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The Guardian
26 minutes ago
- The Guardian
The best travel mugs and reusable coffee cups for taking hot drinks on the go, tested
Single-use takeaway cups belong with throwaway supermarket carrier bags in the landfill of history. Usually made from plastic-coated paper, the billions used each year burn through copious amounts of energy and water, while also contributing significantly to landfill. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. The solution is simple: switch to a reusable coffee cup. These take various forms, such as cups, bottles and mugs, but are more eco-friendly options once used multiple times. There are leakproof travel mugs that can sit in a rucksack pocket; small ones ideally suited to car cup holders; and ones made from recycled post-consumer materials. Two different terms are used for this type of product: travel mugs and reusable coffee cups. Travel mugs are usually better suited for transporting coffee from place to place, whereas reusable coffee cups are often just something to sip from wherever you get a coffee. The terms are sometimes used interchangeably, and you should always check the product specifications to ensure you're getting the right mug for your purposes. Some coffee chains now incentivise the use of these cups through discounts and reward schemes, too. It may seem obvious, but one of the best things about these travel mugs is that you can fill them at home before going out, so the coffee machine collecting dust on your counter might finally get some more use, too. To help you find your sip-friendly sidekick, I tested 10 cups from brands including KeepCup, Yeti, Ocean Bottle, Circular&Co and Chilly's. A note of caution from a guy with a singed tongue: some of the cups and bottles featured are excellent at keeping your coffee or tea hot. That's mostly beneficial, but you should check whether your drink has cooled before taking a hearty sip, which may require leaving the lid off for a few minutes. Best travel mug overall: KeepCup Commuter Best budget travel mug: Yeti the Rambler Best leakproof travel mug: Stanley The AeroLight transit mug Best travel mug for taste: Ocean Bottle stainless steel tumbler Best sustainable travel mug: Circular&Co Reusable Cup As a regular reviewer for the Filter, I'm well versed in testing products. You may have spotted my guide to the best suitcases, which culminated in me throwing the unfortunate baggage off a stepladder, or my feature on sunrise alarm clocks, where I played the role of sleep-testing guinea pig. I've been writing about consumer products for the past decade, and I still take joy in getting to grips with interesting, useful things. I'm also into my coffee, and I care about how the material and form of a vessel affect a drink. I always carry a reusable cup on days out or while working on the go, so my thoughts on these products are rooted in the daily grind. I used each model several times while travelling and working. I filled them with coffee at home for my first caffeine hit of the day, before having them refilled at various coffee shops, where I asked baristas for their feedback. Throughout testing, I considered how securely the cups held liquid, how pleasant they were to handle and drink from, and how well they maintained the temperature of hot and cold drinks. On the first point, for more rigorous assessment, I held the cups upside down and shook them over kitchen paper to see how much they dripped; I also bounced on a trampette with them (first with the lid closed, then with it open) to test the degree to which they were leakproof. Finally, I filled them with boiling water and measured the temperature over eight hours to gauge the effectiveness of the insulation. Not all reusable cups are intended to provide the same qualities (eg leak-proofing or insulation), and I kept this in mind while writing the reviews. During the process, I drank dozens of hot drinks, preventing the use of a stack of disposable cups and ensuring a pleasantly caffeinated state throughout. Mugs that were not requested back by the manufacturer were donated for fundraising to the Leeds branch of Cat Action Trust 1977, a small national charity dedicated to the welfare of feral cats – two of whom are living in a catio on my drive. Widely credited as the originator of the reusable coffee cup, KeepCup remains the best in the business. This Commuter model is advertised as 'barista standard', and it certainly proved a cut above during my tests. Why we love it I was impressed by its temperature regulation. It kept hot drinks hot for several hours, and cold water refreshingly cool while out and about. Removing the broad lid will quickly bring down the temperature of the cup's contents, though, so your coffee will be sippable before you know it. The flip lid is a well-known KeepCup feature, providing a secure closure that couldn't be simpler to suss out. Do take care to screw it on properly, though. 