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
Jellyfish travel by pulsing their bellies
Each contraction pushes water out from beneath the bell, propelling the jellyfish forward without a brain directing the motion.
Discover more
One book can teach you to forge a legendary sword
In fantasy games, a quick read can apparently replace years of swordsmithing: one book grants the skill to forge a legendary blade from magical energy.
Discover more
Tuesday brings highly aggressive Mars walking speeds
Astrologically, Mars is associated with aggression, so Tuesday is imagined as a day when even a sidewalk stroll turns competitive.
Discover more
Fallout's two-headed deer can gore you twice
In Fallout, the two-headed deer are usually peaceful, but startle one and both heads may lunge to gore you.
Discover more
Removing objects from piles relies on binary logic
In Nim, writing each pile size in binary reveals which objects to remove to leave the opponent without a winning move.
Discover more
When boredom became a video game feature
Some extreme driving simulators make players spend eight real-time hours hauling cargo along a barren virtual highway, turning the tedium of a long haul into…
Discover more
STACKY FOR IPHONEA bigger world.
One discovery
at a time.
Keep discovering with Stacky. Interesting facts in an app that is always within reach.
Nintendo's Project Reality brought workstation expertise into a game console
Nintendo teamed with Silicon Graphics in 1993 to develop the machine that became the Nintendo 64. The pitch paired Nintendo's games business with SGI's…
Discover more
Thailand’s annual buffet for hungry monkeys
Each year, Lopburi lays out thousands of pounds of fruit, vegetables, and sweets for its macaques. The feast is a thank-you to the monkeys, which help draw…
Discover more
Coldplay's Yellow was named after a phone book
Chris Martin was searching for a placeholder word for the chorus when he spotted a Yellow Pages directory in the studio. That ordinary phone book gave…
Discover more
Why ships have a port side and a starboard side
Early ships had a steering oar on the right—the “steerboard”—so they docked on the left to protect it. The right side became starboard, and the left became…
Discover more
A fake-delivery prank jammed an entire London street
To win a bet, a prankster sent hundreds of fake requests for chimney sweeps, coal, cakes, and pianos to one address on Berners Street, all timed to arrive…
Discover more
Why your hotel thermostat may be fake
Some hotel thermostats cap the temperature range, while others may not control the room temperature at all. So turning the dial down doesn’t always mean the…
Discover more
In Thailand, going commando can break the law
Thai public-decency law reportedly makes going without underwear illegal, though how the rule could be enforced is unclear.
Discover more
Missing Fire results in an intense wet sponge vibe
In elemental astrology, Fire is associated with enthusiasm, so its absence is said to leave someone flat even at a surprise party.
Discover more
Some fungi make their own wind
As a mushroom’s cap loses water to the air, it cools the air nearby. That cooler air sinks and pulls warmer air upward, making a tiny current that can lift…
Discover more
How Ford made eight-track tapes popular
The format could click and switch tracks mid-song, but Ford's dashboard players helped make it a car-audio standard in the 1960s.
Discover more
Answering machines once needed a record and a wire
The Electronic Secretary used a record for the outgoing greeting and magnetic wire to capture incoming messages. Playing a message and recording a caller…
Discover more
Why confidence can beat competence in politics
A confident answer arrives neatly packaged: firm voice, clear promise, no visible hesitation. Actual competence takes time and evidence to judge, especially…
Discover more
Shooting stars are traveling space debris
The streak comes from a tiny fleck of rock or dust racing into the upper atmosphere at thousands of miles per hour and burning up.
Discover more
Power strips lack space for adapter blocks
Oversized adapter blocks can cover neighboring outlets, leaving some sockets unusable even on a six-outlet strip.
Discover more
Grey clothing completely neutralizes your signature
The color is considered to have no energetic charge, leaving your aura supposedly invisible—and your look terminally boring.
Discover more
Rodin's sculpture looked so real that critics suspected a body cast
The Age of Bronze caused controversy at the Paris Salon in 1877. Its model was a young Belgian soldier, and Rodin had to defend the work against claims that…
Discover more
Plural of ephemeris is ephemerides
An ephemeris is a reference book used in the practice, and its plural changes form instead of simply taking an -s.
Discover more
Skyward Sword hid an old Zelda melody by reversing it
The Ballad of the Goddess theme uses the melody of Zelda's Lullaby backward. The result sounds like a new adventure while retaining a structural link to a…
Discover more