Culture is a broad category referring to the way we experience, classify, and share our humanity. The arts, a subdivision of culture, focus on expression of experiences and ideas.

Arts and Culture include subjects like film and television, food and drink, video games, visual arts, performing arts, mass media, sports, literature, and more.

Leonardo da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa with eggs


Mona Lisa painted with eggs

A study published in Nature Communications suggests that “Old Masters” such as Leonardo da Vinci, Sandro Botticelli, and Rembrandt might have used proteins, particularly egg yolk, in their oil paintings.

Vincent van Gogh Cut off His Ear


van Gogh ear painting

Vincent van Gogh cut off his ear after a fight with his friend and flatmate Paul Gauguin and then gave his ear to a maid at a brothel.

Saying “Moshi Moshi” Proves You Aren’t a Ghost


Ghosts Can't Say Moshi Moshi

There is an idea that the reason “Moshi” is said twice in the Japanese phrase “Moshi Moshi” is that ghosts can’t say “Moshi” twice. Thus, saying “Moshi Moshi” proves you aren’t a ghost. This is unlikely to be the true root of “Moshi Moshi.” It is more likely “Moshi Moshi” is simply an evolution of the telephone hello used by telephone operators.

Most Sushi is Previously Frozen


Sushi Frozen Before Eating

Most types of fish eaten raw have to be frozen to kill parasites before being served in the US according to the FDA. Meanwhile, “sushi grade” is fish that can be eaten raw. So most sushi grade fish is previously frozen in the US.

Bonsai Trees Are Actually Trees


A Bonsai Tree

Even though some other plant types are used for Bonsai, Bonsai trees are actually trees that have been grown and shaped to look like miniature trees. Any tree species can be used to grow a Bonsai tree.

MIDI Still Uses Version 1.0


MIDI (the communications protocol for musical instruments), despite being standardized in 1983, still uses version 1.0.

Mukbang Explained

Mukbang is a fad that started in South Korea where people film or broadcast themselves eating food (often large amounts of food) to create an “eating show.” Mukbang can be thought of as “performance eating.”