For students of the humanities…
In writing, clarity is the most important thing. In this article from BigThink, the author discusses the idea that simple language is more successful at getting your point across than more complicated (and arguably more impressive) words. Take a look and see if you agree... link to Using Big Words Doesn't Make You Sound Smarter
People have long tried to explain stories about sea monsters. This article from CNN goes in an interesting direction as it tries to find an explanation that is palatable to modern science, while not discrediting the original sources. link to Sea monsters? This bizarre whale feeding technique may explain some ancient folklore
J.R.R. Tolkien was a brilliant author (and important contributer to the Oxford English Dictionary), but did you know he was also an artist? This article from the Smithsonian Magazine showcases some of the art he created for The Lord of the Rings. It's always interesting when an author is also an artist because it allows… Continue reading Article: Rarely Seen Paintings by J.R.R. Tolkien Portray a Lusch ‘Lord of the Rings’ Landscape
People have long studied the sky, and sometimes they are surprised and confused by what they say. The Medieval and Renaissance worlds are no exception to this. This article details several well documented incidents involving flying objects that have not been identified. link to The Mysterious 1561 Nuremberg Event ‘UFO Battle’
As the February 2023 Turkey earthquake reminded us, there are many irreplaceable cultural treasures in earthquake zones (in addition to the even more precious and irreplaceable humans) around the world. The Hagia Sophia is one such treasure, located in Western Turkey. This article from Nature discusses Hagia Sophia's durability in the face of natural disasters… Continue reading Article: Hagia Sophia: Shaken, not stirred
Even though it's not as famous as oil paint, tempera paint was a very popular medium in the Italian Renaissance. Traditionally made by combining egg with pigment, tempera is a bit more forgiving than watercolor, but much more delicate than oils. For this reason, it has been the medium of chose for many artistic masters… Continue reading Article: Italian Renaissance Art: Tempera Painting
Do you ever wonder how ancient Roman concrete buildings still look amazing, while our concrete sidewalks quickly crack? If so, then this article will help answer your questions. The Smithsonian talks about the innovations the Romans included that has allowed a number of their concrete structures to survive through to today. link to "Self Healing"… Continue reading Article: “Self Healing” Concrete May Have Preserved Ancient Roman Structures
Buildings are an integral part of our history, and the older the building is, the more it can tellus about our past. In Ireland, there is a pub that is currently called Sean's Bar, and it is believed that it was first built in 900AD. This article discusses its status as the oldest pub in… Continue reading Article: Sean’s Bar Is The Oldest Pub In Ireland, And Possibly The World
This article from Hyperallergic discusses the art of Ha Chong-Hyun (one of the leading figures of South Korea’s Tansaekhwa Movement). If you've never heard of this movement, this is a great way to get started exploring it. Ha Chong-Hyun showcases art that uses unusual materials (like barbed wire) and paint that is pushed through fabric.… Continue reading Article: What Ha Chong-Hyun’s Painting Confirmed for Me
Be careful when you clean out your garage. That dusty old painting could be worth a lot of money. This article from azcentral.com discusses the possible fortune an Arizona man may have found in his garage. The painting will be going up for auction, so how much it is actually worth remains to be seen.… Continue reading Article: Painting Pulled from Arizona Garage may be a Jackson Pollack worth $10 million
Science and art can come together in surprising ways. This article from the Metropolitan Museum of Art showcases how scientific analyses can tell us more about art that has captivated the world. In this case, the art being examined is The Great Wave/Under the Wave off Kanagawa. Also included in this article is a discussion… Continue reading Article: The Great Wave: Anatomy of an Icon
Are sea monsters real? Can someone "release the Kraken"? History and literature are filled with a myriad of stories about deadly beasts that sink ships and eat people. This article presents a theory that may explain as least some of the (less deadly and dangerous) stories. link to The Kraken: when myth encounters science
There have been two Elizabethan Ages in British history. The first took place in the 16th Century, and the second ended with the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II on September 19, 2022. In this article, Sky News tries to put the most recent Elizabethan age into some kind of context as a great portion of… Continue reading Article: Queen’s own words perhaps best sum up the legacy of her Elizabethan age
Queen Elizabeth II reigned for more than 70 years until her death in 2022. This (the longest reign of any British monarch) gave artists more than enough time to depict her in a number of different ways. Some of the images are official (on things like coinage) and some are less so. Thi article from… Continue reading Article: Picturing the Queen: How artists portrayed Queen Elizabeth II through her reign
When you think of Legos shipwrecks and environmental disasters are probably not the first thing that comes to mind. However, that's what this article is about. Apparently, a shipwreck a couple of decades ago dropped 5 million Legos (amongst other things) into the sea off of the coast of England in what has come to… Continue reading Article: After 25 Years at Sea, Shipwrecked Lego Pieces Are Still Washing Ashore on Beaches in England
Humanities Scholars 