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
Action stars train in real judo for fight scenes
For convincing fight scenes, actors may spend months learning judo throws and weapon handling at specialized training facilities.
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Larynx cartilage creates that weird protruding neck bump
The bump is the front edge of the thyroid cartilage, a firm shield around the voice box and vocal cords. During puberty, hormones often make this cartilage…
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Longest human muscle spirals down your entire leg
The longest muscle in the body is a long diagonal strap, not a giant slab: the sartorius runs from the outer hip to the inner knee. Because it crosses the hip…
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Walled gardens trap users in closed ecosystems
A rival device may not work as smoothly with the apps, software, and services you already use. Switching can mean giving up convenience or compatibility, even…
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How the ultra-rich manage money outside normal banks
A very wealthy family may hire its own private firm to manage investments, trusts and other financial affairs. That office works for one family, and its…
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Halo 2 multiplayer code was barely held together
Weeks before launch, developers said the code was fundamentally broken, so they duct-taped the framework together to get it out the door.
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Oni ogres wielding massive spiked iron clubs
These brightly colored ogres are often shown carrying massive spiked clubs.
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How random hits become a perfect pattern
A streak of hits looks like a signal because the mind expects chance to take turns: hit, miss, hit, miss. Real random sequences often bunch events together,…
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Margin calls violently liquidate leveraged portfolios
Borrowed money magnifies the pressure when an investment falls. The broker can demand cash to cover the loan; if the investor can’t pay, the broker may sell…
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GTA V's reported budget put it in blockbuster-movie territory
Contemporary estimates placed development and marketing together at roughly $265 million. That figure included getting the game in front of buyers, not just…
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The fastest way to get corrected online
Post a confident mistake and someone may rush in to fix it. Correcting a clear error is an easy way to display knowledge in public: the commenter gets to look…
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Lisbon built an elevator into its street network
The Santa Justa lift connects the lower Baixa area with the higher Carmo district. Instead of climbing the surrounding steep streets, passengers travel…
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Why we call it tin foil when it is not tin
Companies switched from tin to aluminum in the early 20th century partly because tin left food with a bitter metallic taste.
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Steam takes 30 percent while developers do the work
Steam’s standard cut is 30% of many game sales, while the platform handles distribution and server bandwidth.
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One developer balanced Assassin's Creed II in Excel
One developer spent months using a huge spreadsheet to set prices for items such as swords and paintings across multiple cities.
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Why digital folders still look like paper
Digital files don’t need paper folders, but the familiar image makes an invisible system easier to picture. A folder gives your mind a place to put things and…
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Corporate boards rarely challenge the chief executive
The people meant to question the CEO may owe their seats to the CEO and receive generous stipends. That can make directors less eager to challenge the person…
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An intimate movie scene can be choreographed as carefully as a stunt
SAG-AFTRA's protocols give intimacy coordinators a role in agreeing boundaries, planning movement, and coordinating garments or barriers. The aim is to make…
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Hydra necks duplicating upon decapitation
In the myth, each severed head is replaced by two, so swinging a sword only makes the monster harder to fight.
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Why stock options can make quitting costly
A four-year vesting schedule makes part of a worker’s pay depend on staying. Leave early, and unvested options can disappear with the job, even if the…
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The muscle that links your spine to your thigh
The psoas muscle runs from the lower spine to the thighbone. When it contracts, it pulls the thigh toward the torso, helping lift your knee—one reason it…
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Fixator muscles desperately brace against aggressive moves
During a punch, some muscles hold the shoulder blade and upper arm steady while others drive the arm forward. That bracing gives the moving muscles a stable…
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A screenwriter can use a pseudonym without simply surrendering the credit
The Writers Guild's screen-credit rules distinguish an approved pseudonym from withdrawing a name altogether. Withdrawal can forfeit rights attached to the…
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Air puts a speed limit on a falling penny
Its low mass and broad shape create enough drag to stop it accelerating indefinitely. That makes a penny very different from a compact heavy object falling…
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