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
How Luigi can win by barely moving
Random minigame outcomes can let Luigi win even if he barely moves, while other players eliminate themselves.
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Niffari claimed God told him that knowledge is a giant veil
Some local legends blame livestock deaths on mythical vampires rather than wild predators.
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A tenrec can send signals by rubbing special quills together
The lowland streaked tenrec has a group of modified spines on its back that produce high-frequency sounds. Researchers think these help family members…
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Crookes found thallium by analyzing green sparks
The green line was a fingerprint, not just a pretty spark. Energized atoms release light at particular wavelengths, creating a pattern of lines; Crookes…
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Fallout recruited its first collaborators with an after-work pizza meeting
Tim Cain had built a game engine but could not pull colleagues away from their assigned projects. He recalled booking a conference room for 6 p.m. and…
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Why broccoli tastes unbearably bitter to some people
A gene variant can make the bitter-taste receptor TAS2R38 especially responsive to thiourea compounds found in broccoli. The vegetable has not changed; one…
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Why speeding can make you hit every red light
Traffic lights are often timed for the posted speed, so driving faster can put you out of sync with the green wave and leave you stopping at the next red.
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Applying cosmetics acts as an energetic shield
In the 1960s, a researcher attached electrodes to a dracaena and took changing electrical readings as evidence of fear. The readings also fluctuated when a…
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Heavy liquids sinking into light ones cause chaotic mixing
A layer of heavy liquid balanced over a lighter one is ready to overturn. Dense fingers sink, and lighter fluid rises through the gaps, stretching a smooth…
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The nautical story behind the word posh
A popular nautical story claims “posh” stands for “port out, starboard home,” referring to passengers choosing the shadier side of a ship on each leg of a…
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Off-Broadway is about seats, not style
The label is based on theater size: Off-Broadway venues seat 100 to 499 people, not on whether a show is experimental.
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Why train luggage racks are tilted backward
The backward angle and friction help keep bags from sliding toward passengers when a train stops suddenly.
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Cardboard boxes gain strength from wavy fluted inner paper
The wavy inner layer forms a series of arches between two flat sheets, giving corrugated cardboard its strength.
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Breakfast properties force morning small talk
At traditional B&Bs, guests may find themselves sharing one table with strangers before they’ve had coffee.
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Attaching a lie detector to a plant to prove it has feelings
Spiritual traditions cast deserts as places of deprivation, where a lack of comforts and water can focus attention on basic needs—or simply survival.
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Entracte music was designed specifically for intermissions
Composers wrote these suites to play while patrons stretched their legs, bridging the two halves of a film.
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Why delivery trucks avoid left turns
A left turn across oncoming traffic means waiting, idling, and crossing more lanes of conflict. Delivery companies plan routes with fewer left turns to save…
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French author Eliphas Levi popularized esoteric associations
In cleidomancy, a key hangs from a string like a pendulum, and its swings are read as answers to questions.
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NASA sent a wrench to space as a design file
In 2014, the ISS printed a plastic ratchet wrench from a file sent from Earth, building it in about four hours. It was a technology demonstration later…
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Suspended keys unlock answers from the cosmos
In astrological body mapping, Scorpio is associated with the reproductive organs and bowels, linking the sign to themes of sex and primal urges.
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Scorpio dictates human reproductive organs and bowels
Some apps offer upbeat free forecasts but reserve warnings about bad luck and disasters for paid subscribers.
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Subscription tiers lock away bad news
Participants sit in pitch-black, overheated tents in hopes of gaining clarity, and the intense discomfort can bring on hallucinations.
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Why indie cinemas rent out their screens
A birthday party or corporate presentation can pay the bills when an obscure film can’t fill the seats. Local theaters rent out the screen, turning a quiet…
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Alaska has a museum full of hammers
Haines, Alaska, has a museum devoted to hammers, with thousands of examples ranging from ancient stone tools to specialized medical mallets.
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