Breaking News
MP killed after stabbing at constituency surgery
In the last few minutes, it has been announced that Conservative MP for Leigh on Sea, David Amess, has died after being stabbed at a constituency surg...
BREAKING NEWS
Breaking News
Train derails and crashes at North London station
An eight-carriage train derailed when approaching Enfield Town station during rush hour at around 8:15am yesterday. The Overground train con...
Breaking News
Inquiry into UK Covid response releases first report
Information from two committee inquiries regarding the government’s response to the Coronavirus outbreak, has been released today. In it, the UK gover...
Breaking News
Activities & Opportunities Officer and UEA(su) issue Sportsnight statement
UEA(SU) and Activities and Opportunities Officer, Lizzie Payne, have released a joint statement following the incidents which took place at Sportsnigh...
News
Calls for Paid Sick Leave Following Miscarriage Before 24 Weeks
Angela Crawley, MP for the SNP (Scottish National Party), is calling on the government to give those who have suffered a miscarriage the legal right t...
News
Norfolk MP Promoted in Cabinet Reshuffle
Conservative MP, Liz Truss, has been appointed the role of Foreign Secretary in the recent cabinet reshuffle. She has replaced Dominic Raab who is now...
News
UEA respond to timetabling errors by switching from Evision to Timetabler
In an attempt to modernise their timetabling systems in common with other major universities, the University of East Anglia have switched from Evision...
News
Hancock’s Whatsapps to be Examined in Court Case
Matt Hancock will have both his Whatsapp and his emails searched during a court battle over the awarding of antibody test contracts. The former ...
News
Putin’s party wins election amongst fraud allegations
The United Russia party, which supports President Vladimir Putin, has won a constitutional majority in Russia’s state Parliament in an election marred...
TRENDING
Breaking News
MP killed after stabbing at constituency surgery
In the last few minutes, it has been announced that Conservative MP for Leigh on Sea, David Amess, has died after being stabbed at a constituency surgery session this afternoon. A statement from Essex Police states that they were called to the surgery in Leigh-on-Sea Methodist Church at around 12:05pm today, where they found an...
Breaking News
Train derails and crashes at North London station
An eight-carriage train derailed when approaching Enfield Town station during rush hour at around 8:15am yesterday. The Overground train continued moving upright at an angle after hitting the buffers and jutted over the end of the tracks, losing its momentum, and stopping just short of smashing into the station window and swerving onto the platform. Emergency services...
Breaking News
Inquiry into UK Covid response releases first report
Information from two committee inquiries regarding the government’s response to the Coronavirus outbreak, has been released today. In it, the UK government were heavily criticized for being too slow in their response to the Coronavirus outbreak early last year. Whilst the report highlights some of the positive steps taken within England during the pandemic, such...
Breaking News
Activities & Opportunities Officer and UEA(su) issue Sportsnight statement
UEA(SU) and Activities and Opportunities Officer, Lizzie Payne, have released a joint statement following the incidents which took place at Sportsnight last week (6th October) and the subsequent reforms to the club night. In the statement, the SU apologised for the disorganisation, citing unexpected attendance numbers and security concerns as the reason for the cancellation...
Breaking News
16 dead in Russian plane crash
A plane full of skydivers has crashed in Russia, claiming at least 16 lives, and seriously injuring the remaining passengers, who were immediately rushed to the nearest hospital. With 22 originally on board, 20 passengers and two crew members, sources say that the plane had almost split in half as it collapsed in Menzelinsky, a...
Breaking News
Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov awarded the Nobel Peace Prize
The Norwegian Nobel Committee has announced the winners of the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize: Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov. Both journalists have “safeguarded the freedom of expression” and represent “all journalists who stand up to this ideal”. The chair of the Nobel Committee, Berit Reiss-Andersen, recognised “their courageous fight for freedom of expression in the...
Interview
Deputy Editor Freyja Elwood in conversation with UEA(SU) Officer Aaron Campbell: “I’m proud to be authentic even if that goes against what society would expect me to be”
For this issue of Concrete, I was given the opportunity to speak to Aaron Campbell, the welfare, community, and diversity officer at the Student Union (SU). He shared his insights on his time at UEA, Black History Month and his hopes for the future. Day-to-day, Aaron describes his role as: “Taking care of people, looking...
