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
Why the Nintendo Switch dock is mostly empty
You might assume the chunky block connecting your handheld to the television is full of secondary processors or cooling tech. In reality, opening the dock…
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Your empty stomach is only fist-sized
Despite what buffet dinners might imply, your internal holding tank is surprisingly tiny when completely empty. It sits tightly crumpled up waiting for…
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Tantric practices weave mundane acts into exercises
Instead of treating daily chores as boring, this philosophy pretends that literally everything you do is a deeply spiritual ritual. Sweeping the floor…
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Alexandre Dumas had a writing team
The mastermind behind 'The Three Musketeers' wasn't so much a writer as he was a narrative factory manager. Alexandre Dumas published over 100,000 pages in…
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External pressure dictates most daily actions
The vast majority of our daily routines are driven exclusively by the threat of bad grades, societal judgment, or missing a deadline. Take away the external…
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Gutenberg lost his press and died nearly penniless
Inventing the most important communication device in human history does not guarantee you a comfortable retirement. Johannes Gutenberg borrowed a massive…
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Why some cities lease graves instead of selling them
Resting in peace is increasingly becoming a luxury that only lasts for a few decades. In highly populated European and Asian cities where land is insanely…
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Beethoven poured cold water over his head to write
Because standard cures for writer's block were apparently for peasants, the legendary composer literally dumped buckets of freezing water on his brain to…
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Six hundred distinct muscles hold human forms together
You are piloting an incredibly complex meat-suit tightly bound by over six hundred overlapping muscular cables. They constantly fire in precise harmony just…
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Why your adenoids shrink as you grow up
You are literally born with temporary biological hardware installed in the back of your nasal passages. These spongy little defensive lumps furiously…
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Mass remains identically constant wherever you go in space
Your weight fluctuates wildly depending on whatever local gravity field you inhabit, but mass is stubbornly absolute. It strictly measures exactly how much…
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The Xbox 360 that could not save your progress
Launching a high-definition console without anywhere to save your progress is certainly a choice. The cheapest version of the hardware shipped entirely…
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What if Antarctica were at the top of the map
There is zero scientific reason for north to be firmly fixed at the top of our maps. Rotating the globe so Antarctica sits at the top is completely…
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Believing in your skills guarantees better output
Simply trusting that you are capable of pulling off a task dramatically increases the odds of actual success. It turns out that raw, unearned confidence is…
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The composer who ate only white food
Taking aesthetic pretension to a dangerous physiological extreme, the eccentric French composer restricted his diet exclusively to white items. He survived…
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Why an emergency passport may only get you home
Getting a temporary replacement document at an embassy feels like a rescue, but it is actually a geopolitical leash. These flimsy purple or pink booklets are…
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Klimt let stray cats take over his studio
The glittering gold leaf master had a fatal weakness for felines. He allowed an absolute horde of stray cats to freely roam his studio, completely unfazed…
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Large intestines are dramatically shorter but much wider
Despite the naming convention, the large intestine is actually only about five feet long. It earns its 'large' title purely through girth. It basically acts…
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Compassion energy hubs demand unconditional love
This incredibly demanding center expects you to forgive everyone who has ever wronged you. It is arguably the most annoying energetic requirement in the…
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Why long-distance power lines use direct current
When you need to send power thousands of miles, the standard alternating current suddenly becomes a massive diva. High-voltage direct current lines push…
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Why rookie athletes can't name their price
If you are the best college football player in the country, your first professional paycheck is artificially capped by old men in suits. Major sports leagues…
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The PlayStation disc that lived inside a plastic shell
Putting optical media inside a portable device meant to be shoved into pockets was a stroke of absolute madness. Sony created the Universal Media Disc, a tiny…
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Why Mark Twain hid his autobiography for 100 years
If you want to insult all of your friends without dealing with the fallout, simply outlive them via a legal document. Mark Twain wrote a massive, brutally…
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Kapalabhati requires aggressive heavy exhalations
Panting like a dog that just ran a marathon is a legitimate practice to cleanse your internal pathways. It guarantees you will feel incredibly lightheaded,…
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