Surprising Science — July 29, 2014

Modern-Looking Photos of Walt Whitman, Charlie Chaplin, Mark Twain

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Historical icons look as though they’re still alive and working today in these incredible colorized old photographs, brought to the Internet’s attention by Open Culture.

The most surprising and impactful new stories delivered to your inbox every week, for free.

Large crowd of well-dressed people socializing at an indoor event; "Substack" is projected on a wall above.

The Future

Why Substack will be the intellectual engine of the 21st century

The platform is a digital Royal Society for today’s greatest minds — and it could play an essential role in shaping the next civilization.

David Perell, in a short-sleeve white shirt, sits in front of a blurred background with plants, looking slightly to the side.

The Long Game

The David Perell interview: How to resonate in the “age of engagement”

You no longer need an army of followers to stand out as a writer — “one great piece is all it takes,” says Perell.

Book cover of "Proto: How One Ancient Language Went Global" by Laura Spinney shown on the right, with the words "an excerpt from" on a purple background on the left, exploring the rise of a killer language.

Books

Is English a “killer” language — or is it dying?

English could settle into a state of “diglossia” where a gulf exists between the written form and its spoken varieties, but the two are bound into a single tongue.