A list of good reads
- A big fan of Bridgerton—or other Regency-era shows? Tudum has a delightful piece on just how smelly—and frankly, gross—the aristocratic life really was. (h/t subscriber Udaya Nath)
- Vir Sanghvi in Hindustan Times explains why Mumbai is one of the great food capitals of India—unlike Amritsar. Discuss.
- Pranav Manie pens an excellent newsletter on Gurgaon’s raging drinking culture.
- Matt Webb expands on Robin Dunbar’s famous theory that 150 is the natural size of human social groups—extending it to dinner reservations and an analysis of phone calls.
- Mint explains why the government’s plan to enable cardless UPI withdrawals may be the death of debit cards.
- Love Usha Uthup? Be sure to check out this delightful podcast with Sandip Roy.
- MIT Press Reader has an eye-opening interview with Alexander Monea—author of ‘The Digital Closet’—who argues that the internet is increasingly ‘straight’—as LGBTQ+ communities are pushed into narrow channels.
- National Geographic has a lovely read on the history of the margherita pizza.
- Don’t know what a ‘clarified cocktail’ is—or why it’s really hot right now? Let Mint Lounge enlighten you.
- Big women celebs like Gwyneth Paltrow are trying to get in on the crypto hustle. The Washington Post argues it’s a bad idea.
- Also in the Washington Post: Why cloning your pet won’t bring it back.
- The News Minute offers an interesting take on why South Indian blockbusters are kicking Bollywood’s ass.
- Ok, this isn’t for Elon Musk fans. Quartz explains why he embodies the quality most employees hate in a boss.
- Steffi Cao in BuzzFeed News takes aim at “the long-term relationship aesthetic” which is infesting Insta.
- There’s a good reason why our digestive system becomes more sensitive as we grow older. TIME looks at the link between Inflammatory bowel disease and ageing.
- Also in TIME: Why we should be paying more attention to Russia’s growing influence in Africa.
- Last week, we featured the Grammy-winning song by Arooj Aftab—who became the first Pakistani to score the honour. NBC News has a nice profile if you want to know more about her.
