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A land snail can seal itself away from a dry spell.
A land snail can seal itself away from a dry spell. Some snails close the shell opening with a protective layer and greatly reduce their activity during hot,…
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On an Indian train, dinner can meet you at a later station.
On an Indian train, dinner can meet you at a later station. E-catering lets passengers order food using their journey details for delivery at a scheduled…
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Halo's Warthog survived a game that changed genres twice.
Halo's Warthog survived a game that changed genres twice. Bungie's early Halo was a real-time strategy project, with vehicles that evolved into the Pelican…
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Users spotted Bill Gates’ mugshot silhouette in Outlook 2010’s generic avatar.
Users spotted Bill Gates’ mugshot silhouette in Outlook 2010’s generic avatar. The outline of the hair and shoulders closely matched the famous photograph…
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Venice is currently sinking at a rate of roughly two millimeters per year while simultaneously being subjected to rising sea levels, meaning the romantic canals are slowly consuming the ancient architecture.
Venice is currently sinking at a rate of roughly two millimeters per year while simultaneously being subjected to rising sea levels, meaning the romantic…
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Some airlines retire flight numbers after fatal crashes.
Some airlines retire flight numbers after fatal crashes. A new number can separate a continuing service from an identifier associated with tragedy, while the…
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Post-production color grading on The Matrix specifically utilized a sickening green tint for every single scene set within the digital simulation to make the audience feel…
Post-production color grading on The Matrix specifically utilized a sickening green tint for every single scene set within the digital simulation to make the…
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Luxury hotels adopted all-white bedding in the 1990s as a psychological trick pioneered by Westin and Sheraton to make guests believe a room has just been recently renovated and meticulously cleaned.
Luxury hotels adopted all-white bedding in the 1990s as a psychological trick pioneered by Westin and Sheraton to make guests believe a room has just been…
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Doctor Who's enormous scarf came from a knitter using all the wool.
Doctor Who's enormous scarf came from a knitter using all the wool. Tom Baker recalled that designer James Acheson gave Begonia Pope far more yarn than the…
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Indigenous Amazonian shamans have used ayahuasca, a powerful psychedelic brew made from specific jungle vines and leaves, for centuries to induce deep mystical visions and communicate with the spirits of nature.
Indigenous Amazonian shamans have used ayahuasca, a powerful psychedelic brew made from specific jungle vines and leaves, for centuries to induce deep…
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Ice cream trucks originally drove around neighborhoods blasting cheerful melodies from mechanical music boxes simply because the refrigeration units were too loud, and the music masked the obnoxious engine noise.
Ice cream trucks originally drove around neighborhoods blasting cheerful melodies from mechanical music boxes simply because the refrigeration units were too…
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Oklahoma City installed the world's first parking meter in 1935 as a desperate measure to stop downtown workers from abandoning their cars on the street all day long.
Oklahoma City installed the world's first parking meter in 1935 as a desperate measure to stop downtown workers from abandoning their cars on the street all…
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Promotional movie trailers were originally shown at the very end of a feature film rather than at the beginning, which is exactly why the industry coined the term "trailer" in…
Promotional movie trailers were originally shown at the very end of a feature film rather than at the beginning, which is exactly why the industry coined the…
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Two 19-cent washers came with nearly $1 million in shipping.
Two 19-cent washers came with nearly $1 million in shipping. A defense-contractor fraud case exposed an enormous shipping charge attached to two tiny parts.…
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Tourists visiting the Greek island of Santorini used to exclusively rely on a massive fleet of overworked donkeys to haul their luggage up hundreds of steep, slippery cobblestone steps from the port.
Tourists visiting the Greek island of Santorini used to exclusively rely on a massive fleet of overworked donkeys to haul their luggage up hundreds of steep,…
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A platform's average creator income can hide nearly everyone.
A platform's average creator income can hide nearly everyone. Add a few huge earners to a large group making very little, and the average rises without…
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Bruce Lee's television sidekick was a showcase for a future star.
Bruce Lee's television sidekick was a showcase for a future star. As Kato in the 1966 Green Hornet series, Lee drove the Black Beauty and supplied…
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Rhinoviruses, which are responsible for the common cold, can survive on hard indoor surfaces like doorknobs and elevator buttons for up to seven full days.
Rhinoviruses, which are responsible for the common cold, can survive on hard indoor surfaces like doorknobs and elevator buttons for up to seven full days.…
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A frilled shark's pregnancy has been estimated at more than three years.
A frilled shark's pregnancy has been estimated at more than three years. Researchers inferred the long duration from the slow development of embryos, rather…
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Snow White won Disney an Oscar with seven little companions.
Snow White won Disney an Oscar with seven little companions. At the 1939 ceremony, Shirley Temple presented Walt Disney with one full-size statuette and seven…
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Apple originally designed the iconic trash can icon on the early Macintosh operating systems to actually bulge outward when it contained deleted files, visually indicating that the bin was full of garbage.
Apple originally designed the iconic trash can icon on the early Macintosh operating systems to actually bulge outward when it contained deleted files,…
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Mevlevi Sufi dervishes practice a physically demanding form of active meditation where they spin in continuous, perfect circles for hours while wearing tall felt hats and wide white skirts.
Mevlevi Sufi dervishes practice a physically demanding form of active meditation where they spin in continuous, perfect circles for hours while wearing tall…
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A tiny escalator fire became a fatal lesson in how flames move.
A tiny escalator fire became a fatal lesson in how flames move. At King's Cross in 1987, a fire beneath a wooden escalator grew into a devastating blaze.…
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Before Netflix launched, its team used the temporary name Kibble.
Before Netflix launched, its team used the temporary name Kibble. Co-founder Marc Randolph liked the dog-food lesson behind it: a product fails if its…
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