Decades of work, $10 billion in spending and nearly 14 billion years of cosmic history have brought us to this moment. The first science from the James Webb Space Telescope, the largest and most powerful observatory ever built. What questions will it answer? What new mysteries will discover? What will this new eye on the cosmos reveal? The telescope’s first science images will be out VERY soon. Here’s a quick look at what you can expect when they drop. For complete cover of the Webb, hit up: http://sciam.com/jwst
All posts by Intellicurious
Art: Volcano Painting In Europe From 1780-1870
‘It is desirable for a Painter, at least once in his life, to witness the Eruption of a volcano.’ – Pierre-Henri de Valenciennes (1799). Join exhibition contributor Clive Oppenheimer, Professor of Volcanology at the Department of Geography at the University of Cambridge, and explore the ‘Volcanoes’ section of True to Nature. #TrueToNature is open at the Fitzwilliam Museum until 29 August 2022 https://fitz.ms/ttn
Preview: Architectural Review – July/August 2022
AR July/August 2022
For two and a half years, risks of contagion have justified restrictions on public life around the world, at times tipping towards punitive control and attacks on civil liberty. The essays in this issue examine some of the forces that encroach upon public spaces, whether they be the economic imperatives that govern late capitalist cities or anti‑democratic political regimes that grab common land. The affordances of public spaces are never singular and neither are their publics. The voices in this issue question assumptions about who – or what – the monolithic ‘public’ is, advocating spaces that make room for difference. Also featured are the commended projects of the inaugural AR Public awards, which take us from Paris, Dhaka, and Guiyuan Village in China, to Singapore, London and Bangkok. Public spaces are complex and often imperfect – a ‘versatile, if unevenly distributed, resourcescape’, to use Álvaro Sevilla-Buitrago’s phrase – but as the pandemic continues, it is crucial that designers and publics continue to negotiate them.
For two and a half years, risks of contagion have justified restrictions on public life around the world, at times tipping towards punitive control and attacks on civil liberty. The essays in this issue examine some of the forces that encroach upon public spaces, whether they be the economic imperatives that govern late capitalist cities or anti‑democratic political regimes that grab common land. The affordances of public spaces are never singular and neither are their publics. The voices in this issue question assumptions about who – or what – the monolithic ‘public’ is, advocating spaces that make room for difference. Also featured are the commended projects of the inaugural AR Public awards, which take us from Paris, Dhaka, and Guiyuan Village in China, to Singapore, London and Bangkok. Public spaces are complex and often imperfect – a ‘versatile, if unevenly distributed, resourcescape’, to use Álvaro Sevilla-Buitrago’s phrase – but as the pandemic continues, it is crucial that designers and publics continue to negotiate them.
Public
Keynote: Publicity, Álvaro Sevilla-Buitrago
Reputations: Michael Sorkin, Kate Wagner
Unceded land, unpublic use, Timmah Ball
Reclaiming Asunción, Laurence Blair
Pockets of promise in Gugulethu, Kathryn Ewing
Outrage: Legacies of Covid-19 in Shanghai, Flora Ng
Colombia Views: The Food & Culture Of Medellín
Medellín is the capital of Colombia’s mountainous Antioquia province. Nicknamed the “City of Eternal Spring” for its temperate weather, it hosts a famous annual Flower Festival. Modern metrocables link the city to surrounding barrios and offer views of the Aburrá Valley below. Sculptures by Fernando Botero decorate downtown’s Botero Plaza, while the Museo de Antioquia displays more of the Colombian artist’s work.
Incredible food, amazing art, friendly people all nestled in a breathtaking landscape. Medellin was my first visit to South America, believe it or not and I was captivated by everything it and Colombia has to offer. We were joined by Medellin and Colombia food experts and enthusiast Gaston from Palenque tours to experience some of the lesser known Colombian food. Spoiler alert: it was all absolutely delicious. https://palenque-tours-colombia.com/
Morning News: Sri Lanka’s President Steps Down, Big Tech Firms, Peter Brook
Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Sri Lanka’s president, announced he will step down on Wednesday after protestors occupied Colombo, the country’s capital, over the weekend.
Whoever succeeds him will inherit a host of thorny economic problems. Why Europe’s big tech firms are well placed to weather a downturn. And remembering Peter Brook, an extraordinary theatre director who died at the age of 93.
Front Page View: The New York Times – July 11, 2022

Most Democrats Don’t Want Biden in 2024, New Poll Shows
With the country gripped by a pervasive sense of pessimism, the president is hemorrhaging support.
Travel Guide: What To See And Visit In Sofia, Bulgaria
Sofia – The capital of the Balkan state of Bulgaria is one of the oldest cities in Europe. The city’s landscape is a blend of Eastern and Western architecture, from the Roman and Ottoman empires as well as Brutalist buildings from the Soviet era. YouTuber @Veneta Nikolova takes you on a walk through her hometown.
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is a Bulgarian Orthodox cathedral in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. Built in Neo-Byzantine style, it serves as the cathedral church of the Patriarch of Bulgaria and it is one of the 50 largest Christian church buildings by volume in the world.
Missouri Views: Rainbow Trout At Roaring River
“Sunday Morning” takes us swimming with rainbow trout at Missouri’s Roaring River State Park. Videographer: Scot Miller.
Located in the southwest Ozark hills, Roaring River State Park is one of three state parks stocked with rainbow trout. Eager anglers flock to the park year-round to try and catch their lunker trout.
Travel Tour: The Top Ten Places To Visit In Sicily
Sicily, the largest Mediterranean island, is just off the “toe” of Italy’s “boot.” Its rich history is reflected in sites like the Valley of the Temples, the well-preserved ruins of 7 monumental, Doric-style Greek temples, and in the Byzantine mosaics at the Cappella Palatina, a former royal chapel in capital city Palermo. On Sicily’s eastern edge is Mount Etna, one of Europe’s highest active volcanoes.
Walking Tour: Valencia In Southeastern Spain (4K)
The port city of Valencia lies on Spain’s southeastern coast, where the Turia River meets the Mediterranean Sea. It’s known for its City of Arts and Sciences, with futuristic structures including a planetarium, an oceanarium and an interactive museum. Valencia also has several beaches, including some within nearby Albufera Park, a wetlands reserve with a lake and walking trails.