Walking is a fundamental part of our health. As so many of us came to realise during pandemic lockdowns, it’s hard to stay fighting fit when you are stuck indoors, unable to move around. The speed at which we walk is also a good indication of how much we are at risk of developing certain diseases and conditions — in short, the faster you walk, the safer you’ll be. So how do those of us who walk too slowly improve our pace? This helpful guide has proved incredibly popular with readers this week. It shows that there are four components to adding more spring to your step. So…hop to it.

Chanel, one of the world’s most legendary fashion houses, appointed a new creative director this week. We like to think we know everything about Coco Chanel, the company’s founder, but so much of what is written about her focuses solely on her impact on style. This deep-dive into her legacy as a self-made entrepreneur offers a different perspective.

It has long been the case that our attitudes towards money are different when dealing in cash or card. A phenomenon known as the "pain of payment effect” suggests that the act of using cash makes us think more about spending and encourages us to be a little more restrained. However, research suggests this fact of life is beginning to invert. In an increasingly cashless society, and with the growth of phone notifications about your spending history, the pain is being felt via digital payments a lot more. A case study from Sweden also shows that the switch to digital payments has social implications. 

And if you’re thinking about getting someone a voice-activated home device for Christmas, such as a Siri or Alexa, you might want to read this article first. It shows that these devices do have a tendency to throw out misinformation — and that we humans aren’t very good at noticing when they’re misleading us.