Krampus is cooking up holiday mischief in Something's Awry Productions' short film, "Crunch Time," created with #MaxonOne. See more maxonvfx.com/3BeIfsu

Our winter product updates offer a delightful holiday treat! Creative joy abounds in #Cinema4D, #ZBrush, #Redshift, and #RedGiant thanks to powerful new features, quality-of-life enhancements, and other refinements! With new Booleans in #C4D, you can craft unique and intricate models that defy cookie-cutter conventions. Create the magic of snowfall and more with particles. Craft the perfect ornaments in ZBrush, sculpting snowmen and festive figures on both Mac, Windows, and iPad. Render it all in Redshift, where both Cinema 4D and ZBrush creations magically come to life, and new material switching makes it easy to incorporate a merry medley of materials into your projects. Complete the story with #RedGiant, where new Pixel Dither plugins provide a retro-gaming aesthetic and #MaxonStudio offers a cornucopia of customizable motion templates and effects, all easily applied and combined with your own footage. See more at https://maxonvfx.com/3CZGobD

News The top 10 most popular TED Talks of 2024 and ideas for being a better you in 2025Posted by: TED Staff December 4, 2024at 9:00 am ESTAs 2024 wraps up, join us in celebrating the most popular, mind-blowing and must-watch TED Talks published this year. From cutting-edge AI to climate breakthroughs and transformative insights on human potential, our curated end-of-year-lists capture a compelling panorama of ideas that challenge, inspire and reimagine our collective future.From AI and technological innovation to climate change, social dynamics and global transformations, the most popular TED Talks of 2024 offer insights into the issues shaping the future:In this compelling collection of tech-focused talks, visionary speakers explore the frontiers of innovation from AI-powered coding and entertainment to vertical farming, limitless energy, robotics and how to govern emerging technologies:Dive into this collection of awe-inspiring TED Talks, featuring innovative thinkers exploring the frontiers of art, science, technology and human potential from dancing robots and hair sculptures to cultivated meat and transformative biological research:From the science of motivation to the everyday mysteries of microwaves to the dangers of rusty nails, these TED-Ed animations captured our audiences attention in 2024:Spark hope for 2025 with this diverse collection of voices championing creativity and action on the crucial challenges of our day:Whats the secret to self-improvement? Dive into this eclectic collection of TED Talks on the power of human connection, revealing how curiosity, vulnerability and authentic communication can reshape your relationships and understanding of the world:

Can AI Master the Art of Humor? | Bob Mankoff | TED

Can We Stop Climate Change? | Sarah Lake @TED #ted

An introduction to academic writing on MediumHow academics use Medium to share research and ideas easily, connect with non-academic readers, run courses, and morePublished inThe Medium Blog9 min read6 hours ago--Image designed by Jason CombsIf youre an academic interested in learning more about writing on Medium, heres our guide to getting started with lots of links to profiles, publications, examples, and resources.Jump to: What is Medium? Why academics write on Medium Follow academics on Medium How schools use Medium publications and stories Pitch your story to a Medium publication Interviews and case studies from professors Learn moreWhat is Medium?The basics: Medium is a home for human stories and ideas. Were an open publishing platform where anyone can share their stories easily, for free. Our mission is to help people deepen their understanding of the world through writing.The vibe: Were ad-free and humans-first. Were trying to build a better internet. We use a mix of algorithms and human curation to match your stories to the right readers. Were a platform for human storytelling, not AI-generated writing, and we wont let AI train on your writing.The business model: Medium is member-supported, which means that instead of relying on ads, we rely on paying members who subscribe to Medium. A subscription grants members access to all stories on Medium. As a writer, you can choose to publish your story as a free story or a member-only story. If you want to monetize your writing, making it a member-only story means only Medium members can read it, and a portion of their membership will be paid directly to the writers of the stories they read.The distribution systems: The main For You feed for readers is a curated list of stories we think readers will like, based on interests and reading habits. Stories are also organized through topic pages; when you add a topic to your story, it adds your story to that topic page. We curate stories through the Medium Newsletter and our Staff Picks list. Medium is also home to publications that are independently edited and curated by Medium membersWhy academics write on MediumSome of the best writing on Medium comes from academics who aim to help readers deepen their understanding of the world. From tenured faculty to undergraduate students, academics turn to Medium to share insights, publish