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
Water element aesthetics trend constantly
Moody ocean and rainstorm mood boards are a popular online aesthetic, but liking them doesn't necessarily mean someone has a deep, complex soul.
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Most of your serotonin is made in your gut
Serotonin has a major job in the gut: it helps coordinate digestive activity. Gut tissue produces most of the body’s supply, but brain serotonin is a separate…
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Google answers more than 8 billion questions a day
People use Google for everything from checking how many ounces are in a cup to searching symptoms of a mild cough. Those billions of queries also power its…
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When American politicians settled arguments with pistols
In a political culture where an insult could be treated as an attack on personal honor, some lawmakers took disputes to dueling grounds. Others skipped the…
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USB-C repeats connections so you can stop flipping the plug
The connector's symmetric arrangement lets it work in either orientation, while the devices detect how it is connected and route signals accordingly. That…
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Why one extra comma can break JSON
JSON’s strict syntax means a trailing comma can make a file invalid and cause a parser to reject it.
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A medicine-ball throw tests how quickly you can produce force
Launching a weighted ball requires the body to accelerate a load, not just hold it still. Researchers have used standardized throws to assess explosive power.…
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Why James Bond was given an accountant’s name
Ian Fleming wanted Bond to have the blandest, most uninteresting name possible, so he borrowed it from the author of a bird-watching manual. The intentionally…
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The glass that survives red-hot to ice-cold
Fused quartz expands so little when heated that it can withstand extreme temperature changes. A red-hot quartz crucible can go straight into ice water without…
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A museum bought Van Meegeren's fake as a remarkable Vermeer
Han van Meegeren painted The Supper at Emmaus in 1937, and Museum Boijmans acquired it believing it was a major discovery. His confession after World War II…
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Heated pipeline transported crude oil across frozen tundra
The crude had to stay hot enough to flow, but heat could thaw the permafrost beneath the line. Elevated supports helped keep the heat from destabilizing the…
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Venus takes the crown for hottest solar system planet
Mercury gets more direct sunlight, but Venus is better at holding on to heat. Its thick carbon dioxide atmosphere lets sunlight warm the ground, then slows…
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DNA can protect itself from extreme heat
Some heat-loving microbes use reverse gyrase to twist their DNA into tighter coils. The extra winding can help the genetic material stay stable at…
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How workers moved a lighthouse with soap
Soap lubricated the path beneath the lighthouse, reducing friction as workers eased the heavy tower forward on supports. The building slid instead of grinding…
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Demanded his followers eat animal fat
Shabbatai Tzvi challenged religious dietary rules by demanding that his followers eat forbidden animal fat. He presented breaking such restrictions as a sign…
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Vodou practitioners in Haiti use intricate cornmeal drawings on the floor to dial up specific spiritual entities
Each veve is a distinct symbol associated with a spirit, or lwa, and serves as a beacon. Practitioners draw the intricate designs on temple floors with…
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Antarctica is functionally just a massive ice cube
Nearly all of the continent is covered by ice, with soil and rock hidden beneath the surface.
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When Cyberpunk 2077 spawned police behind you
At launch, police vehicles couldn't reliably navigate to crime scenes, so the game sometimes spawned armed officers about two feet behind the player instead.
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Twister mats utilize highly specific tear-resistant vinyl
The vinyl is designed to withstand the concentrated friction and pulling of players’ elbows and knees without tearing.
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A gossip columnist sent high society on scavenger hunts
Elsa Maxwell popularized the party game in Paris in the 1920s and New York in the 1930s. Instead of merely standing around an elegant room, guests had to go…
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Barium sulfate completely resists chemical dissolution
Barium sulfate dissolves so little in water that very little barium enters the body from the digestive tract. It also blocks X-rays, making the gut show up in…
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Why a random sneeze means disaster in fiction
In the familiar fiction trope, a stray sneeze is the first clue to a contagious, flesh-eating virus that takes over the story’s second act.
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Freelance contracts completely erase worker stability
A contract may offer control over when to take tasks, but it can leave workers without collective benefits or a safety net. The flexibility doesn’t guarantee…
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Nintendo DS had a second meaning for developers
At its 2004 unveiling, Nintendo promoted DS as 'Developers' System,' alongside its obvious dual-screen identity. Two displays, touch input and a microphone…
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