https://www.scmp.com/rss/507357/feed Mario joined the Post in 2012 as a designer for the news print team and has since branched out to editorial magazines. Prior to the Post, he worked in the fields of graphic design, branding, and custom lifestyle publications. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Mario Rivera Mario Rivera Before the modern pencil was invented, great artists and thinkers like Leonardo da Vinci used metalpoint styluses to draft their work. In the 1500s, people started twirling string or sheepskin around graphite to make it easier to use, and a Swiss naturalist designed a pencil with a strip of graphite encased in wood. Then, in 1794, an engineer baked rods of low-quality graphite mixed with wet clay to create a predecessor to our modern pencil that did not require as much high-quality... https://www.scmp.com/spark/learning-zone/article/3337590/infospark-why-pencils-are-yellow-and-how-they-have-withstood-test-time?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/spark/learning-zone/article/3337590/infospark-why-pencils-are-yellow-and-how-they-have-withstood-test-time?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Dec 2025 06:30:10 +0000 Mario Rivera Mario Rivera Desiderata is a poem by Max Ehrmann that promotes peace and positivity. It encourages readers to strive for happiness while navigating life’s challenges. The poem emphasises the importance of treating others with kindness and maintaining one’s own integrity. https://www.scmp.com/yp/spark/stories/article/3303903/infospark-poet-max-ehrmanns-lessons-seeking-peace-and-avoiding-drama?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/spark/stories/article/3303903/infospark-poet-max-ehrmanns-lessons-seeking-peace-and-avoiding-drama?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Apr 2025 02:00:08 +0000 Mario Rivera Mario Rivera Mountain biking is popular in many parts of the world, and many places have designated paths available for the sport. Read our graphic to find out all about the activity and decide if you want to pick it up. https://www.scmp.com/yp/spark/stories/article/3285803/infospark-what-you-can-learn-mountain-biking?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/spark/stories/article/3285803/infospark-what-you-can-learn-mountain-biking?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 Nov 2024 02:00:07 +0000