research, run courses, and connect with people both within and outside of the academic community.Here are six reasons why academics write on Medium:Its super easy. You dont have to set up a website, worry about design, do a ton of formatting, etc. Especially in contrast to the hurdles of traditional academic publishing, Medium is a quick route to getting your writing out in the world fast. (We hear this from every academic we talk to as a big motivator!)Theres already a built-in audience of smart, thoughtful, and engaged readers. While theres an established academic audience on Medium, we more often hear that academic writers want to translate their research and work to reach a wider non-academic audience and Medium allows them to do so.Our rules are designed to foster community and promote respectful, safe, and welcoming conversation. We dont allow harassment, hate speech, threats, intolerance, ableist language, intentional misgendering, or violence. This seems like table stakes for us but unfortunately, thats not the case for some other publishing platforms around the internet. We take community safety seriously; you can read the Medium Rules to learn more.You can get paid for your work through the Medium Partner Program. Or publish for free. Up to you!Youve already done the hard part: the writing. We often see academics adapt or repurpose research papers or abstracts into the Medium version of the story as a way to get started, rather than writing something totally new.Writing on Medium fits into the professional goals of academics, especially if you have tenure-track goals that include community engagement. Writing on Medium is a way to connect with a wider audience, establish credibility in your field, and create a portfolio of work. It can also serve as a bridge to bigger publishing goals, like book deals, or direct readers to your writing elsewhere.Follow academics on MediumNeed a quick introduction to the academic community on Medium? Heres a starter list of folks to follow to fill your feed.Brent R. Stockwell, Ph.D., Chair and Professor of Biological Sciences at Columbia UniversityCatherine Sanderson, Author & Psychology Professor, Poler Family Professor of Psychology, Amherst CollegeSilvia PM, PhD, PhD in EcologyAvi Loeb, Baird Professor of Science and Institute director at Harvard University, scientist & journalist, PhD evolutionary ecology/ornithologyDevon Price, professor at Loyola University of Chicagos School of Continuing and Professional Studies, social psychologistF. Perry Wilson, MD MSCE, Associate Professor of Medicine (Nephrology) and Public Health (Chronic Disease Epidemiology) at Yale School of MedicineRen F. Najera, MPH, DrPH, Public Health instructor at George Mason University and Johns Hopkins UniversityHeath Brown, associate professor of public policy at City University of New YorkDamian Radcliffe, Chambers Professor in Journalism at University of OregonDavid Bowles, associate professor at the University of Texas Ro Grande ValleyRebecca Ruth Gould, PhD, Distinguished Professor of Comparative Poetics and Global Politics, School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of LondonJeremy Caplan, Director of Teaching and Learning at Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism, CUNYGreg Satell, lecturer at the Wharton School of BusinessEnrique Dans, Professor of Innovation at IE Business SchoolRita McGrath, professor at Columbia Business SchoolProf Bill Buchanan OBE FRSE, Professor in the School of Computing at Edinburgh Napier UniversityHow schools use Medium publications and storiesHere are a few examples of how professors, program directors, students, and communications staff create Medium and use publications to share their writing.The Conversation, an independent news source with a goal of unlocking the research of academic experts available to the public, uses a Medium publication to share stories from academics.The Agora Journalism Center at the University of Oregon created the Commonplace Forum: The place to share and discuss what were thinking, doing, and learning at the Agora Journalism Center.The University of Leeds uses their Medium publication to share research, news, and student stories from campus.In Journalism Innovation, students in the Journalism Creators Program at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY publish stories and reflections on their program experience.Professor John Suricos Journalistic Inquiry undergraduate class at NYU publishes words, photos and stories from the reporting of students.The Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies publication shares guest posts from students.The University of Oxford uses their Medium publication to spotlight scholars, share research, and publish long reads.The Herald at Southern Virginia University is student journalism powered by Medium.The Purdue University College of Engineering publishes new ideas and technology on the Purdue Engineering Review.Daniel Dissinger, Associate Professor (Teaching) Writing at the University of Southern California, uses Medium to run his Writing 150 course.Jeremy Littau, Journalism professor at Lehigh University, published a Medium post with Notes and questions about Her for his first-year seminar on AI and society.Pitch your story to