Photography
June 15, 2020

Get an “Instant” History of How Polaroid Revolutionized Photography

In the digital age, we’re used to pointing and shooting photos with our smartphones and getting instant results. However, these photos are easily lost among the thousands of other images in our phones’ camera rolls. The concept of “instant photography” began long before smartphones were invented, and it allowed photography lovers to hold a captured moment in the palm of their hands.

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Art History
June 14, 2020

Get a Glimmering Glimpse Into the ‘Très Riches Heures,’ an Enchanting Medieval Manuscript

In the Middle Ages, religious worship reached heavenly new heights with the advent of the illuminated manuscript. A devotional text hand-decorated with intricate imagery and glistening gilding, this type of book became popular with Europe's literate elite. While many examples of this ethereal codex exist today, there is one that floats above the rest: the Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry. This 15th-century book of hours is among the world's most celebrated illuminated manuscripts.

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Photography
June 14, 2020

Photographer Uses Dance to Inspire Alluring Portraits of Women in Surrealist Dreamscapes

Artist Kylli Sparre explores the relationships between people and their surroundings in fantastical photography that combines portraiture with theatrical compositions. This ongoing series of images star enigmatic women who dance, bend, and stand in passive serenity—regardless of the eccentricities that surround them. As a result, each image appears to exist in its own bewitching surreality.

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Animals
June 13, 2020

Former NASA Engineer Devises an Epic Obstacle Course to Challenge His Backyard Squirrels

When YouTuber Mark Rober was stuck in quarantine, he decided to start birdwatching. After buying a bird feeder, however, he discovered that the squirrels got into his “squirrel-proof feeder,” so he bought another model—only for it to be pilfered by the rodents yet again. (And then again.) That's when the former NASA engineer decided to put his expertise to use.

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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.