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Smart News / Smart News Arts & Culture

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In a Homemade Tank, Syrian Rebels Use a PlayStation Controller to Operate a Machine Gun

The Syrian rebel forces, who face a strong disparity in access to the tools of war, have fashioned themselves a homemade tank

National Geographic Sells a Painting of Pirates for More than One Million Dollars

For the first time in its 125 year history, National Geographic has opened up its collection to bidders at Christie’s an art auction house based in NYC

Does Blood Doping Even Work?

A recent study found no evidence that using blood doping drugs gives elite athletes any advantage

Not Besse Cooper’s hands

Besse Cooper, World’s Oldest Person, Passes Away

Born in 1896, Besse Cooper was came into a world that was vastly different than the one she just left

A group of hagfish hanging out on the floor of the Pacific.

Hagfish Slime May Cover Models in Future Fashion Shows

The hagfish aims to make a slimy splash on the fashion runway with a tough, silk-like material harvested from its bountiful snot-like secretions

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Maybe This Crazy New Sport Can Ease Your NHL-Lockout Blues

Crashed Ice, or “ice cross downhill,” is a pretty crazy sport

Excerpt from Papias the Grammarian

1 Million Dollars Worth of Rare Dictionaries About to Go on Sale

On December 4, a collection of rare old dictionaries will go on auction at Bonhams in New York City

Artist Calvin Seibert has been carving amazing sandcastles on beaches for nearly 30 years.

Amazing Modernist Sandcastles Sculpted by Calvin Seibert

Seifert uses simple tools to craft the details: two plastic putty knives and a five-gallon bucket to fill with extra sand.

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Being Really, Really Good at Video Games Could Get You a Scholarship

A $1,000 scholarship beckons, if you can display your gaming prowess

In Denmark, Cinderella Wore Galoshes

Cinderella isn’t a Disney story, and earlier versions are, well, different

For Adults, TV Can Serve the Same Role as an Imaginary Friend

Scientist and explorer A. E. Nordenskiöld first navigated the Northeast Passage in 1878.

Gas Tanker to Cross Autumn Arctic Ocean Carrying Natural Gas to Japan

A tanker, carrying natural gas to Japan, has set out on a dangerous autumn trip through the Northeast Passage

The seal of the United Mexican States

Mexico Is Technically the ‘United Mexican States’ And Isn’t Too Happy About It

Mexico is sick of having to correct people on its name all the time

Happy Kids Are More Likely To Grow Into Rich Adults

A new study investigates the link between a blissful childhood or adolescence and a healthy bank account down the road, suggesting that the two are related

Some people find talking to new people more stressful than others.

Giving a Good First Impression: You’re Doing It Wrong

Trying to assert your dominance is not necessarily the best way to say “Hi”

How to Learn a Language in Less Than 24 Hours

A new company called Memrise says their app can teach you an entire language within hours

A predator drone hangs in the Smithsonian’s Air and Space Museum in Washington.

‘Dronestagram’ Shares Photos of Drone-Strike Targets Online

By sharing satellite photos and brief descriptions, writer hopes to make drone strikes seem less remote

Daniel Craig plays James Bond in Skyfall

Bond Villains’ Evil Plans Could Have Worked Out in the Real World

There have been a range of ridiculous evil plans throughout the years. But which are the least ridiculous?

Happy Birthday to the Father of the Modern Vampire

If Bram Stoker were alive today, he’d be 165—pretty young for a vampire

Five Places Outside America Where the U.S. Election Matters

American citizens aren’t the only ones concerned about the outcome of tomorrow’s election

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