culture

Behind The Scenes At The World Muslim Beauty Pageant

Before you ask if there’s a swimsuit competition, you should know that the Miss World Muslimah pageant is about much more than superficial definitions of beauty. As Islam tends to place a high value on modesty, this contest focuses less on beauty’s physical aspects and more on its ideational ones:...

By Erin Kelly • Aug 4, 2015

Behind The Scenes At The World Muslim Beauty Pageant

Before you ask if there’s a swimsuit competition, you should know that the Miss World Muslimah pageant is about much more than superficial definitions of beauty. As Islam tends to place a high value on modesty, this contest focuses less on beauty’s physical aspects and more on its ideational ones:...

By Erin Kelly • August 4, 2015

The Philosophies Behind The World’s Biggest Alternative Preschools

When you hear Waldorf, you probably think of the salad or Blair Waldorf from the Gossip Girl series — not education. That is, of course, unless you were a Waldorf preschooler yourself. While alternative preschools are all the rage in the U.S., all three of the major philosophies originated in...

By Abby Norman • Jul 28, 2015

The Philosophies Behind The World’s Biggest Alternative Preschools

When you hear Waldorf, you probably think of the salad or Blair Waldorf from the Gossip Girl series — not education. That is, of course, unless you were a Waldorf preschooler yourself. While alternative preschools are all the rage in the U.S., all three of the major philosophies originated in...

By Abby Norman • July 28, 2015

Nick Cave’s Soundsuits: An Artist’s Take On Racial Profiling In The US

Racial profiling is sadly a recurring theme in the United States. Artist Nick Cave examines the phenomenon through art, movement, and fabric.

By Erin Kelly • Jul 26, 2015

Nick Cave’s Soundsuits: An Artist’s Take On Racial Profiling In The US

Racial profiling is sadly a recurring theme in the United States. Artist Nick Cave examines the phenomenon through art, movement, and fabric.

By Erin Kelly • July 26, 2015

Engineering Success: The Story Of South Korea’s K-Pop

In case you had forgotten about Gangnam Style, allow us to remind you of it. The song went viral in the United States in 2012, but in truth Psy’s tune was just one of many carefully engineered Korean Pop — or K-pop — mega hits. Not unlike pop music in...

By Abby Norman • Jul 16, 2015

Engineering Success: The Story Of South Korea’s K-Pop

In case you had forgotten about Gangnam Style, allow us to remind you of it. The song went viral in the United States in 2012, but in truth Psy’s tune was just one of many carefully engineered Korean Pop — or K-pop — mega hits. Not unlike pop music in...

By Abby Norman • July 16, 2015

People Without A Country: Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic

Deep in the Sahara Desert lies the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR). This somewhat grandiose title refers to the political organization of either 100,000 or 500,000 Sahrawi people, depending on who is doing the counting, who were driven from their homes in what used to be the Spanish Sahara in...

By Richard Stockton • Jul 15, 2015

People Without A Country: Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic

Deep in the Sahara Desert lies the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR). This somewhat grandiose title refers to the political organization of either 100,000 or 500,000 Sahrawi people, depending on who is doing the counting, who were driven from their homes in what used to be the Spanish Sahara in...

By Richard Stockton • July 15, 2015

San Fermin Festival: Gorings, Crowds And So Many Bulls

You'd have to be crazy to let six angry bulls chase you, but that's exactly what happens at the San Fermin festival.

By Kiri Picone • Jul 10, 2015

News

San Fermin Festival: Gorings, Crowds And So Many Bulls

You'd have to be crazy to let six angry bulls chase you, but that's exactly what happens at the San Fermin festival.

By Kiri Picone • July 10, 2015

What We Love This Week, Volume CXXX

Shooting Stars: The Year’s Best Astronomy Photography Astrophotographer is one of the world’s cooler job titles and also exactly the type of person honored by the Royal Observatory of England’s Astronomy Photography of the Year competition. Now in its seventh year, the competition has gathered more entries than ever, from...

By John Kuroski • Jul 10, 2015

What We Love This Week, Volume CXXX

Shooting Stars: The Year’s Best Astronomy Photography Astrophotographer is one of the world’s cooler job titles and also exactly the type of person honored by the Royal Observatory of England’s Astronomy Photography of the Year competition. Now in its seventh year, the competition has gathered more entries than ever, from...

By John Kuroski • July 10, 2015

America’s Blooper Reel: The Biggest Blunders In American History

The United States of America isn’t like any other country, and not just because our national anthem is phrased in the form of a question. Unlike China, which has a recorded history going back almost to Homo erectus, America was founded pretty much from scratch (after the Indians were chased...

By Richard Stockton • Jul 3, 2015

America’s Blooper Reel: The Biggest Blunders In American History

The United States of America isn’t like any other country, and not just because our national anthem is phrased in the form of a question. Unlike China, which has a recorded history going back almost to Homo erectus, America was founded pretty much from scratch (after the Indians were chased...

By Richard Stockton • July 3, 2015

38 U.S. Census Maps That Reveal The True America

U.S. census maps to topple your assumptions and beautifully illustrate who we are, how we live, where we came from, and where we're going.

By John Kuroski • Jun 26, 2015

38 U.S. Census Maps That Reveal The True America

U.S. census maps to topple your assumptions and beautifully illustrate who we are, how we live, where we came from, and where we're going.

By John Kuroski • June 26, 2015

20 Surprising Travel Destinations You Need To Visit This Summer

From historic wonders to unknown luxury getaways to Mother Nature’s most beautiful locales, these vacation spots from all over the world should definitely snag a spot on your bucket list. As you plan your next big trip, consider these surprising travel destinations from around the world. As we mentioned before,...

By Kiri Picone • Jun 22, 2015

20 Surprising Travel Destinations You Need To Visit This Summer

From historic wonders to unknown luxury getaways to Mother Nature’s most beautiful locales, these vacation spots from all over the world should definitely snag a spot on your bucket list. As you plan your next big trip, consider these surprising travel destinations from around the world. As we mentioned before,...

By Kiri Picone • June 22, 2015