'This mug will fit under the group head on an espresso machine, so saves us from using another vessel to prepare the coffee before pouring it into the reusable cup,' said Scarlet, barista at Holding Patterns listening bar in Leeds. Hand-washing is recommended to preserve the mug's finish. Thankfully, reaching inside with a soapy sponge didn't prove a chore. The Commuter is sold as 'spill proof' rather than leakproof, but it performed well during my bounce and drip test. It's a shame that … this mug may be too wide for some cup holders and backpack pockets. Capacity: 340mlMaterial: silicone, electropolished steel, polypropylene Dimensions: 8.6 x 12.7cm Temperature after one hour: 74.4CTemperature after eight hours: 34.1CWeight: 218gDishwasher safe? Hand-washing recommended to preserve finishWarranty/guarantee: 12 months Isn't this a fine little thing? I found the Rambler ideal for small drinks such as espressos, short blacks and cordials on the go – and while it's not marketed as an insulated model, it proved effective at keeping drinks suitably hot or cold. Why we love itPerhaps the best trait of this cup is its portability. It's small and narrows towards the base, which makes it handy for rucksack pockets or car cup holders. Thanks to the ridge about halfway up, it's convenient to carry by hand, too. I was impressed with the Rambler's chunky Magslider closure, which makes it easy to open or seal the aperture on the splashproof (note: not leakproof) lid. In my bounce test, it didn't leak whatsoever when the lid was closed, but it did spray out coffee with the lid open. Just remember to close it before running to catch a bus. This mug's vibrant colourways are just my cup of tea, too – especially the Rescue Red. 'It's a convenient size, but it would've been helpful to have a mark inside the cup to show the right fill level,' said Saeed Hussain, owner of Cravings By Sid in Calverley. 'You might be best off handing it to the barista with the lid, so they can see how high to fill it.' It's a shame that … rinsing suds out from under the lid is slightly tricky, as some of the dish water gets under the slider. Capacity: 236mlMaterial: stainless steel and plasticDimensions: 7.2 x 10.5cmTemperature after one hour: 74.1CTemperature after eight hours: 34.9CWeight: 200gDishwasher safe? YesWarranty/guarantee: five years The aptly named AeroLight feels dainty. The lid seal is secure, barely allowing any steam through, even when opened for drinking. In normal use and temperature testing, it proved effective at keeping things hot. On opening, this bottle sometimes greeted me with a tiny spray of coffee, but that's a small price to pay for its tight closure. Why we love itThis was the model I trusted most to stay sealed inside my bag – and, as expected, it didn't leak. I bounced on the trampette with it, shook it upside down, threw it over my head – and not a drop was spilled. Note that Stanley advises that users fill the AeroLight no higher than 7mm from the threads of the lid. The narrow, fairly tall profile of the AeroLight is ideal for backpack side pockets and slimline cup holders, although it also means its capacity may be lower than you expect. The barista who served me at an excellent King's Cross coffee kiosk was utterly bemused when I asked her what she thought of the bottle. I'll take this as a sign that it's easy to fill up. The AeroLight is dishwasher safe and comes with a lifetime guarantee. It's a shame that … the insulation of this bottle may be too great, if anything. I had to leave the lid off for quite some time to bring coffee down to a drinkable temperature. Capacity: 350mlMaterial: stainless steel and plasticDimensions: 6.9 x 16.3cmTemperature after one hour: 83.8CTemperature after eight hours: 49.3CWeight: 180gDishwasher safe? YesWarranty/guarantee: lifetime Made from 90% recycled stainless steel (as well as BPA-free plastic and silicone), this cup provided a brilliantly pure coffee-drinking