Art Curio
A daily dose of visual culture.
Curio Cabinet
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November 12, 2019
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FREEChemistry Daily Curio #1939Free1 CQ
Last week, the International Space Station received a curious delivery: a dozen bottles of red Bordeaux wine from France. But before you go thinking astronauts are throwing a party without us, rest assured that the vin de table is purely for research—aging, to be exact. According to the director of the experiment, Michael Lebert of the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, the winemaking process's combination of yeast and bacteria makes it an ideal candidate for space study. Lebert and his fellow researchers will closely observe the wine for over a year aboard the ISS, to see how microgravity and cosmic radiation influence the aging process. Conditions that affect the quality of wine on Earth are myriad. Temperature, humidity, light, as well as vibrations, can deteriorate the product during cellaring. To overcome that last variable, the wine bottles were packaged in special metal canisters before their shuttle lifted off, to prevent shattering and minimize jostling. In fact, this wasn't the ISS's first time receiving libations. Budweiser has previously offered up barley seeds to the station, working towards its goal of becoming "the first beer on Mars." A Japanese company also sent whiskey and other productions up in 2015. The first time wine was brought aboard the ISS was actually way back in 1985, when a French astronaut stowed a bottle aboard the shuttle Discovery. After this new study, the dozen bottles of wine will head back to Earth to be compared with identical, but terrestrially-aged Bordeaux. Once the two are contrasted, the benefactors of the experiment will get to drink the space-aged bottles. As for the crew of the ISS, they have their own stock to throw back. Though, bottoms up doesn't quite work in microgravity. Hmm, I wonder how the tannins come through when sipping space wine from a straw!
Image credit & copyright: Arctic-Images/Nick Purser/Getty Images
Last week, the International Space Station received a curious delivery: a dozen bottles of red Bordeaux wine from France. But before you go thinking astronauts are throwing a party without us, rest assured that the vin de table is purely for research—aging, to be exact. According to the director of the experiment, Michael Lebert of the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, the winemaking process's combination of yeast and bacteria makes it an ideal candidate for space study. Lebert and his fellow researchers will closely observe the wine for over a year aboard the ISS, to see how microgravity and cosmic radiation influence the aging process. Conditions that affect the quality of wine on Earth are myriad. Temperature, humidity, light, as well as vibrations, can deteriorate the product during cellaring. To overcome that last variable, the wine bottles were packaged in special metal canisters before their shuttle lifted off, to prevent shattering and minimize jostling. In fact, this wasn't the ISS's first time receiving libations. Budweiser has previously offered up barley seeds to the station, working towards its goal of becoming "the first beer on Mars." A Japanese company also sent whiskey and other productions up in 2015. The first time wine was brought aboard the ISS was actually way back in 1985, when a French astronaut stowed a bottle aboard the shuttle Discovery. After this new study, the dozen bottles of wine will head back to Earth to be compared with identical, but terrestrially-aged Bordeaux. Once the two are contrasted, the benefactors of the experiment will get to drink the space-aged bottles. As for the crew of the ISS, they have their own stock to throw back. Though, bottoms up doesn't quite work in microgravity. Hmm, I wonder how the tannins come through when sipping space wine from a straw!
Image credit & copyright: Arctic-Images/Nick Purser/Getty Images
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10 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree6 CQ
The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 was a historic moment for East Germans, with a "before" and "after" that resonates 30 years later. The World’s Carol Hill...
with PRI's The WorldThe fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 was a historic moment for East Germans, with a "before" and "after" that resonates 30 years later. The World’s Carol Hill...
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FREEComposition Photo CurioFree1 CQ
It's no wonder that this photo by Teresa Zgoda & Teresa Kugler, titled Fluorescent turtle embryo, was recently announced as the winner of the 2019 Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition: this turtle looks ready for a blacklight-lit rave! This stunning image appears to show a turtle painted with a skeletal design in fluorescent shades of turquoise, green and magenta. Amazingly, it is actually a photograph of a turtle embryo under a microscope, and the visible magenta bones are the embryo's actual, developing skeleton. The image was captured using the techniques of fluorescence (which records the light which bounces off of objects that are exposed to ultraviolet rays) and stereomicroscopy (digital photography using a stereomicroscope, which is used for viewing objects at fairly low magnification). Together, they allow the viewer to see not only the turtle embryo's scales, toe bones, and spine, but its unique ribs, which splay out just below the upper layer of its shell. The image's black background ensures that every detail of the embryo stands out; and the embryo's pose, with one clawed foot extended, makes it appear as if it is swimming in the depths of the dark ocean. Little does this youngster know that, even though it has yet to be born, it's already a winner!
Below: the second and third place winners of the Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition, Depth-color coded projections of three stentors (single-cell freshwater protozoans) by Dr. Igor Siwanowicz and Alligator embryo developing nerves and skeleton by Daniel Smith Paredes & Dr. Bhart-Anjan S. Bhullar.
Image credit & copyright: Teresa Zgoda & Teresa Kugler, Dr. Igor Siwanowicz, Daniel Smith Paredes & Dr. Bhart-Anjan S. Bhullar, Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition
It's no wonder that this photo by Teresa Zgoda & Teresa Kugler, titled Fluorescent turtle embryo, was recently announced as the winner of the 2019 Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition: this turtle looks ready for a blacklight-lit rave! This stunning image appears to show a turtle painted with a skeletal design in fluorescent shades of turquoise, green and magenta. Amazingly, it is actually a photograph of a turtle embryo under a microscope, and the visible magenta bones are the embryo's actual, developing skeleton. The image was captured using the techniques of fluorescence (which records the light which bounces off of objects that are exposed to ultraviolet rays) and stereomicroscopy (digital photography using a stereomicroscope, which is used for viewing objects at fairly low magnification). Together, they allow the viewer to see not only the turtle embryo's scales, toe bones, and spine, but its unique ribs, which splay out just below the upper layer of its shell. The image's black background ensures that every detail of the embryo stands out; and the embryo's pose, with one clawed foot extended, makes it appear as if it is swimming in the depths of the dark ocean. Little does this youngster know that, even though it has yet to be born, it's already a winner!
