Cartographers have little room for creativity because maps are expected to be accurate representations of locations. However, mapmakers working for the Swiss Federal Office of Topography have subtly defied their role for several decades by secretly inserting hidden illustrations into official Swiss maps. It's hard to believe these drawings went unnoticed for so long, from … [Read more...] about For Decades, Cartographers Have Been Secretly Hiding Illustrations Inside Switzerland’s Maps
The Mythic “Killing Stone” of Japan Splits in Half, Potentially Freeing the Spirit of a Fox Demon
When word spreads that the "Killing Stone" has been split in half, it can't be a good sign. It's an even worse omen when you learn that this Killing Stone is said to contain the spirit of a demonic fox. Unfortunately, the news is true: Japan's Sessho-seki, also known as the Killing Stone, has broken up. Sessho-seki is a stone set into volcanic mountains near a hot spring in … [Read more...] about The Mythic “Killing Stone” of Japan Splits in Half, Potentially Freeing the Spirit of a Fox Demon
Artist Creates Surreal Ceramic Vessels That Are Half-Pottery, Half-Octopus
Keiko Masumoto creates ceramic vessels in her Kitsch Kogei collection that are unexpectedly embedded with octopuses. Each piece in the sea-inspired series beautifully blends a surreal silhouette with a classic aesthetic, balancing form and function. The intricately painted blue-and-white patterns on the ceramic octopus vessels are typical of traditional Chinese (and … [Read more...] about Artist Creates Surreal Ceramic Vessels That Are Half-Pottery, Half-Octopus
WATCH: To Save His Dogs, an Australian Man Takes Down a Kangaroo!
To save his dogs, an Australian man fought an enraged kangaroo for six minutes. Cliff Des was at his home in New South Wales last week when "a six-foot buck roo in a bad mood" attempted to grab his dogs from the front yard. He tried unsuccessfully to frighten the wild animal away, which resulted in a fight with the marsupial. Des told Today on Tuesday, "It just put … [Read more...] about WATCH: To Save His Dogs, an Australian Man Takes Down a Kangaroo!
These Incredible Antarctica Striped Icebergs Look Like Candy
They might look like candy, but the stripes are actually salty. When large blocks of ice break off a glacier or an ice shelf and float freely in open water, they form icebergs. This ice is made up of pure fresh water that has accumulated over millennia from snow falling on the Antarctic continent. The floating ice chunks then interact with the salty seawater beneath … [Read more...] about These Incredible Antarctica Striped Icebergs Look Like Candy