Rachel Lopez is a a writer and editor with the Hindustan Times. She has worked with the Times Group, Time Out and Vogue and has a special interest in city history, culture, etymology and internet and society.
Articles by Rachel Lopez
Way of all flesh: A look at meat-eating patterns worldwide
Global per capita consumption is growing. Poultry is the most popular form of meat, followed by pork, beef, fish. See which tiny countries eat surprisingly large portions, and where India stands amid it all.
Updated on Jan 20, 2023 05:47 PM IST
Eats shoots and leaves: How green is our diet really?
People are cutting back on eating meat, or giving it up entirely. So is vegetarianism winning? The numbers vary, and our diets are not as green as you’d expect.
Updated on Aug 04, 2023 12:19 AM IST
Suite spots: Which hotels from films and TV to waltz into, and which to avoid
White Lotus seems almost as high-risk as the Bates Motel. Expect a break to stretch on and on at the Cherry Tree Inn. See where to check in and where to stay out.
Updated on Dec 23, 2022 08:43 PM IST
Mr Fix-it: Author and influencer Ankur Warikoo on failure,mistakes and making it
He’s known disappointment and fear; changed his mind about what he wants to do; started over at 40. It’s all part of what makes this author and entrepreneur, co-founder of Nearbuy, just the right person to craft life hacks for young India.
Updated on Dec 17, 2022 01:06 PM IST
For better and for worse: Wedding-night rituals from around the world
Some customs are endearing, others downright abhorrent. See who is harassing grooms, and where karaoke has entered the fray.
Updated on Dec 10, 2022 10:07 PM IST
A case of monumental errors: Bright hues cover ancient temple art
As temples, some over 800 years old, get makeovers, bright, shiny paint is being used to decorate exteriors. This can damage stone, obscure workmanship and impede archaeological study.
Updated on Dec 03, 2022 07:40 PM IST
Summing it up: Manil Suri’s new book looks at the wonder of maths
Stop chasing calculations and correct answers, and math starts to get magical. It can unravel mysteries of the universe and prompt questions about why we’re here, says mathematician Manil Suri. See how his book accounts for it all
Updated on Nov 26, 2022 12:51 AM IST
Starry knight: Meet the first Indian to use the James Webb Space Telescope
Manoj Puravankara, a researcher of young stars, is focusing JWST’s giant lens on points far back in space and time. How did the universe evolve? Are planets a natural by-product of all stars? What can the answers, whatever they are, tell us about how we came to be?
Updated on Nov 07, 2022 03:01 PM IST
Stuff of legend: The history of the buffet, via Rachel Lopez
Large spreads have a history going back 2,000 years. The Roman empire, the Sikh langar, Vegas — see how the all-you-can-eat format came about.
Updated on Nov 04, 2022 03:27 PM IST
Parallel tracks: Not-to-be-missed films and shows inspired by reality TV
They use tropes such as backstories, voting rounds, alliances and surprise challenges to tell tales that are witty and unusual. Take a look at how the mockumentary, shockumentary and even animation have been influenced by the genre.
Updated on Nov 04, 2022 03:24 PM IST
See plus: Reality shows that are giving the genre a good name
Reality TV has learnt a few lessons in its 30 years. One of them is that audiences don’t always want to see contestants squabble, squirm or scheme to get ahead. Some shows now focus on healthy competition, self-betterment, great ideas, and the occasional stubborn crocodile. Binge on these.
Updated on Nov 05, 2022 11:59 AM IST
Reality check: Are you still watching?
Reality TV is now 30 years old. The cameras are still rolling; the participants, as eager to squabble, sob, sweat and squirm. But new shows are reworking old tropes. Judges are more encouraging, competitors more relaxed, formats more informative. Even the cameras feel less intrusive. It’s almost as if being nice is finally being recognised as part of the human condition.
Updated on Nov 08, 2022 01:05 PM IST
See where your city has been: An interactive graphic maps Earth’s ancient past
Pick a location and see where it might have been on the globe, and what was around it, as much as 750 million years ago. It’s a whole new way to see the world.
Updated on Oct 29, 2022 04:42 PM IST
Retell therapy: Indian literature is flourishing in translation
Telugu thrillers, memoirs in Marathi, epic poems in ancient Prakrit... books from across the country are enjoying a second life in English. Where should you begin? Six translators, including Daisy Rockwell, Jerry Pinto and Poonam Saxena, pick their translated favourites.
Updated on Oct 18, 2022 02:46 PM IST
Sounds of not-so-quiet quitting: The disgruntled ditty
I’ve No More F***s To Give by Thomas Benjamin Wild Esq is all over Instagram. And he’s not the only one. It seems a welcome new genre is emerging: protest poetry for a generation that’s just starting to rage against the machine.