a Medium publicationPublications are independently operated communities within Medium, run by Medium members. Theyre usually run by people who are experts in a topic area, have some publishing experience, and/or are passionate about building community in a field or interest area. You can pitch your story to publications to reach a more targeted audience.Each publication has their own submission guidelines and process, which you can usually find on the publications home page. To submit a story to a publication, you have to be added as a writer for that publication. Once youre added, heres how to submit a story.Where to find publications:To find a publication connected to a topic, search for that topic in Medium search field, then click on the Publications tab. Heres an example of results for a search for journalism publications.The website Chillsubs has a searchable directory of Medium publications, and we keep a big list of publications here.If you dont find the right fit, you can also start your own publication.Heres a quick list of publications that have a more academic focus:3Streams a blog about politics, policy, and ideasWise & Well science-backed insights for better healthCantors Paradise a Medium publication of math-, science- and technology-related essays.I Taught the Law a collection of essays, reflections, interviews, and stories written by lawyers, law professors, law students, and law-adjacent folksThe New Climate a publication on climate action, covering the environment, biodiversity, net zero, renewable energy and regenerative approaches.UX Collective curated stories on UX, Visual & Product DesignLessons from History a platform for writers who share ideas and inspirational stories from world history.An Injustice! speaks to the intersectionality of identity and shares the stories of those who bring all their selves into all their spaces.Global Literary Theory brings world literatures into comparison through translation and original analysis.Science Spectrum makes science and mathematics accessible to all.Interviews and case studies from professorsRead these interviews from faculty about why they publish on Medium.Catherine Sanderson, Psychology Professor at Amherst CollegeI like the immediacy of [publishing on Medium]. I can see something, observe something, or be thinking about something, and I can sit down and write about it and right away, there it is, its published. Writing a book or getting published in a newspaper or academic journal can take months or years. You have to pitch ideas, get them approved, go through multiple rounds of editing, wait for editors to get back to you.I also like the immediate feedback I get from my Medium pieces. When you write a book, you honestly have no idea if anyone is reading it, let alone what they think of it. With Medium, you get that feedback right away. People will clap or theyll comment, This was really helpful or I needed to hear this today, or whatever. And their comments are generally thoughtful. I also like that Medium promotes your writing.Full interview: How one psychology professor uses Medium to share complex research and ideas with a broad audienceBrent R. Stockwell, Ph.D., Chair and Professor of Biological Sciences at Columbia University:When I heard about Medium, I thought it was perfect because I could tell my story directly to people Its very intuitive and simple. I also like that people are really engaged, and Its a good community. Rarely do I get vitriolic comments or haters or out-of-left field things. Even the negative feedback Ive gotten has been respectful. I didnt feel attacked or threatened.Among the community, you find people who are interested in academic information, research, and scholarship, and non-academic people, too. You can choose the level you want to tell a story at. You can tell it at a very technical level, you can tell it at a level that anyone can understand, or anything in-between, whatever you think is appropriate. If youre writing for Scientific American, theyre going to tell you it has to be at a certain level and you might not be happy with the way the story comes out. But you can control that on Medium. You can also publish whatever you like, and the editing is up to you.Full interview: How one biology professor uses Medium to reach a broad audience with his research and ideasEnrique Dans, Professor of Innovation at IE Business School[Medium] doesnt take your attention away from what youre writing. It allows you to focus. I also enjoy having the freedom to say what I want to say.Full interview: How one business school professor and AI expert uses Medium to share his ideas, build a following, and raise his professional profileVideo from Medium Day 2023: How To Succeed as an Academic on MediumLearn moreThanks for getting this far. If you want to learn more, here are a few options:Email academics@medium.com to chat with someone on our team.If you want to jump into Medium and check it out yourself, heres how to sign up. I also recommend subscribing to our daily newsletter; its a great window into the best stories on Medium.Were planning a virtual Academics Hour event early next year. If youd like to be notified about that event, and any future events for academic writers, sign up here to get an invite.

