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 wartime aircraft with no way back
The Japanese Ohka was a piloted flying bomb, released from a bomber near its target and powered by rockets for the final attack. It had no landing gear for a…
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Medieval trial by combat came with a fighting manual
Hans Talhoffer's fight books illustrated techniques for the regulated duels used in some legal disputes. They covered weapons, wrestling and preparations for…
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The Panama Papers exposed an offshore system through 11.5 million records
The 2016 investigation drew on leaked files from law firm Mossack Fonseca, connecting offshore entities to people across more than 200 countries and…
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Religious demand for gold leaf inflated metal markets
During the Renaissance, demand for thin sheets of gold and other precious metals to decorate altarpieces reportedly pushed up bullion prices across European…
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Refusing to bake cookies during an empty phase
The baker leaves the dough in the fridge, worried that baking during an “empty window” will make the cookies burn.
Discover moreWolverine's claws come with a terrible catch
Each time he unsheathes them, the claws cut through his own skin; there's no magical numbing agent to spare him the pain.
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Red Dead Redemption 2 hides a catalog you can read
The game includes a readable recreation of a 19th-century mail-order catalog, complete with vintage illustrations of suspenders—an easy rabbit hole when you…
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Final Fantasy menus pause time during intense moments
That lets you rummage through your inventory for a healing potion while a boss’s planet-shattering attack is charging.
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When your cheek takes over a phone call
If the screen stays on when you hold the phone to your head, your cheek can tap buttons, mute you, end the call, or even dial someone else.
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Standard vehicle batteries abruptly die at the worst times
A car battery doesn’t fade politely: the starter asks for a sudden flood of electricity. As the battery ages, it struggles to deliver that surge, so the…
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A stock sound sample put Islamic chants inside Zelda's Fire Temple
Ocarina of Time's original dungeon music used a vocal sample from a commercial sound library. Nintendo later said the religious content had gone unrecognized…
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Green tea desserts dominate Asian convenience stores
Some Asian convenience stores stock sweets flavored with green tea, from chocolate bars to dense cakes.
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Emulators mimic completely foreign hardware via software
They imitate another machine’s hardware in software, translating its instructions in real time. That extra work can require far more processing power than the…
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High altitude balloonists must constantly wear oxygen masks
At high altitude, the air thins until each breath delivers too little oxygen. A mask feeds oxygen straight to the balloonist’s lungs, turning a spectacular…
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Renaissance magicians used astrological talismans trapped with stellar energy to cure stomach aches
Astrologers believed planetary influence could be captured in tin amulets engraved during specific planetary hours. Marsilio Ficino helped popularize the idea…
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Scooters were a hit long before rental apps
The early Autoped scooter used a small gasoline engine to drive its front wheel. Leaning the steering column forward engaged the motor; pulling it back…
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Eccrine sweat is just pure unadulterated fluid moisture
Eccrine glands release a mostly scentless fluid onto your skin. As that moisture evaporates, it carries heat away, helping cool you down; the cooling comes…
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Can sarcasm make every conversation hostile
A sarcastic “Great job” asks the listener to hear the sneer hiding inside the compliment. If that becomes the default, people start scanning every sentence…
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Why a Greek salad has no lettuce
Traditional Greek salad instead combines tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and olives, topped with a slab of feta.
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Why blank ticket paper is locked in safes
A single roll of blank thermal ticket stock can produce thousands of fraudulent entries, so venues serialize it and lock it away like cash.
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Houdini put an escape trick inside a play to protect it
He registered short dramatic works featuring his illusions, including the upside-down Water Torture Cell. Copyright offered a route to protect the…
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Mosquitoes can deliver bot-fly maggots under your skin
The mosquito is the delivery vehicle, not the source of the larvae. A bot fly can glue eggs onto it, and a person’s warmth may trigger the eggs to hatch when…
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Why pop songs rush to the chorus
To grab listeners quickly, pop songs often bring in their main catchy hook within the first half-minute.
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Crash Bandicoot kept a wombat's name long after changing animals
Naughty Dog used 'Willie the Wombat' as a working title, even after deciding the hero was a bandicoot. Co-creator Andy Gavin says they kept the temporary name…
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