Below: the second and third place winners of the Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition, Depth-color coded projections of three stentors (single-cell freshwater protozoans) by Dr. Igor Siwanowicz and Alligator embryo developing nerves and skeleton by Daniel Smith Paredes & Dr. Bhart-Anjan S. Bhullar.
Image credit & copyright: Teresa Zgoda & Teresa Kugler, Dr. Igor Siwanowicz, Daniel Smith Paredes & Dr. Bhart-Anjan S. Bhullar, Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition
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8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
From the BBC’s World Service… London’s new Lord Mayor. Huge Brazilian oil fields for sale that almost no one wants to buy. Plus, how demonetization is impact...
From the BBC’s World Service… London’s new Lord Mayor. Huge Brazilian oil fields for sale that almost no one wants to buy. Plus, how demonetization is impact...
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4 minFREESTEM Nerdy CurioFree3 CQ
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by Minute Earth.
with Minute EarthToday's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by Minute Earth.
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2 minFREEPoetry Poem CurioFree2 CQ
Poem of the Day: The Book of Equality. by Daniel Borzutzky.
with Poetry FoundationPoem of the Day: The Book of Equality. by Daniel Borzutzky.
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day : February 1, 2017
hard-boiled \HAHRD-BOYLD\ adjective
Definition
1 a : devoid of sentimentality : tough
b : of, relating to, or being a ...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : February 1, 2017
hard-boiled \HAHRD-BOYLD\ adjective
Definition
1 a : devoid of sentimentality : tough
b : of, relating to, or being a ...
November 11, 2019
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3 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree2 CQ
Russ Mantle has achieved a milestone by riding 1 million miles in 68 years.
with PRI's The WorldRuss Mantle has achieved a milestone by riding 1 million miles in 68 years.
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8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
Chinese consumers might be shunning American goods on 11/11, Singles Day, as negotiations continue. Electric truck company LMC buys a former GM plant. Plus, ...
Chinese consumers might be shunning American goods on 11/11, Singles Day, as negotiations continue. Electric truck company LMC buys a former GM plant. Plus, ...
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2 minFREESTEM Nerdy CurioFree2 CQ
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by 60-Second Science. A few brief reports about international science and technology from Brazil to Hong Kong, includin...
with 60-Second ScienceToday's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by 60-Second Science. A few brief reports about international science and technology from Brazil to Hong Kong, includin...
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FREEHumanities Daily Curio #1938Free1 CQ
Last week, the Democrats swept Virginia's General Assembly. It's the first time the state has gone fully blue since 1993. But that's not the big story. It's actually that the newly-elected leaders of Virginia announced their plan to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) as soon as possible. The ERA was an ill-fated proposed amendment to the constitution that was penned by spirited feminist Alice Paul in the 1920s. At its barest essence, the ERA would have guaranteed equal legal rights and treatments regardless of sex. It would have leveled the playing field for men and women when it came to divorce, employment, and other issues. Initially introduced in Congress in 1923, it was successfully approved by the House and the Senate by 1972. All that remained in the ERA's way were state legislatures: 38 of the 50 states needed to approve it by a 1979 deadline (later extended to 1982). Presidents from both parties, including Nixon and Carter, endorsed the amendment. It quickly received the approval of 37 states. Then an anti-feminist named Phyllis Schlafly (shown above) rallied followers to stop the amendment in its tracks, for fear it would amount to co-ed bathrooms, the female draft, and same-sex marriages. The bill's deadline expired in 1982. If Virginia ratifies the ERA in 2020, it will ironically be 38 years too late. That being said, the House of Representatives could always pass a bill to retroactively extend the ERA's deadline (assuming it would get through the President). And though a few of the 38 states who initially supported the ERA retracted their support, precedent for ignoring retractions was established with the passing of the 14th amendment in 1868. Sure, the stagnant ERA still faces plenty of obstacles. But it was historically supported by leaders of both political parties. And in 2019, who can argue against both sexes being treated with equality? Obstacles or no obstacles, I see an amendment edging the horizon. And it's long overdue.
Image credit & copyright: AP
Last week, the Democrats swept Virginia's General Assembly. It's the first time the state has gone fully blue since 1993. But that's not the big story. It's actually that the newly-elected leaders of Virginia announced their plan to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) as soon as possible. The ERA was an ill-fated proposed amendment to the constitution that was penned by spirited feminist Alice Paul in the 1920s. At its barest essence, the ERA would have guaranteed equal legal rights and treatments regardless of sex. It would have leveled the playing field for men and women when it came to divorce, employment, and other issues. Initially introduced in Congress in 1923, it was successfully approved by the House and the Senate by 1972. All that remained in the ERA's way were state legislatures: 38 of the 50 states needed to approve it by a 1979 deadline (later extended to 1982). Presidents from both parties, including Nixon and Carter, endorsed the amendment. It quickly received the approval of 37 states. Then an anti-feminist named Phyllis Schlafly (shown above) rallied followers to stop the amendment in its tracks, for fear it would amount to co-ed bathrooms, the female draft, and same-sex marriages. The bill's deadline expired in 1982. If Virginia ratifies the ERA in 2020, it will ironically be 38 years too late. That being said, the House of Representatives could always pass a bill to retroactively extend the ERA's deadline (assuming it would get through the President). And though a few of the 38 states who initially supported the ERA retracted their support, precedent for ignoring retractions was established with the passing of the 14th amendment in 1868. Sure, the stagnant ERA still faces plenty of obstacles. But it was historically supported by leaders of both political parties. And in 2019, who can argue against both sexes being treated with equality? Obstacles or no obstacles, I see an amendment edging the horizon. And it's long overdue.
Image credit & copyright: AP
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FREEArt Appreciation Art CurioFree1 CQ
Title: Putto Poised on a Globe
Andrea del Verrocchio: (1435-1488)
Created: 1480
Medium: unbaked clay
Dimensions: 29 x 15 x 9 in (75 x 38 x 23 cm)
Current location: National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Careful not to fall! Andrea del Verrocchio's Putto Poised on a Globe is so lifelike that it's easy to feel nervous for the depicted child, shown precariously balanced on one foot, reaching for something unseen. It is one of many sculptures and paintings on display until January 2020, as part of the Verrocchio: Sculptor and Painter of Renaissance Florence exhibit at Washington D.C.'s National Gallery of Art. This exhibit marks the first time Verrocchio's work has gotten its own survey in the United States. The Florentine sculptor and painter certainly deserves his due credit: in addition to his participation in the Italian Renaissance, Verrocchio was a tutor to other artists who went on to define the period with their style. Among Verrocchio's pupils were Pietro Perugino and, most famously, Leonardo Da Vinci. Although little is known about Verrocchio's early life, he became known as a genius in the latter half of the 15th century. Oddly, all of Verrocchio's most famous works were created in the last twenty years of his life. It just goes to show that it's never too late to make an incredible impact on the world!
