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Time Out Dubai
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time Out Dubai
15 fantastic free things to do indoors in Dubai
There are lots free things to do indoors in Dubai. From excursions to experiences, and plenty of pursuits to plan that will help you beat the heat and look after your bank balance at the same time. You might also like: 45 brilliant pool day passes and deals for 2025 For bargain hunters who love a freebie, here's a round-up of fabulous free things to do indoors in Dubai. Fantastic free things to do indoors in Dubai Get your art fix at Alserkal Avenue If you are after a one-stop spot to feast your eyes, then a trip to Alserkal Avenue is a must. With a long list of art galleries and performance spaces to enter for free, you can spend a whole day at the Al Quoz location. Well worth a visit to get a dose of culture without having to spend a dirham, making it one of the best free things to do indoors in Dubai. Open daily 10am-7pm. Al Quoz, (04 333 3464). You might also like: 5 must-visit museums in Dubai Discover old treasures at the Antique Museum (Credit: Supplied) If you find objects from years ago interesting you will find a trip to the Antique Museum (which is a bit of a treasure trove nestled in Al Quoz) fun. Admire treasures from the past as you look at the different stalls selling antiques, ceramics and hand-made wares. If you do want to part with some cash you can take home something very unique. Open daily 9am-8.30pm. Al Quoz, (04 347 9935). Watch a free film at Cinema Akil Cinema Akil is one cool spot to sit back and catch a movie. The cute cinema – kitted out with red velvet seating and walls lined with vintage film posters – sometimes puts on free screenings so it's worth keeping an eye on the website for when free events are on. Timings vary. Alserkal Avenue, Al Quoz, Check out the underwater zoo at Dubai Aquarium (Credit:Supplied) Marvel at marine life at the Dubai Aquarium inside The Dubai Mall. Make the most of the air-conditioned shopping centre as you check out the different fish swimming about behind the glass tank. You may even spot a shark, or two. While you have to pay to enter the Aquarium and Underwater Zoo, you can spot plenty from the outside. A winner for anyone with kids. Open Mon-Fri10am-10.15pm, Sat-Sun 10am-11.15pm. The Dubai Mall, (800 382 246 255). Admire the resident dinosaur at Dubai Mall (Credit: Supplied) Sure to go down with aspiring archaeologists and Jurassic Park fans is a visit to see the 24-metre-long dinosaur skeleton that lives inside Dubai Mall. Visit the Souk Dome to see the 155 million-year-old Diplodocus longus named Dubai Dino. One of the best free things to do indoors, especially with kids, you can see the artefact any time during the mall's opening hours which is an added bonus. Mon 10am-midnight, Tues-Sun, open 24 hours The Dubai Mall. Stroll around Chinatown in Dubai Mall (Credit: Supplied) While you're in Dubai Mall, head to the first floor opposite the Dubai Ice Rink with direct access to Address Fountain Views, as the new destination promises to offer an authentic Asian experience that you can stroll around for free. Mon-Thu 10am-midnight, Fri-Sun 10am-1am. The Dubai Mall, Downtown Explore the creative hub at Jameel Arts Centre (Credit: Supplied) Make your way to Jaddaf Waterfront to immerse yourself in everything Jameel Arts Centre has to offer. The creative centre has three floors waiting for art enthusiasts to check out the exhibitions and installations. Make sure to also pop into the Art Jameel Shop, the Artist's Garden, the seven desert gardens, and Jaddaf Waterfront Sculpture Park. Open Sat-Mon 10am-8pm, Tues, closed, Wed-Thu 10am-8pm, Fri noon-8pm. Jaddaf Waterfront, (04 873 9800). Learn about the classical Arabic poet at Museum of the Poet Al Oqaili (Credit: Supplied) If you love to see old artefacts and discover more about Arabic history then a trip to the Museum of the Poet Al Oqaili could be right up your street. Visiting the free museum, which is a homage to Mubarak Bin Al Oqaili (1875–1954), will allow you to understand the pioneering poet and to see some of his original, handwritten work as well as the pens and tools he used to pen his poems. Open Mon-Thu 9am-2pm, Fri 9am-noon, Sat-Sun, closed. Al Ras, Deira, (04 515 5000). Visit Souk Madinat (Credit: supplied) If it's feeling too hot to wander around the Gold or Spice Souks in Deira, try heading to Souk Madinat instead. All created within the comfort of air-conditioning, you can wind around the alleys – decorated as if you're in one of the historic markets. Filled with traditional Arabic perfumes, sweets and gifts, take a browse for no cost at all. Daily 10am-11pm. Al Sufouh 1. (04 366 8888). See the summer shows at The Foundry If you didn't know already, The Foundry is one of the best places in Dubai to see art. With free shows all summer, there's loads to explore. Not only free to attend, you can view a series