 14. France, 1789

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heard while we slumped in plastic seats behind the curtained balcony, the sun whipping the beads into red oceans, storing chunks of gold inside our two-litre jug of Chianti – you told me you were evil – and I laughed because long ago, I had seen the devil’s eyes open up berthed next to mine – the smell of vomit clinging to my teeth – my first kiss was more bitter than sweet and yet I know I have never touched evil although, it did muddy the soul when the plumes’ shadows licked my fingers as I cowered in the pampas grass listening, listening, listening, to my mother’s shrilling voice – she was not cruel, she just hadn’t realised yet that today was beautiful. I hit

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when at dawn I watched my grandfather slit that fish’s throat with a knife he had made out of antler and steel – it was heavy like my gut when I cradled the still-steaming coffee and leaned on my friend’s new pine bench – the prosecco churning my belly – we had drank for hours for the sake of a twenty-minute graduation and the sun still didn’t scream that today was special. I twisted in my descent and remembered the gunshots in Palermo,

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Red sky at night, shepherd’s delight my father muttered, while I balanced like a coin on the paddock gate, my fingers hugging the lichen and splintered ruts of the wood, pitting the skin with patterns akin to a honeycomb or a lotus seed – he paused and the final remark crawled from his lips like a dirge or an anthem: red sky in the morning, shepherd’s take warning and I fell off the gate into memory and remembered the bonfire in my lids

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the bottom of the tunnel and swung on a synaptic cobweb remembering, remembering, remembering, when you asked if the sunset was just God holding a flashlight to his skin, letting the blood shine into the trail like a lamp or fleshy ribbon and then when He turned off the light – it got dark and I untangled myself like my brothers and sisters and ancestors and enemies and went out into the black to search for kindling to try and start a sunrise.

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Illustrated by Milk Chaisetsumpan

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Issue 48 www.razzmag.co.uk instagram:@razzmagexeter email: razzmag@gmail.com