Many devices now die sooner than they should. Planned obsolescence is the practice of designing or managing a product to have a limited life: batteries that can't be replaced, parts glued shut, software updates that slow older models or stop being offered, and repairs that cost nearly as much as a new device. Modern laptops, phones and earbuds combine rare materials, toxic substances and flammable batteries, so each discarded device adds to the mountain of e-waste that can leak harmful chemicals if it ends up in landfill. A legal approach can help: stronger consumer laws on durability, longer warranties, and rights to repair and to spare parts and updates can push makers to build products that last, saving shoppers money and cutting waste.

Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Karnataka, India, with more than 1,600 surviving remains spread over 4,100 hectares. It was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire from 1336 to 1565. Travellers from Persia and Portugal described it as a prosperous, wealthy and grand city with temples, markets and farms along the Tungabhadra River. By 1500 it was estimated to be the world's second-largest city after Beijing, and probably India's richest at the time. In 1565 a coalition of Muslim sultanates defeated the Vijayanagara Empire, its capital was conquered and destroyed, and the city was left in ruins. Hampi remains a religious centre, with the active Virupaksha Temple at its heart.