Culture & entertainment
Discover facts about culture & entertainment. Small discoveries that change the way you see familiar things.
Culture & entertainment
E.T.’s movement came from puppetry and several performers
The production combined mechanical effects with people inside versions of the suit, including Matthew De Meritt, who was born without legs. His way of moving…
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Air Force One broadcasts use encrypted satellite feeds
The aircraft uses an encrypted military satellite relay rather than an ordinary consumer dish to receive broadcasts.
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Contemporary dance actively incorporates intentional falling
Rather than avoiding a fall, contemporary choreographers may use gravity and deliberate, sometimes audible collapses to convey human struggle.
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Mozart's musical roast of bad musicians
In “A Musical Joke,” Mozart used clumsy phrasing, wrong notes, and unresolved chords to poke fun at bad composers and musicians.
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The secret behind movie kissing sounds
To make on-screen kisses sound more intense, Foley artists may record themselves kissing and sucking on a forearm or a piece of fruit.
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GoldenEye had to reinvent Bond after six years away from cinemas
The film reached theaters in 1995 with Pierce Brosnan replacing Timothy Dalton and the Cold War backdrop already transformed. Its villain was a former fellow…
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Tool hid the Fibonacci sequence in Lateralus
The vocal syllable pattern rises and falls with the Fibonacci sequence, turning the song into a mathematical structure.
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Ukuleles primarily utilize synthetic nylon strings
Their delicate construction calls for low-tension nylon or fluorocarbon strings; steel strings can put too much strain on a ukulele’s small bridge. The…
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A penny bought Shakespeare's audience a place to stand
At the Globe, the cheapest customers stood close to the stage in the open yard. Another penny bought a bench in the galleries. Theater was affordable, noisy,…
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Algorithmic feeds organize posts based on user engagement
A recent post can appear below an older one if the older post is more likely to draw interaction.
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Intergalactic space travel mimics standard public transit
The image is a subway-like ride through space: passengers hold overhead straps and sway, even though the setting has zero gravity.
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How tap dance blended African and Scottish rhythms
Tap grew from African rhythms meeting Scottish and Irish step dances. Its noisy shoes turned that blend into percussive stage entertainment.
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Twister was once called Pretzel
Trademark issues forced the change to Twister.
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Getting onto talk radio is its own kind of performance
A study of experienced Australian talkback listeners found that callers understood how producers and hosts controlled access, and some adapted their tactics…
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Why museum benches face the artwork just so
Some gallery benches are fixed at a deliberate distance from a centerpiece, giving visitors the view the curator intended.
Discover moreLove Me Do exists with two different drummers
Ringo Starr played drums on the version issued as the Beatles' original British single. Another recording used session drummer Andy White, with Starr on…
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Judge Judy's producers could pay the winning side
A producer's recruitment letter described a deal for bringing a small-claims dispute onto television: the show would cover an awarded judgment up to $5,000.…
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An escape-room warning sticker marks the boundary of the puzzle
Operators use do-not-touch signs to keep players away from objects that are not meant to be manipulated. Solving the game should not require breaking fittings…
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The claps that keep flamenco moving
Palmas, flamenco’s rapid hand clapping, drives the performance’s rhythm and is treated with the same seriousness as the footwork.
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Harps feature colored strings to map out distinct octaves
All C strings are red, while F strings are black or blue, giving harpists visual anchors among dozens of strings.
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Country music drastically accelerated its tempo over time
Comparisons of Billboard country hits from the 1950s and today show higher tempos in modern songs, as the genre moved toward the faster pace of pop radio.
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Peppa Pig's house turns a whole setting into a few shapes
A simple building sits on a rounded green hill, with little nearby detail competing for attention. The image is immediately recognizable even at a small size.…
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Why CNN Airport couldn't show plane crashes
For decades, CNN Airport offered gate-area news with a restricted lineup: it avoided plane crashes, graphic imagery, and other coverage that might alarm…
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Guinness World Records is heavily stolen
The Guinness World Records book is reportedly among the most frequently stolen books from public libraries—an ironic distinction for a volume devoted to…
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