How an ancient Indian art utilizes mathematics, mythology, and rice

Victorian makeup scams, black history miniatures, and Sweden's old oak. Email not displaying correctly? View in your browser. May 09, 2019 ‘Pictorial Prayers’ Both a prayer and an art form, kōlam is a centuries-long tradition in which artists in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu draw beautiful, ritualistic designs using rice flour. Fascinated with their patterns, computer scientists have used the kōlam to teach computers language fundamentals. Read More → Victorian Makeup Scam In 1863, Madame Rachel launched an ethically goopy cosmetics practice in London to capitalize on Victorian women’s desire for eternal youth. Her trademark service claimed to lighten a lady’s skin by removing all the hairs on her face and then dousing her with an alkaline wash one would normally use to clean a toilet. Read more → Atlas Obscura Trips San Francisco Invention Come with us on a three-day trip this September as we explore unusual galleries, test your cocktail-mixing skills, and delve into the backstories of both an unofficial royal and unofficial museum in this great city of innovators. Learn more → Video Black History Miniatures Meet folk artist Karen Collins, the creative force behind the African American Miniature Museum–a visual tour of African American history depicted in intricate dioramas placed in shadowboxes. Watch Now → Sweden’s Old Oak An old oak tree known as the Kvill Oak or Rumskulla Oak has stood in the Swedish city of Kalmar for hundreds of years. However, after years of stress and decay, researchers aren’t sure how much longer one of the country’s oldest oak trees will survive. Read more → Community Incredible Castles The world is full of incredible fortresses, palaces, follies, and keeps for all of us to explore. Tell us about the most magical castles you’ve discovered. Share now → MEXCALTITÁN DE URIBE, MEXICO Mythical City The small, human-made island of Mexicaltitán in the western Mexico state of Nayarit is believed to be the location of the mythical city of Aztlán, the long lost birthplace of the Aztec civilization. Read more → Food & Drink Raspberry Cordial Immortalized by Anne of Green Gables, this drink is a must-try for literature lovers on Prince Edward Island. Read more → Visit AtlasObscura.com · View in Browser · Unsubscribe · See All Newsletters 61 Greenpoint Ave #622, Brooklyn, NY 11222