History
January 11, 2017

Behind-the-Scenes GIFs Reveal How Special Effects Were Done in Silent Films

Long before CGI and the green screen, silent filmmakers were incorporating astounding visual effects into their work. These ingenious techniques didn’t rely on digital tools, as there were none at the time. Instead, to surprise and delight viewers, silent film effects used elements like trick perspective, hidden pulleys, and filter adjustments to make the magic happen. Redditor Auir2blaze compiled some of these effects into a post on Imgur and then explained how exactly they were done.

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Sculpture
January 10, 2017

Europe’s First Underwater Museum Opens Off the Canary Islands

With over 300 works spread over 12 installations, Europe's first underwater museum has just opened off Lanzarote. Jason deCaires Taylor's Museo Atlantico is a heroic work we've been following for years. In fact, his The Rubicon was even named one of our top 10 art installations of 2016. And now, the entire structure has been officially inaugurated, with deCaires' work mixing aesthetic beauty and environmental sensibility.

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Animals
January 10, 2017

Adorable Underbelly Photos of Dogs Raise Funds for Animal Welfare

Photographer Jason Kenzie and designer Tania Ryan capture cute and cuddly canines from a new perspective for their photography-based animal welfare campaign titled The Underdogs Project. Taking the term “underdog” quite literally, the comical and clever pet project features photographs shot from below, giving us an adorable and unusual view of each dog's fuzzy underside. Playfully presenting pups of various sizes, breeds, and ages, the topsy-turvy photo series highlights the diversity of dogs in an extraordinarily original way.

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Funny
January 9, 2017

Great-Grandmother Has Been Accidentally Praying to a ‘Lord of the Rings’ Figurine

There’s a religious-like fandom for The Lord of the Rings books and film franchise, but that wasn’t what one elderly woman from Brazil meant to pray to all these years. Gabriela Brandão, a freelance makeup artist from Florianópolis, recently discovered something unusual about the tiny figurine that her daughter’s great-grandmother worships every day. The ears were pointed—like an elf—and Brandão knew that something wasn’t right. Taking to the internet, she found an identical figurine for sale online.

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My Modern Met

Celebrating creativity and promoting a positive culture by spotlighting the best sides of humanity—from the lighthearted and fun to the thought-provoking and enlightening.