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
Moisturizer has to help water stay put
Ingredients such as hyaluronic acid help bind water, while richer creams and ointments help preserve moisture at the skin's surface. That is why a light,…
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Waxing yanks hair violently directly from the root
A razor cuts hair where it meets the skin; wax grips the shaft and pulls it from the follicle. That sudden tug is why waxing can hurt even though the hair…
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Elizabeth aggressively hurls spare change at your face
During firefights, she tosses silver coins your way so you can buy more ammunition.
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Overcoming severe chewing jaw fatigue
Chewing dense silicone gum for hours a day helps competitive eaters build jaw endurance for contests.
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A doughnut's hole gives heat a shorter route to the middle
A thick lump of dough can brown outside before the center cooks. A ring reduces the distance heat must travel and adds exposed surface. The empty space…
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The sport that replaced horses with bicycles
Bicycle polo swaps the horse for a bike but keeps the mallet and the chase. A bicycle costs less to feed and house than a horse, so players can bring the…
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Virtual private networks encapsulate packets in tunnels
A VPN encrypts traffic on the trip from your device to its server, so people watching that stretch cannot readily read what you send. From there, the traffic…
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Lawn mowers became racing machines
Racers strip off the cutting blades and tune the mower’s engine for speed. The lawn gets no shorter, but the machine that once crept behind a garden shed…
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Dictionaries hid fake words to catch plagiarism
Lexicographers slipped invented words into dictionaries as fingerprints. If a rival copied one, the fake entry gave away the copying.
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Telemarketers spoof local area codes to trick human targets
A call from a nearby area code looks more like a neighbor’s call than a sales pitch. Telemarketers spoof caller ID to borrow that local appearance and make…
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Your brain can rehearse exercise without moving
Picture lifting a weight without moving your arm: your mind can rehearse the sequence of the movement anyway. That mental practice engages parts of the system…
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Liquid medications require exact dosing spoons to work
A kitchen spoon is made for eating, not measuring: two spoons that look alike can hold different amounts. A marked medicine cup or oral syringe measures a…
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Japanese rickshaws employed anyone with desperation
The rickshaw turned human labor into urban transport: one person pulled a light cart while another rode. With no engine to buy or feed, the job was open to…
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Reality shifting using the raven method
The Raven method asks practitioners to lie in a starfish position, count to 100, and imagine a staircase. It’s a visualization ritual for reaching a fictional…
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Bringing back a gift is a deeply ancient tradition
In some ancient societies, travelers brought gifts home to show they had survived the journey and soothe the envy of those who stayed behind.
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Application programming interfaces let software talk directly
An API gives two programs an agreed way to make requests and pass back answers. A weather app can ask a remote server for a forecast, then display the reply…
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Why corporate mission statements sound so empty
A company may pay a marketing agency to write its mission statement. The agency can deliver polished phrases about values and “synergy” that sound impressive…
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Theaters once hired people to fake applause
To make a show seem popular, theaters paid claquers to clap, laugh, or even weep on cue. Before canned laugh tracks, they hired the audience reaction by the…
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The territories completely surrounded by another country
Lesotho is an independent country completely surrounded by South Africa. Any land route from Lesotho to another country has to cross South African territory,…
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Mount Massive asylum patients demand human fingers
One patient captures the player and uses rusty shears to amputate two fingers.
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Benzoyl peroxide can treat acne and bleach your pillowcase
This acne ingredient can remove dye from fabric when residue transfers from skin. A towel can acquire pale patches even though nothing visibly colored spilled…
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Dry shampoo doesn't really wash your hair
The powder in dry shampoo soaks up some of the oil on your scalp, so your roots look less greasy. But sweat, skin flakes, and other dirt stay put until water…
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The influencers teaching others to become influencers
When brand deals don't arrive, some influencers sell seminars promising to teach others how to succeed online. The business can become a chain of people…
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Margarine began with Napoleon III's search for cheap butter
Napoleon III offered a prize for a cheap, shelf-stable butter substitute for his armies. A French chemist mixed beef tallow with skim milk to create…
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