We have been on holiday for the past month in Tuscany. Apart from the wonderful attractions, food and wine, we've been very impressed with help we've received to buy tickets so we could avoid queues. Here you see an attendant who offered to arrange our train tickets to Milano when we reached the station including printing them out for us on the spot. Similarly, outside the Duomo in Florence an attendant arranged our tickets. Nothing was charged for the extra service. This made our trip less stressful and more enjoyable.

Optical scanning has been applied to generate a complete 3D model of the famous unfinished Adoration of the Magi by Leonardo da Vinci (Uffizi Gallery, Florence). Application of 3D optical scanning has proved to be of unique value for documenting spatial deformation suffered by panel paintings and can represent a reference tool for conservation. www.researchgate.net/publication/247095407_Painting_Survey_by_3D_Optical_Scanning_-_The_Case_of_Adoration_of_the_Magi_by_Leonardo_Da_Vinci

The thick ?spiderweb? of overhead cables needed to keep electrified light rail on the move is ugly, costly to maintain and requires a complex network of infrastructure and sub-stations. Now though, there?s a new development that could do away with overhead power lines and move everything safely onboard the tram. Supercapacitors are milk carton size devices that can store large amounts of energy, release it in fast bursts, and then recharge rapidly. It means a tram could arrive at a stop, be charged up with megawatts of power in a minute, then continue on its way. All without the need for overhead power lines. The CSIRO is working on a range of supercapacitor projects to do this with the Australian Government?s Rail Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre and the China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation  

I first discovered this shop in Venice a few years ago and bought a personalised apron for our daughter. She recently discovered one in Syracuse Sicily. I?m now in Florence and there?s one here near the Duomo. Surprising that there are not more around the world. A machinist sits at the window and embroiders any name that you like on their items. www.ricamiveronicaroma.it

Brandless, the online retailer dedicated to minimalist and affordable products, is now expanding into the billion-dollar clean beauty market. It became popular last year when it cut out hidden middleman markups for home supplies. It found success in non-perishables and household cleaning products, and now it wants to bring that transparency to wellness-inspired personal care products. www.fastcompany.com/40586488/brandless-takes-on-the-ever-growing-clean-beauty-industry

Big Mama beach, Ravenna Italy, has a path through the sand to a place where you can deck chairs. A very orderly approach to beach life!