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Smart News / Smart News Arts & Culture

The remains of the observatory at the ancient Egyptian city of Kafr El-Sheikh

This Massive Egyptian Observatory Is Unlocking Celestial Secrets of an Ancient Culture

The 2,500-year-old building with roots in both science and religion helped track the movement of the sun and stars

A section from Leonardo da Vinci's Codex Atlanticus titled "Floral composition, views on the usefulness of glasses"

Leonardo da Vinci Studied the Science of Smell

The artist experimented with perfumes and created his own fragrances from flowers and fruit

The Destruction of the Bastille, Étienne-Louis-Denis Cathala, 1789

Drawing of the Bastille Cherished by George Washington Goes to Auction

The artwork was a gift from the Marquis de Lafayette, who also included the fortress’ key

Robert C. Weaver Building houses the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Washingtonians Love to Hate Brutalist Architecture. But What If We Could Fix It?

An exhibition at the National Building Museum investigates the history and future of the much-maligned architectural style

To save it from collapse, crews will conduct extensive renovations at William Blake's cottage in West Sussex.

William Blake’s Cottage Will Be Saved—and Transformed Into a New Museum

The 18th-century poet wrote some of his most renowned works in the house in southern England, which has since fallen into disrepair

Self portrait, Samuel Jessurun de Mesquita, 1917

A New Exhibition in Amsterdam Explores the Holocaust Through Looted Objects

“Looted” examines how the Nazis systematically plundered Jewish cultural items during World War II

Human flesh might resemble this nice beef fillet.

Cool Finds

What Does Human Flesh Taste Like? The Answer Depends on Who You Ask

Cannibals have weighed in with different opinions. Some say it tastes like pork, while others say like veal—and still others say like nothing else

Botswana’s President Mokgweetsi Masisi holds up the newly discovered diamond, which weighs more than a pound.

Largest Diamond Since 1905 Unearthed by Miners in Botswana

Volcanic eruptions long ago brought the 2,492-carat diamond—the latest in a string of stunning discoveries over the last decade—to the surface

Frank Lloyd Wright was inspired by nature when he designed Price Tower's glass windows and green exterior.

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Only Skyscraper Is Heading to Auction

Price Tower is one of three Oklahoma buildings designed by the renowned American architect

Keepers say it was love at first sight for Sphen and Magic when they met for the first time in 2018.

Sphen, Australian Penguin of Famous Same-Sex Couple, Dies at Age 11

Sphen and his longtime partner Magic got together at Sea Life Sydney Aquarium in 2018. They successfully hatched two foster chicks and became “international queer icons”

John Lewis thanks anti-gun violence advocates on the steps of the U.S. House of Representatives in 2017.

Statue of Civil Rights Leader John Lewis Replaces Confederate Monument in Georgia

The 12-foot-tall bronze artwork depicts the former congressman with his hands over his heart

The medieval archway was buried beneath layers of plaster and brick.

Cool Finds

Historic Theater Discovers 15th-Century Doorway That May Have Led to a Dressing Room

Some experts speculate that Shakespeare could have used the room to change costume during performances in the late 16th century

A case in the Green Vault's jewel room

Dazzling Jewels Stolen in Green Vault Heist Go Back on Display in Dresden

In the early morning hours of November 25, 2019, thieves made away with 4,300 valuable diamonds and other stones

Commuters pass by Yayoi Kusama's new public sculpture, Infinite Accumulation, at Liverpool Street station in London.

Yayoi Kusama’s Largest Permanent Public Sculpture Arrives in London

Stainless steel archways and reflective spheres stretch for more than 300 feet at Liverpool Street station

The last animal-themed mural in Banksy's series appeared on an entrance to the London Zoo.

As Banksy’s Animal Art Series Ends, Caretakers Grapple With How to Preserve His Murals

The street artist unveiled nine new pieces in London this month, and many have already been taken down or defaced

The London Fire Brigade responded to a blaze that began on Somerset House's roof.

Firefighters Extinguish Blaze at London’s Somerset House

The palatial complex’s historic artworks sustained no damage from the fire that broke out on August 17

Andreane Rellou is an actor and filmmaker who saw the photos at the museum and took it upon herself to identify the two women.

Cool Finds

Amateur Sleuth Identifies the Mystery Women in a Museum’s Fabergé Frames

The portraits were on display at a museum in England, where staffers had been wondering about the two subjects for years

A police officer poses with the fake Leonardo da Vinci portrait.

Art Dealer Arrested for Trying to Sell a Fake Leonardo da Vinci for $1.4 Million

French customs officers seized the imitation when they discovered the man’s export license had expired

Keith Haring painted the 170-foot-long mural on a hot summer day in 1987.

This Giant Keith Haring Mural Is a Beloved West Village Staple. Can It Be Saved?

The artwork, which adorns a wall by the pool at an old recreation center in New York City, faces an uncertain future

The mosaic was discovered during the construction of a water pipeline.

Cool Finds

Workers Stumble Upon Ancient Greek Mosaic of Dancing Satyrs

Found on the Greek island of Euboea, the pebbled design is part of a 2,400-year-old floor

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