the nytimes takes the latest waterproof backpacks for a spin.

France is making a fuss this week over Richard Serra, the 68-year-old American bantamweight who fashions elegant, gargantuan art out of steel.

Fascinating NYtimes article on the depiction of nature in Disney movies inspired by the passing of Bambi animator Ollie Johnston.

NYtimes slideshow about Stern Pinball Inc., the only remaining manufacturer in the world of coin-operated pinball machines.

how fun does the diesel wall in manchester look?

New York subway cars hurled into the ocean. The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control is making a new reef 16 miles off the coast.

noisy fish? great nytimes interactive on bioacoustics in fishes!

Doc, a modern sofa with a removable cover, from resource furniture converts into bunk beds with a built-in ladder. What a great space saver!

Frances Whitehead and James Elniski's house in Chicago was built using a number of green technologies.

i kind of like the idea of a quiver of wine. an easy way to carry a bottle to a picnic from graf & lantz.

i spotted the chronotebook on coolhunting. but the planner, which represents time around an analog clock, is just one of the fun muji design award winners.

The interior of Aesop's store in melbourne is composed almost entirely of cardboard. Interesting...but is it nice?

Pigeon Ring Necklaces by Chinny Chin Chin made from the rings of racing pigeons. Gotta love the regal portraiture of these birds.

When police raided the home of Richard Pearson, they found over 7,000 eggs, including 653 belonging to the UK's most protected species.

murakami in brooklyn

Recent research suggests that the experience of being duped can stir self-reflection in a way few other experiences can, functioning as a check on arrogance or obliviousness.

A glimpse into part of the hidden reality behind the Pentagon’s classified, or “black,” budget that delivers billions of dollars to stealthy armies of high-tech warriors...

ibride in france make a polar bear shaped book shelf called joe.

The RIBA award winning Winter Gardens in Sheffield bridge the Mercure Hotel and Spa and the Millennium Galleries and offer a light, airy respite in South Yorkshire.

Fru and Gu, drool worthy design suggests these are unparalleled delectable desserts. One perk of being stationed out across the pond is the luxury of putting them to the test! See the unboxing/review!

National Cryptologic Museum, an institution devoted to two contradictory human impulses: keeping secrets and telling stories, funded by the National Security Agency!

the new york times has a great special section on museums this week.

The Velib Bike program is taking to the streets of London! Urban bike sharing at its finest? Soon every Londoner can take a granny bike for a spin.

remember that coolhuting/popdeck design a skateboard deck contest? they have a winner and you can get one.

The Brazilian based Campana brothers were asked to assemble a selection of woven or weaving-related antiques from the Cooper Hewitt's collection. The exhibit opens tomorrow.

there's little not to love about a good dog show. i love the nytimes slideshow on westminster's dog show fashion.

for some reason this ad for nulaid eggs amused me. an egg with a hitler-stash...i dont know.

Mark Sanders' stride5.0 is one of the sleekest collapsible bikes ive seen.

The Biomechanical Energy Harvester uses the power generated by your knees to power portable devices.

Loaded with PacMan, Donkey Kong, Galaga, Space Invaders, Frogger and 44 other pre-installed timeless games, the 80's Gaming Table is a modern take on an old classic.

a poor decider myself, i loved this article on restaurant indecision. and love the work of adrian tomine!

It's like notcot on the nytimes! And you could be too! The Polling Place Photo Project is fantastic. and gives those of you with undocumented polling places an extra push out the door!

arnaud de vicq et al's scratch my back cheese grater is too cute! part of the dining in 2015 competition over at designboom.

Niels van Eijk and Miriam van der Lubbe's tik tak clock reminds me of old school keys.

spotted on desgnboom: from the canadian centre for architecture in montreal. '1973: sorry, out of gas' looks into the effects of the 73 oil crisis. looks like a great exhibit.

brian dettmer's book sculptures have been featured before. but i just had to draw attention to this ram skull sculpture.

when this national geographic shot of bora bora hit my inbox it was like a moment of zen. gorgeous!

juan francisco casas does some impressive drawings with a biro.

i propose a field trip to bmw welt in munich! be sure to check out the slideshow too.

the zoological society of london has set up EDGE pages for amphibians. that is evolutionarily distinct and globally endangered.

turn your pens into utensils! din-ink by cingoli, bellisario, cellini + fontana tied for first in designboom and macef's dining in 2015 contest.

as a kid, i definitely carried blankie everywhere. now industrial design student jenny pokryvailo from the bezalel academy fit a stuffed bear inside a recycled retro suitcase.

Aiming to reduce the volume of PET bottles carried by "catadores" (people who collect waste from streets), Takashi Utsumi developed a device with which one can rapidly shred PET bottles into ribbons suitable for use in crafts. I want one.

i can't get enough of ben lawson's fish illustrations!

its hard to believe that mark khaisman makes such incredible art from simple brown packing tape.

a great nytimes slideshow of notable oped art of the 07.

Michal Tatarkiewicz's Subway Drawings are amazing.