Small Talk


Mona Lisa’s Smile, Now Smaller Than a Single Hair

Jesse Pearson, the founder, editor, and art director of literary quarterly Apology, paints us a picture of the "Mini Lisa" - a diminutive version of the masterpiece, produced with nanotech.


Organic Produce, Grown in the Outfield

San Francisco may have a bit of a reputation for being a green, hippie town. Marah Eakin, music editor at The AV Club, tells us how they are making a major league outfield a bit more organic.


Landing a National Park on the Moon

Reyhan Harmanci, senior editor of Modern Farmer, tells us about some... astronomical ambitions to establish an American national park on the moon.


When Writing Out ‘The’ is Just Too Much…

Sadie Stein, Deputy Editor of The Paris Review, witnesses the birth of a new typographic symbol - a sort of ampersand for the word 'the'- which may be headed to a keyboard near you.


Does Stumbling Make You Smarter?

Evan Goldstein, editor of the intellectual online hub Arts & Letters Daily, says we may be unintentionally allowing the internet to rob us of Unintentional Knowledge.


Losing by winning on The Price is Right

Richard Lawson, senior writer for The Atlantic Wire, tells us about a woman who went on The Price is Right and ended up losing more than a showcase showdown.