Below: learn more about Verrocchio's exhibit in the video below.
Image credit & copyright: Andrea del Verrocchio, National Gallery of Art
Title: Putto Poised on a Globe
Andrea del Verrocchio: (1435-1488)
Created: 1480
Medium: unbaked clay
Dimensions: 29 x 15 x 9 in (75 x 38 x 23 cm)
Current location: National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Careful not to fall! Andrea del Verrocchio's Putto Poised on a Globe is so lifelike that it's easy to feel nervous for the depicted child, shown precariously balanced on one foot, reaching for something unseen. It is one of many sculptures and paintings on display until January 2020, as part of the Verrocchio: Sculptor and Painter of Renaissance Florence exhibit at Washington D.C.'s National Gallery of Art. This exhibit marks the first time Verrocchio's work has gotten its own survey in the United States. The Florentine sculptor and painter certainly deserves his due credit: in addition to his participation in the Italian Renaissance, Verrocchio was a tutor to other artists who went on to define the period with their style. Among Verrocchio's pupils were Pietro Perugino and, most famously, Leonardo Da Vinci. Although little is known about Verrocchio's early life, he became known as a genius in the latter half of the 15th century. Oddly, all of Verrocchio's most famous works were created in the last twenty years of his life. It just goes to show that it's never too late to make an incredible impact on the world!
Below: learn more about Verrocchio's exhibit in the video below.
Image credit & copyright: Andrea del Verrocchio, National Gallery of Art
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1 minFREEPoetry Poem CurioFree1 CQ
Poem of the Day: What I Learned From the Incredible Hulk. By Aimee Nezhukumatathil.
with Poetry FoundationPoem of the Day: What I Learned From the Incredible Hulk. By Aimee Nezhukumatathil.
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day : January 31, 2017
kibitzer \KIB-it-ser\ noun
Definition
: one who looks on and often offers unwanted advice or comment; broadly : one who...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : January 31, 2017
kibitzer \KIB-it-ser\ noun
Definition
: one who looks on and often offers unwanted advice or comment; broadly : one who...
November 10, 2019
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5 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree3 CQ
Since October, hundreds of young protesters have taken to the streets in Baghdad, as well as a few other cities in Iraq. They are asking for an overhaul of t...
with PRI's The WorldSince October, hundreds of young protesters have taken to the streets in Baghdad, as well as a few other cities in Iraq. They are asking for an overhaul of t...
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8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
There’s progress towards a “mini” deal on U.S.-China tariffs ahead of news on consumer confidence. Germany and its neighbors keep pushing the controversial, ...
There’s progress towards a “mini” deal on U.S.-China tariffs ahead of news on consumer confidence. Germany and its neighbors keep pushing the controversial, ...
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4 minFREESTEM Nerdy CurioFree3 CQ
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by Engines of Our Ingenuity. Episode: 1763 Child labor, dangerous companion of economic emergence. Today, let's talk a...
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by Engines of Our Ingenuity. Episode: 1763 Child labor, dangerous companion of economic emergence. Today, let's talk a...
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FREEParenting PP&T CurioFree1 CQ
Behind every great muppet is a great producer.
G is for Ganz—more specifically TV producer Joan Ganz Cooney, the visionary behind Children's Television Workshop and what would become Sesame Street. For the show's 50th anniversary this year, we're taking a look at Ganz Cooney's life, and figuring out how a fierce advocate for equality and justice managed to make her mark in a world that consistently underestimated her on the basis of gender.
Ganz Cooney was born on November 30, 1929, in Phoenix, Arizona. She studied acting in college until her father refused to support her career, causing her to change her major to education. After graduating, she worked briefly as a clerk at the State Department in Washington, D.C., then as a journalist for The Arizona Republic, and later as a television publicist in New York City. Throughout her early career, Ganz Cooney sympathized with The Christophers, a Christian television group who advocated for moralism and idealism in televised media, and debated politics with friends who worked on the leftist magazine Partisan Review.
When Ganz Cooney got word of the newly-opened WNDT, New York's first-ever educational TV station, she applied for a job as a publicist but was told the station only needed producers. She made up her experience as a producer (she had none), though her journalistic experience gave her a knack for developing programming focused on social issues. Her first debate show was called Court of Reason, which featured Malcolm X among its guests. She went on to produce a number of small documentaries for WNDT which won Emmys, though they failed to reach wider audiences.
In 1966, Ganz Cooney threw what she called a "little dinner party" that would change her life forever. Together with her husband, her boss Lewis Freedman, and Lloyd Morrisett—her husband's supervisor at the Carnegie Corporation—she pondered if television could be used to educate young children. The next year, Ganz Cooney took time off from her job at WNDT to write "The Potential Uses of Television in Preschool Education." It was a 55-page report informed by experts in child development, education, and television. Ganz Cooney tried to take her research to WNDT to no avail and eventually quit her job to work at the Carnegie Corporation as a consultant.
Together with Lloyd Morrisett, Ganz Cooney established the Children's Television Workshop (CTW) and raised $8 million dollars total from private and federal grants, including one from the Federal Government. Meanwhile, puppeteer Jim Henson was brought in to create muppets specifically for the new project. When word got out that Ganz Cooney was being considered for the executive director position at CTW, doubts were raised about her qualifications and abilities in spite of her established leadership in the organization. Critics were quickly silenced on November 10, 1969, when Sesame Street debuted. The show was the first of its kind to use children's education research to prepare kids for school, especially those living in low-income families. In its first year, Sesame Street won three Emmys, a Peabody Award, and earned nearly universal praise, cementing Ganz Cooney's legacy as one of the greatest show creators in television history.
