A lasting impression: How I got a Rembrandt tattoo that will last a lifetime
AMSTERDAM (AP) — The Rembrandt House Museum in Amsterdam is hosting "The Poor Man's Rembrandt Project" again this fall. The pop-up allows visitors to get tattoos of Rembrandt's designs from renowned tattoo artist Henk Schiffmacher, also known as Hanky Panky. Schiffmacher believes Rembrandt's simple and beautiful drawings are perfect for tattoos. The project offers people a way to own a replica of Rembrandt's art without the high price of a painting. Schiffmacher has been a respected figure in the tattoo community for decades, known for his dedication to preserving tattoo heritage and his work with celebrities.
'Dixie' map that divided US into North and South is going up for auction
It’s perhaps the most consequential map in American history, and it could be yours. The hand-drawn chart of the Mason-Dixon Line that eventually divided the free and slave states is up for auction. Originally intended to settle a border dispute between the colonies of Maryland and Pennsylvania, Charles Mason's and Jeremiah Dixon's survey became synonymous with the fundamental divisions that exploded into civil war four decades later. Late publisher Malcolm Forbes outbid the Library of Congress for the map in 1982, paying $360,000. Lauren Brunk of Brunk Auctions estimates it could fetch up to $1 million at Thursday's sale.
A popemobile exhibition is unveiled at the Vatican, featuring the vehicle popes have used since 1930
VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican is opening a celebration of the popemobile. The now-iconic vehicle has allowed popes to get close to the faithful at home and abroad for nearly a century. The Vatican Museums unveiled a preview of the exhibition on Wednesday commemorating “A Century of the Popemobile.” It features eight Mercedes-Benz versions of the car that popes have used since 1930. Pope Leo XIV is a big car lover. He separately met with top Mercedes-Benz executives and thanked them for their partnership with the Holy See. The Chicago-born pope noted in his remarks that the advances in automotive technology had accompanied the advances and evolutions of papal travel. The exhibition officially opens to the public on Thursday.
Ahead of Rome tipoff, basketball powerhouse Villanova embraces 'Pope Leo effect'
VILLANOVA, Pa. (AP) — Villanova University is deepening its ties to the Vatican, thanks to its famous alumnus, Pope Leo. The pope graduated from Villanova in 1977 with a degree in mathematics. The pope is part of the Augustinian order that founded the university near Philadelphia. Villanova is now finding new ways to connect with his papacy. On Sunday, Villanova's basketball teams will play Notre Dame in Rome. The event follows a recent sustainability conference that Villanova held in Rome. Villanova has seen a 10% increase in applications since Pope Leo's election. Some school officials call it the “Pope Leo effect.”
Marigolds anchor Día de los Muertos altars, believed to guide spirits home
Throughout history, flowers have carried cultural significance around the world, but few flowers hold as powerful a place in remembrance as the marigold, especially on Nov. 1 and 2, when Latino communities celebrate Día de los Muertos. The flowers are used to decorate altars and shrines that hold candles, photographs, favorite foods and the personal belongings of departed loved ones. Their strong scent and bright orange or yellow color are believed to guide the spirits back to their families. Marigolds are easy-care annual plants typically grown from summer through autumn, which makes them well-suited for the weeks leading up to the holiday.
A dinosaur fossil that looks like a mini T. rex just sold for a giant $47 million
NEW YORK (AP) — A dinosaur that looks like a miniature T. rex is now one of the world's most expensive fossils. The rare skeleton of a Nanotyrannus sold for $47.3 million to a mystery buyer at auction in New York City. Sotheby’s auction house had expected it to fetch anywhere from $6 to $9 million. The price tag for “Jodi,” as the skeleton is nicknamed, makes it the second-priciest set of dinosaur bones ever sold. This summer, a T. rex fossil known as “Gus” sold for a record $50.1 million. Some scientists have opposed such private sales, saying they should go to museums or other institutions for study and public display.
This freight train claims to be the longest ever. Here's how long
CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — South Africa claims it has sent the longest freight train in the world on a test run. The train was 7.6 kilometers or 4.7 miles long and consisted of 696 freight wagons. That's according to the state-run transportation and logistics company Transnet that operated it. The train's freight wagons were empty for the two-day journey from a port to an iron ore mine in the interior of the country. Transnet says that it claimed the record from a 4.5-mile-long or 7.24-kilometer-long freight train that undertook a journey in Australia in 2001.
In Suriname's rainforest, Saamaka woodcarvers face the pull of gold mining and logging
PIKI SEEI, Suriname (AP) — In Suriname, the Saamaka people are striving to preserve their traditional woodcarving art, known as tembe. This craft, passed down through generations, is integral to their cultural identity. However, expanding gold mining and logging are drawing men away from villages and traditional crafts. Carvers say that woodcarving is more than art; it holds cultural knowledge and history. Despite economic pressures, some carvers are teaching the next generation, hoping to keep the tradition alive. They believe preserving this craft is crucial for maintaining their cultural heritage and connection to the forest.
How daylight saving time changes affect you and what you can do about it
It's almost time for most Americans to set their clocks back an hour. Daylight saving time ends in the U.S. at 2 a.m. local time next Sunday. Standard time will last until March 14, when we will again “spring forward” with the return of daylight saving time. Most countries do not observe daylight saving time. For those that do — mostly in North America and Europe — the date that clocks are changed varies. In the U.S., Hawaii and most of Arizona don’t change and stay on standard time.
Tours offer Halloween enthusiasts visits to former psychiatric hospital and funeral home
WESTLAND, Mich. (AP) — Halloween enthusiasts are seeking "real" scares at a former psychiatric hospital and funeral home. Eloise Asylum outside Detroit and Mortuary Manor in Toledo, Ohio, offer ghost-hunting tours. Visitors can explore these spooky sites with rented equipment like electromagnetic field detectors. Michighost Paranormal founder Justin Cox says trauma leaves energy, and that makes Eloise "super haunted." Guests have reported eerie experiences such as being touched or hearing whistles. The once-massive health facility also offers overnight stays. Mortuary Manor is a former funeral home that now hosts paranormal investigations and even weddings. These attractions aim to enhance the Halloween experience.
