Archeology
January 12, 2024

Pompeii Excavations Turn Up Prison Bakery Run by Enslaved Labor

Pompeii—the Roman-era village preserved under layers of ash from the eruption of Mount Vesuvius—has long fascinated historians. Discovered in the 18th century, excavations have been ongoing since 1748. After centuries, much still remains to be discovered and documented. Recently, during excavations of a villa, a disturbing structure emerged in the dig. The archeologists announced they found a prison-bakery, where enslaved people were forced to work alongside donkeys in brutal conditions to grind flour for bread.

Read Article

Installation
January 11, 2024

3,000 Drones Mimic Bird Murmurations in Record-Breaking Art Installation

During the first half of December 2023, six Guinness World Records were broken during the critically acclaimed light festival Noor Riyadh. Among the impressive performances was Desert Storm by Dutch design studio DRIFT. In its largest performance ever, the studio used 3,000 drones to mimic the movements of a bird swarm. This poetic blend of art and technology was inspired by starling murmurations.

Read Article

Animals
January 11, 2024

Drone Footage Captures Humpback Whales Creating Stunning Fibonacci Spirals in Water

Humpback whales are incredible creatures, particularly when you look at their diet. These marine giants only eat for half the year and during their feeding season, they sometimes participate in extraordinary behavior to meet their dietary needs. Groups of whales come together and create extraordinary patterns on the water's surface in an act known as bubble-net feeding. Aerial video footage shows these incredible patterns, that sometimes resemble Fibonacci spirals.

Read Article

Video
January 10, 2024

Mouse Is Caught on Video Tidying Up a Man’s Shed Every Night

Most people would wince at the idea of a mouse entering their house and rummaging through their stuff. But for one man in Wales, this kind of break-in took a unique turn. Wildlife photographer Rodney Holbrook began noticing some strange occurrences in his shed. After leaving some objects out for the night on his desk, he would come the next day to find it all tidied up.

Read Article

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.