Visual arts

A new study probes the network of protons in egg-based paints to highlight how the paint works on a molecular scale.
Tom Metcalfe, Contributor
Contenders in Nikon Small World in Motion video contest showcase wonders from the microscopic world.
Catherine Meyers, Editor
A graphene layer shields an artwork against light, oxygen and moisture, and can be removed using an eraser.
Karen Kwon, Contributor
New tool for artists can paint, erase and change the color of strokes on a metal canvas.
Meeri Kim, Contributor
Bird statuette, recovered from a refuse heap, more than doubles the age of the earliest known animal sculpture from East Asia.
Charles Q. Choi, Contributor
Assyrian sculptures date from the good times when the water flowed.
Joel Shurkin, Contributor
Using a simple film camera, astronomer Bill Livingston photographed satellites that hover above the equator.
Rodrigo Pérez Ortega, Contributor
New research reveals the physics behind the darkening of yellow pigments in old paintings.
Yuen Yiu, Staff Writer
The braided ribbon on a maypole can be analyzed using a type of math called group theory.
Catherine Meyers, Editor
Dressmakers are exceptional at judging distances, while dentists and surgeons are no better than the rest of us.
Nala Rogers, Staff Writer
Origami’s easier, less complicated cousin.
Yuen Yiu, Staff Writer
Interior designers are turning to experiments, using psychology and physics to come up with the best spaces for health -- and productivity.
Katharine Gammon, Contributor