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
Your investments may be riding on math, not people
High-frequency trading algorithms handle much of today's equity trading, reacting to news and tiny price differences in microseconds—far faster than human…
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Why one leaf blower can annoy an entire neighborhood
One homeowner saves the time and effort of raking, while the gas engine sends noise across as many as 40 neighboring households. The person who gets the…
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Scientific studies actually confirm humans sleep less during a full moon despite dismissing astrology entirely
In a sleep-lab study, people who didn’t know the lunar phase took longer to fall asleep and had less deep sleep around the full moon. The result suggests a…
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How stores use music to control your shopping pace
Slow music can encourage shoppers to move more slowly through a store. More time among the shelves means more chances to notice products, browse, and add…
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Spiders can sail through the sky on threads of silk
A spider can send out fine silk threads that catch the wind and lift it into the air. The threads may also carry electric charge, allowing Earth’s electric…
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Antipodes are the exact opposite side of earth
A straight tunnel through Earth would emerge at that point—but for most people, it’s in the middle of an ocean, not another country.
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Why 3D worlds use flat images
To create the illusion of depth, games often rotate flat sprites to face you, hiding the fact that they have no back.
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Why focus groups can flatten a complicated story
When viewers find a morally ambiguous character confusing, executives may add scenes that spell out the character’s motives. The trade-off is less mystery in…
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Rubbing a lemon on yourself absorbs bad vibes
In this practice, an uncut lemon is waved over the body to absorb negative energy from the aura, then discarded as if it took the hit.
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A Victorian family's only portrait might come after death
Post-mortem photographs preserved the likeness of a person whose family might never have obtained a living portrait. Many show the deceased resting or laid…
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Sunday brings intense Sun main character vibes
In this astrology-based stereotype, Sunday’s association with the Sun turns the day into a spotlight: expect vanity, carefully lit selfies, and neglected…
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How gut bacteria talk to your brain
Gut microbes make chemicals that gut cells and nerves can detect. Signals also travel through hormones and the immune system, with the vagus nerve providing…
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Half-Life protagonist Gordon Freeman has never spoken a word
Gordon Freeman never speaks, even while fighting an alien invasion. His signature red crowbar does the talking.
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Hitman guards can catch what you thought was happening behind them
In the World of Assassination games, mirrors can let characters notice actions outside a direct forward view. Sounds also make guards turn and investigate.…
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Supertasters experience bitter flavors overwhelmingly
A bitter vegetable may be a faint edge to one person and the entire meal to a supertaster. Their taste system responds more strongly to certain bitter…
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Ninja Warrior obstacles require professional testing
Professional climbers and athletes test the obstacles. If too many testers clear one, designers adjust it.
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The fake passports sold by unrecognized countries
People pay for travel documents issued by self-declared countries, but real governments don’t recognize them. At an actual border, the passport can get its…
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Vatican City is the smallest fully independent global state
You can walk across the walled enclave in less than 20 minutes; it also issues its own euro coins and runs its own post office.
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Glass can be spun into fabric
Molten glass is pushed through tiny holes into flexible threads that can be woven into fabric. Coated in resin, the material hardens into lightweight…
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An interest ban made loan contracts more inventive
Medieval Christian restrictions on usury did not eliminate the need for credit. Merchants used arrangements such as bills of exchange, in which returns could…
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Sega thirty-two expansion required heavy spacer plates
The add-on needed heavy spacer brackets to prevent electromagnetic interference, making installation feel more like a basement hardware project than…
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Your body makes a liter of mucus a day
Mucus is a sticky filter lining your airways: it traps dust and debris, then tiny hairs help move it up toward the throat. Most of it ends up swallowed…
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Contra-antiscia are equinox mirrors ignoring each other
Contra-antiscia points are mirrored across the equinox axis and are said to rise at opposite times. Astrologers interpret that relationship as a disconnect…
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Eliminating tiny risks while ignoring massive ones
You can spend ten minutes checking a minor hazard and barely think about a risk that is far more serious but less visible. Concrete threats are easy to…
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