The bright and striking pigment known as Egyptian Blue (or calcium copper silicate) was invented 5,000 years ago but continues to fascinate, now through the scientific insight it provides. The pigment (most famously featured on the Bust of Nefertiti, 1345 BC) has proven itself useful in biology research, as nanoscale mineral sheets of it essentially light up molecular imaging. A description of an imaging experiment …
Reflecting on Toni Morrison’s Life, From Her Point of View The first African-American woman to win the Nobel Prize, a Pulitzer prize winner for penning Beloved and a mentor to millions, among many other things, Toni Morrison lived unapologetically but with unmatched empathy, intelligence and insightfulness. She famously told Terry Gross (of NPR’s Fresh Air) that she “regret[s] everything” about her life. She explained in …
Amidst an excavation of the ancient Egyptian city Thmuis, researchers uncovered the ruins of a fragrance factory dating back to 300 BC. The site contained tiny glass perfume jars, imported clay amphoras and an ancient sludge. The latter was brought to ancient Egyptian perfume experts who then replicated residue based on recipes—featuring myrrh, cardamom, green olive oil, and cinnamon—found in materia medica texts. (An act …
