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Last of Us television series swept award shows entirely
The adaptation stayed close to the game’s acclaimed story, showing that a TV version didn’t have to discard the narrative that made the original a hit.
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You're not being thrown outward in a sharp turn
Your body would keep going straight while the car changes direction beneath it. The door—or your seat belt—pushes you inward so you turn with the car; your…
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Platform edge doors stop objects falling on tracks
The doors form a barrier between the platform and the tracks, opening only when a train is in place. A dropped phone stays on the safe side; so does the…
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Google Stadia was unceremoniously completely shut down
Google’s streaming service was an ambitious attempt to change how people played, but the company eventually abandoned it.
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Mystics write complex poetry to express the inexpressible
Mystical writers use paradoxes and startling images to describe experiences they believe ordinary language cannot capture, including union with the divine.
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Why alcohol can hit harder on a plane
Cabin pressure can correspond to an altitude of about 8,000 feet, where lower oxygen levels may leave some travelers feeling light-headed. Alcohol can add to…
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Why friends’ periods don’t really sync
Menstrual cycles naturally vary in length, so two people’s start dates drift closer together and farther apart over time. A coincidence can look like syncing…
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The $90 million domain sold on a 35-year payment plan
The deal was for LasVegas.com, not the entire business of Vegas.com. Starting in 2005, the buyer agreed to spread payments for the domain through 2040. A…
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Bubble wrap was supposed to be wallpaper
Engineers made bubble wrap by sealing two shower curtains together, hoping to sell it as wallpaper. When nobody wanted bubble walls, the company found a buyer…
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The first American-made CD was Bruce Springsteen
In 1984, CBS Records pressed the first commercial CD made in the U.S.: Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the U.S.A.” The working-class album became the flagship…
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Drug money found banks desperate for cash in 2008
During the credit freeze, banks stopped trusting one another enough to lend. U.N. drugs chief Antonio Maria Costa said criminal proceeds became a source of…
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Deeply profound mystical concept of karma originally referred to completing terribly boring daily religious rituals
In early Vedic texts, karma referred to ritual action, especially performing sacrifices and reciting chants—not to the idea that the universe rewards or…
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eBay began by selling something that did not even work
In 1995, Pierre Omidyar listed a broken laser pointer on his new AuctionWeb site. Mark Fraser bought it for $14.83 and still had it twenty years later, when…
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The year America had no national debt
Jackson’s administration sold federal land and vetoed spending bills to wipe out the national debt. The balance hit zero in 1835; after the Panic of 1837, the…
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Classic magical phrase hocus pocus was literally just medieval peasants completely butchering Catholic church Latin
The phrase is often traced to a playful imitation of the priest’s words during the Eucharist: “Hoc est enim corpus meum,” or “This is my body.” Listeners who…
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Coveted alchemical treasure the philosopher's stone was mostly described as a deeply suspect and bizarre red powder
Alchemists rarely meant a literal stone: many described the philosopher’s stone as a heavy, saffron-colored red powder. It was called a “stone” because it was…
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Android was first designed for digital cameras
In 2003, Andy Rubin's team envisioned it as a camera operating system that would connect digital cameras to PCs. When that market began to shrink, they…
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Your eyes read by jumping, not sliding smoothly
While reading, the eyes make rapid jumps called saccades, separated by pauses that gather detail. The movement is so ordinary that the page usually feels…
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Why getting away with cheating can feel euphoric
Cheating creates a tense little wager: will anyone catch me? If the answer is no, the danger drops away and the successful escape can feel exhilarating. The…
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One person owns 30,000 board games
A German man has assembled 30,000 board games, the largest collection on record. Storing and organizing thousands of boxes is a challenge in itself.
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Why bleach can destroy stolen cash
A dye pack can leave stolen bills bright red, but bleaching them risks destroying the money. The chemicals can break down the cotton-linen fibers in U.S.…
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“Paying through the nose” acquired a gruesome Viking legend
One popular explanation says Viking tax collectors in Ireland slit the noses of people who would not pay. The story gives the expression a vivid physical…
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Eminem fit 1,560 words into Rap God
Across the six-minute track, he averages 4.28 words per second and squeezes 97 words into a 15-second burst.
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Why the Friends couch was always available
A “Reserved” sign is visible on the coffee table in wide shots; Gunther kept the couch for Rachel and her friends.
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