Dual Axis Illusion named the Best Illusion of 2019
Source: The Kid Should See This
Optical illusions are fun to look at, but did you know there’s an annual competition for creating new illusions? Check out a recent winner.
Arts & Entertainment
Colson Whitehead’s ‘Underground Railroad’ Is a Literal Train to Freedom
Source: NPR
In this Fresh Air interview, author Colson Whitehead talks about how he re-imagined the escape from enslavement.
How we showed Homer’s Odyssey is not pure fiction, with a little help from Facebook
Source: The Conversation
Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey may seem like pure fiction, but social media tools reveal that they’re at least partly based in fact.
How the Hidden Sounds of Horror Movie Soundtracks Freak You Out
Source: Atlas Obscura
Sometimes when you’re watching a scary movie, you feel dread even though nothing you see is terrifying. Learn how movie soundtracks can manipulate our emotions.
9 Legends of American Folklore
Source: How Stuff Works
Folktales show us a lot about who we once were and still are. Check out these descriptions of nine classic characters from American folklore: Paul Bunyan, John Henry, Sally Ann Thunder, Johnny Appleseed, Mike Fink, Pecos Bill, Geronimo, and Old Stormalong. Why were they so famous? Why are they still famous today?
Shakespeare in lockdown: Did he write King Lear in plague quarantine?
Source: The Guardian
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.
Katy Perry, Michael Jordan, Bill Gates, and others share what they wish they’d known as a teenager
Source: Newsweek
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
Source: The New York Review of Books
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
Source: Exquisite Terror
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
Source: PBS
Learn about Mark Twain’s life through this collection of texts, photos, illustrations, and other media.