A list of intriguing things
One: We have a soft spot for artists who create beauty out of waste. The most famous among them is El Anatsui—the Ghanaian sculptor whose work is now on display at the Tate Modern in London. Titled ‘Behind the Red Moon’, these metallic pieces are made of recycled bottle tops, milk tin lids, cassava graters and iron nails. They cascade from the ceiling—glittering like gold or precious metal. You can get the sense of the scale below—while the lead image offers a close up view. ArtNet and Financial Times (paywall) have more on his Tate exhibit. You can see more of Anatsui’s work here.
Two: The world’s most badass truck is called Unimog—abbreviation for Universal-Motor-Gerät—and is made by Mercedes Benz. It’s an “extreme off-road vehicle” capable of driving straight into a wildfire—and through flood waters as high as 1.2 metres. Oh, also this: “Germany has supplied Ukraine with Unimogs that have been adapted to serve as everything from ambulances to platforms for rocket launchers.” Clearly the perfect vehicle for the end of days—which explains its wild popularity and long waitlist. Bloomberg News and Car & Driver explain why Unimog is the emperor of trucks. Daimler/Benz has a handy image gallery:) And yes, there’s even a Unimog museum.
Three: The Greek Culture Ministry has a cool new app that lets you go back in time. So you can experience the Acropolis as it was 2,500 years ago:
The app, called “Chronos” after the mythological king of the Titans and Greek word for “time,” uses augmented reality to place the ancient impression of the site onto the screen, matching the real-world view as you walk around.
FYI: this isn’t Greek tourism’s first innovative leap into immersive tech. The ministry lured Chinese visitors with the video game—Assassin’s Creed Odyssey which allows players to roam ancient Athens. You can see how Chronos works in the demo vid below. (Associated Press)
