Would Shakespeare’s poisons and drugs work in reality?
Source: BBC
Several Shakespearean plots points, including the climax of Romeo and Juliet, focus on powerful potions. Did the bard dream them up, or might they have really existed?
Arts & Entertainment
Broadway show ‘Jaja’s African Hair Braiding’ tells story of immigrant women
Source: NBC
A new Broadway play, “Jaja’a African Hair Braiding,” spotlights people and experiences rarely represented in media. This video discusses the significance of the play’s characters and setting with the actors.
Brandeis University in Massachusetts hosts exhibit of paintings of girls and women killed in the Holocaust
Source: CBS
An exhibit at Brandeis University honors the lives of girls and women killed in the Holocaust through paintings, photographs, and first-hand accounts given by Holocaust survivor, Luisa Milch.
Hollywood Writers Reached an A.I. Deal That Will Rewrite History
Source: Wired
The Writer’s Guild of America (WGA) went on strike for 148 days this summer, demanding that studios put guardrails around AI’s encroachment on their work. The effects of their new contract will echo in industries far beyond Hollywood.
Misconceptions about Mythology
Source: Mental Floss (on YouTube)
You may know a lot about mythology, but is evertying you think you know correct? Mental Floss discusses some of the most common misconceptions people have about Greek and Roman myths.
Academic watched Shakespeare in Ukrainian bomb shelters
Source: BBC
Theater plays a significant role in cultures around the world. Shakespeare Studies professor, Nicoleta Cinpoeş, experienced this fact first-hand as she watched a production of Romeo and Juliet staged in a bomb shelter.
Scientists have solved a classic optical illusion–and the answer’s in your neurons
Source: BBC: Science Focus
There is a famous optical illusion with two gray lines inside a number of black and white bars. The gray bars are the same color, but they appear lighter or darker depending on which bars are around them. Science was never sure why, but it seems the answer lies in you brain’s neurons and how fast they can fire.
How the Costumes of ‘American Born Chinese’ Straddle Fantasy and Reality
Source: CNN
The imprint of Greek and Roman mythology is all around us, from the names of our shoes (Nike, the goddess of victory) to the names of the planets (Mercury, Venus, Mars, etc). And maybe a certain recent movie series has made you familiar with a little Norse mythology, like Thor and Loki, too. Now a new show is introducing Western audiences to Chinese mythology. Find out how costume designers approached dressing ancient Chinese gods for a modern American audience.
Shakespeare-Fan King Charles Celebrates 400 Years Since the First Folio
Source: Reuters
Shakespeare, an iconic figure in English history, is celebrated and beloved by another significant English figure, King Charles. Read about how and why King Charles celebrates the 400-year anniversary of Shakespeare’s First Folio.
What Are the Yips? The Unfortunate Phenomenon Impacting Athletes
Source: NBC 5 News (Chicago)
Have you ever seen an accomplished athlete suddenly perform as if they’ve completely forget how to play their sport? If so, you’ve seen “the yips”–the sudden and unexplained loss of an athlete’s typical skills–in action. The yips are basically the opposite of achievement. Learn more about a term that started in golf, quickly moved to other sports, and is increasingly being used in other fields like politics, business, and education.