experience. Why we love itPaper takeaway cups can often lend an unwanted flavour to a drink as their material begins to break down, but there's no such issue here. Plus, its lip feels pleasantly thin and not at all sharp. Taking apart the tumbler for cleaning is simple enough, although the rubbery lid seal needed a little persuasion. Fully disassembled, the mug is easy to clean, with hardly any awkward areas that could harbour grime. While the tumbler isn't intended as an insulating flask, it kept coffee hot for more than two-and-a-half hours. It also performed well during my trampette test, with just a little splashing when I opened the lid slider. According to the barista at a local coffee chain, it was perfectly easy to refill. It's a shame that … as tends to be the case with tumblers, this model isn't fully leakproof, nor is it designed to be held upside down. Capacity: 350mlMaterial: recycled stainless steel, BPA-free plastic, siliconeDimensions: 8.2 × 13.7cmTemperature after one hour: 76.4CTemperature after eight hours: 35.8CWeight: 230gDishwasher safe? Yes (eco-wash)Warranty/guarantee: 10 years This remarkable reusable cup from Circular&Co is a true example of circular production, with an outer layer made from a polymer-recycled coffee blend. The material has a distinctive look and feel: smooth, shiny, Americano-brown and similar, but uncannily a little different, to plastic. Why we love itFrom a design perspective, the clever thing about this cup is its lid. It has two indents for your fingers, and you press these down to unlock and open the 360-degree aperture so that drink can flow through. It works brilliantly and, although I thought the lid might be fiddly to clean, it's easy enough to do if you lever off the top part using a cutlery handle. I'd recommend reading the instruction booklet to avoid mishaps, however. The cup was pleasant to drink from, kept its contents very hot and had no adverse effects on the flavour. Seb Wilkey, head barista at Holding Patterns in Leeds, was enthusiastic about the cup. 'It's a little too tall to fit under the group head on our coffee machine, but we can work around that and it was easy to use in general,' he told me. 'More people should be using reusable coffee cups. When I lived in Sydney, everyone had one.' It's a shame that … although it didn't leak during normal use (or bounce testing), a few drops spilled out when I held this cup upside down and shook it. Capacity: 340mlMaterial: recycled coffee waste and plasticDimensions: 8.4 x 16.6cmTemperature after one hour: 61.8CTemperature after eight hours: 26.9CWeight: 200gDishwasher safe? YesWarranty/guarantee: two years Sign up to The Filter Get the best shopping advice from the Filter team straight to your inbox. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. after newsletter promotion Best for: a family-size reusable bottle Family-size flask meets trendy reusable bottle in the Chilly's Big Mouth, new for 2025. It has plenty of space for everyone's tea, coffee or water on a group trip, and it serves equally well as a daylong sipping solution for the chronically hydrated. The rim of the bottle is pretty deep, and I found I had to drink from it carefully to avoid a drenching. Personally, I'm OK with that, but dainty sippers might prefer to decant their drink into a cup. This bottle's lid felt very secure and I was confident enough to carry it, filled, in my bag. But given how good the Big Mouth looks, vibrant and pleasantly textured, proud owners might prefer to tote it by the handle instead. It performed exceptionally well in my bounce, drip and temperature tests. It didn't make the final cut because … most people will need something smaller for on-the-go coffees. Capacity: 2l; material: 90% post-consumer certified recycled stainless steel, plastic, rubber base; dimensions: 13.5 x 26.5cm; temperature after one hour: 88.8C; temperature after eight hours: 65.4C; weight: 862g; dishwasher safe? No; warranty/guarantee: two years Best for: daylong use Ninja's mug was one of the top performers in my drip, bounce and temperature tests. If you're looking for a large, leakproof option to fill at home and drink from throughout the day, this would be a fine choice. Drinking through the lid is very simple – you pop down the seal and then sip through the opening, which allows just the right flow for my taste. I often find Ninja's products intuitive and well designed, and that's certainly true of this bottle. I wouldn't recommend drinking without the lid while on transport (especially with a driver who tends to slam on the brakes) as the metal is thin. Baristas Ivy and Theo at Flamingos Coffee House in Leeds were happy to use the Sip Perfect, but they had some reservations. 