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The NBA game that ended 186–184
In December 1983, Detroit and Denver combined for 370 points over three overtimes, still the NBA record for a game.
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A boy found some of D. B. Cooper's ransom nine years later
In 1980, a child discovered deteriorating bills on a Columbia River beach. Their serial numbers matched money from the 1971 hijacking. A piece of the missing…
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Why an unwanted gift makes you want to give one back
You may not want the gift, but refusing to respond can feel like breaking a social rule. Giving something back restores a sense of balance: now neither person…
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Tomb Raider II let players lock the butler in the freezer
Winston follows Lara around the mansion with his rattling tea tray. Lure him into the walk-in freezer, leave, and close the door, and the persistent follower…
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Makemake directly rules over radical environmentalism
In astrology, distant Makemake is associated with environmental concern, casting an icy world as a reminder to respect nature.
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Ketchup packets contain precisely one fifth of an ounce
A small order of fries may take about 15 packets to cover, each holding one-fifth of an ounce.
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Some borders have checkpoints far inside the country
Crossing the border isn't always the last checkpoint: some countries maintain permanent stops miles inside their territory to catch people who bypassed the…
Discover moreJiddu Krishnamurti exclusively wore bespoke tailored suits
He was famously particular about his appearance, insisting that his suits come from Savile Row’s most expensive, elite outfitters.
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Revolutionary France tried a 10-day week
Revolutionary France replaced the seven-day week with a decimal calendar: nine days of work, then one day of rest. The new system made the week neater on…
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Air elements will intellectually detach and ghost you
In astrology, air signs are said to prioritize ideas over feelings, so they may withdraw when conversations become emotionally intense.
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Lunar phases dictate wood cutting
Traditional almanacs prescribed particular moon phases for felling trees, claiming the timing kept timber from rotting.
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Trash cans belong completely to Saturn
Astrologically, Saturn’s associations with limits and decay link it to the boundary between valued possessions and discarded things.
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A candle's yellow light comes largely from glowing soot
Tiny carbon-rich particles become hot enough to shine inside the flame. That familiar glow is mainly incandescence—the same broad principle as a hot…
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Nuclear testing helped researchers date human brain cells
Atmospheric bomb tests changed the amount of carbon-14 entering food and, eventually, newly formed DNA. A 2013 study used that time marker to find evidence of…
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Why powerful flashlights have metal bodies
High-output flashlight LEDs generate substantial heat, and an aluminum body helps carry it into the surrounding air. Thin plastic could soften or melt under…
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An early accident-insurance pitch covered a four-block walk
Travelers tells its founding story through a tiny transaction in 1864: banker James Bolter asked James Batterson what it would cost to insure his walk home.…
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Why Bethesda is called Bethesda
Christopher Weaver founded the company in Bethesda, Maryland, and kept the name after moving operations to Rockville.
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Credit card chips are frequently just glued onto the plastic
In some lower-cost cards, the chip is attached to the plastic with adhesive, leaving it vulnerable to damage from a hard scratch.
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Being a ship's captain doesn't automatically let you marry people
Commanding a vessel and performing a legally recognized wedding are different kinds of authority. Whether a captain can officiate depends on the applicable…
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Congregations laugh hysterically to achieve salvation
In some charismatic churches, worshippers laugh uncontrollably during services and interpret it as joy brought on by the Holy Spirit.
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Romans had a god of manure
Sterculius was a Roman deity associated with manure and fertilizing fields. To a farmer, waste that restored the soil had a direct connection to the next…
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Spiral shapes map out total universal growth
Spirals appear in galaxies and snail shells; some mystical traditions interpret them as a pattern of cosmic expansion.
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Blank Scrabble tiles give zero points despite high utility
A blank can stand in for any letter, helping you play a difficult word, but it adds nothing to your score.
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Ganon's full name sounds oddly ordinary
The official A Link to the Past manual names his human form Ganondorf Dragmire—a name that sounds more like a substitute teacher than a world-conquering…
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