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3D movies have gone in and out of fashion for over a hundred years. Ever since the Lumière brothers first shocked an 1895 audience with The Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat, filmmakers have tried to trick audiences into believing that the images on screen are real. This past year has seen a resurgence of interest in 3D movies from blockbuster hits like Avatar; to newly debuted 3DTVs for personal home use; and even — plans for 3D cell phones. It appears that 3D may be here to stay — but, what is 3D and how do 3D movies work?

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The world of paleontology was recently shaken by the discovery of a giant sperm whale fossil in Peru. Quickly called the “Leviathan” whale in honor of Moby Dick’s author Herman Melville, its size is staggering. The whale’s head was larger than a human being (see image 3 below). This whale is said to have been up to 58 feet wide, much like the modern sperm whale that descended from it. But whereas the modern sperm whale does not have teeth on the top of its gums, this ancient whale had teeth that were over 14 inches long! They are the largest teeth ever found in a whale fossil. Scientists speculate that the whale fed on other whales, as shown in the illustration above.

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Was pizza invented in the United States? Many people seem to think so, given its popularity across the fifty states. America has its own forms of pizza, but pizza’s clearest origins are in Italy, in one city in particular. Like many foods however, its deepest origins lie across many cultures. After all, the idea of baking flour and adding toppings to it is pretty straightforward. Some of the early recorded evidence for this comes from 6th century BCE Persian soldiers in the army of Darius the Great who mixed cheese and dates on baked flat bread. There are traces of Stone Age residents in the Italian peninsula baking bread beneath a fire, and then using it as a plate - something also common in ancient Greece. Certainly the close proximity and cross-conquests of people in the larger Mediterranean region meant that there was ample opportunity for the sharing of food ideas. The word “pizza” is said to have come from the word “pita” which describes a flat bread in many cultures around the Mediterranean.

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Coffee is one of the most pervasive drinks on earth, found nearly everywhere from Tucson to Timbuktu, from Beijing to Burundi. There is hardly a culture where it is not entrenched, one of the first things billions of hands reach for every morning. Like its main competitor, tea, it is said to have health benefits. Both have an active ingredient, caffeine, which helps to wake us up and keep us going. Coffee drinking, however, is a comparatively recent activity, far younger than tea or alcohol consumption.

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How old are passports? Who invented them? As some of us prepare to travel abroad this summer and are searching for our passports or applying for our first ones, it is worth considering where these all-important pieces of paper originated. They are both much older than we might think, and much younger in their present form.

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We use money everyday to purchase our food, pay for the roof over our head, and purchase various good and services. But have you ever wondered how the concept of money began or where it first originated? Or even why it works? These are actually very profound questions and the answers have as much to do with history, economics and technology as with human psychology. The story of money represents the many bonds between different people, cultures and individual human beings.

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We think of postcards as part of modern life, whether in their printed or electronic versions. Surprisingly, they have not been around that long! It has been just over a hundred years since the so-called “postcard revolution” hit the world. Before then postcards, or paper cards with a picture or drawing on one side and message or address on the back were largely unknown to the world. How they came to be is a fascinating historical story.

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Have you ever heard of Pilates? Do you know who invented this exercise method? Well, you are about to find out!

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What did people do before there were cinemas? Well, there was (and still is) theater. But artificial moving images? Believe it or not, there was a compelling option, and it helped lead the way to the moving picture. It was called the magic lantern.

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With the release of the newest Chevron Car, Moe Muscle, we would like to take a step back to a time when lightweight, powerful American cars roamed the streets.

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With school starting up within the next several weeks, some of you might be wondering, what ever happened to summer? Don’t worry– we’ve compiled a list of exciting activities to finish off your summer.

Remember - always be safe, don’t do anything without first asking your parent or guardian, and having them supervise you when needed.

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One of the most distinctly American contributions to popular entertainment during the 20th century was the pinball machine. Its origins, however, lie in 18th century France. The rise of this gaming platform is the story of clever innovations, technology and social change. This tale is also far from over. As we shall see, the pinball game continues to develop. The machine may be disappearing from arcades, but the concept remains very much alive.

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