How IKEA Became Sweden’s National Brand
In 1950, Ingvar Kamprad began selling furniture. Seeing the logistical difficulty of shipping large items far away, Ingvar decided to flat-pack the furniture, which also reduced the chance of damage during transport. The company created a catalog that customers could browse through and order with from afar.
The Origins Of The Sicilian Mafia
The Sicilian Mafia, referred to by its own members as Cosa Nostra, a phrase meaning “our thing”, is an infamous association of criminal syndicates. They are famous for their heavy-handed role in protection racketeering, alcohol and drug smuggling, and other organized illegal activities across the world.
The People Who Shaped The World Wide Web
Thirty years ago, the world wide web was a way for scientists to share data. Since then, it’s become a critical force for industry, and how the world connects. But this didn’t happen all at once. The web’s evolution has been shaped by the geography of its creators and users.
The Most Fascinating Riot You’ve Never Heard Of
A mob of thousands attempted to storm a theater over a performance of Macbeth, the National Guard had to be called up, 31 people were killed and more than 100 wounded all over the personal jealousies of two vain and insecure actors. This is the story of the Astor Place Opera House Riot of May 10, 1849.
Building Egypt’s $58BN New City In The Sand
Following a period of political instability that affected the progression of infrastructure projects, the country’s government took the decision to construct an entirely new capital in 2015. Located 45 kilometers east of the original Cairo, the as-yet-unnamed city has been under construction ever since.
Science Fiction Short Film: Others Will Follow
The lone survivor of the first mission to Mars uses his last moments to pass the torch of inspiration. Others Will Follow was inspired by a speech written for President Nixon to deliver in the event that the Apollo 11 astronauts were stranded on the moon.
How Climate Change Is Shaping Business In Iceland
While Iceland as a whole is experiencing the negative effects of climate change stronger than many other nations, Finnafjord actually aims to profit from the changing climate. The construction of a large container port is supposed to turn Iceland into a new hub for international merchant shipping.
“Locker Room”, Thought-Provoking Short Film About Teenage Friendships
A teenage girl discovers her male friends’ secret group chat, forcing her to question her friendship with them. Through the lens of neither a perpetrator or survivor, Locker Room draws attention to the social responsibility of bystanders to bad behavior and the pressures that can cause them to turn a blind eye.
Snapshots of Manchester In The 1960s
A series of photos of Manchester in the 60s, including Piccadilly Gardens, Manchester Central Station, The Scala cinema on Wilmslow Road, Ringway (Manchester) Airport, the Church of the Holy Name, the Manchester City Art Gallery, Piccadilly Plaza, Mancunian Way, Mosley Street and more.
The Forgotten Story Of Pure Hell, America’s First Black Punk Band
When it comes to the history of punk music, there are few bands who have been as overlooked as Pure Hell. The four-piece lived with the New York Dolls and played with Sid Vicious, but they’ve been largely written out of cultural history.
Underground Photos From New York’s Seediest Years
The “Poet of Radical Photography”, Miron Zownir, captures the provocative energy and aggressive hedonism of New York City in the 80s.
The Economy Of Cuba
Cuba is home to possibly the most bizarre economy in the world. Its wild swings between a hardcore capitalist society to a worker’s paradise and now an odd combination of both has meant that the country has probably not been able to live up to its full potential.
Watch Picasso Make A Masterpiece
‘Le Mystère Picasso’ is a remarkable documentary film made by French director, Henri-Georges Clouzot, in which stop-action and time-lapse photography are used to capture Picasso at work. Not many of the works he created for the documentary survive but here’s how one of them came to be.
WeWalk Smart Cane Helps Blind People Navigate
The WeWalk stick has an ultrasonic sensor that detects obstacles above chest level and uses vibrations to warn the user. It can be paired with a smartphone to help navigation and is integrated with a voice assistant and Google Maps. Connecting the stick to the Internet of Things and smart city solutions makes it user-friendly.
World’s Largest Syrian Refugee Camp Has Developed Its Own Economy
Zataari in Jordan, the largest Syrian refugee camp in the world with 80,000 people, was supposed to provide temporary housing for people. But since residents have not been able to leave, they have started 3,000 businesses, including pastry shops, a pizza place, a supermarket and a gardening shop.
The Bizarre Social History Of Beds
Groucho Marx once joked, “Anything that can’t be done in bed isn’t worth doing at all.” You might think he was referring to sleeping and sex. But humans, at one time or another, have done just about everything in bed. And yet, they’re more of an afterthought.
Why You Spend So Much Money At IKEA
IKEA’s “aesthetic per dollar” ratio is very high, says neuromarketer and author of “The Buying Brain” Dr. A. K. Pradeep. Ikea’s affordable style is its “category-busting-metric,” or what makes it stand out from all the other brands in that space, he says.
How Netflix Turned Bill Clinton’s Impeachment Into A Growth Hack
The reason we might all be using Netflix today could have a lot to do with a marketing stunt involving the grand jury testimony that got Bill Clinton impeached. Netflix’s wild bet on political scandal succeeded in almost every single way a story like this possibly could.
Photographs Documenting A Different Side Of 1970s New York City
Bruce Gilden’s work promised a vision of New York street life on a par with Diane Arbus and Robert Frank, but for nearly 40 years this early body of work – comprising around 600 rolls of film – lay forgotten, only rediscovered last year when Gilden moved out of his Manhattan loft.
The Italian Village That Celebrates Ugliness
Celebrating “ugliness” for the past 140 years, Piobbico has become renowned for being the world capital of ugly people. Now, its utopian idea has blossomed into a worldwide movement. Today, the so-called “World Association of Ugly People” counts more than 30,000 members across 25 global chapters.