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Neutron stars are the collapsed cores of massive supergiant stars and are so incomprehensibly dense that a single teaspoon of their material would weigh roughly six billion tons on Earth.
Neutron stars are the collapsed cores of massive supergiant stars and are so incomprehensibly dense that a single teaspoon of their material would weigh…
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Some Boeing 747-400s still loaded navigation updates from 3.5-inch floppy disks long after the format vanished from ordinary desks.
Some Boeing 747-400s still loaded navigation updates from 3.5-inch floppy disks long after the format vanished from ordinary desks. The disks supplied current…
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A baby's skull starts with room to grow.
A baby's skull starts with room to grow. The skull's bones begin separated by flexible seams and soft spots. These allow some movement during birth and…
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A pigeon beat an internet connection in a 2009 data-transfer race.
A pigeon beat an internet connection in a 2009 data-transfer race. South African company Unlimited IT sent a 4GB memory card with a pigeon called Winston. By…
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British authorities during the Second World War mandated that farmers paint white stripes on the sides of their cows so that drivers navigating through mandatory blackout…
British authorities during the Second World War mandated that farmers paint white stripes on the sides of their cows so that drivers navigating through…
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Commercial airplanes do not actively dump human waste out of the sky mid-flight, despite the persistent urban legends and occasional terrifying news reports about frozen blue matter crashing through residential roofs.
Commercial airplanes do not actively dump human waste out of the sky mid-flight, despite the persistent urban legends and occasional terrifying news reports…
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Airport codes are identifiers, not always a city's initials.
Airport codes are identifiers, not always a city's initials. A three-letter code has to distinguish one airport from others, and names and conventions have…
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Fast & Furious builds much of its engine soundtrack after filming.
Fast & Furious builds much of its engine soundtrack after filming. Sound crews record vehicles separately and edit those sounds into the action. Acceleration,…
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A longer route can beat a left turn for a delivery truck.
A longer route can beat a left turn for a delivery truck. Crossing oncoming traffic means waiting for a safe gap or a signal, with fuel burning while the…
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The shuttle's boosters were built in pieces that traveled by rail.
The shuttle's boosters were built in pieces that traveled by rail. Their four propellant segments were manufactured separately and assembled at the launch…
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A supposed tapeworm diet became part of the mythology around Maria Callas.
A supposed tapeworm diet became part of the mythology around Maria Callas. Her dramatic weight loss fueled stories about deliberately swallowing a parasite. A…
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Pepsi faced a massive breach of contract lawsuit in 1996 after joking in a commercial that consumers could redeem seven million points for a military-grade Harrier fighter jet.
Pepsi faced a massive breach of contract lawsuit in 1996 after joking in a commercial that consumers could redeem seven million points for a military-grade…
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Corvids possess highly developed cognitive abilities and can recognize, remember, and actively hold grudges against specific human faces for several years.
Corvids possess highly developed cognitive abilities and can recognize, remember, and actively hold grudges against specific human faces for several years.…
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Christian fundamentalists and concerned parents in the 1980s genuinely believed that playing Dungeons & Dragons was a direct gateway to Satan worship, witchcraft, and actual murder.
Christian fundamentalists and concerned parents in the 1980s genuinely believed that playing Dungeons & Dragons was a direct gateway to Satan worship,…
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Schiphol tested pigs as a way to make nearby fields less attractive to birds in 2021.
Schiphol tested pigs as a way to make nearby fields less attractive to birds in 2021. Twenty pigs ate leftovers in a harvested sugar-beet field while…
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An online map connected South Africa to Russia on foot.
An online map connected South Africa to Russia on foot. A widely shared route stretches roughly 14,000 miles from southern Africa to Magadan, using roads and…
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Having an abundance of options requires more cognitive effort and leads to increased anxiety and buyer's remorse.
Having an abundance of options requires more cognitive effort and leads to increased anxiety and buyer's remorse. Every extra option asks you to compare:…
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Druids and ancient mystics practiced the art of scrying by staring into shallow pools of still water to induce a trance state and receive visions of the future, a practice that…
Druids and ancient mystics practiced the art of scrying by staring into shallow pools of still water to induce a trance state and receive visions of the…
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A McDonald's franchise pays for the address as well as the name.
A McDonald's franchise pays for the address as well as the name. Under a conventional franchise arrangement, the company often owns or leases the property and…
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Luxury brands deliberately raise their prices to make their products more desirable, directly defying the fundamental economic law of supply and demand.
Luxury brands deliberately raise their prices to make their products more desirable, directly defying the fundamental economic law of supply and demand. For…
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Morning breath occurs because your mouth drastically reduces saliva production while you sleep, creating the perfect anaerobic environment for bacteria to absolutely thrive.
Morning breath occurs because your mouth drastically reduces saliva production while you sleep, creating the perfect anaerobic environment for bacteria to…
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USS Colorado uses an Xbox controller to aim its photonic mast.
USS Colorado uses an Xbox controller to aim its photonic mast. Cameras replace the traditional optical periscope, and familiar sticks and buttons let sailors…
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Higher expectations placed upon individuals lead directly to an increase in their performance, while low expectations result in worse outcomes.
Higher expectations placed upon individuals lead directly to an increase in their performance, while low expectations result in worse outcomes. Expectations…
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Researchers estimated 20 quadrillion ants from hundreds of studies.
Researchers estimated 20 quadrillion ants from hundreds of studies. A 2022 analysis combined sampling data across continents and habitats to estimate their…
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