Loo design has barely changed in 150 years – until now. Will people trade their privacy for the chance to find out exactly what is in their waste? For the past 10 years, Sonia Grego has been thinking about toilets – and more specifically what we deposit into them. “We are laser-focused on the analysis…
Special Interest
If you’ve been to New York, you’ve probably visited Central Park. But there’s a part of its story you won't see. Before Central Park was built, a historically black community was destroyed. It’s a story that goes back to the 1820s, when that part of New York was largely open countryside. Soon it became home…
Germany’s green party has proposed an ambitious network of night trains across Europe, which could connect the UK with destinations including Barcelona, Paris, Copenhagen and Stockholm. The proposed network would see some 40 sleeper services operating across the continent, with routes extending as far as Edinburgh, Glasgow and Birmingham as well as London. Read more here courtesy of…
Environmental neuroscience is an emerging field devoted to studying the impact of social and physical environments on brain processes and behaviour.
From the various opportunities for social interaction to noise levels and access to green spaces, the characteristics of the urban environment have important implications for neural mechanisms and brain functioning, thus influencing our physical state.
Read…
If you can't fix the problem, fix the blame . . . Doctors, scientists, intelligence agents and government officials have all been trying to find out what causes "Havana syndrome" - a mysterious illness that has struck American diplomats and spies. Some call it an act of war, others wonder if it is some new…
Where would we be without connectivity? Recent generations have come to accept that not only will the Internet work, but it will be fast and it will be cheap. The earth is about 24,901 miles (40,075 km) in circumference with about 7.674 billion people (as of 2019.) That's a lot of bandwidth required. Unbeknownst to…
Golfers are an intrepid bunch, prepared to play in all sorts of testing conditions. It is sometimes to the story of legend, or the butt of endless jokes. Here's just one. “The average golfer walks about 150 km and drinks four litres of alcohol each year. Which means golfers get about 38 km to the…
Waiting at the airport can be soul-crushing sometimes. Especially if your flight is delayed. But not always . . . Take a look at this cool new permanent artwork installed at California’s Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC) Installed in the pre-security Arrivals Hall of Terminal B, A million Times (San José), by artists Humans since 1982, is…
“Being like everybody is the same as being nobody.” “
There is nothing in the dark that isn't there when the lights are on.”
Rod Serling
Some of you may remember the ground-breaking Twilight Zone television show, which entranced so many of us (of a certain age) and still resonates to this day. If you loved the…
Yay! Common sense prevails in this day and age! The respective loyalty programs of our affiliate friends, Expedia, Vrbo, Hotels.com and other brands under the Expedia Group umbrella are to be unified into one service. The company says all brands and products will be in the program, covering flights, hotels, alternative accommodation, car rentals, cruises…
Near the famed Los Angeles intersection of Hollywood and Vine, the highly anticipated Thompson Hollywood is now welcoming guests, as of August 2021, who enter through a greenery-laden walkway, the first sign that this new hotel is something special. Featuring a bar, terrace and views of city, Thompson Hollywood is located 701 m from Capitol Records…
During the Airlines Confidential podcast, former Spirit Airlines CEO Ben Baldanza told an interesting story about trying to figure out whether a new route would be profitable. In normal times airlines have great data – required and reported by the federal government. But, some looked at telephone data and remittance data to get a sense…
There are records of tortilla production in the country going back as far as 500bc, so it’s fair to say that what the Mexicans don’t know about corn isn’t worth knowing. El Pastor restaurant co-founder Crispin Somerville shares his inside track on the tastiest snacks. Read more here courtesy of CNN.com Sin presión = no pressure.
Southwest…
You can be a part of worldwide coral regeneration schemes – here's how. Coral reefs are intricate ecosystems that quite literally breathe life into the world's oceans, but they are under threat. Destruction of reefs – such as mass coral bleaching – is the result of a combination of factors including climate change and pollution.…
‘That we come to this earth to live is untrue. We come but to sleep, to dream.’ – Aztec poem
Humans have long wondered why we sleep. A well-rested prehistoric mind probably pondered the question, long before Galileo thought to predict the period of the pendulum or to understand how fast objects fall. Why must…
Most hotels consider a random collection of prints and local photography an “arts program.” At The Alfond Inn near Rollins College campus in Winter Park, Florida, their arts program features Julie Mehretu, Nicole Eisenman, Hank Willis Thomas, Tracey Emin, Jaune Quick-to-See Smith–top stars of contemporary art with solo shows attracting thousands of visitors at renowned…
Travel to countries that have collapsed around the world and one will find post-Apocalyptic worlds. In the former Soviet Union, one can find scores and scores of abandoned and crumbling factories and cities - crumbling ruins testifying to the once great Soviet Union. In America, one can find just one post-Apocalyptic world just outside of…
If you think a chair is simply a chair, you might be right. But there are designers who think beyond the norm, in all walks of life. It matters in this day of dwindling resources. Salone is the most important furniture event in the world, strongly connected to the city and the design culture. This…
We love automobiles here at Matouring. Especially European cars. And even more especially French vehicles. Por quoi? They have always seemed to go beyond the pale, seeking smart functionality with undeniable style. Our favourite French marque is Citroën. From the 2CV to the latest Cactus models, they have never been shy about pushing the envelope.…
Are you shy? Maybe out of "the game"? Have you recently moved to a new location and finding it hard to connect with others? These three strategies can help if you’re looking to make new and meaningful connections. If you check out your social media feeds, you’ll see that you’re probably connected to a lot…