Science
Bizarre Science: How to Train Your Cow…to Use the Loo
If humans use the loo, why can’t cows? Probably not a common question posed by the general populace, however, researchers in Germany have set out to answer it anyway. At first glance teaching animals, especially cows, how to use the toilet might seem like a waste (no pun intended) of time, energy, and resources. However,...
Science
Zombifying Bacteria that Stops Plants from Ageing
Scientists at the John Innes Centre in Norwich have discovered how parasites can manipulate plants into slowing down their ageing process. It is hoped understanding this process may help to prevent the loss of crops threatened by disease. Parasites attaching to plants can often lead to them failing to grow and reproduce. This means they...
SENIOR EDITORS
Dolly Carter – Editor-In-Chief
Freyja Elwood – Co-Deputy Editor
Sam Gordon Webb – Co-Deputy Editor
VENUE
Fashion
The Messages of the 2021 Met Gala
Following the Coronavirus pandemic, the Met Gala was rescheduled to the 13th of September this year, with vast anticipation surrounding the event. Seen as the main fundraiser for the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, it is regarded as the annual crescendo of fashion, art, and popular culture. According to Vogue, the event...
Fashion
The 2021 Met Gala: What is “American Fashion”?
“Who gets to be American?” This year’s Met Gala – New York’s most exclusive fashion event of the year – set out to answer exactly that question. Two exhibitions with unique themes, In America: A Lexicon of Fashion, and In America: An Anthology of Fashion, aimed to celebrate the broad and multi-layered nature of individual...
Fashion
The Return of London Fashion Week
September for the fashion world only means one thing: Fashion Weeks. Here in the UK, the London-based event saw 130 designers showcasing their spring and summer 2022 collections. Although the week is memorable for any fashion fan, this year’s shows were perhaps much more anticipated, with the models gracing the catwalks in person without restrictions....
Gaming
13 games coming to Xbox Game Pass
Hooray Xbox Game Pass subscribers, 13 games are waiting for you to pick up and play! The new games include 5 existing games and 8 new releases that were scheduled to launch from the 15th of September. Whether you are looking for an adventurous story or a battlefield, there is something for you. These 13...
Gaming
Best games for mobile phones
An often-overlooked way of playing video games is through your mobile phone. Both the App store and the Google Play store have plenty to offer for everyone, so I thought I’d take a closer look. 1. Pokémon Unite is a popular free game in which players can engage in team battles. It allows...
Gaming
My all-time favourite game
When I think of my favourite game, I think of hours spent in my room, playing The Sims 4, creating characters and little stories within the game. The franchise is basically a life-simulator game where you can create your own ‘sim’ and walk them through life, completing milestones like getting a job, building a house...
EDITORIALS
EDITOR
Back where we belong05/10/2021
DEPUTY EDITORS
- Campus is alive with the sound of music
05/10/2021
- Dancing, laughing and remembering
05/10/2021
CONCRETE
GLOBAL
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Breaking News
16 dead in Russian plane crash
A plane full of skydivers has crashed in Russia, claiming at least 16 lives, and seriously injuring the remaining passengers, who were immediately rus...
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Global
Biden has promised a new era of diplomacy in a speech delivered to the UN
American president Joe Biden promised an end to “relentless war” and the beginning of “relentless diplomacy” at a speech delivered to the 76th session...
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Global
North and South Korea test missiles
On the 22nd of September, North Korea launched two short-range ballistic missiles into its east ocean. It was North Korea’s first time launching missi...
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Global
Sudan coup attempt fails
Authorities in Sudan reported on 21st September that a coup attempt against the transitional government, the Sovereignty Council, had failed. Governme...
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Global
Aukus turned ruckus: new nuclear pact sets back diplomatic relations
It’s safe to say that since its announcement on September 15th, the Aukus defence technology pact between Australia, the UK, and the US, has ruffled s...
FEATURES
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Features
How restaurants trick you out of tipping
When you go out for a meal, do you leave a tip? It’s an interesting debate for Brits. We don’t have the same tipping culture as the States or th...
