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
Americans put postage stamps in tiny cases to use as money
During the Civil War, coin hoarding left shops short of small change. Postage stamps could substitute, but they were fragile. Inventors protected them behind…
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Boston once banned Christmas celebrations
Puritan leaders objected to Christmas drinking, feasting and other festivities. Massachusetts made celebrating a five-shilling offense from 1659 to 1681—a…
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Majora's Mask was made in just one year
Reusing assets from the studio’s previous hit helped the team build a new adventure on that tight schedule.
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Ancient Celtic druids memorized thousands of verses because writing down their spells was strictly illegal
Druids reportedly banned written records, arguing that writing weakened memory; apprentices could spend up to 20 years memorizing poetic teachings. Keeping…
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A ticket to the first Oscars dinner cost five dollars
The 1929 event gathered about 270 people at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, and the winners had already been announced. It was a private industry dinner rather…
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Why we fear tiny risks more than huge ones
A tiny chance of disaster can feel scarier than a large, slow-moving danger because the dramatic possibility is easier to picture. A plane crash has a scene;…
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Chinese Ox signs strongly refuse to take travel shortcuts
The Ox is said to favor familiar routes so strongly that a clever shortcut can feel like a betrayal of the plan.
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Romans roasted dormice with honey
Romans bred dormice in terracotta jars, fattened them on walnuts and acorns, then served them roasted with honey and poppy seeds at elite banquets.
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Lonely Planet began after a trip that ended with 27 cents
Tony and Maureen Wheeler reached Sydney in 1972 after traveling overland through Asia. Friends kept asking how they had done it, and the answers became Across…
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Some offshore hotels hold position with thrusters instead of an anchor
Dynamic-positioning systems use position sensors and controlled propulsion to counter wind, waves, and current. For vessels housing offshore workers, staying…
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The space station's price includes building it off Earth
ESA has estimated €100 billion for developing and assembling the International Space Station plus ten years of operation. That is not simply a house price:…
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Google once routed royalties through a tax sandwich
The “Double Irish, Dutch sandwich” moved licensing payments through companies in Ireland and the Netherlands toward low-tax Bermuda. Intellectual property…
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How researchers accidentally influence their own experiments
An experimenter’s expectations can leak into the room through small signals participants are good at reading. Later, those same expectations can influence…
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Why we prefer tiny perfect things to larger flawed ones
A perfect little object can feel more satisfying than a larger one with a visible defect because your judgment responds to the whole impression, not just the…
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Why Victorian carriages had secret compartments
Hidden spaces tucked into a carriage’s bodywork kept valuables away from curious eyes. A thief saw polished panels and cushions; the owner saw a traveling…
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An old medical recipe mixed snails with earthworms
Historical remedies for consumption included preparations made from snails and earthworms. Such recipes show how ingredients from the garden entered formal…
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Operation penalizes players the second they touch the edges
Touching the metal rim triggers the game's red nose light, turning a tiny hand tremor into an instant penalty.
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Why armored cash vans can keep driving after a blowout
Run-flat inserts inside the tires support the van after air escapes, keeping the wheel off the road. That gives the driver time to reach safety instead of…
Discover moreA friendship changed how Hergé drew China
While preparing The Blue Lotus, the Tintin creator met Chinese artist Zhang Chongren, whose knowledge challenged the stereotypes in his earlier work. The book…
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Sheep are widely considered Catan's least valuable resource
Sheep can feel like Catan's least useful resource early on: wood and brick build roads, while sheep are mainly useful when you need development cards. If you…
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Why stationary bikes still feel like a headwind
On magnetic-resistance bikes, a flywheel spins near magnets; moving them closer increases the drag and makes pedaling harder.
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Microsoft once tried to buy Nintendo
Microsoft executives flew to Japan to propose buying the company outright. Nintendo’s executives reportedly found the offer so amusing that they laughed it…
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Why your laptop overheats on your lap
Many laptops draw in cooling air through vents on the bottom. Set one on your lap, bed, or couch, and the fabric can block the airflow, causing it to overheat.
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Why the ISS has a tiny acoustic guitar
A small guitar fits into the station’s tight storage spaces, and its acoustic body needs no amplifier in the pressurized cabin. Even in orbit, a crew can take…
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