After delivering an outstanding performance in the “Wicked” movie, actor Marissa Bode addressed ableist comments that many people with disabilities face every day.
Tag Archives: Arts & Entertainment
In Victorian England, Ghost Stories Were a Beloved Christmas Tradition
“Christmas traditions are abundant, from hanging stockings to leaving milk and cookies out for Santa. They’re all fairly wholesome, too. But in Victorian England, Christmas was an opportunity to exchange gruesome stories of ghosts, evil spirits, and people gone mad.”
30 New Year’s Superstitions to Bring You Good Luck in 2025
If you’re looking for a few extra ways to cultivate good fortune for 2025, check out this list of New Year’s Eve superstitions that includes customs from across the globe. Make like the Danes and jump off a chair, wake to see the run rise like they do in Japan, or eat twelve grapes (no more, no less) at midnight, just as they do in Spain. This list will give you many good ideas for your celebrations!
“Yankee Doodle” – Traditional: History of an American folk song
British soldiers sang “Yankee Doodle” to mock the Americans, who eventually turned the song into a source of pride and anthem of their own.
Beowulf Is Back!
The daring exploits of a legendary hero have captured human imagination for centuries. Read about why Beowulf stays with us.
9 Virtual Tours of Shakespearean Spots
William Shakespeare is widely considered to be the greatest writer in the English language and now, thanks to modern technology, you can explore some of the most iconic places from the playwright’s life, and the locations said to have inspired him, from the comfort of your own home.
King Charles Pens Moving Tribute to Holocaust Survivor Lily Ebert After Her Death at 100: ‘Never Be Forgotten’
Holocaust survivor Lily Ebert touched the lives of millions through her TikTok videos, which she used to educate people on her experiences during the Holocaust. Read about how her legacy continues to grow.
A Look Into The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
Did you know that Sleepy Hollow is a real place? And that many of the characters in the story were loosely based on real people? Take a brief tour of the area with National Geographic and learn how Washington Irving got some of his ideas for America’s most famous ghost story.
Germany’s hottest Halloween party at Frankenstein Castle
Did you know that Frankenstein’s castle is a real place? Not only that, but it throws Germany’s biggest Halloween party every year!
Thousands of people from all over come to tour the castle, dance, eat, compare costumes, and spend the spookiest night of the year in one of Europe’s spookiest locations!
Theatre makes ‘mind boggling’ Shakespeare discovery
St. George’s Guildhall, the oldest standing theatre in England, is a place where actors have gathered and preformed for centuries. Read about a recent discovery made there and its potential link to Shakespeare.
12 things that wowed us at the Paris Olympics
From quirky fashion statements to breath-taking physical feats, this year’s Olympic Games were packed with unforgettable moments.
Ryan Coogler talks Afrofuturism in ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’
Hear the creative artists behind the Black Panther movies, including director and writer Ryan Coogler, discuss Afrofuturism and how it influenced their superhero films to create a world unlike anything seen on the big screen before—and how those films would go on to shatter box office records and start a discussion about an art movement many had never heard of before then.
The Merry Wives of Windsor offers strong evidence that Shakespeare was not its author
Some scholars of Shakespeare question the identity of the beloved playwright. This article discusses facts that have led some to believe The Merry Wives of Windsor was written by a different author.
Bernice Johnson Reagon, a founder of The Freedom Singers and Sweet Honey in the Rock, has died
Learn more about the legacy of Bernice Johnson Reagon, remembered for her activism, musicianship, and courage.
This year’s Olympic flame isn’t a flame at all—and that’s a good thing
The 2024 Olympic Games in Paris had a goal of being the most environmentally-friendly games in history. One way to meet this goal was by asking the question: “What if the Olympic flame looked like a flame, but wasn’t one?” Learn how engineers came up with the illusion at the heart of the Olympic Games
The piece of Paris in this year’s Olympic medals
The bronze, silver and gold medals won at this year’s Olympics are a unique piece of Paris itself – each is embedded with an original piece of iron from the Eiffel Tower.
Science and Poetry: Predation or Symbiosis?
Though poets often draw on imagery from nature, science and poetry often appear to be set in opposition to each other. Can the world of facts mesh with the world of emotions? In this essay, poet and scientist Pireeni Sundaralingam analyzes the complex relationship between the two.
Embracing My Chinese-American Identity
An Rong Xu describes how she uses photography and art to explore Chinese-American culture, and what it means to her.
9 Intrepid Women Explorers
Read about the extraordinary lives and feats of 9 remarkable women.
Earthquakes, Megaquakes, and the Movies: Lights! Cameras! Disaster!
Tornadoes, ice ages, asteroids, megaquakes, and sometimes angry aliens: Hollywood sure enjoys disasters! Read this article about the differences between Hollywood’s view of earthquakes and the views of the scientific community. Learn the real-world science behind movie myths and mayhem.