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
Stunt design is getting its own Oscar at the 100th ceremony
The Academy announced a competitive Achievement in Stunt Design award for films released in 2027, with the first presentation planned for 2028. It recognizes…
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Darth Vader's voice was missing from the original credits
James Earl Jones supplied the voice while David Prowse performed the armored figure. Jones initially regarded his contribution as part of the special effects…
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Hurricane eyes are deceptively tranquil environments
The hurricane’s eye can feel calm because air is sinking there, while the fiercest winds circle in the surrounding eyewall. That sudden lull may be only the…
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Pyongyang's metro gave Berlin trains a second career
The system acquired used Class D trains from Berlin's U-Bahn. Vehicles built for one capital ended up carrying passengers in another with a very different…
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The Incas invented freeze-dried potatoes
The Incas left potatoes in freezing mountain air overnight, then crushed out the water under the sun to make a preserved food.
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The creepy dummy in the first TV broadcast
To test his crude mechanical scanner, inventor John Logie Baird needed a high-contrast subject. He used a painted ventriloquist dummy head named Stooky Bill.
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Intangible assets dominate modern corporate valuations
A company can be worth far more for software, patents and intellectual property than for its factories or machinery. Much of its value may sit in things you…
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Your linoleum floor is made from oil and cork
Real linoleum isn’t plastic: it’s made from oxidized linseed oil mixed with cork dust and tree resins, inspired by the skin that forms on paint.
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Penghou dogs permanently living inside timber
A faceless doglike beast is said to live inside tree trunks, making a cut log a potential hiding place for a monster.
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Basilisk stares instantly solidifying targets
A basilisk's glance is said to turn living things rigid instantly, making eye contact a dangerous game.
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Qilin hooves refusing to step on living things
In legend, the qilin avoids crushing grass or insects as it walks, a sign of its gentleness despite its powerful, hooved form.
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The software announced before it exists
A promised product can do useful work for a company before it exists: an announcement may stop customers from buying a competitor’s working alternative.…
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Music videos strictly film artists in extreme slow motion
For the slow-motion look, artists lip-sync to a track played at double speed, then the footage is slowed to normal—making their frantic performance look…
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The Wild West's movie towns were reused endlessly
Studios reused wooden facades in the desert, repainting details like saloon doors to make the same sets look like different frontier towns.
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Television helped turn tennis balls yellow
The international tennis federation approved yellow balls in 1972 after experiments showed they were easier to follow on screen. White remained an option, so…
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Feather shaped muscles pack maximum mechanical tension
The fibers in a feather-shaped muscle meet its tendon at an angle, like many short strands packed beside one another. More fibers can fit into the same space,…
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The strange world of spiral escalators
Their tracks curve as they carry passengers upward in a spiral, making them a striking alternative to ordinary straight escalators.
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How to build force without moving
A muscle does not need to shorten to produce force. During an isometric contraction, it pushes against resistance while the joint holds its position. That is…
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Your eSIM is already inside your phone
An eSIM is a chip already built into the phone; activating a plan downloads a profile that lets it connect to a carrier’s network.
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Morning dew doesn't fall from the sky
Grass and other surfaces lose heat overnight. When they cool below the dew point, water vapor in the surrounding air condenses into droplets. The lawn becomes…
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Corporate spinoffs isolate the worst performing assets
The parent can separate a struggling division and leave its weaker assets behind in a new public company. Its own results may look more profitable, while…
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Why your hip is harder to dislocate than your shoulder
The hip’s ball sits deep inside a bony socket, which holds it firmly in place. That makes the joint harder to dislocate than the shoulder, but the snug fit…
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The search for an insecticide led to a nerve agent
Gerhard Schrader's team discovered tabun in 1936 while investigating chemicals to kill insects. The danger extended far beyond the intended pests because the…
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John Wick's revenge begins with his wife's last gift
The puppy arrives after his wife's death, giving the retired assassin a new attachment while he grieves. Killing it destroys that connection and pulls him…
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