Stories

Highlighting the magic behind people, places, science, and art.

Automata: The Odd Magic of Living Machines

Automata: The Odd Magic of Living Machines

Self-operating machines hold a peculiar place in history, from an 18th century "pooping" duck to today's merging of technology with the human form.

Pelikan Puzzles

Pelikan Puzzles Pack Elegance and Deception

Pelikan is known as the Rolls-Royce of packing puzzles and require a great deal of spatial problem-solving.

The Designer Who Listens to Trees

The Designer Who Listens to Trees

Swedish woodworker Olof Davidsson creates some of the most peculiar furniture designs with pieces that snap together like puzzles.

Oliver Sogard on Exploring Narratives for Playing Cards

Oliver Sogard on Exploring Narratives for Playing Cards

The founder of dealersgrip discusses how we can challenge the conventional idea of what a deck of cards should be.

Membership

Love our stories? Members receive our monthly newsletter highlighting more magic behind people, places, science, and art.

Perspective Shift: The Illusions of Jan Dibbets

Perspective Shift: The Illusions of Jan Dibbets

Jan Dibbets concerns himself with illusion and reality as he uses nearly right angles to “correct” recessive perspectives of flatland.

Coastal Dinosaurs by William Stout

The Prehistoric Art of William Stout

From creating iconic posters like Octopussy to reconstructing a T-Rex, William Stout is one of the most iconic fantasy illustrators living today.

Escape room participants pushing a button

The Art of Escape Rooms: Six Strategies for Success

I design escape rooms and puzzle games for a living, and I love mysteries. With a group of friends, I opened one of the first escape rooms in the United States.

Cybernetic Art

Cybernetic Art

56 original one-of-a-kind artworks created by Ivan Moscovich in his home studio using an elaborate double-pendulum drawing mechanism of his design.

Misfold kinetic sculpture by Matt Shlian

How to Make Geometric Paper Sculptures

Matt Shlian's work is informed by a technical understanding of the paper materials he molds and manipulates into intricate forms.

Anna Devis painting an avocado

Anna Devís and Daniel Rueda Capture Joyful Mise-en-Scènes

The Spanish artists have spent nearly 7 years turning large windows into hot air balloons, brown hats into avocado pits, and much more into playful illusions.