Author: Ms. R.

How can we see the impact of rising ocean temperatures? For the residents of Townsville, a vibrant city on Queensland’s coast, a new public artwork just off their shores reminds them each day of the challenges facing Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. The enormously biodiverse reef, named a World Heritage Site in 1981, is unlike anywhere else on the planet—a serious drawcard for scientists, tourists, and divers, who flock to Australia for a chance to experience the world’s largest coral……

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In the fall of 1918, as influenza spread across the globe and the world clamored for a cure, the price of lemons skyrocketed. From Rome to Rio to Boston, residents desperate for any small measure of protection hoarded the yellow fruit, which was said—by whom it was, even then, unclear—to be both a prophylactic and a remedy for the deadly virus. Newspaper articles promised the citrus was a “flu foe,” and advised, “If you are not a flu victim……

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There’s a lively, sculptural presence to the creatures created by Canadian artist Raku Inoue, simply made of blooms and leaves. Elegant representations of insects and animals emerge from the natural materials, which he normally acquires from both local flower shops and flower farms abroad. Occasionally, Inoue has found inspiration in his own backyard, and this has been especially true during the coronavirus quarantine in his Montreal home. “I was scraping off the thick layers of fallen autumn leaves and……

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Located in Hamadan, Iran, the Tomb of Esther and Mordechai is an important pilgrimage site for Iranian Jews. According to scripture, Esther was a beautiful Jewish girl who was chosen to be the wife of king Xerxes I in Persia. She lived in Iran with her cousin and guardian Mordechai. Mordechai offended the king’s chief adviser Haman, who then resolved to kill all Jews in Persian empire as revenge. Queen Esther was able to foil this plan, saving the Jews……

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Not far from the flying saucer-inspired New York State Pavilion in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, there is another fountain with a quirky science fiction connection. The Fountain of the Planet of the Apes takes its name from the 1968 film, which stars Charlton Heston as an astronaut who crash lands onto a planet where primitive humans are hunted and exploited by intelligent, speaking apes. Loosely adapted by Twilight Zone creator Rod Serling from the french satirical novel by Pierre Boulle,……

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The city of Malacca was conquered by the Portuguese in 1511. To suppress the attacks of the local Malays, they immediately started the constructions of temporary camps, as well as the main stronghold called the Fortaleza de Malaca, now better known as A Famosa. The Portuguese colonizers used forced labor to construct the buildings, which took around five months to complete. Many of the laborers died from the scorching heat and shortage of food. To make matters worse, materials are……

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Since 1835, the Boom family has been the specialist for Dutch household items from traditional wooden clogs to ropes, brushes, and household products. Over its nearly 200-year history, the shop has served the people of Alkmaar. The interior has retained much of its original character and charm. Hundreds of brushes hang from the ceiling, and the shelves are filled with rows of traditional clogs. The shop window and the classic cash register remain the same. In addition to clogs,……

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Just because good science is meticulous doesn’t mean it can’t be fun. At least that’s what a northern Italian illustrator decided when he went about drawing and coloring nearly 200 botanical specimens on parchment paper back in the 15th century. Initially consisting of 70 plant paintings, as the Public Domain Review notes, the separate folios were consolidated into a single bound manuscript later that century. The herbal is a thick folio of flora, equal parts Voynich manuscript and Monty……

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Not many museums literally take your breath away. But then Australia’s Museum of Underwater Art (MOUA) isn’t like most museums. The first—and only—underwater art museum in the Southern Hemisphere, the nonprofit MOUA is set off the coast of Queensland, 40 to 50 feet below the waves. The museum is actually spread across four locations, all accessible from the port city of Townsville (an area often overshadowed by more popular destinations nearby, such as Cairns or the Whitsundays). Its underwater……

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