Glaciers in Paris: Danish-Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson has shipped 80 tons of ice from Greenland to Paris for an installation to bring awareness to climate change and global warming. Called “Paris Ice Watch,” the installation is made up of 12 large chunks of ice from free-floating icebergs and can be currently seen on the Place du Pantheon in Paris. Eliasson timed the installation to coincide with the United Nations conference on climate change. He explains, “The incomprehensible scale of the loss due to warming in the Arctic is the very reason why the problem has to be addressed and public awareness must be raised.” Last year, he shipped 100 tons of ice from the Arctic Circle to Denmark for a similar installation–the amount being representative of how much ice disappears every hundredth of a second due to global warming. The current installation, as intended by Eliasson, makes it impossible for Parisians to ignore the melting blocks, showing them an incredibly creative way to bring awareness to an important global issue.

Mona Lisa’s Twin: Art experts have discovered a painting believed to be a second version of the famous “Mona Lisa” by Leonardo da Vinci. Part of a private collection in St. Petersburg, the painting depicts a woman who looks very similar to the Mona Lisa who has become so iconic. The only clearly apparent difference between the two paintings is the backdrop–to the untrained eye, the two may seem virtually identical. The assertion that the painting is actually a second version of the Italian Mona is only a hypothesis, though some experts like research coordinator Silvano Vinceti and Leonardo expert Carlo Pedretti are arguing that there is enough evidence to prove the painting’s authenticity. Despite the ongoing debate, the Huffington Post notes that one thing is clear: the Mona Lisa has managed to stay relevant for some 500 years, expanding our conception of the power of a single portrait.

From Audience Member to Star: This week Newsweek ran an article featuring Brandon Neiderauer, a boy who went from avid School of Rock (2003) fan to star of the current Broadway musical based on that very movie. As a result of watching the movie, 8-year-old Brandon asked his father for guitar lessons. Four years later, he is staring in the Broadway version, scored by Andrew Lloyd Webber and written by Julian Fellowes. The show has received positive reviews, focusing on what USA Today called Neiderauer’s “irresistible gusto.” The 12-year-old guitar prodigy was asked to audition for the School of Rock part when the casting directors saw a video of him in a school play. Neiderauer reflects on his meteoric rise, saying, “I’ve always wanted to play the guitar, and now I am. I’ve always wanted to perform, and now I am. It’s just, dream by dream by dream are coming true. And I’m thankful for that.” Brandon’s example may surely help inspire other young people to pick up an instrument and dream!

Cult Classic Reboot Gets Younglings Involved: With the premiere of the new Star Wars episode upcoming this week, fan clubs around the country are seeing their numbers swell–and not just with middle-aged fans. Clubs like New York’s Empire Saber Guild are making efforts to share the joy of the franchise with the next generation–traveling to public libraries and children’s hospitals to surprise and delight. The Empire Saber Guild specifically teaches Shii-Cho–or, lightsaber combat. The group has held 22 different events just this year, many raising money for charity. Rubin Polizzi, the group’s president, explains that “as a Jedi you’re always taught a lightsaber is used only in defense and never in aggression. We teach them how to protect themselves using ducks, blocks and jumps.” These Star Wars fans are using their favorite art product to give back to their community and pass on valuable lessons, showing that there’s more to being a fan than just cosplay and collectors items.