Inspiring
May 27, 2025

100-Year-Old Italian Barista Says Her Job Keeps Her Young and She Plans To Work Until 105

According to ISTAT, Italy's national statistics bureau, there are more than 22,000 Italians between the ages of 100 and 104. While many of them have long retired, there is one who refuses to stop working. Anna Possi is a 100-year-old barista—the oldest in Italy, and likely in all of Europe. For her, working at a cafe is the source of her vitality. Known as Nonna Anna (translated from Italian to Grandma Anna)

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History
May 26, 2025

This Is the Only Illuminated Manuscript From Antiquity Depicting Homer’s ‘Iliad’

With all the buzz around Christopher Nolan’s upcoming film adaptation of Homer’s Odyssey, one question comes to mind: what about the Iliad? Although the epic is one of the most famous and widely studied pieces of literature in the Western world, it hasn’t been adapted as much or had as much visual interpretation compared to other classics.

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Nature
May 26, 2025

Learn About the Japanese Technique of Relocating—Rather Than Cutting Down—Trees

Given their tremendous size, trees often seem stationary, with no chance of vanishing unless cut down. In Japan, a traditional technique proves otherwise, as long as patience and precision are both exercised. Roughly translated to “laying the groundwork,” the nemawashi approach reconsiders how we interact with trees, especially when we’re tasked with transporting them. The practice involves meticulously sifting through soil to locate a tree’s root system, which is then wrapped and bound by hand.

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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.