Optical Painters’ Aids
A matter of perspective
A debate raging in the art world involves the claim that Vermeer and other famous painters used optical aids such as a camera obscura to achieve realistic perspectives in their work.
Mate
The national beverage of Argentina
The national beverage of Argentina is vaguely reminiscent of tea, but you shouldn't just drink it; you ought to have the right equipment and understand the rituals.
Geocaching
Adventures with GPS and hiking boots
For a high-tech but somewhat retro outdoor adventure activity, pick up your smartphone or GPS, lace up your hiking boots, and treat yourself to a treasure hunt.
Fire Pistons
The primitive hi-tech fire starters
You don't need matches, fancy chemicals, flint and steel, or even a pair of sticks to start a fire. Try a fire piston, a remarkably low-tech device that uses compressed air instead.
Assateague Island
An island off the coast of Maryland and Virginia has beautiful, uncommercial beaches, but is best known for the horses that live there and the unusual way the locals keep their numbers under control.
Ventless Clothes Dryers
Laundry without the hot air
Amazing but true: you can machine-dry clothes without venting hot, moist air (or indeed any air at all). You can even have a combination washing machine and ventless dryer in one. Clever engineering triumphs again.
The Egely Wheel
Vital energy measurement for the masses
A small electronic device can supposedly measure your ch'i, or vital force. But is it it a technological marvel, a hoax, or just wishful thinking?
Dave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin
Serious pop from the other Dave Stewart
This duo, which does not include a former Eurythmics member, creates rich, interesting pop music for grown-ups. After a hiatus of many years, they're finally back.
Audium
San Francisco’s Theatre of Sound
For an experience of sound that's unlike any concert you've ever heard, go to San Francisco's Audium, a theater where listeners are surrounded by speakers and enjoy the performance in total darkness.
Slow Food
Taking back the dinner table
You don't have to eat snails or cook dinner in a crock pot to participate in the Slow Food movement. You just have to care about (and be able to afford!) quality, nutrition, and sustainability in your food choices.