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Features
Five things I wish I had known as a Fresher
I acknowledge that my experience as a fresher isn’t quite the same as the generations before me. However, life has a way of teaching the same lessons ...
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Features
Leaving home made me love home
The tiny seaside town I grew up in holds the biggest place in my heart. I mean, who doesn’t love the seaside? But, if you’d have asked me at 18, just ...
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Features
Social Media: most of us use it, but at what cost?
The most successful people in life always turn their phone on silent. And I say this without a grain of evidence. Think of it as more of a belief, tha...
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Features
The Highs and Lows of Lockdown Hobbies
Hello September. As we head into the Autumn semester, the first lockdown seems like a distant memory now. What isn’t a distant memory, however, are th...
COMMENT
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Comment
Should children get the vaccine?
In recent weeks, Covid vaccinations have started to roll out for under-16s. However, there has been a lot of controversy surrounding people asking whe...
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Comment
The blurred lines of celebrities and politics.
Coronavirus has provided an extra strand to weave into the already complex relationship between the worlds of celebrity and politics. The parallels be...
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Comment
Texas abortion law will only stop safe abortions.
On September 1st, the Supreme Court’s decision to allow Texas to ban most abortions took effect. The state of Texas has implemented Senate Bill 8 (SB8...
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Comment
Shamima Begum was a victim of child trafficking
In 2015, 15-year-old Shamima Begum left her home in Bethnal Green to go to Syria. It was the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Daesh) who encourag...
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Comment
Festivals provide invaluable research – keep the party going
On 2nd May, the Covid test event in Sefton Park, Liverpool, greeted approximately 5000 punters who could breach the 2-metre perimeter and exhibit thei...
SCIENCE
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Science
Woolly Mammoths to Return from Extinction, Jurassic Park Style
Scientists working at a start-up in Texas have raised 15 million dollars worth of funding to bring the woolly mammoth back from extinction. Colossal, ...
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Science
Seasonal Spiders: How to Deal with Them and Your Fears
Creepy, crawly and intuitively scary- spiders have long been a trigger for those who experience arachnophobia, an anxiety disorder caused by a fear of...
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Science
Zombifying Bacteria that Stops Plants from Ageing
Scientists at the John Innes Centre in Norwich have discovered how parasites can manipulate plants into slowing down their ageing process. It is hoped...
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Science
Bizarre Science: How to Train Your Cow...to Use the Loo
If humans use the loo, why can’t cows? Probably not a common question posed by the general populace, however, researchers in Germany have set out to a...
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Climate Change
Climate Change Corner: Interview with Dr Jeff Price on his upcoming talk at the Norwich Science Festival- “The Impact of Climate Change on Norfolk’s Biodiversity”
Professor Jeff Price is a Senior Research Associate at the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change and an Associate Professor at the University of East Angl...
TRAVEL
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Lifestyle
Culinary Norwich - Christophe’s Crepes
Since I arrived in Norwich last year, there is only one eatery that I have visited more than once. If anyone asks me where I recommend in the city, Ch...
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Lifestyle
Culinary Norwich - A Taste of Shanghai
Norwich is often referred to as the City of Stories. Yet, where do these stories come from? For myself, many of my fondest memories come from the mark...
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Lifestyle
Re-discovering The City of Stories
With a population of just over 132,500 (2011 census), Norwich is a city with nooks and crannies dotted throughout its roads and cobbled streets. Offer...
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Lifestyle
Religion and Spirituality
When approaching this article, I didn’t entirely know where to start. The role of religion in my own life is a strange one, as I suppose I sit on the ...
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Travel
Bizarre Landscapes You Would Never Believe
The pandemic has engulfed us with emotional turmoil for the past two years. However, after multiple vaccine rollouts, things have gotten better. I dec...
SPORT
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Sport
An introductory discussion with UEA Rugby president Cameron Dix
What is your role in UEA Rugby? I am President of the club. I essentially manage the club and my fellow committee members. What are your ambitions for...
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Sport
Is there cause for concern in International cricket as tours continue to be cancelled
The decision for New Zealand to pull out of the tour of Pakistan on the first day has sparked a chain of events that led to the England Cricket Board ...
