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 phantom island that survived centuries of maps
Hy-Brasil appeared west of Ireland on charts even though expeditions never found it. Irish folklore said it emerged from the mist just once every seven years.…
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Blind pool pursuit was invented in suburban yards
Despite its name, the game has no historical link to the Venetian explorer; children made it up in suburban backyards in the 1960s.
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How long you rest between sets changes your workout
After a hard set, muscles need time to restore some of the quick-use energy that powers forceful efforts. Longer rests let more of that recovery happen before…
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LucasArts was originally called Lucasfilm Games
Formed in 1982 to explore interactive media, the company was initially barred from making Star Wars games, so it created original adventures instead.
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Copyright infringement requires proving actual damages
Copyright owners don’t always have to prove lost income to seek damages: U.S. law can allow statutory damages. But proving actual financial harm may matter…
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Rectum serves strictly as a temporary storage vault
Stool doesn't pass straight from the intestine out of the body: the rectum expands to hold it for a while. As its wall stretches, nerves register the filling…
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Helicopter doors are frequently removed
Removing a helicopter door cuts weight and clears the opening for photographers or crews who need an unobstructed view. The aircraft loses a little protection…
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Your original idea may have come from a movie
A scene from a film can leave behind a thought that resurfaces years later without its source attached. Memory keeps the content more easily than the…
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A fire pole saves seconds but creates a fall risk
The pole bypasses stairs, but firefighters still have to make a controlled descent under pressure. Some newer stations avoid the problem with a single-story…
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Brethren of the Free Spirit claimed they could not sin
They argued that a soul united with the divine could not sin, so even theft or lying could be framed as divine will. Authorities, unsurprisingly, did not…
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Stuffing mugwort under your pillow alters dreams
Mugwort tucked into a pillow is said to bring vivid dreams, though the supposed astral adventures may leave you feeling unrested.
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How a DAO vote can empty its entire treasury
Smart contracts carry out a DAO’s approved votes, so a majority of token holders can authorize a treasury transfer. If an attacker acquires enough voting…
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Portland aerial tram connects city districts through the sky
Two cabins travel on cables between Portland’s riverfront and the hilltop above it. Their steep aerial route skips the winding streets below, turning a…
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Pearls are just a clam allergic reaction
For Cancer, a pearl's formation makes a neat metaphor for a grudge: an oyster coats an irritant in layers until it becomes a gem, much like irritation…
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The string trick inside Rubik's Magic
An internal loop of string lets the panels flip and fold over and over without the mechanism coming apart.
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You can pay someone to stand in line for you
If waiting would cost you an hour of work, you can hire someone to spend that hour in the queue instead. The stand-in holds your place, then steps aside when…
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Why late-night infomercials stop at 28½ minutes
A 28½-minute infomercial leaves 90 seconds in a half-hour slot for required station identification and local commercials.
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When Zimbabweans washed dollar bills
Fresh U.S. bills were hard to come by, so people tried to keep their worn one-dollar notes usable. Some ran them through washing machines with soap, then hung…
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Compass bars compress digital spaces into spinning lines
A compass bar flattens 360 degrees of geographic space into a strip, sliding objective icons left or right according to their direction—like turning the world…
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Huli jing effortlessly transform into beautiful women
In Chinese lore, foxes that live long enough gain the power to take the form of beautiful women. They infiltrate aristocratic households and drain the…
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A televangelist tried to blow COVID-19 away on camera
In 2020, Kenneth Copeland blew toward the camera and declared that he was directing the wind of God at the coronavirus. The broadcast turned a public-health…
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A kitchen spice can cause a very unappetizing poisoning
Nutmeg in excessive amounts can cause confusion, hallucinations, a racing heart, and severe discomfort. The familiar flavoring contains biologically active…
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Decal systems slap flat graphical stickers onto architecture
The system adjusts each flat image to a surface's angle, letting designers add localized dirt without changing the underlying geometry.
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Unencrypted web traffic automatically defaults to port 80
Unencrypted web traffic uses port 80 and travels in plain text, so someone snooping on the network can read what pages you’re browsing.
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