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How to Learn a Language Nobody Speaks

After hundreds of years, and multiple attempts to develop a universal language the same problem still remains: no one wants to learn it

Alphonse Mucha in front of his first poster for Sarah Bernhardt

How Alphonse Mucha Designed the Nation State of Czechoslovakia

When the country gained its independence after World War I, Alphonse Mucha was called upon to design an important part of any country’s identity - money

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Top 10 Chanelisms: Coco’s Wise Words to Mark Her Birthday

Today the French fashion designer’s observations seem wise, clever or amusingly dated

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There Is No Such Thing As “The” United States Constitution

“There is no unique, tangible, singular, definitive Constitution,” says information scientist Joe Janes

Can a city’s pride in its tap water lead to pride in its most beloved delicacies?

Confidence in Water Leads to Confidence in Bagels

The latest look into the impact of New York’s water supply on its bagels yields a new potential factor: pride

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New Wrinkle in Tarbosaurus Kerfuffle

The man who prepared an illicit tyrannosaur specimen claims that the dinosaur is rightly his

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The Swimsuit Series, Part 5: Olympic Athletes, Posing

Vintage styles cycle in and out of favor among medal-winning racers

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Julia Child’s Italian Tour: Angering Chefs and Riding on Motorcycles

Author Bob Spitz recounts his trip traveling through Italy with the culinary legend

I Put Ice in My Wine Because You Don’t Serve it at the Right Temperature

Is there one perfect temperature to serve red or white wine? Perhaps not, but here are some good guidelines

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The Double Dinosaur Brain Myth

Contrary to a popular myth, dinosaurs didn’t have butt brains

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What the Heck is a Chork?

The new trend of modifying cutlery has a new look with the Chork, which combines the scandalous fork with age-old chopsticks

A fragment of the lower jaw of Megalosaurus, the first dinosaur to be scientifically named in 1824. Long before this, though, people puzzled about the nature of dinosaur bones.

A Brief History of Hidden Dinosaurs

Even though scientific interest in dinosaurs is relatively new, our species have been puzzling about the prehistoric creatures for centuries

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When LBJ Ordered Pants From the White House

Johnson liked his Haggar slacks slack—and colorfully described a special custom-cut

A list of more great books to read while traveling

More Great Books and Where Best to Read Them

A continuation of last week’s list of the author’s favorite reads

A poster for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad hangs in Damascus.

If Syria Uses Chemical Weapons, Here’s How They’ll Work

Amidst the turmoil of an ongoing civil war, Syrian President al-Assad has been threatening to use chemical weapons if faced with international intervention

An interactive game from 1946 featuring Sherlock’s signature deerstalker cap and magnifying glass

The Deerstalker: Where Sherlock Holmes’ Popular Image Came From

The literary detective’s hunting cap and cape came not so much from the books’ author as from their illustrators

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The Long Journey of Chief Joseph’s War Shirt

Important Native American artifact seen in Smithsonian portrait fetches $877,500 at Nevada auction

The bra is a lot older than we thought.

Q&A: Archaeologist Unearths 600-year-old Bra in Castle

Though in tatters, the undergarment looks thoroughly modern. But was it comfortable!?

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Great Books—and the Best Places to Read Them

Reading while traveling can serve as a sensory supplement to one’s surrounding environment. Here are some of my favorite books and where to read them

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The History of the Olympic Pictograms: How Designers Hurdled the Language Barrier

Infographic design first appeared at the Olympics in 1948, when the games were last in London

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