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Sport
Meet your Sports Executives for the 2021/22
The Sports Executives role is “to support and represent all of our sports clubs”. They are important people to be able to contact throughout the year ...
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Sport
Emma Raducanu the teenage sensation
Raducanu has had a meteoric rise to fame. She has gone from playing in the same event as UEA’s Number One at the end of May to being the first qualifi...
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Sport
UEA netball announce exciting partnership with Norfolk United netball club
The formal partnership between UEA Netball and the local Norfolk United Netball Club was announced last week and signals an opportunity for both clubs...
VENUE
ARTS
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Arts
The Creative Process: Creative spaces
We’ve all heard people say that a clean space makes a clear mind. But what sort of space helps nurture creativity? It’s a question that many have atte...
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Arts
Bridges by Claire Sullivan
Bridges is a brutally honest portrayal of mental illness. A bridge might seem like a slightly cliched metaphor when it comes to the complex areas of l...
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Arts
Steve Waters and Tangled Feet: ‘Murmurations’
Murmurations is Written by Steve Waters and directed by Nathan Curry. Waters has been working alongside the Arts and Humanities Research Council and U...
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Arts
Banksy in Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth: home of golden sands, the famous Pleasure Beach, the Time and Tide Museum. Oh, and now multiple works of art by the world-famous artis...
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Arts
Age-Blind Hamlet: Ian McKellen’s 82-year-old Dane
At the beginning of 2021, rumours were being published that Sir Ian McKellen would be returning to the stage as the titular character in Hamlet. The p...
BOOKS
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Books
Translated Texts
If you’re fascinated by all aspects of modern and traditional Japanese culture – from the bustling cities and picturesque countryside, the decad...
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Books
Noirwich Crime-Writing Festival: Killer Debuts
TW: fear, violence, animal abuse, trauma, lynching The shadow of Noirwich, the annual crime-writing festival, descended upon the city of stories...
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Books
Reclaiming Women’s Narratives Through Fiction
Historically, women in literature have been divided into the ‘hag’ or the ‘heroine’. It’s in the classics, but it’s still seen in more modern texts. T...
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Books
The Fantastic Feeling of Found Family
People who know me know I’m a sucker for the found family trope. There’s so much comfort gleaned from it, and I know many of my friends feel the same....
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Books
What Do We Gain in Translation?
“Isn’t it ironic that this module is essentially translated novels, when we’re studying English Literature” was something I overheard whilst leaving a...
CREATIVE WRITING
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Creative Writing
Memory Loss
My name is Lucy Greenland. I’m 56 years old. I have three sisters, and a brother. I had a brown Labrador called Billy. My parents were teachers. I bro...
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Creative Writing
Fracture
before I realise that I am dreaming Falling i am walking to the tower, (the same I walk round every day to watch the waves come home), and all is as i...
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Creative Writing
The Mirror
As I study the face I see before me,Old but with wisdom in those lines,The wrinkles tell a story of who they were,When they laughed, and when they cri...
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Creative Writing
Different upbringings - and how they have affected your life
When she was born she looked like a rat. Never liked rodents. Beastly. Upsetting, it was. Only for a tic. But that’s not all true. Dear, oh dear, what...
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Creative Writing
Nature vs Nurture: The Problems of Perception
Past – I know my past. Really, who else can truly know my past like I do? Although I can’t remember as many details about my early childhood as my par...
FASHION
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Fashion
The Messages of the 2021 Met Gala
Following the Coronavirus pandemic, the Met Gala was rescheduled to the 13th of September this year, with vast anticipation surrounding the event. See...
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Fashion
The 2021 Met Gala: What is “American Fashion”?
“Who gets to be American?” This year’s Met Gala – New York’s most exclusive fashion event of the year – set out to answer exactly th...
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Fashion
The Return of London Fashion Week
September for the fashion world only means one thing: Fashion Weeks. Here in the UK, the London-based event saw 130 designers showcasing their spring ...
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Fashion
The Struggles of Muslim Fashion
In 2017, during a French lesson, I asked why Muslim girls couldn’t wear the hijab in French schools. The answer was simple: “All religious...
