“If you ever plan to motor west,” Nat King Cole crooned in 1946, “travel my way, take the highway that’s the best.” He was singing, of course, about historic Route 66, which spanned more than 2,400 miles from downtown Chicago, Illinois, to seaside Santa Monica, California — winding over the Missouri Ozarks, across Oklahoma, and […]
Established in 2010, World Photography Day is observed annually on August 19, celebrating the art, craft, science, and history of the visual medium. The date wasn’t chosen at random: Nearly two centuries ago, in 1839, the French government purchased the patent for the daguerreotype process, publicly presenting its details as “a gift to the world”
Paris, France, has long been heralded as one of the world’s most enchanting cities and a wellspring of creativity, innovation, and romance. But there’s always room for improvement, and the 2024 Olympics are the perfect opportunity. For the first time in 100 years, the City of Light will host the Games, and it’s getting a
Students at Michigan State University have gotten a unique opportunity to glance into their school’s past after workers came upon the foundation of a 19th century observatory. They called MSU’s Campus Archaeology Program to investigate, and the students in the program were able to unearth remnants of the campus’s first observatory, constructed in 1881. “It
Michigan State Students Unearth 19th Century Observatory Foundation Continue Reading »
The joy of wall murals is contagious. Pops of art — on brick walls, freeways, and street corners — brighten our routines and remind us that the world is full of wonder, surprise, and opportunities to look up when we’re all too often looking down. One of the most impactful examples of the power of paint
A recent study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that isometric exercises can be an effective, non-pharmacological way to lower blood pressure. But what are isometric exercises? Per the Mayo Clinic, these strengthening movements involve tightening or contracting a muscle without moving any joints or lengthening the muscle. Planks, wall sits, and
Linguistically, an infant’s “goo goo, gaga” may not command the same respect as, say, a Shakespearean soliloquy, but the study of how babies talk could shed light on our understanding of language learning in adults. At UCLA’s Language Acquisition Lab, director Megha Sundara and a team of colleagues investigate all things baby babble: when and
What Baby Babble Can Teach Adults About Learning New Languages Continue Reading »
When Brogan Ingram — also known as @NotTheWorstCleaner on TikTok — cleans a home, her 5.5 million followers see satisfying shots of grime getting wiped away, piles of trash being purged, and surfaces sparkling once again after hours (and hours) of cleaning. But what makes the social media sensation’s videos stand out aren’t just the
Meet the TikTok Star Who’s Spreading Kindness by Cleaning Houses for Free Continue Reading »
Wildlife photographer Michel Zoghzoghi has taken close-up shots of lions in Africa, tigers in India, and jaguars in South America, but the fiercest (and funniest) felines he’s ever encountered reside in his very own home. Today, Zoghzoghi was named the overall winner of the 2023 Comedy Pet Photography Awards for the above image of his
See the Funniest Pet Photos of 2023, From Fierce Felines to Flying Dogs Continue Reading »
It’s often said that we’re “learning by experience” when we try new things, practice skills, and make mistakes. In other words, our memories of past experiences can shape our perceptions of ourselves, the world, and even the future. Though we can all probably think of examples that back up this phenomenon, how this works in
How Old Memories Help Us Learn New Things, According to Science (and Snails) Continue Reading »