'It's too tall for our machine, so I had to pour the coffee into a mug first,' said Ivy. It didn't make the final cut because … it's not quite a match for our top picks in terms of portability. However, you might feel that the higher capacity justifies the added heft. Capacity: 400ml; material: stainless steel, BPA-free plastic; dimensions: 7.7 x 22.7cm; temperature after one hour: 62.2C; temperature after eight hours: 47.4C; weight: 573g; dishwasher safe? Yes, but hand-washing is recommended to preserve the finish; warranty/guarantee: five years Best for: an eco-friendly bottle This is a very useful little bottle to have in your collection. It's perfectly leakproof (even when you take it on a trampoline), insulates hot or cold liquids very well, and slots neatly into a backpack pocket or cup holder. Perhaps its most important role is its environmental impact: maker Ocean Bottle funds the collection of the equivalent of 1,000 ocean-bound plastic bottles with each one bought. It didn't make the final cut because … the lid doesn't allow enough liquid through at once for a really satisfying sip. I also needed a few tries to learn when the lid is properly sealed. Make sure you figure this out before taking the flask on your travels. Capacity: 350ml; material: recycled stainless steel, BPA-free plastic, silicone; dimensions: 6.8 x 16.8cm; temperature after one hour: 81.8C; temperature after eight hours: 47.1C; weight: 226g; dishwasher safe? Yes; warranty/guarantee: 10 years Best for: camping The inside of the Rise mug is a lovely brushed steel, canteen-like and an excellent material for heat retention. I found it one of the easiest reusable cups to clean. It's wide enough to reach inside effortlessly with a sponge, and the lid has a simple design that should minimise grime buildup. Whereas most reusable cups probably won't get used much at home, this one's so pleasant to drink from with or without the lid that you might reach for it when in need of a homely cuppa. It's worth noting that the Rise mug is not leakproof – as I discovered when I tipped it upside down for a drip test. However, the lid seal holds up well when you're using the cup sensibly. Cravings By Sid's Hussain only had good things to say about this mug. 'I loved it – I'm tempted to get one for myself,' he said, after filling the mug with a large iced coffee. It didn't make the final cut because … it's too wide to fit conveniently inside most rucksack pockets. The handle is ideal for looping on to the strap of a hiking backpack or bikepacking pannier bag, however. Capacity: 399ml; material: 90% post-consumer recycled steel, BPA-free plastic; dimensions: 9.7 x 9.9cm; temperature after one hour: 76.5C; temperature after eight hours: 32.5C; weight: 309g; dishwasher safe? Yes; warranty/guarantee: lifetime limited warranty Best for: affordability Its stubby form makes this a convenient cup to squeeze into a tight backpack pocket or cup holder. I really appreciated its ease of cleaning, its lightness and most of all its natural feel: the whole thing is made from a plant-based material derived from sugar beet. There are limitations to this style of cup. It leaked a little during my trampette testing, and released coffee liberally when upended. For quickly drinking a short coffee drink bought from a cafe, it works very well, but I wouldn't recommend it for transporting liquids. It didn't make the final cut because … heat transfer through the cup's material is considerable. You wouldn't want to keep a tight hold of it when it's freshly filled with black coffee. Capacity: 240ml; material: PLA (plant-based); dimensions: 8.2 x 10.1cm; temperature after one hour: 48.3C; temperature after eight hours: 24.8C; weight: 150g; dishwasher safe? Yes; warranty/guarantee: two years The eco-friendly decision to carry your coffee in a reusable cup or bottle is well rewarded by various coffee chains and independent cafes. Ideally, you'll keep taking your reusable cup to your favourite local independent when you can. You won't always get a discount, but savings of about 10% are not uncommon. Several of the big chains offer incentives to use a reusable cup, including: Starbucks: 25p discount Pret a Manger: 