Architecture
August 9, 2024

Kengo Kuma’s Design for Qatar Pavilion Influenced by Traditional Ships

To complement the global innovations on display at Expo 2025 in Osaka, Kengo Kuma and Associates has created a stunning design for the Qatar Pavilion. Inspired by Japanese joinery and traditional boats used in Qatar, it is one of the most striking national pavilion designs to be made public. The elegant pavilion rises in a form that recalls the dhow. Historically, this traditional sailboat was used as a trade vessel in Qatar.

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Sports
August 8, 2024

Man Cycles 264 Miles Across London to “Draw” Olympics-Inspired Map Art With GPS

The Paris Olympics still have a few more days to go, but across the English Channel, a man found a unique way to celebrate the games. Nicolas Georgiou is a designer and cyclist who makes GPS-based artwork. By creating tracking models with the help of the Strava app, he then goes out on his bike for hours on end, traveling for miles to “draw” a picture on the London map.

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Technology
August 8, 2024

Friend: The AI Necklace That Could Redefine Friendship

A new AI wearable is set to hit the market soon: Friend. Designed by Avi Schiffmann, a Harvard dropout, Friend is a necklace pendant that acts like its name suggests: a friend. The user simply has to touch a button, and a Friend will listen in via Bluetooth, evaluate, and then send a text to their phone. However, Friend also listens in all the time.

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Environment
August 7, 2024

Giant Permafrost Crater “Gateway to Hell” Is Rapidly Expanding in Siberia

Deep in Siberia, an enormous depression in the Earth, often called the Gateway to Hell, is rapidly expanding, taking large chunks of Earth with it.  The Batagaika crater is the world's largest permafrost crater and emits a startling quantity of greenhouse gases. The tadpole-shaped hole measures a kilometer long (almost a mile) and reaches depths of up to 100 meters (328 feet). Though it's called a crater, that's actually a misnomer.

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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.