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
Heavy Rain turned shouting Jason into a button prompt
Early in the game, Ethan searches a crowded mall for his son, and the player can trigger his calls. An ordinary parental action becomes something you…
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Why foot peels make your skin shed
The peel’s acids weaken the bonds holding dead surface skin in place. That layer stays put at first, then begins coming away in large sheets about a week…
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A four-person bike can let one rider take a break
Some surrey bikes have independent freewheels at each crank, allowing one, two, three, or four riders to pedal. Someone can stop contributing while the others…
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Early forks made some diners wonder what was wrong with fingers
When Thomas Coryate promoted the forks he had seen in Italy, English observers mocked them as unnecessary affectation. The utensil later became a luxury and a…
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A lingering touch can say something a quick tap does not
Duration is one of the clues you use to interpret contact. A tap might ask for attention; a hand that stays on an arm might convey reassurance or feel…
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The ampersand began as two letters
An ampersand is what happens when “et,” the Latin word for “and,” gets written in a hurry for centuries. The e and t curled together until they became a…
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Pangrams successfully utilize every single alphabet letter
A pangram uses every letter of the alphabet at least once, so the quick brown fox qualifies even though it repeats some letters. That makes pangrams handy for…
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Hawaii helped turn a vacation-looking shirt into office wear
The Hawaiian Fashion Guild promoted aloha shirts for business, and Aloha Friday gained recognition during the 1960s. What looked informal elsewhere became…
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Blockchain ledgers duplicate identical records across nodes
A blockchain can make many computers agree that a record was entered and left unchanged. But agreement about the record doesn’t prove the real-world claim…
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Elden Ring's Dung Eater wants his curse to outlive everyone
His Seedbed Curse prevents victims' souls from returning to the Erdtree. His quest can lead to an ending that spreads the curse through the world's order…
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Strict fire code for ring entrances
The fireballs used in wrestling entrances are controlled and tested under safety rules, so performers and crews have to follow fire-code precautions.
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In the original Sims, a missing ladder could become a death trap
A swimming Sim needed a pool ladder to get out. Removing it could leave the character swimming until exhaustion, even with a reachable-looking edge nearby.…
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Short syllables easily beat long ones in storage
Try silently repeating a list of brief words, then a list of long ones. The short words can cycle through your inner voice faster, giving you more chances to…
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Why travel brochures make you want to book
Brochures often intensify blues and yellows to evoke associations with warmth and happiness, making a destination look more appealing.
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Historical origins of the event emcee
The title “Master of Ceremonies” originated in the Catholic Church, where the role involved organizing papal rituals. The modern event host inherited the…
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Brutal insult-driven comedy roasts
The Friars Club began its roasts in 1949 as banquets where peers took turns mocking one another.
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In RimWorld, kidneys can be worth more than mining
On the frontier, capturing pirates and removing their kidneys to sell to traders can be more profitable than farming or mining.
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Your skin’s ‘flaws’ may be marketing inventions
A company can point to ordinary skin texture, call it a flaw, and then sell you a product promising to fix it. The problem and the product can arrive in the…
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Lyran starseeds identifying as cosmic humanoids
Some starseeds say their souls come from a feline-like humanoid race in the constellation Lyra.
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The drum kit turned one musician into a percussion section
Theater and dance-band drummers gathered several instruments around one seat to save space and labor. A foot-operated bass drum freed the hands for other…
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Why Nyan Cat has a pastry for a body
The creator paired a pixelated cat with a cherry pastry because they were the two most random, unrelated things he could think of.
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Dishonored gives its rat plague a place in your combat strategy
A swarm can attack a guard and consume the body, turning the city's infestation into a weapon and a way to remove evidence. The mechanics connect two parts of…
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Early fighter engines sprayed pilots with a familiar laxative
Gnome rotary engines spun their cylinders with the propeller and threw out lubricating castor oil. A cowling directed much of it beneath the aircraft, but…
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Why a water flosser can't replace string floss
A water flosser can rinse loose food and debris from between teeth, but plaque sticks to tooth surfaces. String floss rubs those surfaces directly, so a water…
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