Arts & Culture

– Manuscript – The Mona Lisa is the famous Leonardo da Vinci painting of a woman with a mysterious smile. This week, the painting gave up a secret. Scientists used X-rays to examine the chemical structure of an extremely small part of the more than 500-year-old painting. The researchers discovered a technique Leonardo used in the work. A team in France and Britain … [Read more...] about Scientists Learn Another ‘Mona Lisa’ Secret

– Manuscript – Rickshaw comes from a Japanese word that means “human-powered vehicle.” The vehicle was first used in 19th-century Japan and then in other Asian countries to transport passengers. Rickshaw pullers are traditionally male. Through social media, some Japanese women are drawn to the profession. And now, they have developed a strong local and international … [Read more...] about Japanese Women Drawn to Rickshaw Pulling

– Manuscript – “Leaf-peepers” are tourists who visit the countryside in the northeastern United States each autumn. “Peeper” means looker, someone who looks. The leaf-peepers travel to see the seasonal changes to the trees. Their leaves turn color from green to deep red, bright yellow and rich orange before finally falling to the ground. Many leaf-peepers head to … [Read more...] about Vermont Town Closes Roads Due to Autumn ‘Leaf-peepers’

– Manuscript – On a gray and rainy Saturday, buses arrive continually at a base station of Japan’s Mount Fuji. The buses release foreign visitors in front of stores and restaurants. The area looks similar to a theme park. It is not what most Japanese would expect below the 3,776-meter mountain. Mt Fuji is considered an important religious area. And Japanese honor the … [Read more...] about Japan Says Visitors Disrespecting Mount Fuji

– Manuscript – About an hour’s drive from the tall buildings of Dubai is an empty village in the sands of the United Arab Emirates. It stands as a reminder of how fast the Middle Eastern country is changing. Built in the 1970s, the village of al-Ghuraifa was left empty twenty years later. Oil wealth has turned the UAE, home to the cities of Dubai and Abu Dhabi, into an … [Read more...] about Abandoned Village Is a Reminder of Fast-changing UAE