Link About It: This Week’s Picks

Sculptures from crayons, mayonnaise as medicine, inventing instant noodles and more

27 February 2021

Herb Williams’ Crayon-Based Busts + Sculptures

Nashville-based artist Herb Williams’ playful crayon sculptures address climate change in ways more palatable for children. Inspired by wildfires, extreme weather and deforestation, his works make statements embedded with complex references and calls for action. “The epic catastrophes, disasters, and pandemic are virtually impossible to navigate as adults, so I am trying to create works that will help children understand and eventually deal, most hopefully [to] solve what we can’t one day,” Williams tells Colossal. “I’m exploring the myths we cling to comfort, deny or manage our way through without losing our collective humanity.” See more of his pieces on Colossal.

Photo of “First Fire,” © Herb Williams, by Hannah Deits

Edvard Munch’s Secret “Madman” Message in The Scream

Hidden among the brushstrokes of Norwegian expressionist Edvard Munch’s famous “The Scream” painting (actually named “Skrik”) are the words, “Can only have been painted by a madman.” Scrawled in pencil at the top left corner, the inscription’s attribution has been debated recently, with many wondering if it was written by a harsh critic (as the work received heavy criticism upon its release in 1895). New analytical tests by the National Museum of Norway compared the script to letters penned by the artist. It confirmed the handwriting—and the stark message—to be Munch’s. Read more about the painting’s history and the process behind attributing the text at the Independent.

Image courtesy of the National Museum of Norway

Mayonnaise Mends Endangered Turtles Clogged With Tar

An oil spill off Israel’s Mediterranean coast has impacted the water’s population of endangered green sea turtles. At the country’s National Sea Turtle Rescue Center, medical assistants stumbled upon an unexpected way to break down the sticky substance and its leftover residue: mayonnaise. “They came to us full of tar. All their trachea from inside and outside was full of tar,” Guy Ivgy, an assistant at the center, tells The Associated Press. A diet of mostly mayonnaise (along with the extra nutrients turtles need) proved effective in clearing the turtles’ tracheas and digestive tracts. The process will take a week or two, but the center anticipates all turtles will make a full recovery and be released back into the wild. Read more at AP News.

Image courtesy of AP Photo / Ariel Schalit

Momofuku Ando’s Instant Noodles Revolutionized At-Home Cooking

As part of It’s Nice That‘s Design Legacies series, Lucy Bourton takes readers on a deep dive into instant ramen’s origin story. First conjured up by Momofuku Ando during the food shortages following the Second World War in Japan, instant noodles drastically altered cooking and dining at home—an especially remarkable feat when one considers Momofuku had no prior culinary experience. When he lost his job in 1957 and found himself worrying about foot shortages once more, Momofuku set about developing his idea further. He embarked on a year of trial and error using regular home equipment, and then in a shed he converted into a test kitchen. When it came to market in 1958, the noodles were “an instant hit, adopting the nickname ‘magic ramen’ due to its convenience.” Momofuku passed away in 2007, aged 96, but now his determined and creative attitude is “distilled in the Cup Noodles museums in Japan.” Read more about the recipe, development, cup design and beyond at It’s Nice That.

MyHeritage’s “Deep Nostalgia” Service Turns Old Photos Into Moving Images

Utilizing AI-powered enhancements, the tech company MyHeritage brings people’s old photos to life in a way that calls to mind the few seconds of movement around iOS Live Photos. This service, called “Deep Nostalgia,” transforms static imagery into videos automatically. After signing up, users can animate five photos for free. Each image is analyzed, enhanced and then the position of the subject’s face is matched to a modern recording in order to emulate real-life movement. Then, a life-like animation is generated. Read more about the arresting process at Gizmodo.