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This style of "vase within a vase" was crafted for just two years in the early 1740s (left). The Qianlong emperor ruled from 1735 to 1796 (right).
art

A $9 Million Chinese Vase Turned Up in a Central European Cupboard

It may have been crafted for the Qianlong emperor more than 275 years ago.
Karen Chernick July 24, 2020
Temple of Minerva Medica
Rome, Italy

Temple of Minerva Medica

Believed to be the remains of the lost Temple of Minerva, this nymphaeum has been known by its misnomer to this day.
Thanks to Cold Garden Brewery, Cronk has entered the 21st century.
beer

How a Viral Tweet Brought Back a Boozy Root Beer Called Cronk

Who said Cronk was dead?
Isaac Schultz July 23, 2020
Our Lady of Peace Cathedral sits on one of Bukavu's tallest hills.
architecture

The Art Deco Capital of Central Africa

In Bukavu, beautiful buildings have an ugly colonial history. But locals want to save them.
Carly Lunden July 21, 2020
Valle delle Ferriere
Province of Salerno, Italy

Valle delle Ferriere

Amalfi's pre-industrial history is slowly being engulfed by the lush vegetation of the Ferriere Valley.
relics

India's Ancient Sites Are Under Threat From Development

India is key to the story of early human migration. But its archaeological sites are rapidly disappearing.
Atlas Obscura July 20, 2020
One of Anna Kharzeeva's adaptations of the "Soviet pizza" recipe.
food

Eat Like You're in the USSR With 'The Soviet Diet Cookbook'

By making pizza approved by the Communist Party.
Dalia Wolfson July 20, 2020
At the Oregon Historical Society, chocolate cake provided a new topic of conversation.
food

How Historical Societies Are Bringing Their Recipes to Pandemic Cooks

Food has become an important tool for connection.
Anne Ewbank July 17, 2020
The role comes with Lynne Olver's personal collections of more than 2,300 books (not pictured).
libraries

The Internet's Greatest Archive of Food History Needs a New Curator

A New Jersey reference librarian’s magnum opus could really use your help.
Luke Fater July 15, 2020
The Peralta Adobe
San Jose, California

Peralta Adobe

The oldest house in the capital of Silicon Valley.
The standard 52-card deck (54 with these guys) is common, but not universal.
games

Playing Cards Around the World and Through the Ages

The complicated lineage of our ubiquitous decks.
Dan Nosowitz July 13, 2020
A tunnel into the Ashio Copper Mine.
Nikko, Japan

Ashio Copper Mine

The site of Japan's first major environmental disaster.
World's largest wooden yo-yo, in all its glory
Chico, California

World's Largest Working Wooden Yo-Yo

Hidden inside a gift shop that doubles as a museum, this gargantuan yo-yo can only be operated by crane.
Frederick Douglass first challenged the monument's merit more than a century ago.
statues

Found: A Letter From Frederick Douglass, About the Need for Better Monuments

It was discovered "forensically," thanks to Douglass's distinctive usage of an unusual word.
Matthew Taub July 8, 2020
In Montana, archaeology dog Dax sits beside a bear skull she has successfully found in a training session.
animals

Archaeology Dogs Can Help Scholars Sniff Out the Past

With proper training, dogs can follow their noses to human and animal remains from bygone centuries.
Jill Neimark July 8, 2020
islands

The Strangely Quiet Afterlife of a Brazilian Prison Town

The tropical beauty of Dois Rios comes with an ugly history.
Alessio Perrone July 6, 2020
Singapore

Berlin Wall in Singapore

Two panes of the massive Cold War artifact are on display at the National University of Singapore.
Ian Kurtz and Reese Salen (pictured) built the bookwheel with fellow RIT engineering students Matt Nygren and Maher Abdelkawi.
libraries

How Students Built a 16th-Century Engineer's Book-Reading Machine

The bookwheel helps readers browse eight texts at once. The only problem? It weighs 600 pounds.
Claire Voon July 1, 2020