1) WildLife Digitized in Macauly Library

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Macaulay Library is following the trend of creating digitially accessible libraries of information by beginning the process of digitizing its library of nature sounds. Just as Matt Parker's Imitation Archive project preserved the sounds of ancient computers, perhaps this project will immortalize the sounds of birds and other wildlife that hover on the brink of extinction.

2) Even The Vatican is Crowdfunding

Proving the growing importance of crowd funding, even the Vatican museums are jumping on the bandwagon. The recently announced Patrum app will allow museum patrons to donate funds for help with maintenance and restoration of a number of artworks dating back as far as the 13th century. A minimum $10 donation is required to download Patrum. 

3, 4, 5) Art Thefts Abound!

An early bust by Auguste Rodin was stolen from a museum in Copenhagen in broad daylight. Security camera footage shows the two suspects, both young men, posing as tourists to enter the museum. This particular bust is a cast made from the original, but it still is worth as much as $300,00 at auction.

In the states, the FBI is on the hunt  for two N.C. Wyeth Paintings that went missing with four others by the same artist after being stolen from the home of a Maine real-estate developer. The other four paintings later turned up at the California pawn shop famous for being the setting of reality TV show Beverly Hills Pawn. The feds are offering a $20,000 reward. 

New York-based Canadian artist Cal Lane was surprised to discover two missing artworks up for auction on the estate liquidation site MaxSold. The works were believed to have been lost in transit on their way to a Montreal solo show for the artist who lives in New York. 

6) Hotly Anticipated Dismaland Exhibition Runs Until September

The whole art world seems to be pretty excited about Banksy’s new public exhibition Dismaland. The project is a collaborative effort by the mysterious street artist and 58 others including heavy hitters Damien Hirst, Jenny Holzer and David Shrigley. Located in Weston-super-mare U.K., the installation is a full-sized mock theme park that, from the first photos that are being posted, looks apocalyptically humorous.