One of the most challenging skills for beginning artists to learn is how to make their work accurately reflect how we view the world.
Author Archives: Mikki Gibson
Leap Seconds
A day is a day long, right? Not so fast. Author Randall Munroe explores the difference between what we perceive and how fast the Earth is turning.
We have always been modern, and it has often scared us
Fears about the negative effects of technology are nothing new. Look back through history at how people responded to technological change.
Why You Should ‘Rewild’ Your Diet to Help Your Microbiome
“You are what you eat.” We’ve all heard that, but researchers are digging in to how what we eat affects our internal ecosystems.
Mendez v. Westminster: Desegregating California’s Schools
Eight years before the Supreme Court’s landmark Brown v. Board of Education ruling, a California family fought for the rights of Latino students. Watch the video to learn more.
Rowlett teen makes run for city council seat
It’s easy to feel that your voice isn’t heard when you’re not yet old enough to vote. One Texas teenager is taking the first opportunity he gets to make sure his ideas come across loud and clear.
Freedom in the World 2017: Iran
Read this report from an independent watchdog organization to find out whether conditions for women in Iran have changed in recent years.
Meeting in the Middle: Youth Activism and Formal Politics in Egypt
Written during the hopeful Arab Spring, this article analyzes how young people using social media spurred powerful political change in Egypt.
Japanese ‘Prince’ Was Switched at Birth and Raised a Pauper
What happens when someone born poor is raised in wealth, and vice versa? Read about how the lives of two Japanese men shed light on how we succeed, or don’t.
Temple of 1,000 bells
People come together to hear the song of the bell cricket at one Japanese temple.
War dead commemorated by Birmingham ice installation
Like Andy Goldsworthy, the Brazilian artist Néle Azevedo creates works designed to be temporary. Watch a time-lapse video and read a news article on her installations made of ice.
B.C. cliff jumpers warned after 5 rescues in a day
Jumping into a ravine can demonstrate someone’s lack of fear, but it can also send them straight to the hospital, or worse.
A New Wrinkle on School Uniforms
An advice columnist weighs in on whether school uniforms deny students an opportunity to express themselves.
Importance of cultural education—through the eyes of a former ROTC cadet
Read about why understanding and showing respect for local culture is especially important in a war zone.
Why do we make bad choices?
Not every decision is a good one. Why do we sometimes make the wrong choice, even though we know better?
A Desk That Can Take a Ton of Earthquake Rubble
Good design isn’t just nice to look at; it can also save lives. Read about a school desk designed for disaster.
At 81, Mary Oliver shares her spiritual journey in ‘Upstream: Selected Essays’
Read about the influences on the poet who wrote “The Journey” and her quest for a fuller understanding of what it means to be alive.
Did Stone Age cavemen talk to each other in symbols?
When we see images of magnificent cave paintings, we tend to focus on the depictions of animals. But interspersed with these figures are symbols that may reveal the beginnings of human language and writing, far earlier than researchers expected.
Keeping Cultures Alive Today
Watch this video to learn how some families are working to preserve their Cherokee heritage.
Best children’s books with wishes
Some of the stories you loved best when you were younger probably concerned wishes. Why are wish tales so popular?