WEIRD WORLD

REAL-LIFE Q: The head of MI6 has said the real-life equivalent of James Bond’s Q is a woman. Alex Younger, chief of the Secret Intelligence Service, said that while four men including Ben Whishaw have played the gadget-making quartermaster in the 007 films, in real life she is female. He spoke at the Women in IT Awards on Wednesday as he sought to dispel the stereotype of “posh” spies in a bid to boost diversity and draw in more women recruits.

KRAKEN IDEA: A 371ft (113m) former cargo vessel named after a mythical sea monster has become an artificial reef in the Gulf of Mexico off Texas. The Kraken was sunk 67 miles (108km) off Galveston, the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department said. The ship is expected to become a home to fish, coral and other sea life, as well as a destination for divers. The project is part of the state’s Artificial Reef Programme funded through grants and industry donations. The Kraken was towed from Trinidad to Brownsville last May. Crews removed all fuel, oil and hazardous materials to abide by environmental regulations. Department officials say the ship sank last Friday as openings cut into the vessel filled with water. The Kraken settled about 140ft (43m) below the surface.

PUPPY POP: Dogs each have their own individual taste in music, researchers believe. A study by animal welfare charity the Scottish SPCA and the University of Glasgow looked at the influence of music on dogs’ behaviour and found changes with a variety of genres. Reggae music and soft rock were found to have the highest positive changes in behaviour and the animal charity is now planning to install sound systems in all its kennels.