Updated on Oct 08, 2022 02:09 PM IST
In a Barbie world: Why it’s time to give Ken his due
He’s remained a steady, loyal, supportive boyfriend for more than 60 years. What’s his story? How has it evolved? And what’s the dark twist in the Barbie film due out in 2023?
Updated on Oct 08, 2022 01:14 PM IST
Ink spell: Celebrate Indian tattoos at The Godna Project in Delhi
From indigenous inks and hand poke styes to traditional motifs, the Godna Project in Delhi will bring together indigenous tattoo artists from across India, in an effort to document and discuss India’s inking traditions
Updated on Oct 01, 2022 12:37 AM IST
Material gains: The return of the scrunchie
The ponytail accessory is trendy again, luxurious, and all over Instagram. And it’s helping small businesses stretch out.
Updated on Sep 23, 2022 07:30 PM IST
Mumbai’s very own art gallery inside kaali peelis
Close to 60 images make up “What’s On Your Taxi’s Ceiling”, at the picturesque town square of Place Scanavin at the biennial Images Vevey Festival which runs all through September
Updated on Sep 13, 2022 11:05 PM IST
Alpha Bets: Talk like an Egyptian
It’s been 200 years since the Rosetta Stone was decoded. As HT Wknd marks the milestone, see how new tech is attempting to unravel all that we still don’t understand about the hieroglyphics.
Updated on Sep 10, 2022 08:36 PM IST
Pyramid schemes: Tour the museums displaying rare Egyptian treasures
To mark 200 years of the decoding of the Rosetta Stone, and 100 years since the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb, museums around the world are showcasing objects from ancient Egypt. Take a peek.
Updated on Sep 10, 2022 08:05 PM IST
Signed, sealed, undeciphered: Check out these scripts we still can’t read
Ancient writing systems are some of the most complex codes ever devised. Even after the discovery of the Rosetta Stone, which offered translations for some of the symbols, it took two decades before scholars could actually read hieroglyphs. Elsewhere, undeciphered ones remain like a lock without a key. Here are some of them.
Updated on Sep 10, 2022 08:04 PM IST
Source code: 200 yrs on,see how the Rosetta Stone altered views of Ancient Egypt
The Stone finally unlocked Egypt’s hieroglyphs, in 1822. The modern world could now begin to understand this once-mighty civilisation. Take a look at the race to crack the code, the mysteries that remain, and what new finds are revealing about everyday life at the time.
Updated on Sep 09, 2022 09:38 PM IST
National treasures: Rediscover India through 10 of its newest museums
In Jharkhand, a fossil that might unlock the mystery of plant evolution. In Goa, a smugglers’ den. In West Bengal, tales of freedom told through prison cells. Some are compact little galleries, others spread out over entire forests. There’s priceless jewellery, vintage cameras, even artificial body parts. Take a look.
Updated on Aug 22, 2022 02:35 PM IST
Eureka moments: Science writer Hari Pulakkat on his new book, Space. Life.Matter
India’s scientific milestones shine in Pulakkat's new work. But it’s his focus on individuals, adversity and beating the odds that makes each tale so poignant.
Updated on Jul 29, 2022 03:17 PM IST
Flavour savers: How Ark of Taste is preserving vanishing foods
The global database documents the vast and exciting range of indigenous edible products. But consider it also as a record of Earth’s biodiversity, a measure of how we eat, and a menu of what we stand to lose amid templatised development.
Updated on Jul 23, 2022 12:23 AM IST
Rivers, swamps, Bengal: Why does a new D&D adventure feel so familiar?
Award-winning fantasy writer Mimi Mondal flows into new territory – a Dungeons & Dragons adventure, In the Mists of Manivarsha, set in ancient Bengal. Rivers, the great love of her life, feature prominently. Just watch out for the odd mythical monster
Updated on Jul 23, 2022 12:27 AM IST
In pics: Ancient Bengal shines in a new Dungeons & Dragons adventure
Award-winning sci-fi and fantasy writer Mimi Mondal is one of the writers presenting new locations and playable games in the new D&D anthology Journeys through the Radiant Citadel. Here’s a sneak peek into what it looks like
Updated on Jul 21, 2022 11:00 PM IST
Sorry Mr Darcy. Persuasion is Jane Austen’s best book. Here’s why
This is how you convince a Jane Austen fan that Persuasion, the last of her six books, is better than more popular titles such as Emma and Pride And Prejudice.
Updated on Jul 16, 2022 07:09 PM IST
Colourful language: A glossary of beauty terms to make you blush
Beauty isn’t complicated. But online, when influencers, brands, beauty junkies and content creators get together, there’s often so much chatter that it calls for its own shorthand. Here are some new terms you might encounter. They’re not as intimidating as they seem.
Updated on Jul 16, 2022 07:08 PM IST