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HistoryFacts; Was the Trojan Horse Real?

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  Was the Trojan Horse Real? The myths and history handed down from the ancient Greeks still permeate our culture today, from idioms such as “the Midas touch” and “Achilles’ heel” to the name of the world’s largest online retailer. Many of the legends recount the actions of Odysseus, the king of Ithaca and the hero of Homer’s epic poems the “Iliad” and the “Odyssey.” It’s believed these stories originated as oral performances and were committed to parchment in the eighth or mid-seventh century BCE. But there’s much that remains mysterious about Homer’s epics (including the very existence of Homer himself). One of the most iconic stories of the “Iliad” is that of the Trojan Horse, a tale so well known that the term is still used today to describe clever trickery that breaches defenses. Yet the question remains: Did the incident ever really happen? We Now Know the City of Troy Was Real Homer’s “Iliad” richly details the story of a decade-long siege against the city of Troy and its ki...
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Very Well Mind: The Psychology of Cuteness and Why We're Drawn to the Adorable

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                     The Psychology of Cuteness and Why We're Drawn to the Adorable Kittens, puppies, bunnies, sea otters, baby fur seals, hedgehogs. A round-cheeked baby or dapper-dressed toddler. Adorable  stuffed animals  or toys. Anything teeny-tiny, miniature, or that looks babyish, with wide eyes and chubby cheeks. Most of us find these things downright cute and endearing. They make us go, “Awwwwww!” and may even compel us to reach out to cuddle or squeeze them. 1 But have you ever asked yourself why that is? What is the psychology behind cuteness? And how does cuteness influence our feelings, behaviors, and social interactions? These are interesting (and fun!) questions, all of which we’ll explore here, along with expert input. Note:  The above comes directly from their website.  Click here to read more.
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TKSST: Building Vincent van Gogh's "Starry Night" LEGO set with MoMA staff

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  Building Vincent van Gogh's "Starry Night" LEGO set with MoMA staff Can  LEGO  help make stronger connections between famous artworks and new audiences? The team at  MoMA  is exploring that possibility with  a new 2,316 brick LEGO set  that represents Dutch painter  Vincent van Gogh ‘s 1889 masterpiece  The Starry Night . In  the video above , MoMA staff members Sheldon Clarke, Anny Aviram, Cara Manes, and Robert Kastler discuss the iconic painting, from its impressionist approach to its limited color palette to museum visitor reactions. There’s some art history mixed in, too. Note:  The above comes directly from their website.  Click here to read more.
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The Japan Times: 3D Printer Used to Construct Train Station Building in Japan

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  3D Printer Used to Construct Train Station Building in Japan Arida, Wakayama Pref. –  West Japan Railway (JR West) on Wednesday built a station building that consists of parts made with 3D printer technology. The station building in Wakayama Prefecture is the world's first to be built with 3D printer technology, the company said. The building at Hatsushima Station in the city of Arida on the Kisei Line is some 2.6 meters high, with an area of about 10 square meters. The company aims to open it in July. The building consists of four parts, including the roof and walls, which were produced by Japanese housing maker Serendix. Note:  The above comes directly from their website.  Click here to read more.
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InterestingFact: The Largest Pair of Jeans Ever Made was Over 200 Feet Tall

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Credit:  REUTERS / Alamy Stock Photo The Largest Pair of Jeans Ever Made Was Over 200 Feet Tall Measuring 214 feet and 10 inches tall by 140 feet and 1 inch wide, a pair of jeans sewn together by the Paris brand department store in Lima, Peru, holds the  Guinness World Record  for the largest pair of jeans ever created. The trousers were unveiled on February 19, 2019, in a mall parking lot, where they remained on display for the following week. It took a team of  50 people around six months  to craft the enormous pair of pants, which weighed a whopping six tons. Beyond just a publicity stunt, the effort had a positive environmental impact: The giant jeans were subsequently broken down and converted into 10,000 reusable bags to be sold at Paris’ line of department stores in an effort to promote the reduction of plastic bag use. Note:  The above comes directly from their website.  Click here to read more.
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HistoryFacts: What Did Leonardo da Vinci Invent?

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  What Did Leonardo da Vinci Invent? In the history of humankind, there are few people who have rivaled the sheer genius of Leonardo da Vinci. The Italian polymath defined the High Renaissance period at the turn of the 16th century, when his fame grew primarily due to his paintings. His magnum opus, the “Mona Lisa,” which he painted between 1503 and 1506, ranks among the most famous paintings of all time, and no religious artwork has been more reproduced than his masterpiece “The Last Supper.”  But Leonardo was far more than a supremely talented artist. As an engineer, inventor, and student of seemingly everything, he left behind an incredible 5,000 pages of notes and drawings covering everything from human and animal anatomy to astronomy, botany, cartography, and more. His inventions, many of which were designed with military applications in mind, were truly visionary. Few of them were built during his lifetime or saw any practical use, but they were so far ahead of their tim...
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InterestingFact: A Denim-Themed Car Hit the Market in the 1970's

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Credit:  Everett Collection Historical / Alamy Stock Photo A Denim-Themed Car Hit the Market in the 1970s In 1970, the American Motors Corporation unveiled an unusual-looking two-door subcompact car called the Gremlin, which was met with  mixed reactions . Three years later, the company debuted an even more distinctive version of the vehicle that was the result of a  partnership with Levi’s . The new automobile  was advertised  as an “economy car that wears the pants,” and featured Levi’s-inspired trim lining each seat along with orange stitching, copper buttons, and denim pockets affixed to the blue color-coordinated doors. Due to concerns regarding denim’s flammability, AMC and Levi’s were forced to use a lookalike material in lieu of actual denim, though the visual similarities were spot-on. The AMC-Levi’s partnership would further extend into the motor company’s  Jeep division  years later, and limited-edition denim-themed cars were also introduced...
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