Link About It: This Week’s Picks
NYC to end conversion therapy, Sophina DeJesus’ viral gymnastics routine, dogs of NYFW and more in our look around the web
1. Sophina DeJesus’ Viral Gymnastics Routine
With her teammates cheering her every step (and leap) of the way, UCLA’s Sophina DeJesus (a 21-year-old sociology major) has performed a super-playful and very viral gymnastics routine that has the world watching over and over again. Her hip-hop-inspired moves aren’t traditional of floor routines and that is exactly why it’s so enjoyable to watch—not to mention how much fun she is having herself.
2. Trippy GIFs of Bacteria-Like Animations
On their Tumblr page Protobacillus, Brazilian artist duo Gustavo Spredemann and Leono Simonetti share scintillating GIFs of bacteria-like animations. Some wiggle and ooze while others flare-up with bursts of color, each depicting what you might imagine brain cells look like during a hallucination. Head to BOOOOOOOM to see more of the trippy animations, but beware, they might not be safe for those sensitive to flashing lights.
3. Dogs of NYFW
Whether you’re following NYFW or not, these pooches all dolled up for Fashion Week will surely help pique your sartorial interest. From Chloe Kardoggian to Ralphie The Cockapoo, each furry friend is ready to attend, shoot or walk in a show—and no doubt set the cute bar incredibly high for the humans taking part in NYC’s crazy previews of fall collections.
4. The Room from Van Gogh’s “The Bedroom” Painting is on Airbnb
To celebrate the opening of their latest exhibition, “Van Gogh’s Bedrooms,” the Art Institute of Chicago has created a real-life replica of the room seen in Van Gogh’s painting “The Bedroom” for visitors to stay in. The space reenvisions the same brush stroked walls, chairs and wooden floors seen in the artwork as a three dimensional interactive experience. It’s located in the River North neighborhood of Chicago and is currently up for rent on Airbnb for $10 per night.
5. France Plans to Build 620 Miles of Solar Roads
France has announced plans to build over 600 miles of solar panel roads, joining the likes of the Netherlands and Korea in adopting the forward-thinking technology. The roads will generate enough energy to provide power for roughly 8% of the French population and will take about five years to complete. Head to Fast Company to learn more.
6. Quartz News App for iPhone
Brand new and exclusively for iPhones, Quartz’s news app aims to be unlike any of the others presently available. Quartz structures the app to be more like a conversation about current events (“kind of like texting”) rather than a replica of their website content. When users are sent a message, article, link, image or GIF, they can tap to learn more or opt out—making it less disruptive and wholly tailored. Each session is also designed to only last a few moments, as the creators realize that apps are most often used on-the-go.
7. New York to Eliminate Absurd “Conversion Therapy”
The governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo, has announced plans to eliminate “conversion therapy,” a practice that claims to turn gay children straight. The plan revolves around economic incentives that would discourage these practices from being used on children. “I think it’s an important message to send to young people that the state is cutting off the oxygen for so-called conversion therapy,” Cuomo stated in an interview. “Kids and parents need to know that this practice is quackery.” Read more at the New York Times.
8. Otherworldy Images of a Glass Recycling Factory
At the Phoenicia Glass Works Ltd. factory in Yeruham, Israel, massive mountains of soon-to-be-recycled shards of glass form an eerie, colorful landscape. Sorted into piles of green, brown and clear, the mounds reach up to 50 feet in height and stretch across the distance of several soccer fields. Pulitzer Prize-winning Israeli photographer Oded Bality recently traveled to Yeruham to photograph the scraps, producing some otherworldly images. Take a look at Mashable.
Link About It is our filtered look at the web, shared daily in Link and on social media, and rounded up every Saturday morning.