50p discount Caffè Nero: double loyalty card stamps (so the fifth coffee is free) Costa: double loyalty card stamps (so the fifth coffee is free) Black Sheep Coffee: 45p off Greggs: 25p off Supermarkets are also getting in on the trend. Waitrose now provides free hot drinks to its members only when they bring a reusable cup; Marks & Spencer cafes offer a 50p discount. A travel mug comes with environmental costs. Manufacturing and selling one requires energy and materials, and it will be cleaned with soap and water by the eventual owner. Thankfully, the environmental toll of a reusable cup tends to be lower than that of habitually drinking from single-use cups, which are typically made from paper modified with plastic. A study by Ciraig (a sustainability research organisation based in Canada) found that a reusable cup becomes less harmful than using single-use cups after 20 to 100 drinks, in terms of greenhouse gas emissions generated. This varies depending on the material of the reusable cup. You would hope to use your cup or bottle at least that many times – and perhaps even for a lifetime. Some models are built to last with decades-long guarantees. Reusable cups are sometimes made largely from recycled materials, which reduces their embodied carbon (the sum of emissions created by making the cup and getting it into the customer's hands). The maker's business model might also seek to offset or outweigh environmental costs. For example, Ocean Bottle funds the collection of plastic waste through the sale of each product. In short, reusable coffee cups are the most eco-friendly solution we've come up with for carrying hot drinks on the go. To minimise the environmental downsides, use yours for as long as you can, apply minimal (eco-friendly) washing-up liquid and hot water during routine washes, and choose a sustainability-focused brand. Pete Wise is a journalist with more than a decade's experience covering everything from global development and social causes to technology and music. He's written various articles about coffee, including reviews of coffee machines and coffee grinders, and features on the health effects of caffeine. He'll take a long black to go, please – in a reusable cup
The Guardian
an hour ago
- Lifestyle
- The Guardian
Jess Cartner-Morley on fashion: High heels never really work in summer – it's the season to rock fabulous flats
Wearing high heels in summer never worked. We must have been mad! Pretty much everything that is lovely about summer is incompatible with wearing heels. Being outside in the garden or the park, where the grass is soft underfoot! Delightful, but hopeless if you have to balance on tiptoes to stop your heels from sinking into the ground. Walking instead of getting the bus, because it's so nice out! A seasonal treat, but only in comfy shoes. Summer weddings that start at 3pm and go on until the small hours! The absolute best, but murder with blisters. The beach! OK, we weren't ever sufficiently insane to wear heels on sand or pebbles. Still, you get my drift. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. I haven't sworn off heels for good, by the way. I think there was a time when lockdown broke my habit, but in the end I missed them. So when autumn comes around, I will relish pulling on my heeled boots for the first time. Come party season, I will hold fast to my belief that a really good night out starts with a shoe that gives a rush of visual pleasure and makes no concessions to being remotely sensible. But for the next couple of months, I have a strict flats-only policy. What's that? What about wedges, you ask? For some people, these represent the perfect compromise: they are steady on uneven ground, and comfortable to wear because your weight is fairly evenly distributed. But, look, can I be honest? They are just not very elegant. They make your feet enormous, which knocks your whole silhouette off balance, like wearing a comedy hat. They are also a bit of a weird shape, because that's what happens when you try to fit a square peg in a round hole. No. There is a flat shoe for every summer occasion, and there is an art to matching the shoe to the look. Not all flats are created equal: some elevate, and some don't. Because we are so accustomed to seeing heels as the glamorous option and flats as the practical alternative, we tend to lump all flats in together, and fail to notice that there is a world of difference between styles and shapes – both in the