Recreating a Perfume Worn in Ancient Egypt

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 …

NYC’s First Self-Driving Shuttle Service Optimus Ride Commences

This week NYC’s first-ever autonomous vehicle shuttle service began operation in Brooklyn. Known as Optimus Ride, the organization features a half-dozen, six-passenger electric vehicles. Running on a continuous loop, the shuttles trek 1.1 miles from the Brooklyn Navy Yard to the New York City Ferry dock on the East River. They aim to service 500 passengers per day from the compound which houses 400 companies and …

Millions of Books Entered the Public Domain

Thanks to a project funded by the New York Public Library (and spearheaded by two of its employees), millions of books published before 1964 will soon be free to download and read. Historically, books published before 1964 were subject to a 28-year copyright term and after those years passed, the books would (likely, aside from exception) become public domain if the publisher or author did …