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Anger and heavy exertion can stack their demands on the heart.
Anger and heavy exertion can stack their demands on the heart. An international study of people who had suffered a first heart attack found that exertion and…
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A missed coffee can produce real withdrawal.
A missed coffee can produce real withdrawal. With regular caffeine use, the body adapts to a stimulant that blocks adenosine, a chemical involved in…
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The Maldives' highest natural ground is only about 2.4 meters above sea level.
The Maldives' highest natural ground is only about 2.4 meters above sea level. That is roughly the height of a doorway plus a little extra, not a mountain…
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Bullwhips create their iconic cracking sound not from leather hitting leather, but by creating a miniature sonic boom as the tip of the whip breaks the sound barrier in midair.
Bullwhips create their iconic cracking sound not from leather hitting leather, but by creating a miniature sonic boom as the tip of the whip breaks the sound…
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ENIAC's women programmers were in the photos—but missing from the story.
ENIAC's women programmers were in the photos—but missing from the story. Six women programmed the early electronic computer by working with its circuitry,…
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French inventors launched the world's very first hot air balloon passengers in 1783, consisting of a highly confused sheep, a duck, and a rooster.
French inventors launched the world's very first hot air balloon passengers in 1783, consisting of a highly confused sheep, a duck, and a rooster. The animals…
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Skyrim’s stolen sweetroll joke goes back to Arena.
Skyrim’s stolen sweetroll joke goes back to Arena. The 1994 game asked how your character would respond to bullies taking a sweetroll. Later Elder Scrolls…
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Bill Gates and Paul Allen started their first business venture together in 1972 with a company called Traf-O-Data, which read data from roadway traffic counters and created automated reports.
Bill Gates and Paul Allen started their first business venture together in 1972 with a company called Traf-O-Data, which read data from roadway traffic…
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Charlie and the Chocolate Factory used trained squirrels alongside visual effects.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory used trained squirrels alongside visual effects. For the nut room, animal handlers taught real squirrels to sit at stations…
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Reclining your airplane seat a mere two inches has become the ultimate catalyst for low-stakes modern warfare, turning perfectly normal adults into vindictive sociopaths trapped in a pressurized cabin.
Reclining your airplane seat a mere two inches has become the ultimate catalyst for low-stakes modern warfare, turning perfectly normal adults into vindictive…
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Jim Carrey found the Grinch makeup so claustrophobic that the production brought in a trainer to help him endure it.
Jim Carrey found the Grinch makeup so claustrophobic that the production brought in a trainer to help him endure it. Carrey later described learning…
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Jules Winnfield's iconic profanity-laced wallet from the 1994 masterpiece Pulp Fiction actually belonged to director Quentin Tarantino in real life, who simply handed it to Samuel L.
Jules Winnfield's iconic profanity-laced wallet from the 1994 masterpiece Pulp Fiction actually belonged to director Quentin Tarantino in real life, who…
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A cheese-industry dream study became a bedtime legend.
A cheese-industry dream study became a bedtime legend. In 2005, the British Cheese Board reported that volunteers eating different cheeses described different…
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Some helicopters have a part nicknamed the Jesus nut.
Some helicopters have a part nicknamed the Jesus nut. The nickname refers to a nut securing the main rotor assembly to its mast on certain designs. That…
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Emotional tears carry more than salt water.
Emotional tears carry more than salt water. Emotional and reflex tears can differ in protein content and other constituents. Crying also involves changes in…
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Rain made Jurassic Park's giant T.
Rain made Jurassic Park's giant T. rex difficult to control. The animatronic's foam skin absorbed water and became heavier, changing the load its movement…
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Municipalities that heavily rely on zero-emission trolleybuses constantly suffer from severe visual pollution caused by the chaotic, tangled spiderweb of overhead electrical wires required to power them.
Municipalities that heavily rely on zero-emission trolleybuses constantly suffer from severe visual pollution caused by the chaotic, tangled spiderweb of…
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Domestic cats are technically classified as one of the world's worst invasive alien species, responsible for the global extinction of dozens of bird, mammal, and reptile species…
Domestic cats are technically classified as one of the world's worst invasive alien species, responsible for the global extinction of dozens of bird, mammal,…
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Historical accounts describe Charles VI fearing he was made of glass.
Historical accounts describe Charles VI fearing he was made of glass. The French king is said to have avoided contact and used reinforced clothing because he…
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Clairvoyance and mediumship became so insanely popular during the 1920s that Scientific American magazine actually offered a massive cash prize to anyone who could produce…
Clairvoyance and mediumship became so insanely popular during the 1920s that Scientific American magazine actually offered a massive cash prize to anyone who…
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A tired muscle can cramp without a simple electrolyte shortage.
A tired muscle can cramp without a simple electrolyte shortage. Exercise-associated cramps can involve changes in the nerve signals that excite and inhibit…
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International cell phone roaming charges are essentially a form of legalized extortion, designed to severely punish travelers who forget to toggle a tiny switch in their device settings.
International cell phone roaming charges are essentially a form of legalized extortion, designed to severely punish travelers who forget to toggle a tiny…
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A large experiment found that making a smile can shift reported happiness.
A large experiment found that making a smile can shift reported happiness. The Many Smiles Collaboration tested participants across 19 countries. Deliberately…
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Disney executives were absolutely terrified by Johnny Depp's eccentric performance as Captain Jack Sparrow during the filming of Pirates of the Caribbean, fearing he was going to…
Disney executives were absolutely terrified by Johnny Depp's eccentric performance as Captain Jack Sparrow during the filming of Pirates of the Caribbean,…
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