Ganz Cooney left the CTW in 1990, the same year she was inducted into the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame. She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Bill Clinton in 1995; and in 2007, she founded The Joan Ganz Cooney Center, a non-profit organization with the goal of furthering children's educational entertainment in the digital age. So let's take a final count: that's one accomplishment for Ganz Cooney… two, two accomplishments… three… more? Then make it many, many accomplishments for Ganz Cooney, ah-ah-ah!
Image credit & copyright: Andrew H. Walker / Getty Images
Behind every great muppet is a great producer.
G is for Ganz—more specifically TV producer Joan Ganz Cooney, the visionary behind Children's Television Workshop and what would become Sesame Street. For the show's 50th anniversary this year, we're taking a look at Ganz Cooney's life, and figuring out how a fierce advocate for equality and justice managed to make her mark in a world that consistently underestimated her on the basis of gender.
Ganz Cooney was born on November 30, 1929, in Phoenix, Arizona. She studied acting in college until her father refused to support her career, causing her to change her major to education. After graduating, she worked briefly as a clerk at the State Department in Washington, D.C., then as a journalist for The Arizona Republic, and later as a television publicist in New York City. Throughout her early career, Ganz Cooney sympathized with The Christophers, a Christian television group who advocated for moralism and idealism in televised media, and debated politics with friends who worked on the leftist magazine Partisan Review.
When Ganz Cooney got word of the newly-opened WNDT, New York's first-ever educational TV station, she applied for a job as a publicist but was told the station only needed producers. She made up her experience as a producer (she had none), though her journalistic experience gave her a knack for developing programming focused on social issues. Her first debate show was called Court of Reason, which featured Malcolm X among its guests. She went on to produce a number of small documentaries for WNDT which won Emmys, though they failed to reach wider audiences.
In 1966, Ganz Cooney threw what she called a "little dinner party" that would change her life forever. Together with her husband, her boss Lewis Freedman, and Lloyd Morrisett—her husband's supervisor at the Carnegie Corporation—she pondered if television could be used to educate young children. The next year, Ganz Cooney took time off from her job at WNDT to write "The Potential Uses of Television in Preschool Education." It was a 55-page report informed by experts in child development, education, and television. Ganz Cooney tried to take her research to WNDT to no avail and eventually quit her job to work at the Carnegie Corporation as a consultant.
Together with Lloyd Morrisett, Ganz Cooney established the Children's Television Workshop (CTW) and raised $8 million dollars total from private and federal grants, including one from the Federal Government. Meanwhile, puppeteer Jim Henson was brought in to create muppets specifically for the new project. When word got out that Ganz Cooney was being considered for the executive director position at CTW, doubts were raised about her qualifications and abilities in spite of her established leadership in the organization. Critics were quickly silenced on November 10, 1969, when Sesame Street debuted. The show was the first of its kind to use children's education research to prepare kids for school, especially those living in low-income families. In its first year, Sesame Street won three Emmys, a Peabody Award, and earned nearly universal praise, cementing Ganz Cooney's legacy as one of the greatest show creators in television history.
Ganz Cooney left the CTW in 1990, the same year she was inducted into the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame. She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Bill Clinton in 1995; and in 2007, she founded The Joan Ganz Cooney Center, a non-profit organization with the goal of furthering children's educational entertainment in the digital age. So let's take a final count: that's one accomplishment for Ganz Cooney… two, two accomplishments… three… more? Then make it many, many accomplishments for Ganz Cooney, ah-ah-ah!
Image credit & copyright: Andrew H. Walker / Getty Images
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1 minFREEPoetry Poem CurioFree1 CQ
Poem of the Day: As I Cross the Heliopause at Midnight, I Think of My Mission. By Matthew Zapruder.
with Poetry FoundationPoem of the Day: As I Cross the Heliopause at Midnight, I Think of My Mission. By Matthew Zapruder.
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day : January 30, 2017
fastidious \fass-TID-ee-us\ adjective
Definition
1 a : having high and often capricious standards : difficult to please...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : January 30, 2017
fastidious \fass-TID-ee-us\ adjective
Definition
1 a : having high and often capricious standards : difficult to please...
November 9, 2019
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FREEPlay Teaser Curio #212Free1 CQ
Technology advances so quickly these days, it's hard to keep up. All this time we've all been training to sketch metal deer is completely for naught. The secret? Move to Burbank, CA and run a daytime talk show, even if you fail at it. Confused? Two phrases from this Alvin Toffler quote have been scrambled. The phrases of the original quote have the number of words and letters shown below. The phrases were scrambled independently (i.e., the letters from the first phrase aren't scrambled into the second phrase). Can you figure out the original phrases? The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot draw a tin deer, but those who cannot near LA, run an 'Ellen', and err. The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot (4) (3) (5), but those who cannot (5) (7) (3) (7).
Think you know the answer? Email support@curious.com with the subject "Teaser #212" and let us know, or check back next week to find out!
Technology advances so quickly these days, it's hard to keep up. All this time we've all been training to sketch metal deer is completely for naught. The secret? Move to Burbank, CA and run a daytime talk show, even if you fail at it. Confused? Two phrases from this Alvin Toffler quote have been scrambled. The phrases of the original quote have the number of words and letters shown below. The phrases were scrambled independently (i.e., the letters from the first phrase aren't scrambled into the second phrase). Can you figure out the original phrases? The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot draw a tin deer, but those who cannot near LA, run an 'Ellen', and err. The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot (4) (3) (5), but those who cannot (5) (7) (3) (7).
Think you know the answer? Email support@curious.com with the subject "Teaser #212" and let us know, or check back next week to find out!
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8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
Former Twitter employees are accused of spying for Saudi Arabia. Disney’s theme parks continue to be huge moneymakers. Plus, why the U.S. could benefit from ...
Former Twitter employees are accused of spying for Saudi Arabia. Disney’s theme parks continue to be huge moneymakers. Plus, why the U.S. could benefit from ...
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6 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree4 CQ
Belonging to China, but gifted with a more liberal legal system, Hong Kong is in the throes of a self-proclaimed “revolution.” Its adherents say they are sim...
with PRI's The WorldBelonging to China, but gifted with a more liberal legal system, Hong Kong is in the throes of a self-proclaimed “revolution.” Its adherents say they are sim...
