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The cat in The Godfather's opening scene wasn't in the plan.
The cat in The Godfather's opening scene wasn't in the plan. Coppola recalled finding a stray on the studio lot and placing it in Brando's lap. Brando folded…
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Switzerland built enough shelter places for roughly its whole population.
Switzerland built enough shelter places for roughly its whole population. Its civil-protection system combines private shelters beneath buildings with public…
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Lake Vostok lies beneath more than four kilometers of ice.
Lake Vostok lies beneath more than four kilometers of ice. Radar and other measurements revealed a large liquid lake hidden under East Antarctica. Ice above…
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Astral projection is an esoteric belief claiming your soul can intentionally leave your physical body and travel the universe while you lie completely motionless in bed.
Astral projection is an esoteric belief claiming your soul can intentionally leave your physical body and travel the universe while you lie completely…
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Lord of the Rings fellowship actors all got matching elvish 'nine' tattoos to commemorate their grueling time filming the trilogy, except for John Rhys-Davies who sent his stunt double instead.
Lord of the Rings fellowship actors all got matching elvish 'nine' tattoos to commemorate their grueling time filming the trilogy, except for John Rhys-Davies…
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Hermeticism is built on the writings of Hermes Trismegistus, a supposed ancient prophet who combined the wisdom of the Greek god Hermes and the Egyptian god Thoth.
Hermeticism is built on the writings of Hermes Trismegistus, a supposed ancient prophet who combined the wisdom of the Greek god Hermes and the Egyptian god…
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I Ching, or the Book of Changes, is an ancient Chinese divination text that uses the casting of yarrow stalks or coins to generate hexagrams that supposedly answer your deepest life questions.
I Ching, or the Book of Changes, is an ancient Chinese divination text that uses the casting of yarrow stalks or coins to generate hexagrams that supposedly…
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The split-gill fungus Schizophyllum commune has thousands of mating types.
The split-gill fungus Schizophyllum commune has thousands of mating types. These act as compatibility codes, determined by combinations of genetic variants,…
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Plants can move metal pollution from soil into their own tissues.
Plants can move metal pollution from soil into their own tissues. In phytoremediation, selected plants take up contaminants so harvesting the growth can…
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Game of Thrones costume designers bought completely standard, cheap Ikea rugs and cut them up to create the heavy, dramatic winter cloaks worn by the Night's Watch.
Game of Thrones costume designers bought completely standard, cheap Ikea rugs and cut them up to create the heavy, dramatic winter cloaks worn by the Night's…
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Hippos make a reddish skin secretion with protective chemistry.
Hippos make a reddish skin secretion with protective chemistry. Researchers identified red and orange pigments in the fluid commonly nicknamed blood sweat.…
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Necromancy wasn't originally about raising an army of decaying zombies to attack fantasy villages; it was an ancient divinatory practice focused on summoning the spirits of the dead to ask them about the future.
Necromancy wasn't originally about raising an army of decaying zombies to attack fantasy villages; it was an ancient divinatory practice focused on summoning…
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Hot air balloons possess absolutely no directional steering mechanisms, making them the only form of human transport where the pilot essentially surrenders completely to the chaotic whims of the wind.
Hot air balloons possess absolutely no directional steering mechanisms, making them the only form of human transport where the pilot essentially surrenders…
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Area 51 is a highly classified United States Air Force facility whose primary purpose remains unacknowledged, fueling decades of intense conspiracy theories regarding…
Area 51 is a highly classified United States Air Force facility whose primary purpose remains unacknowledged, fueling decades of intense conspiracy theories…
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A year on 55 Cancri e lasts less than an Earth day.
A year on 55 Cancri e lasts less than an Earth day. This rocky world circles so close to its star that its surface is thought to host a magma ocean. Webb…
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Kangaroos are incapable of walking backwards due to their muscular tails and specialized hind legs, a quirky biological limitation that led to their inclusion on the Australian…
Kangaroos are incapable of walking backwards due to their muscular tails and specialized hind legs, a quirky biological limitation that led to their inclusion…
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Parks and Recreation called the Cubs' win before it happened.
Parks and Recreation called the Cubs' win before it happened. A 2015 episode, set in the future, referred to a Cubs World Series victory. Co-creator Mike…
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Samsung began in 1938 trading groceries, including dried fish and noodles.
Samsung began in 1938 trading groceries, including dried fish and noodles. The company expanded into businesses such as sugar refining and textiles before…
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The Voynich Manuscript has pages you can see but still can't read.
The Voynich Manuscript has pages you can see but still can't read. Its parchment dates to the early 1400s, yet the writing has resisted an accepted…
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A traffic jam makes you stay alert while taking away control.
A traffic jam makes you stay alert while taking away control. You must watch the car ahead, brake, and react even when you cannot make meaningful progress.…
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Halloween production designer Tommy Lee Wallace created the terrifying Michael Myers mask by purchasing a two-dollar Captain James T Kirk mask from a magic shop and spray-painting it dead white.
Halloween production designer Tommy Lee Wallace created the terrifying Michael Myers mask by purchasing a two-dollar Captain James T Kirk mask from a magic…
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Chiromancy, or palm reading, originated in ancient India and spread across Eurasia, operating on the premise that the creases on your hand map out your personality and your entire future.
Chiromancy, or palm reading, originated in ancient India and spread across Eurasia, operating on the premise that the creases on your hand map out your…
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Auroras, commonly known as the Northern Lights, occur when charged particles from the sun collide with gases in the Earth's atmosphere, creating a dazzling natural light show…
Auroras, commonly known as the Northern Lights, occur when charged particles from the sun collide with gases in the Earth's atmosphere, creating a dazzling…
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An airline reportedly found $40,000 hiding in its salad garnishes.
An airline reportedly found $40,000 hiding in its salad garnishes. American Airlines' famous cost-cutting story involved removing one olive from each…
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