The world is more interesting than you think.
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Autoimmune conditions mean attacking yourself
An autoimmune condition is a case of mistaken identity: immune defenses react against the body’s own healthy tissues. Because different tissues can be…
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Resident Evil grew partly from a horror game tied to a horror movie
Capcom's Famicom game Sweet Home, based on the 1989 film, sent characters into a dangerous mansion with limited resources. It became an important starting…
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The would-be state of Franklin accepted taxes in animal skins
In the 1780s, the breakaway government assigned values to commodities including skins and whiskey for public payments. A shortage of cash did not eliminate…
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A melted candy bar helped create the microwave oven
A radar magnetron makes microwaves whose electric field flips direction rapidly. Water molecules respond by turning and jostling, passing energy along as…
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Ads had to convince women that sweat was shameful
Early 20th-century campaigns warned women that natural body odor could damage their social lives and even their marriages.
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Glowing gases hovering over swamps mislead lost travelers
One explanation for these eerie blue flames is that gases released by decaying wetland matter sometimes ignite. Following the lights into the mud can leave…
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How thriller writers get criminal details right
Writers may consult former criminals and forensic experts, then cross-check the details so fictional crimes don't hinge on obvious mistakes.
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Why Lite-Brite came with tiny, chokeable pegs
Lite-Brite depended on children pushing tiny colored plastic pegs through black paper, with a hot lightbulb glowing just behind it.
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Why old books smell like something is rotting
As lignin and cellulose in paper break down, they release volatile compounds that give old books their distinctive vanilla-like smell.
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The asteroid blast that shattered Chelyabinsk's windows
A 66-foot asteroid exploded over Chelyabinsk in 2013, but the shockwave arrived after the flash. It shattered windows and injured more than 1,000 people; the…
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Electronic Simon strictly demands pattern memorization
The game plays a sequence of beeps and flashing lights for you to repeat. Each round adds to the pattern, pushing your memory to keep up.
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Why old screens needed screen savers
A CRT made pictures by firing electron beams at glowing materials on the screen. Leave one bright image in place, and the same spots keep glowing until they…
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BioShock's Big Daddies were built to harvest sea slugs
Their diving suits were designed to harvest valuable sea slugs, while their giant drills were meant for underwater plumbing.
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Crocs began as boating shoes
They were designed for slick boat decks: the lightweight foam floats, and holes drain water.
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Superglue once sealed battlefield wounds
Medics used fast-setting cyanoacrylate to seal severe battlefield wounds long enough to get injured soldiers to a hospital.
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Popping balloons creates a hostile atmosphere for some
A balloon pop is a tiny explosion: sudden, loud, and hard to ignore. For some people, that jolt raises tension and makes the room feel more hostile, even…
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Why your hotel privacy sign may not stop staff
A do-not-disturb sign may not prevent staff from entering; hotels may reserve the right to check on guests’ safety or respond to emergencies.
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Why Geiger counters click
Radiation entering the tube ionizes its gas, briefly conducting electricity and triggering each click.
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Your tiny shampoo bottle is a legacy of a bomb plot
After British authorities uncovered a liquid-explosives plot in 2006, the United States initially banned carry-on liquids. The blanket ban then became a…
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The system feeding podcasts is basically a text file
An RSS feed is a text document containing links to podcast episodes; podcast apps read it to find new audio.
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How Martin Van Buren helped make OK famous
Van Buren’s campaign turned his nickname, “Old Kinderhook,” into “O.K.” clubs in 1840. The clubs faded; their two-letter shorthand outlasted the candidate.
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Why Ramses II needed a passport
When Ramses II’s mummy was taken to Paris for repairs, officials issued the ancient Egyptian king a passport for the trip.
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Why strangers start walking in sync
Walking beside someone gives your body a moving rhythm to match. Without planning it, you may adjust your pace and steps until the two of you fall into sync.…
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Truth or Dare has an older party-game relative
An early-18th-century game called Questions and Commands already mixed personal questions, instructions, and forfeits. Refusing the task could cost a player a…
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