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A little more wonder
In 1549, English rebels took Norwich in a fight over common land.
In 1549, English rebels took Norwich in a fight over common land. Robert Kett's supporters opposed enclosures that restricted people's access to grazing land.…
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Cashew nuts naturally grow hanging out of the very bottom of a strange, fleshy pseudo-fruit known as a cashew apple.
Cashew nuts naturally grow hanging out of the very bottom of a strange, fleshy pseudo-fruit known as a cashew apple. The red or yellow “apple” is a swollen…
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Steve Wozniak made Breakout so compact that Atari could not simply copy it.
Steve Wozniak made Breakout so compact that Atari could not simply copy it. Wozniak built a remarkably chip-efficient prototype of the arcade game while…
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South Africa introduced the Krugerrand in 1967 as the first gold bullion coin designed entirely for private individuals to hoard wealth, making it wildly popular among paranoid investors worldwide.
South Africa introduced the Krugerrand in 1967 as the first gold bullion coin designed entirely for private individuals to hoard wealth, making it wildly…
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The Secret Service began with counterfeit money, not bodyguards.
The Secret Service began with counterfeit money, not bodyguards. Established in 1865 within the Treasury Department, the agency initially investigated…
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Amateur archaeologist Alfred Watkins proposed the concept of ley lines in the nineteen twenties, suggesting that ancient monuments across Britain were intentionally built along…
Amateur archaeologist Alfred Watkins proposed the concept of ley lines in the nineteen twenties, suggesting that ancient monuments across Britain were…
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The New York Fed guards thousands of tons of gold it doesn't own.
The New York Fed guards thousands of tons of gold it doesn't own. Its Manhattan vault held about 6,331 metric tons in 2024, stored for governments, central…
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Medieval herbalists believed that the mandrake root contained a powerful magical spirit because the plant occasionally grew into a shape vaguely resembling a screaming naked human.
Medieval herbalists believed that the mandrake root contained a powerful magical spirit because the plant occasionally grew into a shape vaguely resembling a…
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You can rent a private-jet photo without renting a private jet.
You can rent a private-jet photo without renting a private jet. Studios have offered sets resembling luxury aircraft cabins, complete with seats and…
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Butterflies can taste a leaf with their feet.
Butterflies can taste a leaf with their feet. Chemical receptors help a female assess whether a plant is a suitable place to lay eggs. The caterpillars will…
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Vocal cords are surprisingly small bands of muscle tissue, measuring less than an inch long in most adults, yet they can vibrate up to a thousand times per second to produce high-pitched sounds.
Vocal cords are surprisingly small bands of muscle tissue, measuring less than an inch long in most adults, yet they can vibrate up to a thousand times per…
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Universal Studios sued Nintendo in 1982 over Donkey Kong, claiming it infringed on their copyright for King Kong, but Nintendo's lawyer discovered that Universal had previously proven King Kong was in the public domain.
Universal Studios sued Nintendo in 1982 over Donkey Kong, claiming it infringed on their copyright for King Kong, but Nintendo's lawyer discovered that…
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One gene links earwax texture with underarm odor.
One gene links earwax texture with underarm odor. A variant of ABCC11 is associated with dry earwax and reduced production of compounds that skin bacteria…
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In The Sims 2, stargazing can make a male Sim pregnant.
In The Sims 2, stargazing can make a male Sim pregnant. An adult male using the expensive Farstar e3 telescope can be abducted and return expecting an alien…
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Nintendo's future president helped untangle Pokémon's code.
Nintendo's future president helped untangle Pokémon's code. Satoru Iwata analyzed the Game Boy games, helped with localization and Nintendo 64 battle code,…
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Bolivia's old Yungas road put traffic on a cliff edge.
Bolivia's old Yungas road put traffic on a cliff edge. The narrow mountain route combines steep drops with bends, rain, and fog. On sections where passing…
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Sydney Ferries tested a different fuel instead of replacing the fleet.
Sydney Ferries tested a different fuel instead of replacing the fleet. Its 2007 annual report records a biodiesel trial on a First Fleet vessel and…
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Economics joined the Nobel ceremony decades late.
Economics joined the Nobel ceremony decades late. Sweden's central bank established the economics prize in 1968, and it was first awarded in 1969. It is…
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Disney's first credited female feature animator drew Bambi's terrifying dogs.
Disney's first credited female feature animator drew Bambi's terrifying dogs. Retta Scott's drawings of the hunting dogs impressed the studio enough to move…
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Saint Francis of Assisi is widely credited as the first person in Christian history to exhibit the stigmata, a mystical phenomenon where an intensely devoted person spontaneously…
Saint Francis of Assisi is widely credited as the first person in Christian history to exhibit the stigmata, a mystical phenomenon where an intensely devoted…
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A short rental stay can make a cleaning fee dwarf the nightly rate.
A short rental stay can make a cleaning fee dwarf the nightly rate. A fee charged once per booking barely changes with the number of nights. Spread it across…
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Fear of Halley's Comet created a market for 'anti-comet' products.
Fear of Halley's Comet created a market for 'anti-comet' products. As the comet approached in 1910, alarming newspaper stories helped turn an astronomical…
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Cats almost always land squarely on their feet due to an innate biological reaction called the righting reflex combined with an incredibly flexible skeletal structure.
Cats almost always land squarely on their feet due to an innate biological reaction called the righting reflex combined with an incredibly flexible skeletal…
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Jef Raskin originally named the massive Macintosh project at Apple after his absolute favorite variety of apple, the McIntosh, specifically because he considered it a delicious and reliable piece of fruit.
Jef Raskin originally named the massive Macintosh project at Apple after his absolute favorite variety of apple, the McIntosh, specifically because he…
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