Archeology
May 1, 2024

Child Playing in a Sandbox Discovers Ancient Roman Coin Buried Within

Roman coins are usually found by archeologists throughout Europe; however, they are more rare in some locations. For example, in the city of Bremen, Germany, Roman coins are exceedingly rare. That is because the ancient empire, while massive, only reached into lower Germany rather than as far northwest as Bremen. As a result, until a recent discovery, only two remarkable Roman coins had been uncovered in the city.

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Ancient Art
April 30, 2024

Intricate Glass Cups Featuring Gladiators Were Souvenirs in Ancient Rome

In ancient Rome, the gladiators who fought at the Colosseum were superstars. The top athletes of their day, these men trained relentlessly to participate in the gruesome battles that entertained up to 80,000 spectators. Many of their lives were short because of these battles, which also involved animals, but they were admired for their courage. A glass cup in The Metropolitan Museum of Art demonstrates just how revered some gladiators were.

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Nature
April 30, 2024

Rare Sapphire Tower Plant Blooms for First and Last Time After 20 Years

Many beautiful things prove exceptionally worth waiting for. Among these, and particularly among the slow-moving wonders of nature, is the Sapphire Tower plant. This large plant is native to the footlands of Chilean mountain regions, growing in elevations of up to 2,200 meters (about 7,218 feet). It can also be found in greenhouses and botanical gardens around the world—including one specimen at The Birmingham Botanical Gardens in the UK.

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Architecture
April 29, 2024

Dreamy Floating Spiral Architecture Inspired by the Golden Ratio

Inspired by the timeless allure of the golden ratio, architectural designer Manas Bhatia has used AI to produce a series of floating skyscrapers. With these buildings, which he calls Nautilus Bioarchitecture, Bhatia muses whether the timeless classicism of the golden ratio can shape the architecture of the future. Based on what we've seen, we think that the answer is yes.

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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.