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2 minFREESTEM Nerdy CurioFree2 CQ
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by 60-Second Science. Green crabs learned to navigate a maze without making a single wrong turn—and remembered the skil...
with 60-Second ScienceToday's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by 60-Second Science. Green crabs learned to navigate a maze without making a single wrong turn—and remembered the skil...
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day : January 29, 2017
macerate \MASS-uh-rayt\ verb
Definition
1 : to cause to waste away by or as if by excessive fasting
2 : to soften by s...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : January 29, 2017
macerate \MASS-uh-rayt\ verb
Definition
1 : to cause to waste away by or as if by excessive fasting
2 : to soften by s...
November 8, 2019
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3 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree2 CQ
The 90-minute film “Lionheart” was acquired by Netflix, and is in English, other than the 11 minutes of dialogue in the Igbo language of eastern Nigeria.
with PRI's The WorldThe 90-minute film “Lionheart” was acquired by Netflix, and is in English, other than the 11 minutes of dialogue in the Igbo language of eastern Nigeria.
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4 minFREESTEM Nerdy CurioFree3 CQ
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by Engines of Our Ingenuity. Episode: 2934 Reading the Molecules of Life. Today, we read the molecules of life.
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by Engines of Our Ingenuity. Episode: 2934 Reading the Molecules of Life. Today, we read the molecules of life.
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2 minFREEPoetry Poem CurioFree2 CQ
Poem of the Day: To The Young Man on the Bridge. By Jessica Jopp.
with Poetry FoundationPoem of the Day: To The Young Man on the Bridge. By Jessica Jopp.
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FREEMusic Appreciation Song CurioFree2 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Whatever Glen Campbell set his mind to in his musical career, he did in a big way. The singer got his start as a sessions musician; he played guitar on tracks like Elvis' Viva Las Vegas and the Byrds' Mr. Tambourine Man, and once filled in for Brian Wilson on a 1964 Beach Boys tour. Meanwhile, he also thrived onscreen; Campbell hosted his own variety show in the early 1970s and co-starred with John Wayne in the 1969 film True Grit. His legacy as a country-pop crossover artist was cemented in 1967 when he won two country Grammys and two pop Grammys—the latter for the track, By the Time I Get to Phoenix. The travelling ballad showcases Campbell's aching tenor and sophisticated guitar accompaniment—part of his signature sound that sold over 45 million records and made having a broken heart sound so good.
Other streaming options
Image credit & copyright: Glen Campbell
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Whatever Glen Campbell set his mind to in his musical career, he did in a big way. The singer got his start as a sessions musician; he played guitar on tracks like Elvis' Viva Las Vegas and the Byrds' Mr. Tambourine Man, and once filled in for Brian Wilson on a 1964 Beach Boys tour. Meanwhile, he also thrived onscreen; Campbell hosted his own variety show in the early 1970s and co-starred with John Wayne in the 1969 film True Grit. His legacy as a country-pop crossover artist was cemented in 1967 when he won two country Grammys and two pop Grammys—the latter for the track, By the Time I Get to Phoenix. The travelling ballad showcases Campbell's aching tenor and sophisticated guitar accompaniment—part of his signature sound that sold over 45 million records and made having a broken heart sound so good.
Other streaming options
Image credit & copyright: Glen Campbell
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FREEComposition Photo CurioFree1 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Yikes, we wouldn't want to bear the brunt of that customer! Photographer David Yarrow staged this photo in Montana's secluded Jersey Lilly, one of the few remaining final frontier saloon bars in the country. To create the daring shot, Yarrow had his fixer negotiate the use of the bar from its owner, a cowboy with the delightful name "Boots," before pegging Dallas, Texas, celebrity Roxanna Redfoot for the task of staring down Adam, a 1000-pound trained brown bear. According to Yarrow, Redfoot showed no signs of anxiety, and she and Adam worked determinedly to achieve the perfect shot. Yarrow, who placed great importance on positioning both of his subjects' heads equidistant from the camera, lucked out; though Adam became restless, as bears are known to do, he became fascinated with the rabbit head mounted on the wall behind the bartop, eyeing it like a rambler would his whiskey of choice. The resulting photo, a product of all the cards falling in the right place, is certainly one to frame—but more than anything else, we're just glad Redfoot got through her shift in one piece!
Image credit & copyright: David Yarrow
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Yikes, we wouldn't want to bear the brunt of that customer! Photographer David Yarrow staged this photo in Montana's secluded Jersey Lilly, one of the few remaining final frontier saloon bars in the country. To create the daring shot, Yarrow had his fixer negotiate the use of the bar from its owner, a cowboy with the delightful name "Boots," before pegging Dallas, Texas, celebrity Roxanna Redfoot for the task of staring down Adam, a 1000-pound trained brown bear. According to Yarrow, Redfoot showed no signs of anxiety, and she and Adam worked determinedly to achieve the perfect shot. Yarrow, who placed great importance on positioning both of his subjects' heads equidistant from the camera, lucked out; though Adam became restless, as bears are known to do, he became fascinated with the rabbit head mounted on the wall behind the bartop, eyeing it like a rambler would his whiskey of choice. The resulting photo, a product of all the cards falling in the right place, is certainly one to frame—but more than anything else, we're just glad Redfoot got through her shift in one piece!
Image credit & copyright: David Yarrow
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FREEArt Appreciation Art CurioFree1 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Title: Dillon Montana Roadcut
Artist: Jane Culp
Created: 2017
Medium: medium
Dimensions: 23 x 28 in (58.4 x 71.1 cm)
Current location: John Davis Gallery, Hudson, New York
One person's flyover state is another person's muse. California-based painter Jane Culp finds herself drawn to stark land formations, and more than goes out of her way to show how they impact her emotionally. While Culp likely had an easy time creating this fluid interpretation of a Dillon Montana Roadcut—road cut referring to rock material removed for a highway—many of the artist's ginormous subjects are remote and windblown. "I strap my easel to my legs... When I work a watercolor, it is [held to] the ground with either my knees or my feet," the artist said, recalling the sand-ridden gales she often endures to complete a piece. Regardless of her trials, Culp's paintings inspire the sense of peace she experiences when gazing upon the awesomeness of Mother Nature, even in arid hinterlands. That being said, we'd rather admire Culp's gorgeous paintings than stray too far off the beaten path and get sand in our eyes!
