Sneak Peek #4: The Prettiest Slum of Tomorrow

The new issue hits stands next Tuesday, and the cover story features the 50 Most Interesting Places in the Space-Time Continuum. We cover everything from Warren Buffet's Desk to Inside a Tornado to the Supreme Court's Doomsday Shelter, and even the Prettiest Slum of Tomorrow:

Dutch artists Jeroen Koolhaas and Dre Urhahn are bringing vibrant art to unexpected places with their Favela Painting project. About one-third of Rio de Janeiro's population lives in favelas, urban slums overrun with gangs and drugs. To prevent kids from getting caught up in the drug trade, the Favela Painting project pays Brazil's youth to create murals for their communities. As a result, armies of teenage artists are giving their neighborhoods new faces—ones covered in bright, cheerful colors. The hope is that within the next few years, the entire landscape of favelas will become a massive work of art, drawing attention to the needs of the poor and filling the community with pride. [Image courtesy of Julian Love. You can see more beautiful photos of the Favela Project here.]

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But that just scratches the surface. To see the rest of the 50 Most Interesting Places in the Space-Time Continuum, be sure to look for the issue on newsstands. Or better yet, pair a subscription with mental_floss T-shirt and save yourself some money. Click here for details.