of new works every few weeks from the creative community, including local and international artists. Free. Daily 10am-10pm. Dubai Downtown Boulevard, (04 367 3696). The Old Library: Take the kids for story time Every Monday morning little bookworms are invited to attend story time at The Old Library. A storyteller reads to the tots from 10am and the first time is free for non-members to take their children to. After the first complimentary session, the parent/guardian must join as a member. Mon-Friday 10am-6pm, Sun noon-4pm, The Old Library, Gold & Diamond Park. Looking for another library to explore? Fiker Institute is also recommended: it has over 15,000 books, spanning over 40 categories. Listen to live music at Time Out Market Dubai Foodie hotspot Time Out Market Dubai is one of the best indoor places in town to head to during the warmer months. With free entry into the trendy market (you will have to part with cash to eat but with so many tasty options you will be happy too) as well as live music three nights of the week, and free entertainment for kids every Sunday, it must be on your summer to-do list. You might also like: The best desserts at Time Out Market Dubai Souk Al Bahar, Downtown Dubai, Keep busy by volunteering Why not give something back this summer by helping others in need. There are lots of non-profit organisations in Dubai that will welcome people wanting to use their free time to help out. Check out a list of places to donate your services here. Various locations across the UAE. Try a new fitness class Want to get back into exercising? Keen to work up a sweat doing something new? ClassPass allows you to discover a new fitness session without you being committed long-term. A great way to find what is right for you without having to spend your hard-earned cash. Various times and locations. Other free things to do indoors in Dubai The 56 best things to do indoors in Dubai Your ultimate guide to beat the heat How to summer indoors: picnics, wildlife walks and yoga under the sea Our AC-approved places to play 10 must-try indoor attractions in Dubai Don't worry – they all have air conditioning
The Guardian
25-02-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
‘It makes you feel like the hero of your own quest': the dark, delightful magic of the dungeon synth scene
A flurry of inflatable caveman clubs have erupted into the air, a crowd of ecstatic metallers swinging them merrily as they watch a hooded dinosaur peering over a synthesiser. The masked musician, Diplodocus, has transformed this crowded pub in soggy south London into a mystical underworld, one entrancing chord at a time. This is Albion Dungeon fest, a sellout, weekend-long event, and the first of its kind in the UK. Emerging in the 90s as an offshoot of black metal, dungeon synth replaced guitars with keyboards to make it less moshing, more magic. Its mystical sound has aesthetics to match, channelling the atmosphere of JRR Tolkien books, the role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons and a darkly quaint reimagining of the medieval era. Much like a wizard's beard, the story of dungeon synth is long and tangled, and in a bid to unravel it, author Jordan Whiteman painstakingly investigated the genre. It resulted in Dark Dungeon Music: The Unlikely Story of Dungeon Synth, published earlier this year, which Whiteman is promoting at the festival. 'This genre began in people's bedrooms with a keyboard and a tape deck,' he says, 'and that, for the first 10, 20 years, was what it was – it was never intended to become anything more'. This fringe genre has fascinating origins, rooted in Norway's black metal scene. Mortiis, real name Håvard Ellefsen, who gave a Q&A on his biography at the festival, is generally considered a pioneer. After leaving his band Emperor in the early 90s, he wove together black metal's morbid sentiments, the facial prosthetics inspired by heavy metal rockers and imagery from fantasy novels to construct his own solo project, describing it as 'dark dungeon music'. The second figure credited with dungeon synth's conception is the highly controversial musician Varg Vikernes. Vikernes, a neo-Nazi who was convicted in 1994 for the murder of a former bandmate among other crimes, created two ambient albums while behind bars under the moniker Burzum (meaning darkness in The Lord of the Rings' evil Black Speech language). He was released in 2009 and has since been sentenced for inciting racial hatred. Whiteman says nazism 'and abhorrent ideologies' are unfortunately still a notable part of black metal's legacy. 