territorial disputes in the South China Sea, series of conflicts arising from the overlapping territorial claims of several countries that border the South China Sea. In recent decades China has been widely seen as the conflicts’ primary driver. While countries have long disagreed on the sea’s precise international demarcations, China has moved ever closer to demanding exclusive economic and military...

　　 　　Camille Pissarro: The Boulevard Montmartre on a Winter MorningThe Boulevard Montmartre on a Winter Morning, oil on canvas by Camille Pissarro, 1897; in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City. 64.8 × 81.3 cm.(more)The Boulevard Montmartre on a Winter Morning, one of fourteen oil-on-canvas paintings by French artist Camille Pissarro of Boulevard Montmartre, one of Paris’s grandest thoroughfares....

　　 　　Robert De Niro in Taxi DriverRobert De Niro as Travis Bickle in the film Taxi Driver (1976), directed by Martin Scorsese.(more)Taxi Driver, American neo-noir film, released in 1976, that was directed by Martin Scorsese and written by Paul Schrader. It is considered one of the greatest and most controversial films in history. Set in New York City, it follows...

　　Thriller, studio album by American singer and songwriter Michael Jackson, released on November 30, 1982. The album had a monumental impact on popular music and became the top-selling album of all time, a title it continues to hold more than 40 years after its release. Produced by Jackson and Quincy Jones, Thriller spawned seven hit singles, including “Beat It” and...

　　 　　Ludwig van BeethovenLudwig van Beethoven, portrait by Josef Karl Stieler.(more)Symphony No. 6 in F Major, symphony by Ludwig van Beethoven. Premiering in Vienna December 22, 1808, on the same concert that offered the premiere of his Symphony No. 5, this work is distinct from that one in part due to its generally optimistic character, but also by the presence...

　　 　　Dr. SeussDr. Seuss with a copy of his book The Cat in the Hat, 1957.(more)The Cat in the Hat, iconic children’s picture book written and illustrated by Theodor Geisel under the pen name Dr. Seuss and published in 1957. Using simple words written in rollicking and repetitive rhyme, the book features a mischievous talking cat who attempts to entertain...

　　 　　Claude Monet: The Japanese FootbridgeThe Japanese Footbridge, oil on canvas by Claude Monet, c. 1920–22; in the Museum of Modern Art, New York City. 89.5 × 116.3 cm.(more)The Japanese Footbridge, oil-on-canvas painting by Claude Monet of the Japanese-style footbridge that was the focal point of his garden at Giverny, France. The structure was one of his favorite subjects, and...

　　 　　Claude Monet: Stacks of Wheat (End of Summer)Stacks of Wheat (End of Summer), oil on canvas by Claude Monet, 1890/91; in the Art Institute of Chicago.(more)Impressionism is known for its interest in depicting scenes of modern life as well as its aim to render the effects of light as the eye sees them, frequently by using relative colors. An...

　　 　　Trinity College DublinThe front square and campanile of Trinity College Dublin.(more)Trinity College Dublin, the oldest university in Ireland, founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I of England and Ireland and endowed by the city of Dublin. The two names of the school—the University of Dublin and Trinity College Dublin—are used interchangeably, though there are legal and other differences between...

　　 　　Ludwig van BeethovenLudwig van Beethoven, portrait by Josef Karl Stieler.(more)Symphony No. 7 in A Major, Op. 92, symphony by Ludwig van Beethoven. Premiering in Vienna on December 8, 1813, the work is considered a notable example of the more ebullient side of Beethoven’s compositional personality and evidence that even after the onset of deafness, he yet found cause for...

　　Like many iconic American companies, Mattel sprang from modest roots. Begun in a garage in 1945 by a husband and wife and their friend, the company—then known as Mattel Creations—had yet to embrace toy making as a way to success. That changed in 1947 with the introduction of a toy ukulele that was designed to make learning music fun for...

　　 　　The Blair Witch ProjectHeather Donahue in The Blair Witch Project (1999).(more)The Blair Witch Project, American horror film, released in 1999, that popularized “found footage”—a cinematic technique in which some or all of a narrative film’s shots are presented as if they were recordings of nonfiction events. The film was written and directed by Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez, who...