How do we define a year? It is the Earth’s journey around the sun, with variations in light influencing our days, weather, and seasons. Boris Acket and Studio Airport’s “Five Studies on Light,” featured in Emergence Magazine, offers an immersive exploration of light’s role in shaping our perception. This piece highlights how light’s transformations dictate the Earth’s seasonal cycle, impacting ecosystems, cultures, and our intrinsic understanding of time. The absence of variation in light would leave time adrift, unraveling the complex systems that depend on these rhythms.
Feeling any New Year’s Day blues? Whether recovering or feeling fine, delve into Tiarna Meehan’s 2025 roundup of striking dance-floor photographs for Dazed, examining nightlife’s aesthetic and political significance. Despite challenges like venue closures and rising costs, clubs in 2025 faced existential threats, prompting discussions on their value and inclusivity. Yet, the resilience of promoters, performers, and attendees kept the vibrant dance culture alive, turning the dance floor into a symbol of resistance.
Public bathroom design has evolved over time, and Calvin Gimpelevich explores this in the Los Angeles Review of Books. The Romans, like modern times, faced digestive issues and developed innovative ways to maintain hygiene. They used a shallow gutter with flowing water in front of forica benches, possibly for cleansing. Romans might have used sponge sticks, xylospongia, for wiping, though some argue they were akin to toilet brushes. The story of a German prisoner using a sponge stick to avoid execution underscores the Romans’ pragmatic approach to hygiene, despite a certain sense of disgust.
Celebrating a milestone, Flossie the cat has turned 30, as reported by Dylan Horetski for Dexerto. Despite being deaf and having limited eyesight, Flossie is in good health, maintaining a routine of eating, sleeping, and playing. Recognized by Guinness World Records, she stands as the oldest living cat and among the seven oldest verified cats in history.
As New York City bids farewell to the MetroCard, meet Thomas McKean, who transforms these cards into art. Tomorrow marks the end of the MetroCard era, a staple since 1993, replacing subway tokens and becoming integral to New Yorkers’ daily lives. Artist Thomas McKean has spent years collecting MetroCards, creating detailed collages and sculptures. He believes the MetroCard united New Yorkers across diverse backgrounds, serving as a common thread in their wallets. Now, it becomes a piece of history.