'I'm grateful that the dungeon synth fans are largely hostile to ideology creeping into the music,' he says, noting that such views reject one of dungeon synth's 'primary tenets', as it 'breaks the whole escapist function of the music'. Though its popularity hasn't exactly exploded, Whiteman says he's noticed dungeon synth events cropping up more frequently in his native US, with fans evidently drawn to its fantastical theatrics. At the festival, held at the New Cross Inn in south London, the German duo Depressive Silence – stalwarts of the 90s dungeon synth scene – wear dark cloaks while dramatically swinging metal incense burners to the imposing thump of drums. Others don chains or spiky leather armour, and you're already familiar with the dinosaur. UK-based act Atlantean Sword – who doesn't give his real name – performs at the festival in his usual garb: a menacing skull helmet plus a huge sword. 'Dungeon synth is still, at its core, ambient music, so the theatrics make it more engaging for the audience,' he says, adding that the music is intended to put the listener on a 'hero's journey', providing them with a fantasy escape. 'I'm trying to capture nostalgic feelings related to high fantasy films, books, video games and fantasy art, and incorporate those feelings into the music,' he says, naming Conan the Barbarian, Frank Frazetta paintings, Warhammer and the 1989 arcade game Golden Axe as sources of inspiration. Atlantean Sword is relatively new on the scene – he released his debut album in late 2023 – but even he has seen the genre's popularity 'increase exponentially', describing the festival's sellout status as 'mind-blowing' and a mention of the festival on Radio 1 as 'wild'. But he maintains that a key element is 'mystery and obscurity. Dungeon synth is, in its truest form, underground music. I'm not sure what will happen if the music is pulled too far out of the dungeon and into the harsh light of day.' From my position in the crowd, the atmosphere feels too unique to become mainstream. I might be flanked by scary-looking metallers, but they're disarmingly well-behaved; listening intently, reacting courteously. One man, so moved by the swelling synths, passionately reaches up, stretches his fingers skyward and tightly curls his hand into a fist, as if to clutch the sound waves tightly. I catch up with one superfan, Cecil, who beams as he speaks. 'Even though the community is very male-dominated and can look pretty intimidating, it is, by and large, really sweet,' he says. 'If anything, you'll find a dungeon synth crowd to be a little shy. We're people who nerd out over alternative music and don't always feel comfortable in mainstream culture.' Meanwhile, for Cecil, the genre's association with Vikernes is something to remain aware of. 'I've not had any bad interactions personally. The people I've met are always welcoming, excited to share their music and their knowledge. But if you pay attention to what tattoos and patches some people have, it's obvious those interactions are possible – especially if, like me, you're a visibly queer person.' For the vast majority, however, dungeon synth is a form of liberation – acting as, in Cecil's words, 'a shared fantasy space' where oddballs and misfits can find solace from the not-so-magical mainstream. 'It might be a little cringe, but we're all embracing that atmosphere of mysticism, possibility and nostalgia together,' he says. 'It's music that can take you to the depths of a cursed forest or make you feel like the hero of your own quest.' Putting forward something of a dungeon dweller's manifesto, Cecil emphasises what lies at the genre's core. That, in the face of an alienating modern world, all that's left, he says, is to 'reject society, escape to the dungeons!'
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
66 million-year-old vomit discovered in Denmark
A piece of fossilized vomit dating back to the time of the dinosaurs has been discovered in Denmark. Local fossil hunter Peter Bennicke found the fossil at Stevns Klint - a Unesco-listed coastal cliff in the east of the country. The self-declared "fossil geek" said he came across some unusual-looking fragments which turned out to be pieces of sea lily - an underwater species related to starfish and sea urchins - in a piece of chalk. Mr Bennicke took the fragments to be examined at the Museum of East Zealand, which confirmed the vomit could be dated to the end of the Cretaceous period 66 million years ago - a time when dinosaurs including Tyrannosaurus and Diplodocus existed. Jesper Milan, palaeontologist and curator at the museum, told the BBC it was "truly an unusual find" as it helps explain relationships in the prehistoric food chain. "It tells us something about who was eating who 66 million years ago," he said. During the period fish and sharks would eat sea lilies, which are hard to digest meaning they would then "regurgitate all the chalk bits", he explained. "This find is a unique glimpse into the everyday situation in the bottom of the Cretaceous sea - the sea during which the dinosaurs lived," he said. The discovery is also significant for improving our understanding of past ecosystems. Mr Milan said his museum had only sent the information to the local press but the discovery has sparked global interest. "This is the world's most famous piece of puke ever," he said.
