Culture & entertainment
Discover facts about culture & entertainment. Small discoveries that change the way you see familiar things.
Culture & entertainment
Jennifer Lopez's dress exposed a missing feature in Google
After she wore green Versace to the 2000 Grammys, people wanted the picture, not a page describing it. Google says the surge of interest helped inspire Google…
Discover more
Katamari Damacy demands players roll up entire continents
You begin with paperclips and thumbtacks, then can be rolling up skyscrapers within about 20 minutes.
Discover more
The first commercial handheld cellphone earned the nickname 'the brick'
Motorola's DynaTAC 8000X weighed roughly 785 grams—well over a pound. Its size made a portable call visibly impressive because the whole radio system had to…
Discover more
Soap operas carry their advertisers in their name
Serialized dramas on radio were often sponsored by soap companies, including Procter & Gamble. The programs later moved to television, bringing the label with…
Discover more
Smoking areas exist entirely due to municipal laws
At some venues, local ordinances require designated, adequately ventilated smoking areas. Organizers have to set aside space for them, even when they'd rather…
Discover more
LP records spin exactly at 33 and one-third revolutions
Columbia Records set the LP standard in 1948: the speed fit more than 20 minutes of audio on a side while preserving enough fidelity for clear sound.
Discover more
STACKY FOR IPHONEA bigger world.
One discovery
at a time.
Keep discovering with Stacky. Interesting facts in an app that is always within reach.
Why Taco Bell became Pizza Hut in Europe
European audiences in the 1990s weren't expected to recognize Taco Bell, so the film's logos and dialogue were changed to Pizza Hut.
Discover more
A screen cat's perfect timing often comes from a trainer
Off-camera cues, familiar targets, and rewards help an animal repeat a small action at the right moment. Editing then fits those short pieces into a scene.…
Discover more
The TV box that let viewers vote in 1977
In 1977, QUBE viewers used large plastic buttons to answer polls in real time, making it an early interactive television system.
Discover more
Where Ray Bradbury wrote Fahrenheit 451
He wrote it on a coin-operated typewriter in a library basement, spending about $10 in change.
Discover more
Siamese Dream built a wall out of guitar tracks
The Smashing Pumpkins layered guitar recordings to create the album's dense sound. Stacking performances lets small differences in timing and tone combine…
Discover moreDavid Copperfield hoards a massive private magic collection
The collection includes historical magic artifacts and torture devices, all kept in a secret warehouse.
Discover more
Animated gif pronunciations divide internet users
The debate has lasted for decades, with people arguing over whether the G sounds hard or soft.
Discover more
One extra dollar can shut out a rival on The Price Is Right
In Contestants' Row, the closest bid wins without going over the price. If someone bids $500 and you bid $501, you beat them whenever the price is at least…
Discover more
Auto-generated captions frequently misinterpret accents
Speech recognition can mistake regional accents for different words, turning an informative video into unintentionally surreal captions.
Discover more
Castanets consist of two concave wooden shells clacking
Their hollow shells amplify the click when snapped together with the fingers, and playing them cleanly takes practice.
Discover more
Why some game shows turn pain into prime-time comedy
Some Japanese physical-challenge shows turn humiliation and minor bruises into prime-time spectacle, putting contestants through chaotic, demanding stunts for…
Discover more
Broadcasters use redundant towers on mountains
Broadcasters maintain backup transmission towers on high ground so they can keep transmitting if primary equipment fails.
Discover more
Tomb Raider ancient traps include turning into solid gold
In one palace, stepping on a magical hand turns Lara into an immovable gold statue, ending the expedition on the spot.
Discover more
Crowd sourced board surveys perfectly encapsulate bias
These surveys measure popular gut reactions, not objective truth: a street poll can turn stereotypes or misinformation into the winning answer on a televised…
Discover moreWhitney Houston turned a country farewell into a pop landmark
Dolly Parton wrote 'I Will Always Love You' before Houston recorded it for The Bodyguard. Houston begins almost alone, then builds toward the full-band…
Discover more
Turkeys crossed the Atlantic into Tudor dinner plans
Native to the Americas, turkeys reached Europe during the sixteenth century and became part of elite dining. That puts them within the Renaissance, though not…
Discover more
Pull-to-refresh gestures update feeds via downward dragging
Dragging down prompts the app to check for new posts, often showing a spinning indicator while it loads.
Discover more
Teen drama parents are universally oblivious or missing
With parents often absent or oblivious, teen characters can run secret empires or solve major crimes without adult supervision derailing the plot.
Discover more