Spontaneous Human Combustion
Answering the burning questions
It makes for great TV shows and horror stories, but is it really possible for a person to spontaneously burst into flames? The experts don't doubt that people have burned to death, but the whole spontaneity thing is problematic.
Demosthenes’ Stones
Improving your diction, Athenian style
The Greek orator Demosthenes overcame a severe speech impediment by forcing himself to speak with stones in his mouth.
The Thinker
The story behind Rodin’s famous sculpture
Rodin's best-known sculpture depicts a man hunched over in deep thought. But what is he contemplating with such seriousness? Hell if I know.
Fire Breathing
Don’t try this at home
Just another in the long list of dangerous activities I decline to do and urge you never to try at home is the visually impressive art of spitting fuel onto a flame.
Clepsydras
Watching time flow with water clocks
Before mechanical clocks driven by pendulums or springs, some clocks used the flow of water to tell time. These designs ranged from primitive to downright ingenious.
Temperate Rain Forests
Trees of life
Rain forests aren't found only in the tropics. Temperate rain forests, located as far north as Alaska and Norway, have less diversity than their tropical relatives, but far more living matter.
Raku
Zen and the art of tea bowls
For a traditional Japanese tea ritual, not just any sort of tea cup will do. You want one made by hand using a method from the 16th century that infuses your tea bowl with Zen sensibilities.
Mincemeat
The dessert that eats like a meal
Pies that contain meat were once the rule, rather than the exception. Modern mincemeat may not contain any meat at all, but the history of the pie and its name is full of surprises.
Honey as Medicine
Sweet relief
Ongoing medical research is turning up a multitude of curative uses for honey. Besides soothing sore throats, it may help to heal wounds, prevent tooth decay, and even perhaps even reduce the risk of heart disease.
Petra
The city of stone
An ancient city in Jordan was carved out of the walls of a deep, narrow canyon. You won't find the Holy Grail there, but Indiana Jones would still keep busy unearthing its mysteries.