Check out all the latest Epic news and updates for indie game developers here, including upcoming live events, help pitching your project, indie dev success stories, and more.

The temple's north tower, which holds a newly discovered chamber Marcus Mller / Athribis ProjectArchaeologists have uncovered a hidden gateway to a 2,100-year-old temple built into a cliff face in Egypt. The stone structure is located in the ancient city of Athribis, about 125 miles north ofLuxor.The ornate entrance is known as a pylon, or two towers flanking a main entrance, according to a statement from the University of Tbingen in Germany. The team also discovered a second door on the pylon, which leads to a hidden staircase that once featured at least four different flights. These flights led to an upper floor that has since been destroyed.In the northern tower, archaeologists found reliefs of the Egyptian king Ptolemy VIII, who ruled during the second century B.C.E. The artworks depict the king, known for his unstable reign and clashes with his family, offering sacrifices to the lion-headed goddess Repit and her son Kolanthes. This unique relief depicts a falcon-headed decan. Marcus Mller / Athribis ProjectThats not all that the researchers discovered in the north tower. They also stumbled upon a hidden chamber, which measures about 20 feet long and 10 feet wide. The room was once a storage area that held temple utensils and jars called amphorae.More reliefs were found near this chambers entrance. These artworks included images of the fertility god Min-Ra and creatures known as decans, which are depicted with human bodies and animal heads: One has the head of a falcon, while the other has the head of an ibis. Such creatures represented clusters of stars that the Egyptians used to tell time at night.The team also found a second relief of Repit. The temple could be dedicated to Repit, though researchers cant know that for sure. As Christian Leitz, an Egyptologist at the University of Tbingen who led the research, tells Live Sciences Owen Jarus, The name of this building is still not known.Sarah Symons andJuan Antonio Belmonte, archaeoastronomers who have worked in Egypt but were not involved in the research, both tell Live Science that the newly discovered temple entrance is interesting but that more information on the temple and decans is needed. A view of the northern tower of the pylon Marcus Mller / Athribis ProjectExcavations at the temple have been ongoing for two years. This site is part of a larger temple district that researchers have been studying since 2012. They think the complex was likely built sometime between 144 B.C.E. and 138 C.E. Even after so much time, its many mysteries are still unfolding.Newsweek's Aristos Georgiou writes that the larger complex also includes evidence of a settlement and the remains of a necropolis, as well as ancient quarries. Researchers think more discoveries are waiting to be uncovered.The complete scientific excavation started with us and will last some time, Leitz tells Newsweek. We will not finish it this season.Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday.

