Culture

Bucket hats are all the rage at the moment, but 2,000 years ago, ancient Romans were also donning a version of this modern trend to shield their faces from the sun — and visitors to England’s Bolton museum will get to see just how similar they look. Only three of these historic hats have been found, and one has recently been restored and put on display.

The coolest person you know would probably be just as popular in Japan as they would be in Nicaragua or Austria. That’s because while hip folks may seem to have a certain “je ne sais quoi,” there are some specific attributes associated with being cool — and they’re surprisingly similar across different cultures around the world, recent research suggests.

A small Italian town that was on the brink of desertion is now attracting thousands of tourists after artists from around the world were commissioned to paint colorful murals on the sides of shops and homes.

Building sand castles isn’t just for kids: One U.K. dad has been getting in on the summer fun, too. Mark Lewis, 57, is passionate about molding sand into weird and wonderful landscapes, creatures, and buildings, and his creative sculptures — including Spongebob Squarepants and a giant pair of Crocs — have been earning him attention on social media.