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
The Ferris wheel built to challenge the Eiffel Tower
Rather than build upward in a straight line, engineer George Ferris built a 264-foot wheel that hauled riders skyward in hanging cars. The gondolas swung to…
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Why divers remember better underwater
The underwater setting can act like a bookmark for memories made there. In experiments, divers who learned words underwater recalled more of them underwater…
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The video-game soldier who carries a fighter jet’s gun
This video-game character carries a Gatling gun taken from a downed F-16 and fires it from the hip.
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Challenger's disaster exposed the importance of a flexible seal
Cold made the booster joint's O-rings less able to respond as the joint moved during launch. Hot gas escaped through a joint that should have remained sealed.…
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Drive-in theaters once filled America
In 1958, the United States had about 4,000 drive-in theaters. Families paid by the carload, making them an affordable outing for large groups.
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Shiny hard suitcases scratch heavily on day one
A reflective metallic finish shows scuffs quickly, so a sleek suitcase can lose its futuristic look after just a few hours of travel.
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India's cinema anthem rule changed after just over a year
In 2016, the Supreme Court required theaters to play the national anthem before films. In January 2018, it made playing it optional again. A ritual attached…
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The cable car with a roof you can stand on
Some historic cable cars turn the roof into an open passenger deck, with seats and rails for the view. Beneath the car, a grip reaches through a slot and…
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Twister helped persuade some viewers to study real weather
NOAA scientists have described the 1996 film as one influence on their interest in meteorology. The cinematic chase offered an exciting doorway into a field…
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Poker players only win what another player loses
The pot is a pile of money players already brought to the table. When one player wins, the others’ lost bets become the payout; the cards decide whose pocket…
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Why jokes work by breaking your predictions
A joke sets up one pattern, then swerves: the punchline makes your brain revise the scene it had just built. That sudden mismatch is the surprise; spotting…
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A broken console accidentally created rock’s fuzz sound
During a 1961 country recording, a blown transformer distorted the bass into a buzzy sound. The musicians liked it, and engineers later built fuzz pedals to…
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Why melted ice cream tastes sweeter
As ice cream warms, its sweetness becomes easier to taste. Cold dulls the sensations your mouth picks up, so a firm scoop can seem less sweet than the same…
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Eating raw vegetables elevates your vibrational frequency
Raw-food proponents say unheated produce carries “high-vibrational” energy that can make a person feel lighter and more enlightened.
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Humans are terrible at making purely rational choices
A shopper could compare every cereal box, but that takes time and attention. Often, the one at eye level looks good enough—and goes straight into the cart.
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Why whispers give you spine tingles
A whisper makes you lean in: it is quiet, close, and full of tiny details your attention has to track. For some people, that focused listening sparks a…
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How conveyor belts changed sushi restaurants
A moving belt carried plates past diners, so cooks could send out small dishes without a server ferrying each one. Guests picked what looked good as it rolled…
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The cinema where your seat is a hot tub
A UK event company replaced theater seats with inflatable hot tubs, turning a movie into a communal soak with a dozen strangers.
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Used car salesmen know way more about the engine
A used-car seller may know far more about the engine and the car’s condition than the person buying it. The buyer has to make a deal with less information.
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Sinatra hated the song everyone wanted him to sing
Fans kept demanding “My Way,” though Sinatra thought its lyrics self-indulgent and whiny. He performed it anyway: sometimes the audience gets the final say in…
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Only one male Gerudo is born each century
That rarity makes Ganondorf's role especially striking: the only male born in a century becomes a threat to the land.
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The FBI warning on a movie wasn't a compulsory opening scene
Copyright holders used the anti-piracy seal to give their warning an official visual punch. The program authorizes its use under conditions; it doesn't…
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Goro Majima hides in traffic cones
In one ambush, he curls up inside a traffic cone and waits for the player to walk by.
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Urban Cowboy made mechanical bulls a craze
After the film’s release, bars across the country installed mechanical bulls, turning the dangerous ride into a symbol of sex appeal.
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