This year's list includes Clouds in Space, The Manicurist's Daughter and The Ministry of Time. Illustration by Emily LankiewiczThe world of Smithsonian scholars is vast and limitlessfrom the oceans to outer space, from the prehistoric past to the dawn of the digital age. This year, they worked to bring the public such exhibitions as Staging the Supernatural, a showcase of amazing Japanese woodblock prints at the National Museum of Asian Art; Reclaiming My Time, a display of contemporary design at the National Museum of African American History and Culture; Forensic Science on Trial, a journey through the history of forensics in the courtroom at the National Museum of American History; and NASAs Earth Information Center, a look at the state of planet Earth at the National Museum of Natural History. The Smithsonian also welcomed new pandas to the National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, hosted its annual Folklife Festival and helped celebrate 25 years of the Chandra X-Ray Observatory.Smithsonian staff members reading tastes are just as varied as their work, a reflection of the breadth of their knowledge and interests. We asked some of these curators, educators and experts what 2024 books they would recommend, and they answered with a wonderfully wide-ranging mix: a deep dive on food and culture in New Orleans, the personal writing of an esteemed saxophonist, a time-travel adventure, and much more. Here are 11 books to add to your reading lists.Building the Worlds that Kill Us: Disease, Death and Inequality in American History by David Rosner and Gerald MarkowitzRecommended by Katherine Ott, curator in the Division of Medicine and Science at the National Museum of American HistoryHistory can be fierce and troubling as well as informative and healing. David Rosner and Gerald Markowitzs newest book demonstrates this through a focus on the history of American health. It is a given that we all die eventually, but the lives that take us there are puzzles of history, gender, race, location and other social factors. And our health is affected in ways many of us are unaware of. The authors are great storytellers, and they begin with the early days of the nation and take us through the elements and decisions wedded to medicines efficacy: the physicians and thinkers, industry and commerce, and, most strikingly, the maze of profit and politics that has led to the health care inequities and inefficiencies of today. Human health depends upon much more than advanced technology and effective medicationsso much more. Building the Worlds That Kill Us: Disease, Death, and Inequality in American History Through the lens of death and disease, this book provides a new way of understanding the history of the United States from the colonial era to the present.Remember the First Ladies: The Legacies of Americas History-Making Women by Diana B. Carlin, Anita B. McBride and Nancy Kegan SmithRecommended by Elizabeth C. Babcock, director of the Smithsonian American Womens History Museum In a year dominated by national elections and public debates about leadership, Remember the First Ladies: The Legacies of Americas History-Making Women provides a timely consideration of the often overlooked, yet influential ways in which presidential spouses have shaped America. Less a series of biographies and more a cogent analysis of the evolution of the role of first lady, this book provides an eminently readable introduction to the women who have filled this role. The first half of the book provides a glimpse into the defining moments that shaped each womans approach, while the second half examines the complexities of curating a legacy for themselves and their spouses. Well-researched and drawing on memorable primary sources, this thought-provoking book brings these women to life in a way that enriches our public discourse about gender, politics and presidential leadership, and provides a critically important perspective about women in American history. Remember the First Ladies: The Legacies of America's History-Making Women A groundbreaking book showing the evolutionary role of first lady and its historic importance on the American presidency.Clouds in Space: Nebulae, Stardust and Us by Teresa RobesonRecommended by Ann Caspari, early childhood education specialist at the National Air and Space MuseumHow do you explain something as otherworldly as a nebula to a young child? This beautiful nonfiction book employs the character Nebula to introduce herself. The combination of folkloric illustrations with real images of nebulae makes this, well, nebulous topic more understandable and relatable. In the book, we become a space traveler to explore cosmic wonders with Nebula and see how we are connected to exploding stars, swirling molecules and clouds of stardust. Teresa Robesons poetic text and Diana Renzinas luminous illustrations make an unusually lovely scientific book for older elementary school children. Clouds in Space: Nebulae, Stardust, and Us In this gorgeous nonfiction look into the cosmos, the nebula narrator invites young astronomers to learn more about