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
Journeying to Mars requires vast supplies
Orbital alignments shape the route, so crews must carry enough food and recycled water for the long journey, with no quick stop to replace forgotten supplies.
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Why muscle knots refuse to relax
A muscle knot is often a small, irritable patch of muscle that stays tense and sensitive. Pressing it can activate pain signals that the brain feels somewhere…
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Tengu goblins aggressively policing mountains
In Japanese folklore, tengu are strict mountain dwellers who punish travelers for behaving rudely on the trails.
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Bond covenants severely restrict executive decisions
Lenders can write rules into a loan that tie executives’ hands: no dividends, no acquisitions, and no certain financial risks while the debt remains unpaid.…
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Gorgon gazes transforming flesh into solid rock
Her hair of hissing snakes made getting close dangerous even before anyone met her gaze.
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A convincing detail can make an impossible probability feel right
A person cannot be more likely to be a bank teller who is active in a movement than simply a bank teller: the first group is contained inside the second. Yet…
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Bermuda Triangle geometry causing disappearances
The triangle is a shape drawn over the ocean, not a mechanism: enthusiasts blame it for swallowed ships, while the account points to chaotic weather and poor…
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Why pregnancy can separate your abdominal muscles
As the uterus grows, it stretches the connective tissue running down the center of the abdomen. That tissue can widen and separate the two sides of the…
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Why failed CEOs can leave with millions
A CEO can be fired and still collect millions because the severance deal was written into the contract in advance. These “golden parachutes” are triggered by…
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When synthesizers sounded like a bad joke
Traditional musicians dismissed electronic keyboards as talentless toys because their robotic sounds seemed to lack the skill of conventional instruments. Pop…
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Ankle bones bravely shoulder the entirety of your mass
The talus does a quiet but crucial job: it sits between the tibia and foot and transfers weight from one to the other. The shin’s downward pressure helps keep…
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Undine spirits requiring constant hydration
In glamour magic, applying makeup with intention is treated as a protective barrier meant to shape how others see you.
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How zippers made luggage dramatically lighter
Replacing heavy brass locks and leather buckles with interlocking zippers let luggage makers use lighter, flexible materials such as nylon and canvas.
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Hollywood studios pay millions to rewrite terrible scripts
Studios sometimes bring in uncredited script doctors shortly before filming to sharpen dialogue and patch plot holes, paying them hefty weekly fees.
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Your sinuses are more than congestion traps
The sinuses are air-filled spaces in the skull that reduce its weight and help shape the sound of your voice. They connect with the nasal passages, so…
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Why three people can look like a whole market
When you’re unsure what’s worth buying, other people’s choices become information. Seeing three people pick the same option can make it seem tried and…
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The strange vehicles that drive into rivers
Amphibious vehicles use wheels on land and a sealed hull with a propeller in water. They drive down the bank, then swap roads for rivers without changing…
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How the Pac-Man defense fights a takeover
A company under a hostile takeover can try to buy the very firm pursuing it. That “Pac-Man” move forces the would-be buyer to defend itself, turning a one-way…
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Manticore physiques combining lions and scorpions
Its lion’s body is paired with a human face and a venomous tail, combining three unsettling features in one creature.
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Nuclear power provides most of the electricity in France
France generates around 70% of its electricity through uranium fission, after expanding nuclear power in response to the 1970s oil crisis.
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Nylon went to war, leaving women to paint on their stockings
During World War II, American manufacturers redirected nylon from hosiery to parachutes. Some women used leg makeup to imitate the missing stockings instead.…
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Nuppeppo blobs smelling like rotting flesh
These animated lumps of fat are said to wobble through abandoned streets at night, their rotting-flesh stench keeping curious onlookers away.
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Your biceps do more than bend your elbow
When you rotate your forearm so your palm faces up, the biceps helps twist the forearm bones into position. It is an elbow bender and a palm-turner—which is…
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Squeezing legs together violently adds limbs back to center
When you squeeze your legs together, muscles on the inner thighs pull each leg toward the body’s midline. You can feel them engage because they’re drawing the…
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