Arts

Flyting, which was essentially a verbal contest of poetic abuse, was public entertainment in the 15th and 16th centuries. Think of it as the rap battle of medieval times.

By Kristen Hall-Geisler

Nearly 400 bird species are in danger of extinction by the end of this century and The Audubon Mural Project intends to depict every one of them.

By Carrie Tatro

Opus 40 is a 6.5-acre (2.6-hectare) earthwork sculpture that was hand-cut and created by artist Harvey Fite over a 37-year period. So how did he do it?

By Carrie Whitney, Ph.D.

From early wrapped objects to monumental outdoor projects, the work of the late artist Christo transcended the traditional bounds of painting, sculpture and architecture.

By Carrie Tatro

Glass that glows? You bet. And that glow comes from a source you wouldn't believe. Uranium, the same radioactive ore now used to power commercial nuclear reactors.

By John Donovan

And why couldn't all the king's horses and all the king's men put him back together again?

By Rebecca Treon

We're all at least passingly familiar with the art movements of the past - impressionism, dada, pop, cubism - but what are today's movements called? Turns out, pinning them down is a bit tricky.

By Carrie Whitney, Ph.D.

Can a piece of art be so significant that it changes the way the world sees art itself? Clearly, the answer is yes.

By Carrie Whitney, Ph.D.

Whether it's finding out the identity of the painter Banksy or wondering who is the real "Girl with a Pearl Earring," there's no shortage of mysteries and intrigue within the world of art.

By Melanie Radzicki McManus

Boasting "floor to ceiling views of graffiti-strewn concrete from almost every room," Banksy's Walled Off Hotel in Bethlehem welcomes visitors to the Mideast conflict with art-filled rooms under the eye of an army watchtower.

By Nathan Chandler

We have just a fraction of Sappho's works, but what we have reveal her personal voice in Greek lyric poetry. Just who was this woman that so inspired even Plato?

By Carrie Whitney, Ph.D.

Back in 1963, Stan Lee and Jack Kirby introduced the world to the six founding members of the X-Men, comprised of Angel, Beast, Cyclops, Iceman, Jean Grey, and Professor X. Roughly twelve years later, the popularity surrounding the superhero team had grown exponentially. This led Lee and Kirby to introduce twelve new mutants to the franchise, […] The post The Most Powerful X-Men Of All-Time (Ranked By Goliath) appeared first on Goliath.

By Riley Jones (@moviemanjones)

The Venus de Milo is one of the most recognized statues in all the world, but why does she have no arms?

By Michelle Konstantinovsky

From the Human Torch to Captain America, find out who made our list of the 50 most iconic Avengers of all time, ranked. The post The Greatest Avengers of All-Time (Ranked By Goliath) appeared first on Goliath.

By Riley Jones (@moviemanjones)

Dr. Seuss didn't live atop Mount Crumpit. He didn't have a loyal pup named Max outfitted with reindeer antlers. But there were some similarities between Seuss and his famous green miser.

By Laurie L. Dove

'Uncle Tom's Cabin' was a wildly popular 19th-century novel about a heroic enslaved man in the American South. But along the way, 'Uncle Tom' became shorthand for a Black man who's subservient to whites. What caused the switch?

By Dave Roos

Popularized in the 1897 novel "Dracula" by Bram Stoker, and the film "Nosferatu" in 1922, the word "nosferatu" is largely considered to be an archaic Romanian word, synonymous with "vampire," though the true origin story is long and complicated.

By Mark Mancini

In 'A Series of Unfortunate Events,' noted for its dark humor and sarcastic storytelling, narrator Lemony Snicket recounts the calamitous lives of the Baudelaire children, who are orphaned after a mysterious house fire.

By Laurie L. Dove

The tiny Southeast Asian country of Cambodia has achieved a worldwide reputation for perfecting the art of shadow puppetry. But the practice is in danger of dying out.

By Tara Yarlagadda

It's hard to imagine, but much of the world's most beautiful art sits, rarely seen by anyone, in tax-free warehouses called freeports.

By Patrick J. Kiger

J.K. Rowling fans rejoice! The beloved author is releasing a brand-new book online. And it's totally free.

By Carrie Whitney, Ph.D.

Gone are the days of peach and flesh crayons. Crayola just created 24 skin tone crayons to help advance inclusion through coloring.

By Carrie Whitney, Ph.D.

Painters love to include hidden symbols and meanings inside their works, either as pointed messages to specific viewers or simply as signposts to be found by a general audience. Here are six you may have missed.

By Michelle Konstantinovsky

Leonardo's 'The Last Supper' has had a rough history, from flaking paint to the fact that da Vinci really didn't even want to paint it.

By Michelle Konstantinovsky

The wildly successful author of numerous children's books, Shel Silverstein was also a poet, musician, illustrator and man of many talents. He even lived in the Playboy mansion for a time.

By Oisin Curran