these immense space clouds, from how they form to what they do.When Women Ran Fifth Avenue: Glamour and Power at the Dawn of American Fashion by Julie SatowRecommended by Melanie Adams, director of the Anacostia Community Museum Growing up in New Jersey, I traveled into New York City to view the beautiful window displays. I never thought much about the history of these retail giants until I read Julie Satows When Women Ran Fifth Avenue: Glamour and Power at the Dawn of American Fashion. This book documents the golden era of American department stores through the lives of three pioneering women: Hortense Odlum, Dorothy Shaver and Geraldine Stutz. These leaders reshaped the retail landscape and championed womens roles in business during the 20th century. While the book focuses on New York, it also provides short histories of department stores in other parts of the country, such as the St. Luke Emporium, opened in 1905 by Maggie Walker in Richmond, Virginia. Run by African Americans, the store was an opportunity for Black women both to shop and to have careers and become independent. The book highlights how these women turned department stores into cultural hubs of style and innovation while breaking gender barriers in a male-dominated industry. When Women Ran Fifth Avenue: Glamour and Power at the Dawn of American Fashion Journalist Julie Satow draws back the curtain on three visionaries who took great risks, forging new paths for the women who followed in their footsteps.The Manicurists Daughter: A Memoir by Susan LieuRecommended by Nicole Dowd, head of public programs at the National Museum of Asian ArtThis past May, during the National Museum of Asian Arts IlluminAsia Festival celebrating Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we had the opportunity to host Vietnamese American author Susan Lieu for a poignant conversation on mental health and intergenerational healing, which produced moments of both tears and laughter onstage and throughout the auditorium. Lieus book, The Manicurists Daughter, The Manicurist's Daughter: A Memoir This is a story of fierce determination, strength in shared culture and finding your place in the world.Into the Great Wide Ocean: Life in the Least Known Habitat on Earth by Snke JohnsenRecommended by Karen Osborn, curator of polychaetes, peracarids and plankton at the National Museum of Natural HistoryAre you ready to stretch your awareness of other worldsor, better yet, explore the alien realm that is the vast majority of our own planet? By far the largest living space on Earth lies below the surface of the ocean and above the deep-sea floor. This massive environment is not the empty space that we have long thought of it as. Instead, it is a complex set of habitats organized by factors we are only just beginning to be able to appreciate and measure. In the mysterious ocean, billions of incredible animals survive and thrive, typically looking unlike anything most people have seen before. Biologist Snke Johnsen weaves his story of ocean discovery with fascinating explanations of the challenges that have shaped ocean animals into the often beautiful, sometimes hideous creatures we are feverishly working to learn from. This book will feed your curiosity, introduce you to the denizens of the deep and make you laugh. Dive in! Into the Great Wide Ocean: Life in the Least Known Habitat on Earth Journey inside the peculiar world of the seagoing scientists who are providing tantalizing new insights into how the animals of the open ocean solve the problems of their existence.Insatiable City: Food and Race in New Orleans byRecommended by James Deutsch, content coordinator for the Smithsonians America at 250 Book ProjectNew Orleans is justly famous for its foodbeignets, gumbo and crawfish touffe, to name just a few. But Theresa McCulla, formerly with the Smithsonians National Museum of American History and now with Mars Inc., approaches the citys culinary delights from a cultural perspective. Covering some 200 years of New Orleans history, McCulla convincingly demonstrates how the sensory pleasures of food consumption have been inextricably linked to commodification and violence, resulting from the complicated relations among the areas Black, White, Creole and Indigenous populations. The book explores the tensions among auction blocks, dining tables, street vendors, sugar plantations, food markets, cookbooks, tourism and much more. McCulla opens our eyes to some of the unexpected ways in which New Orleans has long been an insatiable city. Insatiable City: Food and Race in New Orleans Theresa McCulla probes the overt and covert ways that the production of food and the discourse about it both created and reinforced many strains of inequality in New Orleans, a city significantly defined by its foodways.The Notebooks of Sonny Rollins, edited by Sam V.H. ReeseRecommended by Steven Lewis, curator of music and performing arts at the National Museum of African American History and CultureAt 94, tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins is one of American musics most revered figures and the last living link