WIRED

I've been having a great time working at WIRED since the beginning of the year (the print magazine). Here are links to some of my first pieces:

Super star projector - a new laser on one of the Very Large Telescopes (yes, they're really called that) at the European Southern Observatory in Chile
http://www.wired.co.uk/magazine/archive/2013/05/start/super-star-projector

And lo! Electric sparks shall fly - a high voltage testing facility in Sweden
http://www.wired.co.uk/magazine/archive/2013/05/start/and-lo-electric-sparks-shall-fly

Taking bodegas to new heights - Torre David, a skyscraper squat in Venezuela
http://www.wired.co.uk/magazine/archive/2013/05/start/taking-bodegas-to-new-heights

A concrete proposal for flowery walls - biological concrete that supports plant life
http://www.wired.co.uk/magazine/archive/2013/05/start/a-concrete-proposal-for-flowery-walls

A closer look at hand-drying - a scientific review of hand-drying methods
http://www.wired.co.uk/magazine/archive/2013/05/start/superdry-research

Forge-proof your Picasso - a way of 'fingerprinting' artworks to uniquely identify them
http://www.wired.co.uk/magazine/archive/2013/03/play/forge-proof-your-picasso

More exciting stuff on the way, as you'll see if you check out the most recent issue!

Psychologies: Game-changers of 2012

I wrote a feature for the January 2013 print issue of Psychologies, about the people who changed the world, or at least the way we think, in the past year. Included were activists, writers, psychologists, artists, and members of the public who achieved something extraordinary.

LA's Measure B: To disagree with using condoms in porn is to disagree with sexual health

My most recent comment piece for The Independent is about Measure B, a new law that comes into power in LA in January. Measure B mandates the use of condoms in porn films, and a lot of "adult performers" are against it.

I argue that condoms are, however, necessary to curb the rampant spread of STIs in the porn scene.

It's a controversial one, with just about an even split in reactions of people who agree and disagree with me...

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/las-measure-b-to-disagree-with-using-condoms-in-porn-is-to-disagree-with-sexual-health-8405832.html

Dolls

I wrote an essay to go with the short film 'Hello Rory' by the very talented fashion photographer Alice Hawkins.

Can a woman dress up sexy and be empowered?

Watch Alice's film here: http://showstudio.com/project/fashion_fetish/alice_hawkins

And read my essay here: http://showstudio.com/project/fashion_fetish/essay_dolls

Men and women CAN be friends

This week I wrote a piece for Independent Voices about friendships between heterosexual men and women. I'm fed up of articles that claim such friendships are impossible - and especially those that try to back up such claims with 'science' that's questionable at best.

Read my take on the latest study here: http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/men-and-women-can-be-friends--men-are-just-more-likely-to-want-more-8294239.html

Have your say in the comments, or on Twitter at @VickiTurk and @IndyVoices

Shared Parental Leave - A vital step toward equality

I wrote a piece for the Independent about Coalition proposals to introduce shared parental leave. The new scheme (which won't be in action until 2015) will allow fathers to take 'maternity leave' if the mother of their child returns to work.

I argue that this is a necessary step to prevent the ongoing discrimination against women in the workplace, and that claims that shared leave is "anti-business" are pretty weak.

You can check it out here: http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/shared-parental-leave-is-a-sign-of-progress--and-one-that-businesses-should-do-more-to-welcome-8218653.html

The Smacking Debate

On Friday I wrote a piece for the Voices section of the Independent about smacking laws in the UK. It attracted quite a few comments, most of which disagree with my opinion that smacking children should be outlawed (unsurprising, as recent polls show a large majority of people think they should be able to smack their kids).

You can read my take on the issue here: http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/judge-freed-mother-for-smacking-children-but-it-should-be-banned-completely-8199221.html?origin=internalSearch