Arts
Creative achievements in literature and the visual and performing arts
We’re Better at Remembering Facebook Statuses Than Book Lines
Turns out, the average person is far more likely to remember a Facebook status than they are a painstakingly edited sentence from a book
January 21, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
Kickstarter Works Best for Game Designers
Games raised the most total money, over $80 million, on the crowd-funding site last year
January 21, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
Inauguration Day 2013
All you need to know for the day: where to eat, rest and what to see
January 21, 2013 |
By Leah Binkovitz
The Gory Details of Artist Katrina van Grouw’s Unfeathered Birds
A British artist, with experience in ornithology, explains how she created anatomical drawings of 200 different species of birds for a new book
January 18, 2013 |
By Megan Gambino
Jicky, the First Modern Perfume
Jicky is the first fragrance to incorporate both synthetic ingredients and natural extracts, making it one of the most significant perfumes in the history of scent design
January 17, 2013 |
By Jimmy Stamp
Poetry Matters: Lessons From America’s First Inaugural Poet
Introducing a new monthly poetry column, just in time to offer inaugural poet Richard Blanco some advice from Robert Frost
January 17, 2013 |
By David C. Ward
War and Peace of Mind for Ulysses S. Grant
With the help of his friend Mark Twain, Grant finished his memoirs—and saved his wife from an impoverished widowhood—just days before he died
January 16, 2013 |
By Gilbert King
How to Win Inauguration Weekend: There’s an App for That
Only one man won the election, but with free tours and insider information, you can still win the weekend. Plus hours, eating spots and where to rest your feet
January 16, 2013 |
By Leah Binkovitz
The First Major Museum Show to Focus on Smell
“The Art of the Scent” recognizes and celebrates fragrance as a true artistic medium rather than just a consumer product
January 16, 2013 |
By Jimmy Stamp
How Kraft Uses Patents to Dominate the Mac and Cheese Wars
A tour through the patent files reveals a wide range of odd shapes, which collectively are a far cry from the elbow-shaped pasta of your youth
January 15, 2013 |
By Dan Lewis
Covered in Ink, Cross-sections of Trees Make Gorgeous Prints
Connecticut-based artist Bryan Nash Gill uses ink to draw out the growth rings of a variety of tree species
January 15, 2013 |
By Megan Gambino
If Only Hollywood Would Show Us Lincoln’s Second Inaugural
Our Pop Culture Curator Amy Henderson Strolls the Halls of the Old Patent Office Building Imagining the Scene of Lincoln's 1865 Inaugural Ball
January 15, 2013 |
By Amy Henderson
Romans Did All Sorts of Weird Things in The Public Baths—Like Getting Their Teeth Cleaned
For ancient Romans enjoying a day at the bathhouse, the list of items lost to drains includes jewelry, scalpels, teeth, needles and plates
January 14, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Texas’ New Library Won’t Have Any Books
In San Antonio, an entirely bookless library system
January 14, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
Events January 14-17: Higgs Boson, Up “Close” with President Obama, Modern Origami and Shiny Pots
This week, learn why the Higgs Boson particle matters, see a huge portrait of President Obama, discover modern origami and stand in DC's most opulent room
January 14, 2013 |
By Paul Bisceglio
The Fisher Space Pen Boldly Writes Where No Man Has Written Before
The Fisher Space Pen has been made famous by Apollo astronauts and Jerry Seinfeld. But just how does it work? And is NASA really spend millions making it?
January 11, 2013 |
By Jimmy Stamp
Beautiful Artwork Cut Out of Feathers
A clever artist uses a scalpel and tweezers to cut beautiful bird silhouettes out of feathers
January 10, 2013 |
By Megan Gambino
Events January 11-13: Civil Disobedience, Farm-Fresh Foods and Arabic Calligraphy Lessons
This week, protest racial segregation in the 1960s, discover DC's "slow food" movement and learn to write in Arabic
January 10, 2013 |
By Paul Bisceglio
The Novice’s Guide to Venturing Into the World of Craft Beer
From food pairings to the best brews for beginners, Dan Koester presents a comprehensive guide to craft beer
January 09, 2013 |
By Leah Binkovitz
Elusive Giant Squid Captured on Film for the First Time
The squid is about 10-feet long and was spotted over half a mile below the ocean surface about 620 miles south of Tokyo
January 08, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer