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Fashion
Shein to Launch Design Competition Reality Show: Redemption for Indie Designers?
As part of their seemingly unstoppable rise towards fast fashion domination, Shein recently launched their own reality TV contest. The show, which is ...
FILM
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Film
Ask a Prop Master: Discussing LA, Hollywood and that time Ryan Gosling saved a woman from being hit by a taxi
“The stereotype of LA is true,” Sam tells me sleepily, as he tries to shake off the jet lag of being in London on LA time. “You’ll probably run into s...
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Film
The Importance of Watching International Films
Parasite made history when it won Best Picture at the Oscars. Not only was it the first subtitled film to do so but it was the first South Korean film...
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Film
Why Stardust is a Must-Watch
Stardust is one of those films that almost everyone has seen but it’s never at the forefront of people’s minds. We forget about it until something rem...
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Film
Shang-Chi: Review
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is one of Marvel’s latest releases amongst the many series and movies they have released this year. Shang-Ch...
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Film
The Fear Street Trilogy: Bringing Halloween to Summer 2021
The Fear Street series, originally written by R.L. Stine, thrives off subversion. So much about this trilogy rejects typical horror tropes. As a newco...
GAMING
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Gaming
13 games coming to Xbox Game Pass
Hooray Xbox Game Pass subscribers, 13 games are waiting for you to pick up and play! The new games include 5 existing games and 8 new releases t...
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Gaming
Best games for mobile phones
An often-overlooked way of playing video games is through your mobile phone. Both the App store and the Google Play store have plenty to offer for eve...
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Gaming
My all-time favourite game
When I think of my favourite game, I think of hours spent in my room, playing The Sims 4, creating characters and little stories within the game. ...
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Gaming
Do Video Games Encourage Violence?
The link between engaging in graphic video gaming and impulses to inflict real-life violence continues to be a debate of strongly divided opinion.&nbs...
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Gaming
Should GTA be remastered?
In August, several rumours were floating around suggesting that the original Grand Theft Auto trilogy could be seeing a remake. This includes GTA III,...
MUSIC
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Music
What’s happening in Norwich this year?
Norwich has a vibrant history of showcasing musical talent of all genres. Whether you’re looking to experience an intimate gig featuring up and coming...
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Music
Why Taylor Swift’s Red is the Perfect Autumn Album
There are songs which are ‘summer anthems’ and then there are albums – usually Christmas ones – which are on repeat throughout winter months. But do p...
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Music
Declan McKenna at the LCR
Navigating the live music scene in the pandemic has been difficult for artists and fans alike. Cancellations, rescheduling, lockdowns and, in Declan M...
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Music
A Conversation With Echo & The Bunnymen Guitarist Will Sergeant
Echo and the Bunnymen are one of the most important but also one of the most overlooked post punk voices of the 80s. If you haven’t heard of them, you...
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Music
An Interview with Rising Star Eliza Delf
A student at UEA and a local to the Norfolk area, Eliza Delf has been showcasing her talent as a singer-songwriter this year. After a successful kicks...
TV
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TV
Adapting Narratives to the Small Screen
Throughout history, we have been telling the same stories via different mediums. Religious teachings becoming masterpieces of portraiture, word-of-mou...
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TV
Review: Sex Education - Season Three
*Trigger warning: sexual assault/abortion Sex Education has been met with huge success and popularity from viewers since its premier in 2019, so it wa...
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TV
Feature: Norfolk Screen Talks: Writing Comedy For TV
As an avid comedy-watcher for as long as I can remember, I was keen to attend an online talk on Writing Comedy For TV, hosted by Norfolk Screen Talks ...
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TV
The Emmy Awards: American TV’s Biggest Night!
September 20th 2021 saw the biggest names from the small screen over the last year gather for one of the most prestigious entertainment award shows in...
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TV
Interview: Paul Hayes on his new radio documentary about the original UEA Television station, Nexus: Norfolk’s Forgotten TV Station
As a student at UEA in the early 2000s, Paul Hayes was a presenter at the university’s resident T.V station, Nexus. While the station wasn’t at its he...
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