One silver lining of shelter-in-place orders is that they might give rise to creativity. Learn more about a popular idea that sets the bar high.
Tag Archives: Arts & Entertainment
Katy Perry, Michael Jordan, Bill Gates, and others share what they wish they’d known as a teenager
Check out this link to learn what advice some of the most famous and successful people in the world have for teenagers.
Shakespeare, Lincoln, and Ambition
Abraham Lincoln once wrote, “I think nothing equals Macbeth.” Learn about how Shakespeare’s dramatic exploration of ambition may have affected how Lincoln acted on his own ambition.
A Fairy Tale Influence
In this interview, fairy tale author Jack Zipes discusses why fairy tales matter, who their audience is, and how they influence the horror genre.
About Mark Twain
Learn about Mark Twain’s life through this collection of texts, photos, illustrations, and other media.
How Much Sleep Are We Losing to Our Electronic Devices?
Did you know that most Americans sleep with some sort of electronic device in their rooms at night? Do you? Find out how this habit might be affecting your sleep.
Can you be scared to death?
The fear of spiders, heights, claustrophobia, and the fear of needles are the most common fears we experience. Read about how the fight-or flight-response affects the heart when we’re scared.
Molly Shannon’s Emily Dickinson Is No Reclusive Spinster
Emily Dickinson is often thought of as a solitary figure who never intended for her poetry to be published. Click this link to read about a 2018 dramatic comedy that challenges these notions.
‘Hamlet’ in Virtual Reality Casts the Viewer in the Play
A recent production of Shakespeare’s great tragedy puts the viewer at the center of the intrigue and revenge.
The Most “Realistic” Civil War Novel Was Written Three Decades After It Ended
Stephen Crane’s novel The Red Badge of Courage is so realistic that readers tend to assume it’s based on his own experiences in the war. Spoiler alert: It isn’t.
Why Godzilla is the perfect monster for our age of environmental destruction
Even though the first Godzilla movie was made over half a century ago, this hulking monster has staying power because it can represent the most modern of threats.
Matty Benedetto is the master of unnecessary inventions
Normally, an inventor strives to create products that fill a need and solve a problem. Matty Benedetto does the opposite. Watch a video showing his delightfully useless creations.
Nature Poems
Read this short history of poems about nature.
Mary Wollstonecraft Biography
Feminist Mary Wollstonecraft, who wrote A Vindication of the Rights of Woman in 1792, advocated for the education of women.
Literary thrills and chills: the rising trend of terror for teens
In this article, author Amy Lukavics explains the value she sees in horror fiction and argues that “true terror” should not have to be toned down for young adult readers.
Why do we like being scared?
Rollercoasters, haunted houses, scary movies — we enjoy being scared, but have you ever wondered why? Some scientists think being scared is good for us!
Why Black Panther’s representation matters, according to the cast
If tales of superheroes serve to inspire us and reflect what we value, they should represent all of us. Hear from the director and cast of the blockbuster movie.
This ASL interpreter steals the show at rap concerts
Until recently, the self-expression afforded by rap and hip-hop performances was unavailable to deaf audiences. With energetic and expressive sign language interpreters taking the stage along with the artists, that is changing.
A Poet Who Pushed (and Recycled) the Envelope
In this article, we learn about a new book, The Gorgeous Nothings, that showcases bits of poetry written on envelopes by Emily Dickinson. Be sure to enlarge the images to take a look at Dickinson’s manuscripts.
Woman On Street Attacked By Giant Snail, It Seems
The artist Julian Beever uses perspective to create amazing sidewalk art that looks three-dimensional—as long as you look at it from the right angle.