Below: more of Culp's landscapes, including: Teton Pass Slanted Cliffside (2017); Windy Eagles Nest Peak (2017); and Windy Day, Rocky Mountain Front Wildfire Burn Scar near Blackleaf Canyon (2017).
Image credit & copyright: Jane Culp / John Davis Gallery
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Title: Dillon Montana Roadcut
Artist: Jane Culp
Created: 2017
Medium: medium
Dimensions: 23 x 28 in (58.4 x 71.1 cm)
Current location: John Davis Gallery, Hudson, New York
One person's flyover state is another person's muse. California-based painter Jane Culp finds herself drawn to stark land formations, and more than goes out of her way to show how they impact her emotionally. While Culp likely had an easy time creating this fluid interpretation of a Dillon Montana Roadcut—road cut referring to rock material removed for a highway—many of the artist's ginormous subjects are remote and windblown. "I strap my easel to my legs... When I work a watercolor, it is [held to] the ground with either my knees or my feet," the artist said, recalling the sand-ridden gales she often endures to complete a piece. Regardless of her trials, Culp's paintings inspire the sense of peace she experiences when gazing upon the awesomeness of Mother Nature, even in arid hinterlands. That being said, we'd rather admire Culp's gorgeous paintings than stray too far off the beaten path and get sand in our eyes!
Below: more of Culp's landscapes, including: Teton Pass Slanted Cliffside (2017); Windy Eagles Nest Peak (2017); and Windy Day, Rocky Mountain Front Wildfire Burn Scar near Blackleaf Canyon (2017).
Image credit & copyright: Jane Culp / John Davis Gallery
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FREEUS History Daily CurioFree1 CQ
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Giddyup! African-American contributions to popular culture have been understated throughout history; no place more than the mythos of the Wild West. John Wayne may be what we all think a cowboy looks like, but that’s just Hollywood. In fact, several cowboys played by John Wayne were black in real life. One of those was Brit Johnson, depicted in the 1956 film The Searchers, in which John Wayne plays a cowboy searching for a relative kidnapped by Comanches. Another black cowboy whitewashed by Hollywood: the Lone Ranger. That character was inspired by Bass Reeves, a legendary black “ranger” lawman on horseback who used disguises, and had a Native American sidekick.Black cowboys were extremely common in the Wild West because it was one of the few jobs they were allowed to hold after the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863. With the Civil War over, ranchers in the South began selling their livestock to Union states, where beef was worth ten times more than in the South. They needed brave men skilled on horseback to move the cattle through parts of the country with no railroads. Without the technological advance of barbed wire fencing—which wasn’t widely used until the 1880s—ranchers had to rely on cowboys with expert horsemanship and fierce hand-to-cow combat skills. Such as those possessed by Bill Pickett. Pickett was an African-American cowboy who gained an international reputation—and became the forefather of rodeo steer wrestling— for his unique method of catching stray cows, which he called bulldogging. Modeled after his observations of how ranch dogs caught wandering cattle, Pickett controlled a steer by biting the animal’s lip to subdue it. I’d like to see John Wayne try to play that guy!
It's Flashback Friday! Enjoy this favorite from the Curio Cabinet archives.
Giddyup! African-American contributions to popular culture have been understated throughout history; no place more than the mythos of the Wild West. John Wayne may be what we all think a cowboy looks like, but that’s just Hollywood. In fact, several cowboys played by John Wayne were black in real life. One of those was Brit Johnson, depicted in the 1956 film The Searchers, in which John Wayne plays a cowboy searching for a relative kidnapped by Comanches. Another black cowboy whitewashed by Hollywood: the Lone Ranger. That character was inspired by Bass Reeves, a legendary black “ranger” lawman on horseback who used disguises, and had a Native American sidekick.Black cowboys were extremely common in the Wild West because it was one of the few jobs they were allowed to hold after the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863. With the Civil War over, ranchers in the South began selling their livestock to Union states, where beef was worth ten times more than in the South. They needed brave men skilled on horseback to move the cattle through parts of the country with no railroads. Without the technological advance of barbed wire fencing—which wasn’t widely used until the 1880s—ranchers had to rely on cowboys with expert horsemanship and fierce hand-to-cow combat skills. Such as those possessed by Bill Pickett. Pickett was an African-American cowboy who gained an international reputation—and became the forefather of rodeo steer wrestling— for his unique method of catching stray cows, which he called bulldogging. Modeled after his observations of how ranch dogs caught wandering cattle, Pickett controlled a steer by biting the animal’s lip to subdue it. I’d like to see John Wayne try to play that guy!
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8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
Will a bookish British makeover save Barnes & Noble? Execs from Chinese social media giant TikTok forgo an appearance before U.S. lawmakers. Plus, some colle...
Will a bookish British makeover save Barnes & Noble? Execs from Chinese social media giant TikTok forgo an appearance before U.S. lawmakers. Plus, some colle...
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day : January 28, 2017
dander \DAN-der\ noun
Definition
1 : dandruff; specifically : minute scales from hair, feathers, or skin that may be al...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : January 28, 2017
dander \DAN-der\ noun
Definition
1 : dandruff; specifically : minute scales from hair, feathers, or skin that may be al...
November 7, 2019
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2 minFREESTEM Nerdy CurioFree2 CQ
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by 60-Second Science. The Saharan silver ant feeds on other insects that have died on the hot sands, which it traverses...
with 60-Second ScienceToday's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by 60-Second Science. The Saharan silver ant feeds on other insects that have died on the hot sands, which it traverses...
