Wilkinson Eyre inserts contemporary details into Giles Gilbert Scott's Oxford University library

Wilkinson Eyre created a dramatic lightwell and a rooftop reading room for its revamp of a Giles Gilbert Scott-designed library at the University of Oxford – one of the six projects vying for the Stirling Prize later today (+ slideshow). (more…)

On Your Mark, Give Birth, Go Back To Work

Tricia Olson gave birth to her son and was back on the job just three weeks later. Like an estimated 40 percent of working Americans, she has no family leave at all - paid or unpaid - and few options.

City work visas could help UK design firms recruit "brightest and best from around the world"

Brexit: London and other UK cities need to take "radical action" and introduce their own work permits so design firms can thrive after Brexit, according to former government policy adviser Rohan Silva. (more…)

A New Generation of Astronomers Is on the Hunt for the Next Earth

Advances in radial velocity search-including a new instrument called EXPRES-could help scientists to find and weigh lots of other Earth-mass planets. The post A New Generation of Astronomers Is on the Hunt for the Next Earth appeared first on WIRED.

Carine Khalife paints on glass to create Francis Bacon-inspired visuals for Makeunder music video

When creating this hand-painted music video for Oakland musician Makeunder, Carine Khalife looked to the works of figurative painter Francis Bacon (+ movie). (more…)

Desktop Wallpaper Calendars: October 2016

A new month means new wallpapers! This journey has been going on for eight years now, and each time anew artists and designers from across the globe challenge their artistic skills to cater for some fresh inspiration on your desktop. And, well, it wasn't any different this time around.

This post features their designs for October 2016. The collection is a mix of ideas and styles, of wallpapers that are a little more distinctive than the usual crowd. All wallpapers come in versions with and without a calendar and can be downloaded for free - just choose your favorite. A big thank-you to everyone who shared their ideas with us! Happy October!

The post Desktop Wallpaper Calendars: October 2016 appeared first on Smashing Magazine.

What's Your Ideal Running Speed to Conserve Energy?

Clearly running faster uses more energy. But at what speed does a human use the least amount of energy? Here is a model with estimates. The post What's Your Ideal Running Speed to Conserve Energy? appeared first on WIRED.