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Smart News / Smart News Arts & Culture

The British Library Just Put More Than a Million Images in the Public Domain

From the largest library in the world, more than a million images free to download and use

StarCraft II Player Is Now Officially an Athlete, According to the U.S. Government

Kim Dong-hwan, a competitive StarCraft player, was just issued a P-1A visa—the type that’s usually given to athletes

The inside of a newly assembled Ikea temporary home.

Ikea’s Getting Into the Refugee Shelter Business

Ikea’s latest installments are popping up in Lebanon, where around one million Syrians have sought refuge from the violence plaguing their own country

Every Year, a Swedish Town Builds a Giant Straw Goat, And People Just Can’t Help Burning It Down

In the 47 years that the town has erected Gävlebocken, it’s been set on fire 26 times

An 800-year-old medieval bridge spans the subterranean River Roch beneath Rochdale, England.

This River And Medieval Bridge, Paved Over for 100 Years, Will Soon Return to the Light

Local artists were recruited to help determine the river’s ultimate design, and developers say the project could be completed by 2015

James Bond’s Martini Consumption Would Have Compromised His Physical, Mental and Sexual Abilities

The authors postulate that the spy’s preference for shaken, not stirred vodka martinis may indicate a case of shaky hands caused by alcohol-induced tremors

Playing an Instrument Won’t Make Your Kid Smarter

Music can, however, boost children’s creativity and teach them important life skills such as discipline and concentration—but so can other hobbies

Facebook’s Most Popular Check-In Spots This Year Include Places in Iceland, Argentina and Nigeria

Top world destinations for check-ins are a bit unexpected, but perhaps reflect Facebook’s popularity among varying cultures, interest groups and nations

Mindlessly Snapping Photos at Museums Keeps People From Remembering the Actual Visit

People might use cameras as a crutch for returning to and remembering things later rather than paying attention to what is transpiring in the moment

In New York City, you can even get a late pass from the MTA to show your skeptical boss.

The NYC Subways Will Give You a Late Slip If Your Train Is Delayed

In New York City you can even get a late pass from the MTA to show your skeptical boss

VIDEO: The CIA Trained These Animals to Spy for Them

The government agency used birds, cats and even dolphins to help them on covert operations

Drivers Are More Likely to Brake at Yellow Lights If They’ve Just Seen a Depressing Billboard

After seeing positive or neutral ads before a yellow light, drivers were more likely to run it. But after negative ads, they were more likely to break

Two BlizzCon attendees dress up as Blood Elves, a race from the World of Warcraft.

The NSA Was Spying in World of Warcraft

And in Second Life

A Google Doodle That Honors Computer Programmer Grace Hopper

Hopper was a U.S. Navy Rear Admiral, and in 1959 she helped create COBOL—a program that the military and banks still use today

Without Nutrients From Conventional Farms, Yields of Organic Crops Could Go Down

Many of the nutrients flowing through organic farms still ultimately derive from conventional farms

New York Might Never Top the 1949 Rockefeller Center Tree

Although this years tree will have far more lights (45,000 in total) it won’t be quite the silver, spinning whirlwind of 1949

Disney’s childhood home in Chicago (on the corner), as depicted by Google Street View.

Walt Disney’s Childhood Home May Soon Be a Museum

The new owners may return the house to the same conditions it was in when young Disney ran through its halls

Fingerbreaking

Breakdance Competitions Are Adding Fingerbreaking to Their Lineup

This is not a bad-cop interrogation method, but rather a newly recognized form of dance

No no no, Guurr, put the mammoth tusk over there, it helps balance the energy.

Neanderthals May Have Practiced the Ancient Art of Interior Design

Excavations showed that Neanderthals may have designed their homes with purpose

Eligible bachelors

Your Online Dating Profile Picture Should Be With Other People

Skip the shirtless bathroom selfie and go with a group shot for your next online dating profile

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