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FREEMind + Body Daily Curio #1937Free1 CQ
Attention all neat freaks: your cleaning may be in vain. According to a new study published in Nature Microbiology, cleaning products like antiseptics reduce bacteria in your home but aid in fungal growth. To be more exact, researchers from Rutgers and the University of Oklahoma noted more fungal diversity in urban abodes, especially "skin-loving fungi." The team of scientists hadn't intended on this discovery. The focus of their study was to compare how modern, urban living stacked up health-wise to Indigenous hunger-gatherer living in Peru. They quickly found that city dwellings are coated in medical and antiseptic molecules. This coupled with the fact that urban homes have warmer temperatures, stifled airflow, less natural light, and a gross amount of human skin flakes amounts to fungal paradise. To make matters worse, fungi appear to be developing a resistance to cleaning products. The overuse of cleaning chemicals also coincides with a shortage of beneficial bacteria crucial to digestive and respiratory health, as well as the immune system. Now compare that to the hunter-gatherers' huts, which lack walls and indoor plumbing. These modest cribs contained less malignant fungi and a healthy amount of beneficial bacteria. And although bacterial and fungal diversity was greater just outside huts, that didn't transmit to their interiors. "We are just now starting to quantify the effect of cutting ourselves off from the natural environment with which we as humans co-evolved and of replacing it with a synthetic environment," said co-author Rob Knight. Simply put, human attempts to control germs over the ages have had their unforeseen shortcomings. Now I'm not saying you need to permanently hang up the Clorox. Just crack your windows, raise the blinds, and let some outside light and air in every now and then. Your fungal woes will alleviate, and your gut bacteria will thank you!
Image credit & copyright: Bruce Hallman/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Attention all neat freaks: your cleaning may be in vain. According to a new study published in Nature Microbiology, cleaning products like antiseptics reduce bacteria in your home but aid in fungal growth. To be more exact, researchers from Rutgers and the University of Oklahoma noted more fungal diversity in urban abodes, especially "skin-loving fungi." The team of scientists hadn't intended on this discovery. The focus of their study was to compare how modern, urban living stacked up health-wise to Indigenous hunger-gatherer living in Peru. They quickly found that city dwellings are coated in medical and antiseptic molecules. This coupled with the fact that urban homes have warmer temperatures, stifled airflow, less natural light, and a gross amount of human skin flakes amounts to fungal paradise. To make matters worse, fungi appear to be developing a resistance to cleaning products. The overuse of cleaning chemicals also coincides with a shortage of beneficial bacteria crucial to digestive and respiratory health, as well as the immune system. Now compare that to the hunter-gatherers' huts, which lack walls and indoor plumbing. These modest cribs contained less malignant fungi and a healthy amount of beneficial bacteria. And although bacterial and fungal diversity was greater just outside huts, that didn't transmit to their interiors. "We are just now starting to quantify the effect of cutting ourselves off from the natural environment with which we as humans co-evolved and of replacing it with a synthetic environment," said co-author Rob Knight. Simply put, human attempts to control germs over the ages have had their unforeseen shortcomings. Now I'm not saying you need to permanently hang up the Clorox. Just crack your windows, raise the blinds, and let some outside light and air in every now and then. Your fungal woes will alleviate, and your gut bacteria will thank you!
Image credit & copyright: Bruce Hallman/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
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3 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree2 CQ
A year long investigation has found that in places like Montreal, hundreds of thousands of residents may be exposed to high levels of lead in their drinking ...
with PRI's The WorldA year long investigation has found that in places like Montreal, hundreds of thousands of residents may be exposed to high levels of lead in their drinking ...
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8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
U.S. stock markets just won’t quit, but, as you know, the stock market is not the economy. Apple invests to fight California’s housing crisis. Plus, Germany’...
U.S. stock markets just won’t quit, but, as you know, the stock market is not the economy. Apple invests to fight California’s housing crisis. Plus, Germany’...
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FREEArt Appreciation Art CurioFree1 CQ
Title: Delicatessen at 6th and Rockafeller
Artist: Lucy Sparrow
Created: 2019
Medium: felt, knitted fabrics
It's a typical New York deli, packed with produce, baked goods, and… wait, do those tomatoes have faces? Indeed they do, as do many of the items for sale at Lucy Sparrow's Delicatessen on 6th pop-up art installation, which was recently on display at Rockefeller Center in New York City. Using felt, various knitted fabrics, and a bit of paint, the UK artist crafted uncanny plush versions of everyday objects. Delicatessen on 6th is Sparrow's take on a high-class deli, complete with a seafood counter, a bakery section, and colorful, artfully arranged vegetables. The installation is unapologetically whimsical and perhaps just a tad bit unsettling, what with the feeling of not being able to tell fact from fiction and the adorable foods staring wordlessly as shoppers pass. Just like a real deli, everything at Delicatessen on 6th is for sale—some objects for as little as five dollars. In one interview, Sparrow explained that she wants to keep her art accessible to anyone who wants to purchase it. Shoppers at Sparrow's deli could easily bring home an entire feast that would last much longer than the span of a meal. If they don't mind the veggies staring, of course.
Below: more photos and a video from one of Sparrow's other New York art installations.
Image credit & copyright: Lucy Sparrow, Heather Cromartie, Art Production Fund.
Title: Delicatessen at 6th and Rockafeller
Artist: Lucy Sparrow
Created: 2019
Medium: felt, knitted fabrics
It's a typical New York deli, packed with produce, baked goods, and… wait, do those tomatoes have faces? Indeed they do, as do many of the items for sale at Lucy Sparrow's Delicatessen on 6th pop-up art installation, which was recently on display at Rockefeller Center in New York City. Using felt, various knitted fabrics, and a bit of paint, the UK artist crafted uncanny plush versions of everyday objects. Delicatessen on 6th is Sparrow's take on a high-class deli, complete with a seafood counter, a bakery section, and colorful, artfully arranged vegetables. The installation is unapologetically whimsical and perhaps just a tad bit unsettling, what with the feeling of not being able to tell fact from fiction and the adorable foods staring wordlessly as shoppers pass. Just like a real deli, everything at Delicatessen on 6th is for sale—some objects for as little as five dollars. In one interview, Sparrow explained that she wants to keep her art accessible to anyone who wants to purchase it. Shoppers at Sparrow's deli could easily bring home an entire feast that would last much longer than the span of a meal. If they don't mind the veggies staring, of course.
Below: more photos and a video from one of Sparrow's other New York art installations.
Image credit & copyright: Lucy Sparrow, Heather Cromartie, Art Production Fund.
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day : January 27, 2017
omnibus \AHM-nih-bus\ adjective
Definition
1 : of, relating to, or providing for many things at once
2 : containing or...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : January 27, 2017
omnibus \AHM-nih-bus\ adjective
Definition
1 : of, relating to, or providing for many things at once
2 : containing or...