BBC News
28-01-2025
- Science
- BBC News
66 million-year-old fossilised vomit discovered in Denmark
A piece of fossilized vomit dating back to the time of the dinosaurs has been discovered in fossil hunter Peter Bennicke found the fossil at Stevns Klint - a Unesco-listed coastal cliff in the east of the self-declared "fossil geek" said he came across some unusual-looking fragments which turned out to be pieces of sea lily - an underwater species related to starfish and sea urchins - in a piece of Bennicke took the fragments to be examined at the Museum of East Zealand, which confirmed the vomit could be dated to the end of the Cretaceous period 66 million years ago - a time when dinosaurs including Tyrannosaurus and Diplodocus existed. Jesper Milan, palaeontologist and curator at the museum, told the BBC it was "truly an unusual find" as it helps explain relationships in the prehistoric food chain."It tells us something about who was eating who 66 million years ago," he the period fish and sharks would eat sea lilies, which are hard to digest meaning they would then "regurgitate all the chalk bits", he explained. "This find is a unique glimpse into the everyday situation in the bottom of the Cretaceous sea - the sea during which the dinosaurs lived," he said. The discovery is also significant for improving our understanding of past ecosystems. Mr Milan said his museum had only sent the information to the local press but the discovery has sparked global interest. "This is the world's most famous piece of puke ever," he said.
Ya Biladi
27-01-2025
- Science
- Ya Biladi
Early dinosaurs likely originated from southern Morocco
Fossils of the very first dinosaurs may be buried deep under the Sahara Desert and Amazon rainforest. A new study reveals that the earliest dinosaurs likely emerged in the supercontinent Gondwana, which included the Sahara Desert, spanning North Africa, including southern Morocco. Published in the peer-reviewed journal Current Biology on January 23, the study changes our understanding of where and how dinosaurs first evolved. If unearthed, these fossils could radically rewrite the history of dinosaurs. Currently, the oldest known dinosaur fossils date back about 230 million years and were unearthed further south in places such as Brazil, Argentina, and Zimbabwe. «Dinosaurs are well-studied, but we still don't really know where they came from», said Joel Heath, a doctoral student in Earth sciences at University College London (UCL) and the study's lead author. «The fossil record has such large gaps that it can't be taken at face value». The study suggests that dinosaurs might have originated in hotter, drier environments than previously thought—regions made up of desert- and savannah-like areas, such as the Sahara Desert. «So far, no dinosaur fossils have been found in the regions of Africa and South America that once formed this part of Gondwana», Heath explained. «However, this might be because researchers haven't stumbled across the right rocks yet, due to a mix of inaccessibility and a lack of research efforts in these areas». Studying the evolutionary family trees of dinosaurs To reach their conclusions, the researchers analyzed dinosaur fossils, evolutionary family trees, and the geography of their time. They treated areas without fossil finds as missing information rather than assuming fossils never existed there. The study noted that early dinosaurs were far less common than their reptile relatives, such as the pseudosuchians (ancestors of crocodiles, some of which grew up to 10 meters long) and pterosaurs, the first animals to achieve powered flight. Pterosaurs could grow as large as fighter jets. Early dinosaurs, in contrast, were much smaller than the giants we associate with the group, like Diplodocus. They were roughly the size of chickens or dogs, walked on two legs, and were likely omnivores, eating both plants and meat. Dinosaurs began to dominate after massive volcanic eruptions 201 million years ago wiped out many of their reptile competitors. The researchers' modeling suggests that dinosaurs and other reptiles most likely originated in Gondwana at low latitudes before spreading later to other regions, including southern Gondwana and the northern supercontinent Laurasia, which eventually broke into Europe, Asia, and North America. This theory is supported by the discovery of early dinosaur fossils in southern Gondwana and their relatives' fossils in Laurasia. To address uncertainties about the relationships between ancient dinosaurs and their close relatives, the researchers tested three different evolutionary family trees. The results support the idea that dinosaurs originated in Gondwana, especially if silesaurids—traditionally considered dinosaur cousins—are recognized as ancestors of ornithischians. This group, which later included plant-eaters like Stegosaurus and Triceratops, is absent from the early fossil record. If silesaurids were their ancestors, it helps explain this gap. «Our results suggest early dinosaurs may have been well-adapted to hot and arid environments», said Professor Philip Mannion (UCL Earth Sciences), the study's senior author. He noted that sauropods—such as Brontosaurus and Diplodocus—retained a preference for warm climates, sticking to Earth's lower latitudes. «Evidence suggests the other two groups, theropods and ornithischians, may have developed the ability to generate their own body heat millions of years later during the Jurassic period, enabling them to thrive in colder regions, including the poles».
