One of the stranger stories in the new Jan/Feb issue -- just days away from hitting newsstands! -- is Ethan Trex's question and answer piece on the underground world of exotic animal smuggling. The piece answers all sorts of thorny questions about this illicit billion dollar industry, including who's buying and selling butterflies and baby gorillas. And while the entire story is fascinating, my favorite part is the bit below: So, what's the best way to smuggle a monkey through an... READ ON
The new Jan/Feb issue hits newsstands this week, and we've got another preview for you. One of my favorite pieces from this issue is on Robert Indiana, the artist behind the LOVE sculptures featured in various cities and the popular postage stamps. Indiana's led a wonderful, and sort of heartbreaking life, and I didn't realize that he made almost no money off the LOVE works -- mainly because of a copyright mistake. Here's just a glimpse at his story: A LOVE Story At the helm... READ ON
The countdown continues! The new Jan/Feb issue is just a few days from hitting newsstands, and we're eager to give you a glimpse of some more content. This issue, we've got a spread on animal heroes who served in war. There's a dog that earned a Purple Heart, a pigeon that won the animal version of the Victoria Cross, and then, there's this incredible bear. I'll let the author take it from here: Bearing a Heavy Load During World War II, the Polish army was stationed in... READ ON
The new Jan/Feb issue of mental_floss magazine is just about to hit newsstands, and we're eager to give you a glimpse of some of the great content! Today's snippet is from our article on 5 Things Benefiting from Global Warming. A few things are are actually reaping rewards from this hot mess. Here's one of the strangest: Mountains Reach New Heights Although climate change is forcing glaciers to recede, mountains are getting taller. As the water stored in glaciers drains away, the... READ ON
Neatorama's got this terrific post today on 5 Modern Technologies that Might Not Be So Modern. My favorite bit is about the first vending machine, used to dispense... that's right, Holy Water! From the... READ ON
Neatorama picked up this wonderful story about Concrete Canvas, and I'm just thoroughly fascinated. Scientists have created a cloth that's lined with concrete. But here's the genius of it: the cloth doesn't function like concrete until you add water to it. That means you essentially have a building in a bag. You can fold up a concrete cloth tent, carry it to wherever you'd like to set it up, and then water it to make a solid structure! It seems like Concrete Canvasses could be a perfect solution for... READ ON
While I'd long assumed that carrier pigeons had been shelved with other antiquated mail systems (like the pony express and the pneumatic tube), I was stunned to learn that the birds are still being used today! Of course, the process has gotten an upgrade. Instead of sending letters and wartime messages, the birds are being used to carry thumb drives! According to a Daily Mail article, Rocky Mountain Adventures -- a company that runs white water rafting tours in Fort Collins, CO-- puts their carrier... READ ON
While I'd read that raising chickens had become more and more popular with folks in hip places like Portland, OR and Victor, ID, I was surprised to see this piece from GOOD, where photographer Todd Parsons found evidence of chickens making their way into the big city. From his essay: "In urban settings all across the country, a growing number of city-dwellers young and old are exploring the wonders of raising and farming backyard chickens. Recently, the photographer Todd Parsons scoured the San Francisco... READ ON
Check out In the Heights lyricist and star Lin-Manuel Miranda giving props to Alexander Hamilton. Not to oversell it, but this is easily the best rap song I've heard about the first treasury secretary and his life. Link via Being... READ ON
My wife Lizzie turned me on to this blog by Brooklyn artist Sophie Blackall. Sophie scans the missed connections section of Craigslist for inspiration, then illustrates the ones she digs. The artwork's really charming, and there's a certain pleasure in reading the sweet and bizarre messages that people leave one another in the hopes that a glance on the subway platform or a look in the park will translate into something more. I've posted a few of her pieces below, but be sure to check out her gallery... READ ON
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Lincoln Logs were invented by Frank Lloyd Wright’s son.
