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Plots against Castro included poisoned cigars and a contaminated diving suit.
Plots against Castro included poisoned cigars and a contaminated diving suit. U.S. investigations documented assassination schemes involving poison,…
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Wall Street gave a seven-day pattern a Christmas name.
Wall Street gave a seven-day pattern a Christmas name. The Santa Claus rally refers to the final five trading days of a year and the first two of the next.…
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An early FedEx executive recalled a blackjack-funded reprieve.
An early FedEx executive recalled a blackjack-funded reprieve. Roger Frock's account says Frederick Smith took $5,000 to Las Vegas and returned with $27,000…
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A former missile officer challenged the security of an eight-zero code.
A former missile officer challenged the security of an eight-zero code. Bruce Blair said Minuteman launch-control crews used an enabling panel set to 00000000…
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At the poles, longitude cannot tell you which clock to follow because all meridians meet there.
At the poles, longitude cannot tell you which clock to follow because all meridians meet there. People choose a practical time zone instead: the South Pole…
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The SR-71's fuel leaks changed as the aircraft heated up.
The SR-71's fuel leaks changed as the aircraft heated up. High-speed flight heated and expanded the Blackbird's structure. When the aircraft slowed and cooled…
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The Lion King had trouble recruiting its own animators.
The Lion King had trouble recruiting its own animators. Producer Don Hahn recalled that Pocahontas was initially regarded as Disney's more prestigious…
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Tarot cards were originally invented in 15th-century Italy as a basic parlor game for wealthy nobles called Tarocchini, completely devoid of any mystical or divinatory meaning.
Tarot cards were originally invented in 15th-century Italy as a basic parlor game for wealthy nobles called Tarocchini, completely devoid of any mystical or…
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A racing heart does not arrive with an explanation attached.
A racing heart does not arrive with an explanation attached. In a classic suspension-bridge study, men crossing a frightening bridge responded differently to…
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British and American military forces engaged in a tense, months-long standoff in 1859 on San Juan Island, all because an American farmer shot a British-owned pig that was eating his potatoes.
British and American military forces engaged in a tense, months-long standoff in 1859 on San Juan Island, all because an American farmer shot a British-owned…
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Singapore enforces strict customs regulations that make it entirely illegal to import or sell chewing gum anywhere within the borders of the city-state.
Singapore enforces strict customs regulations that make it entirely illegal to import or sell chewing gum anywhere within the borders of the city-state.…
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Bluetooth technology was named after Harald Bluetooth, a tenth-century Scandinavian king who united diverse Danish tribes into a single kingdom, much like the technology was…
Bluetooth technology was named after Harald Bluetooth, a tenth-century Scandinavian king who united diverse Danish tribes into a single kingdom, much like the…
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Autumn foliage creates a massive crisis for the British railway system every single year, causing thousands of hours in severe train delays.
Autumn foliage creates a massive crisis for the British railway system every single year, causing thousands of hours in severe train delays. Wet leaves get…
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REM atonia is a state of temporary muscle paralysis that naturally occurs during the rapid eye movement stage of your sleep cycle to prevent you from acting out your dreams.
REM atonia is a state of temporary muscle paralysis that naturally occurs during the rapid eye movement stage of your sleep cycle to prevent you from acting…
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Temperature alone can make plain water taste sweet.
Temperature alone can make plain water taste sweet. Researchers studying thermal taste found that warming the tip of the tongue with water could produce…
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Robert Pattinson questioned Twilight while becoming its romantic idol.
Robert Pattinson questioned Twilight while becoming its romantic idol. During the film's publicity, he joked about the story's logic and spoke unusually…
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Even losing a fictional fight can become a contract issue in Fast & Furious.
Even losing a fictional fight can become a contract issue in Fast & Furious. Reporting on the franchise described negotiations over how much punishment stars…
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Sudan's desert holds royal pyramids beyond Egypt's famous skyline.
Sudan's desert holds royal pyramids beyond Egypt's famous skyline. The Kushite rulers buried at Meroe had their own pyramid cemeteries, with funerary chapels…
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Annabelle Wallis trained for the chance to run beside Tom Cruise.
Annabelle Wallis trained for the chance to run beside Tom Cruise. Wallis recalled that Cruise initially resisted the idea while they were making The Mummy.…
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A Roman biographer described Caligula's horse living like an aristocrat.
A Roman biographer described Caligula's horse living like an aristocrat. Suetonius wrote that Incitatus had a marble stable, an ivory manger, fine…
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Universal Serial Bus inventor Ajay Bhatt specifically chose not to make the original USB design reversible because adding the extra wiring would have doubled the cost of manufacturing and potentially killed the project.
Universal Serial Bus inventor Ajay Bhatt specifically chose not to make the original USB design reversible because adding the extra wiring would have doubled…
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Game of Thrones rebuilt most of its pilot before audiences saw it.
Game of Thrones rebuilt most of its pilot before audiences saw it. After an early screening exposed serious storytelling problems, the production reshot much…
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Magnetic stripe hotel key cards almost never contain your personal credit card data or home address, despite a widespread urban legend that insists hotel staff are secretly…
Magnetic stripe hotel key cards almost never contain your personal credit card data or home address, despite a widespread urban legend that insists hotel…
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George Lucas intentionally refused to give Chewbacca a medal at the end of the original Star Wars movie because he claimed that Wookiees do not put any cultural value on physical rewards.
George Lucas intentionally refused to give Chewbacca a medal at the end of the original Star Wars movie because he claimed that Wookiees do not put any…
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