vibe they bring to an outfit and how they affect your silhouette. Bare and strappy looks casual, while enclosed is more formal – think of the contrast between a Birkenstock and a loafer. A minimal flat sandal can be fabulous for a summer party, but it needs to be elegant – good-quality leather with a nice pedicure reads very differently from plastic flip-flops and gnarly toes. If the toe is enclosed, the shape matters: a round toe is cute and girlish; an almond toe is more sophisticated. A flat shoe that has a sturdier construction and covers the top of your foot will read as masculine (a brogue, a loafer), while one that is flimsier and more cutaway gives femininity (a ballet pump). I like to think of myself as open-minded, but we all have our red lines, and one of mine is an ankle strap on a flat shoe. This cuts across your leg at the wrong place (visually, I mean; otherwise you've got it done up too tight, which is another matter entirely). This is not about your legs looking fat or short or whatever – we're not having that conversation any more, remember – it is just about what looks pleasing to the eye. If there is a Mary Jane-style strap across the top of your foot, then this will look best if it's closer to the toe than to the heel. Sign up to Inside Saturday The only way to get a look behind the scenes of the Saturday magazine. Sign up to get the inside story from our top writers as well as all the must-read articles and columns, delivered to your inbox every weekend. after newsletter promotion Snazzy embellishments that might look gaudy on a high heel look brilliant on a flat, because a flat shoe needs to show some ambition. It can take detail or colour, shine or eyelets. An element of elevation, if you like. What it boils down to, really, is this: flat shoes don't have to be basic. Sometimes we make the mistake of thinking that the choice is between dressing up nice – in heels – and 'just' wearing flats. When, in fact, the only sensible way to do summer is no heel, but all glamour. This is the season to be flat-out fabulous. Model: Amaka at Milk. Hair and makeup: Sophie Higginson using Ouai and Dr Sam's. Dress, £79, Nobody's Child. Necklace, £142, Ottoman Hands. Bag, £36, River Island. Pumps, £59.99, Zara
Euronews
2 hours ago
- Euronews
ChatGPT launches Study Mode to encourage responsible academic use
ChatGPT is launching a "Study Mode" to promote responsible academic use of the chatbot, amid concerns over the misuse of artificial intelligence (AI) in schools and universities. Designed to help students do homework, prepare for exams, and learn new topics, the feature allows users to learn in an interactive, step-by-step, classroom-like manner. The goal is to help students understand and analyse the material, rather than relying on ready-made solutions, according to OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT. In one example, a user asked for help understanding Bayes' theorem. The chatbot responded with questions about the user's level of mathematical literacy and learning goal, before proceeding with a step-by-step explanation. "We want to highlight responsible ways to use ChatGPT in a way that is conducive to learning," said Jaina Devaney, OpenAI's head of international education. The launch of this feature coincides with a growing concern within academia about the illicit use of AI tools. In an investigation published last month, for example, The Guardian identified nearly 7,000 proven cases of university students using AI tools to cheat in the 2023-2024 school year. Meanwhile in the United States, more than a third of college-aged adults use ChatGPT, and the company's data shows that about a quarter of messages sent to the bot are related to learning, teaching, or homework. "We don't believe in using these tools for cheating, and this is a step towards minimising that," Devaney said. She added that tackling academic cheating requires a "broad discussion within the educational sector" to reconsider how students' work is assessed and set clear guidelines on the responsible use of AI. Through Study Mode, upload past exam papers and work on them in collaboration with the tool. Notably, it does not prevent users from ignoring Study Mode and requesting direct answers to their prompts. The company said the feature was developed in collaboration with teachers, scientists and educational experts, but warned that there could be "inconsistent behaviour and errors in some conversations".
