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In 1912, Alabama monk Brother Joseph Zoettl began recreating landmarks he had mostly never seen; 46 years later, at age 80, he finished the last of 125 miniatures

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In 1912, Alabama monk Brother Joseph Zoettl began recreating landmarks he had mostly never seen; 46 years later, at age 80, he finished the last of 125 miniatures

Alabama monk Brother Joseph Zoettl In 1912, a Bavarian-born Benedictine monk at St. Bernard Abbey in Cullman, Alabama, began building miniature cement copies of some of the world’s best-known religious sites, using postcards, pieces of marble and donated costume jewellery as his main guides. Brother Joseph Zoettl spent the next 46 years turning a four-acre … Read more

Brazil planted vast eucalyptus forests for pulp; 45 years later scientists found groundwater had fallen by 4.5 metres

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Brazil planted vast eucalyptus forests for pulp; 45 years later scientists found groundwater had fallen by 4.5 metres

Brazil’s eucalyptus industry was built on a simple promise: grow trees quickly, harvest them for pulp and create a renewable supply for the global paper industry. Over decades, however, the enormous plantations have transformed landscapes across parts of the country, raising concerns about what happens to water beneath the trees. In one eucalyptus-growing region of … Read more

NBA star Dwight Howard relists his Georgia mansion for $14.5 million; why the 8-time All-Star has raised the price by $3.25 million

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NBA star Dwight Howard relists his Georgia mansion for $14.5 million; why the 8-time All-Star has raised the price by $3.25 million

Eight-time All-Star centre Dwight Howard recently put his Georgia estate back on the market with a $3.25 million increase from last year. The retired NBA star hiked the asking price to $11.25 million, making it the most expensive home for sale in the suburb, according to a report by Mansion Global. Now, its price is … Read more

A 69,000 sq ft data centre was planned beside Nashville Zoo; 600,000 people signed against it as a clouded leopard cub became the face of the fight to protect wildlife

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A 69,000 sq ft data centre was planned beside Nashville Zoo; 600,000 people signed against it as a clouded leopard cub became the face of the fight to protect wildlife

A proposed 69,000 sq ft data centre beside Nashville Zoo in Nashville, Tennessee, has triggered a huge public campaign, with nearly 600,000 people signing a Change.org petition opposing the development. The project, proposed by digital infrastructure company DC BLOX, has raised concerns at the zoo over potential noise, artificial light and other impacts from round-the-clock … Read more

EBay’s first full-time employee left the company after its IPO and built a $5.9 billion fortune; he has now donated about $1.2 billion into social-change projects

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EBay's first full-time employee left the company after its IPO and built a $5.9 billion fortune; he has now donated about $1.2 billion into social-change projects

Jeffrey Scholl. Image Credit: Scoll World Forum Jeff Skoll, eBay‘s first full-time employee and president, played a crucial role in building the company before leaving after its 1998 public offering. He helped turn an online auction business into one of the defining technology companies of the internet boom, then chose a different path from the … Read more

In 1994, 280 craftsmen built a Balinese estate from Indonesian ironwood and teak; dismantled and shipped to Hawaii, it was rebuilt with more than 1 million shingles and is now asking $32.5 million

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In 1994, 280 craftsmen built a Balinese estate from Indonesian ironwood and teak; dismantled and shipped to Hawaii, it was rebuilt with more than 1 million shingles and is now asking $32.5 million

The architecture adheres to traditional Balinese principles, with the residence divided into a number of independent pavilions linked by open-air decks and sheltered walkways. Imagine if a piece of Bali was carefully taken apart, shipped across the Pacific, and reassembled along one of Hawaii’s most dramatic coastlines. So the answer is a gorgeous oceanfront estate, … Read more

A self-made billionaire couple gave San Francisco State University $25 million in XRP, one of the largest crypto donations to US higher education

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A self-made billionaire couple gave San Francisco State University $25 million in XRP, one of the largest crypto donations to US higher education

PC: San Francisco State University A self-made billionaire couple gave San Francisco State University a $25 million gift, with a large portion of the donation made in XRP, making it one of the biggest cryptocurrency contributions to US higher education at the time. Chris Larsen, an SF State alumnus, and his wife Lyna Lam donated … Read more

Meet Benjamin Choi, a 17-year-old who built a $300 mind-controlled prosthetic arm that reads brainwaves through non-invasive electrodes

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Meet Benjamin Choi, a 17-year-old who built a $300 mind-controlled prosthetic arm that reads brainwaves through non-invasive electrodes

Each one of us spent the pandemic doing something that we normally wouldn’t have the time to. While some picked up numerous indoor hobbies, others studied hard enough to change career pathways. Benjamin Choi, a then 17-year-old kid, put his spare time during the phase to design an accessible device that does not require brain … Read more

In 1963, Rat Pack composer Jimmy Van Heusen bought a secluded California mountain; decades later it became a legendary celebrity hideaway

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In 1963, Rat Pack composer Jimmy Van Heusen bought a secluded California mountain; decades later it became a legendary celebrity hideaway

Image(s): Left/Jimmy Van Heusen and Sammy Cahn/American Songwriter/Right/Rattlesnake Ranch Some places become famous because of what they look like, and then there are places whose reputation comes almost entirely from the people who once gathered there. High above Yucca Valley in California’s high desert, Rattlesnake Ranch belongs firmly to the second category. Composer Jimmy Van … Read more

In 1953, North and South Korea established a demilitarised zone; decades later human isolation led to the formation of a 155-mile-long wildlife haven

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In 1953, North and South Korea established a demilitarised zone; decades later human isolation led to the formation of a 155-mile-long wildlife haven

Soldiers on both sides stand behind fences and in between are thousands of landmines. For more than 70 years, humans have not ventured into a 155-mile-long corridor that divides two nations, North and South Korea. While boundaries and borders can ward people off, nature is above all such regulations. This is probably why a space … Read more