to the bebop revolution of the 1940s and 50s. Musicians and scholars continue to study his classic recordings, such as Saxophone Colossus (1957), Freedom Suite (1958)The Bridge (1962), which established his reputation as one of the greatest jazz improvisers. The New York Review of Books new edited collection of Rollins writing draws on the six boxes of notebooks he donated to the New York Public Library in 2017. The selections, and the insightful introduction by editor Sam V.H. Reese, trace 50 years of Rollins studies of saxophone technique and music theory, along with his varied explorations of science, history and religion. Rollins notes also document his evolving understanding of his central place in jazz history. This book offers a uniquely intimate look at a monumental artist. The Notebooks of Sonny Rollins Take an unequaled glimpse into the mind and workshop of a musical titan, as well as a wealth of insight and inspiration to readers.The Jewish Holiday Table: A World of Recipes, Traditions & Stories to Celebrate All Year Long by Naama Shefi and the Jewish Food SocietyRecommended by Julie Botnick, access and outreach archivist of the Archives Center at the National Museum of American History I often say that each piece of archival material saved is a bit of a miracle, and that is absolutely apparent when reading this cookbook. The recipes in The Jewish Holiday Table survived and were adapted over generations of movement across the Jewish diasporathe Rosh Hashanah recipes of the Solnicki family span a journey of war and displacement from Italy and Tunisia to Paris and Argentina, while Fany Gersons Passover Seder honors her great-grandmother, who started incorporating Mexican ingredients like lime and chiles into her traditional Ukrainian dishes when she immigrated in the 1920s. The Jewish Food Society, which started as a digital archive to document ephemeral Jewish family recipes passed down in oral histories, reveres the past but isnt stuck in it; the design is modern, the food styling is vibrant, and the recipes are meticulously tested. This is an accessible cookbook for history lovers and a unique way for chefs to gain inspiration for celebratory feasts, though I will warn you to double the recipes if you want leftovers. The Jewish Holiday Table: A World of Recipes, Traditions & Stories to Celebrate All Year Long The 135 recipes and accompanying stories in this book are a dazzling expression of all the ways we celebrate through what we bring to the table.The African Decor Edit: Collecting and Decorating With Heritage Objects by Nasozi KakemboRecommended by Gathoni Kamau, community outreach specialist and acting head of visitor experience at the National Museum of African ArtUgandan American designer Nasozi Kakembos beautiful book features stunning decor with traditional African heritage objects. It highlights artisans in Africa and their communities, giving context to the furniture, textiles, baskets, rugs and accessories that they create. In addition to showcasing inspiring interiors, the book also contains a sourcing guide to help readers learn about cultural appropriation, the origins of objects and ethical shopping models. The African Decor Edit is thoughtfully crafted and includes personal stories and photos, making it more intimate than your average decor book. The African Decor Edit: Collecting and Decorating with Heritage Objects In this book demonstrating the beauty of African decor, each chapter presents artisans in their home countries, telling their stories in their own words.The Ministry of Time by Kaliane BradleyRecommended by Sanchita Balachandran, director of the Smithsonians Museum Conservation Institute Preserving cultural heritage is a bit like time travel. As a conservator of archaeological materials, I examine items made in the past to imagine what the lives of those ancient people were like, wishing I could just have a conversation with them. Kaliane Bradleys swoony speculative fiction thriller The Ministry of Time brings that wish to life. She writes a crisply observed, laugh-out-loud study of a civil servant trying to do a decent job at a very odd assignment: being a guide of sorts to a person literally plucked out of history and brought into our own time. Bradleys book asks what might be possibleand what hope we as humans might haveif we could meet and truly engage with past people and even our past selves. Its a novel that takes on some big, existential questions about the weight of history with a lightness and deftness that is utterly unexpected and delightful. The Ministry of Time: A Novel An exquisitely original and feverishly fun fusion of genres and ideas, this book asks: What does it mean to defy history, when history is living in your house?Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday.A Note to our Readers Smithsonian magazine participates in affiliate link advertising programs. If you purchase an item through these links, we receive a commission.

Mad Mushroom, the influencer-owned game publisher in the OTK Network, announced two new action RPG titles at the OTK Winter Games Expo.Read More