Express Tribune
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Jamie Lee Curtis critiques cosmetic beauty standards and AI filters in new interview
Jamie Lee Curtis has expressed concern about the long-term impact of the cosmetic industry on women's perceptions of ageing and beauty. In a recent interview with The Guardian, Curtis criticised the growing trend of surgical and digital appearance alteration, calling it a 'disfigurement of generations of predominantly women.' The 66-year-old actress, known for her roles in Freaky Friday and Halloween, stated she has used strong language, including the word 'genocide,' to describe what she sees as the erasure of natural human appearance. She clarified that while this term is provocative, it reflects her deep concern about societal pressures on women to change how they look. Curtis also criticised the influence of artificial intelligence and beauty filters, explaining that such tools contribute to unrealistic standards. 'Better is fake,' she said, highlighting how digitally enhanced images can subtly alter self-perception and public expectations. Despite her strong stance, Curtis emphasised she does not criticise individuals who choose cosmetic procedures. 'It's not my job to give my opinion; it's none of my business,' she noted, adding that once people begin altering their appearance, the process can become difficult to stop. Curtis has previously discussed ageing in public life, including during a 2024 appearance on Today, where she described embracing her natural appearance as a mark of maturity. She emphasised the importance of being honest about thoughts and feelings as part of growing older.
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Trainwreck Storm Area 51 true story: How a Facebook joke drew 10,000 people – were there corpses everywhere?
Trainwreck Storm Area 51 true story What is Area 51? What happened at the event? the trainwreck storm area 51 documentary is pretty funny. at least the first ep it has like clips of the tik tok trends at the time and all that. Feels like a mini time capsule — ⊹ ⋆ﾟ꒰ఎ ♡ ໒꒱ ⋆ﾟ⊹ Alysia ⊹ ⋆ﾟ꒰ఎ ♡ ໒꒱ ⋆ﾟ⊹ (@Alyssa55236307) July 30, 2025 Why you should watch Trainwreck: Storm Area 51 Trainwreck Storm Area 51 true story: What started as a tongue-in-cheek Facebook joke quickly snowballed into a viral sensation, drawing thousands to the Nevada desert in 2019. The so-called 'Storm Area 51' event saw nearly 10,000 attendees hoping to uncover extraterrestrial secrets. Netflix's documentary Trainwreck: Storm Area 51 revisits this bizarre moment in pop culture history, exploring the unexpected turnout and the chaos that to The Guardian, Trainwreck: Storm Area 51 tells the strange true story of how a late-night Facebook joke turned into a viral sensation. In 2019, 20-year-old Matty Roberts, a mall worker from California, created a playful event called 'Storm Area 51, They Can't Stop All of Us,' inspired by a Joe Rogan podcast. It was meant as a joke for 3 a.m. on September 20 but within days, millions RSVP'd, memes spread like wildfire, and the tiny Nevada town of Rachel, with just 56 residents, prepared for a surprise invasion of 51, a secret U.S. Air Force base hidden from the public since the Cold War, has fueled UFO and alien theories for years. It wasn't officially acknowledged by the government until 2013, when President Obama jokingly mentioned millions RSVP'd to the Facebook event, Matty Roberts was shocked by the attention. He gave interviews from his room while playing video games, amazed that his late-night joke had gone viral the chaos leading up to it, the actual event was much calmer than expected. While 3.5 million people had RSVP'd online, only a few hundred showed up in Rachel, Nevada. Still, the mood was fun and quirky, people wore alien costumes, danced under the stars, and shared the event on social media. Some even tried the 'Naruto run' toward the Area 51 gates but stopped to take photos spent about $11 million preparing for a possible security threat, making it the largest defense effort in the base's history. One man was caught with weapons, but no serious incidents Unicole Unicron called the event a spiritual success, saying it felt like the aliens were 'dancing with us.' As for Matty Roberts, he went back to everyday life, calling the whole thing 'the most exciting moment of my life.'Trainwreck: Storm Area 51 goes beyond being just an offbeat documentary about an internet meme, it delves into the unpredictable ways online culture can manifest in real life. It explores how a seemingly harmless Facebook joke, sparked by boredom and curiosity, unexpectedly escalated into a worldwide phenomenon that compelled local officials, the U.S. military, and a small desert community to brace for an event whose outcome was entirely uncertain.
