The world is more interesting than you think.
Unexpected facts, big ideas, and little discoveries. Find something that sparks your curiosity today.
A little more wonder
Dining tables constructed from loose boards over trestles
In some settings, dining tables were loose wooden planks laid across trestles rather than permanent fixtures. A rowdy dinner could send the whole meal…
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Sending mental texts without a smartphone
Tests using cards and hidden drawings have not established that people can transmit thoughts directly from one brain to another; we still communicate with…
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Why golf bunkers began as sheep shelters
Coastal sheep dug sandy hollows to shelter from the wind; golf course designers later recreated those depressions as hazards.
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Why gentlemen carried swords inside their canes
The cane looked like a walking aid; inside, a narrow blade waited beneath the handle. It concealed a weapon in plain sight, turning formal dress into a very…
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Why some egg donors are paid more
Egg donors undergo a more invasive extraction than sperm donors, so they may be paid more. Some agencies also offer extra money to applicants with high SAT…
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Medieval kings forced wealthy cowards to pay scutage
A knight who would rather not serve could pay scutage, or “shield money,” to the crown. The arrangement let wealthy men buy their way out of military service…
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When soap taxes made hygiene a luxury
Britain taxed soap for well over a century before abolishing the duty in 1853. A tax on an everyday washing product raised its cost and made cleanliness…
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Why cities pay to appear in Hollywood movies
A city may pay a production to put its skyline on screen because viewers might later book a trip to see it. The bet still applies when the skyline appears…
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Why humans are bad at swinging through trees
Humans lack the long arms, powerful shoulders and grasping feet that let tree-swinging specialists hang on and launch into the next branch. Our bodies are…
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Genetically modified crops survive toxic herbicides
Some engineered soybeans and corn are designed to tolerate specific herbicides, letting farmers kill weeds without killing the crop.
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Some car commercials film a vehicle that is not the advertised car
The Mill's Blackbird is an adjustable wheeled rig that can stand in for different vehicles on location. Artists replace its visible body with a digital car…
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The wallpaper tax that made people paint patterns
Printed wallpaper drew a heavy tax in Britain, so homeowners found a way to get the pattern without buying the taxed product. They bought plain paper and…
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When a clarinet counted as a medical expense
A clarinet and music lessons could count as medical expenses if a doctor said playing a woodwind treated a child’s severe overbite. The tax question turned on…
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In games, chainsaws can turn monsters into ammunition
In some games, a chainsaw kill makes monsters burst into usable shotgun shells and rockets, turning a melee weapon into a grisly ammo refill.
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Lead behaves as an incredibly heavy yet easily cut metal
Pick up a small piece of lead and its weight can surprise you: lots of mass is packed into little space. Scratch it, though, and it gives way because its…
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A fireworks show's price includes the night you never see
The visible display is only the final few minutes of selecting effects, transporting explosives, setting up launch equipment, and arranging licensed crews and…
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Marshmallows once came from a swamp plant
The first marshmallows got their texture from whipped sap from the marshmallow plant’s root, not gelatin. The candy’s name was once an ingredient list.
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How cherries become those unnaturally red toppings
The cherries are first soaked in calcium chloride and sulfur dioxide brine, which strips their natural color and flavor. Corn syrup and red dye then give them…
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The fridge magnet that can kill your credit card
A strong magnet can erase a credit card’s magnetic stripe, though the chip may still work. A decorative magnet in your wallet is more likely to cause trouble…
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Those excited infomercial crowds are paid
The enthusiastic infomercial crowds are paid background workers, coached on when to cheer at demonstrations like basic stain removal.
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Analyzing random skin blemishes for clues
Unlike mole reading, this practice interprets spots, freckles, and even temporary blemishes as clues to a person’s fate.
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Monitoring dog barks for vital clues
If a dog barks once, a stranger approaches. If it howls, disaster strikes. Cynomancy turns every noise your pet makes into a serious omen, entirely ignoring…
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Beach umbrella rentals cost a minor fortune
Some rentals charge steep prices for just two hours under a beach umbrella.
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Your popcorn came from nearly inedible grass
Generation after generation, people saved seeds from plants with bigger, easier-to-eat kernels. The tiny, rock-hard grass gradually became corn—and,…
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