Advertisement

Back from the Old World

Join a Center for Inquiry-sponsored cruise exploring Europe with critical thinkers. Discover Venice's narrow alleyways and intriguing sights.

Newsletter

Sign up for our email newsletter for the latest science news

Sign Up

Mrs. BA and I have spent the last week in Europe, on a Center for Inquiry-sponsored cruise with fellow critical thinkers. I'll post more later, but yesterday we flew across 8 time zones, arriving home late last night. My body thinks it's 2:00 in the morning yesterday, or perhaps tomorrow -- I was calling the time zone confusion "yestermorrow" on the trip -- and I'm a wee bit messed up. So instead of some big post about astronomy or Doctor Who or the latest attack on reality, here is a funny picture of a mail slot/intercom (I think) I saw in a narrow alleyway (as they all are) in Venice.

I think it's a robot saying, "Meh." If you know what it actually is, please leave a comment. I'll be sleeping until the day before yesterday. [UPDATE: In the comments, people are asking about the odd lighting in the picture. I did not use a flash (which would have made the shadows distinct and sharp). The alley I was in - as are all of the Venetian alleys - is tall and narrow, with limited sunlight coming from above. We were not near a canal at the time. I can't remember the precise conditions, but I suspect quite a bit of the light was coming from the alleyway surface itself, which is why it looks lit from below. In a sense, it is!]

Stay Curious

JoinOur List

Sign up for our weekly science updates

View our Privacy Policy

SubscribeTo The Magazine

Save up to 40% off the cover price when you subscribe to Discover magazine.

Subscribe
Advertisement

0 Free Articles