History
June 15, 2024

Ancient Library in Tibet Creating Digital Archive of Its 84,000 Scriptures

Tibet's Sakya Monastery is home to many wonders. Founded in 1073, its collection includes some of the oldest Tibetan artwork, as well as 84,000 ancient manuscripts and books. Given its remote location, the contents of this library may seem out of reach for international scholars. Luckily, in an attempt to preserve these ancient documents, the Sakya Monastery Library began digitizing its assets in 2011 and is well underway in its mission.

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Art
June 14, 2024

Artist Creates Larger-Than-Life Paintings Emerging From Giant Brushstrokes

Paintbrushes are reliable tools that help artists bring their vision to life. But for all their usefulness, they rarely get a chance to shine. French artist Julien Durix seems to have found a clever way to honor this timeless tool—by making it part of his art. Mixing painting with a sculptural element, his depictions of pop culture characters are all displayed within a brushstroke.

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Nature
June 13, 2024

“Walking” Tree That Looks Like a ‘Lord of the Rings’ Creature Just Won the New Zealand Tree of the Year Contest

In J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings series, Ents are a sentient tree-like species that can walk and talk. While these creatures are sadly figments of the author's imagination, elements of Middle-earth do occasionally slip into our world. One recent example of this can be seen in New Zealand’s Tree of the Year contest, as this year's winner bears a striking resemblance to the mystical beings.

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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.