Science Animated comparison of tree sizes Rob Beschizza

bbq Getting the right amount of smokey flavor when BBQing on a bullet smoker Jason Weisberger

play Simone Giertz on why we all should be making useless things Rusty Blazenhoff

happy mutants Sara Varon's New Shoes: a kids' buddy story about the jungles of Guyana and redemption Cory Doctorow

farming Beloved Virginia farm takes heat for standing up against white supremacy Gareth Branwyn

tokyo travel tips Tokyo travel tips, day 3 (part 1): Buddhist goddess and panic at the hot springs Mark Frauenfelder

tokyo travel tips Tokyo travel tips, day 2: busy Takeshita street and quiet alleys of Harajuku Mark Frauenfelder

north korea Here are all of North Korea's new official slogans Rob Beschizza

maker Fruit leather purses are a thing now Andrea James

40 of the world's weirdest flowers Nadina Hughes

The charley horse from Hell — why you should work at a standing desk Gammy Hamhock

rats The Rat King: On the Fascinations (and Revulsions) of Rattus Mark Dery

books Jo Walton's "My Real Children" [book excerpt] Boing Boing