November 6, 2019
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FREESTEM Daily Curio #1936Free1 CQ
Birds of a feather flock together… in complex societies. Earlier this week, a study published by researchers from the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior and the University of Konstanz showed birds behaving like people. That is, having lots of friends, cliques, and cooperating. The particular species they monitored was the African vulturine guineafowl (Acryllium vulturinum). Shown above, the avians closely resemble flamboyant turkeys. But don't let their tiny brains fool you. Researchers followed a group of 400 adult vulturine guineafowl in Kenya for a year, long enough to notice the birds hung out in cliques of 13-65. These cliques were stable, committed, and associated by preference—as in, they preferred each other's company over other fowl. Individuals in the mob of 400 mostly seemed to know each other singly, too. This piqued the researchers' interest, so they GPS tagged members in each clique, to see how these subsets of the herd intermingled. The trackers quickly showed that different friend groups within the 400 would work together during long treks, dangerous foraging, or other strenuous activities. In particular, members from each group mutually looked out for and reported predators. Then the groups would part ways, either temporarily or permanently, depending on how well they jibed. This is an eye-opening revelation because scientists long thought animals needed hefty brains to form multi-tiered societies. Even weirder, these bird-brained socialites seem to get along with each other better than we humans do. As a brainy human, that ruffles a few feathers!
Image credit & copyright: James Klarevas
Birds of a feather flock together… in complex societies. Earlier this week, a study published by researchers from the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior and the University of Konstanz showed birds behaving like people. That is, having lots of friends, cliques, and cooperating. The particular species they monitored was the African vulturine guineafowl (Acryllium vulturinum). Shown above, the avians closely resemble flamboyant turkeys. But don't let their tiny brains fool you. Researchers followed a group of 400 adult vulturine guineafowl in Kenya for a year, long enough to notice the birds hung out in cliques of 13-65. These cliques were stable, committed, and associated by preference—as in, they preferred each other's company over other fowl. Individuals in the mob of 400 mostly seemed to know each other singly, too. This piqued the researchers' interest, so they GPS tagged members in each clique, to see how these subsets of the herd intermingled. The trackers quickly showed that different friend groups within the 400 would work together during long treks, dangerous foraging, or other strenuous activities. In particular, members from each group mutually looked out for and reported predators. Then the groups would part ways, either temporarily or permanently, depending on how well they jibed. This is an eye-opening revelation because scientists long thought animals needed hefty brains to form multi-tiered societies. Even weirder, these bird-brained socialites seem to get along with each other better than we humans do. As a brainy human, that ruffles a few feathers!
Image credit & copyright: James Klarevas
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8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
Jobs numbers were better than expected, and stock markets start the week of strong. We look at Uber’s stock “lockup” period. Plus, a charity in Stockton, Cal...
Jobs numbers were better than expected, and stock markets start the week of strong. We look at Uber’s stock “lockup” period. Plus, a charity in Stockton, Cal...
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2 minFREESTEM Nerdy CurioFree2 CQ
Today's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by 60-Second Science. Synthetic repellents like DEET seem to mask the scent of our "human perfume”—making us less obvio...
with 60-Second ScienceToday's Nerdy Curio is brought to you by 60-Second Science. Synthetic repellents like DEET seem to mask the scent of our "human perfume”—making us less obvio...
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8 minFREEHumanities Worldly CurioFree5 CQ
Thousands of people are stuck at the Mexican border as they wait to apply for asylum in the US. A new informal preschool in Tijuana is prioritizing the needs...
with PRI's The WorldThousands of people are stuck at the Mexican border as they wait to apply for asylum in the US. A new informal preschool in Tijuana is prioritizing the needs...
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FREEMusic Appreciation Song CurioFree2 CQ
The album The Skeleton Tree from 2015 might have seen towering songwriter Nick Cave broken down by the death of his 15 year-old son, but his new double-album release Ghosteen is filled with songs of solace. The delicate Spinning Song opens the concept album and features Cave's characteristically vivid lyrics, this time pairing fairytale and '50s rock 'n' roll imagery, be it big '50s updos to swooning magical feathers. Eerie synthesizer noises persist as Cave's voice rises into a falsetto range, repeating the words "peace will come in time." The refrain is one Cave has put into practice as a performer: rather than field endless press junket questions about his son's death after The Skeleton Tree, Cave chose more meaningful outlets for reaching his audiences as he grieved, including his thoughtful series of Q&As and mail drops with fans dubbed The Red Hand Files. While Cave is known for playing up the menacing aspects of his onstage persona, it's good to know that his downtempo efforts like Ghosteen can be equally as striking in their graceful beauty.
Other streaming options
Image credit & copyright: Anton Corbjin
The album The Skeleton Tree from 2015 might have seen towering songwriter Nick Cave broken down by the death of his 15 year-old son, but his new double-album release Ghosteen is filled with songs of solace. The delicate Spinning Song opens the concept album and features Cave's characteristically vivid lyrics, this time pairing fairytale and '50s rock 'n' roll imagery, be it big '50s updos to swooning magical feathers. Eerie synthesizer noises persist as Cave's voice rises into a falsetto range, repeating the words "peace will come in time." The refrain is one Cave has put into practice as a performer: rather than field endless press junket questions about his son's death after The Skeleton Tree, Cave chose more meaningful outlets for reaching his audiences as he grieved, including his thoughtful series of Q&As and mail drops with fans dubbed The Red Hand Files. While Cave is known for playing up the menacing aspects of his onstage persona, it's good to know that his downtempo efforts like Ghosteen can be equally as striking in their graceful beauty.
Other streaming options
Image credit & copyright: Anton Corbjin
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10 minFREEPoetry Poem CurioFree6 CQ
Poem of the Day: The Mask Now. By Jorie Graham.
with Poetry FoundationPoem of the Day: The Mask Now. By Jorie Graham.
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2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day : January 26, 2017
barbican \BAR-bih-kun\ noun
Definition
: an outer defensive work; especially : a tower at a gate or bridge
Examples
"...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day : January 26, 2017
barbican \BAR-bih-kun\ noun
Definition
: an outer defensive work; especially : a tower at a gate or bridge
Examples
"...
