Culture & entertainment
Discover facts about culture & entertainment. Small discoveries that change the way you see familiar things.
Culture & entertainment
How E.T. was brought to life without CGI
Long before CGI could render any abomination you could imagine, practical effects required deeply weird casting choices. To bring the waddling alien to life,…
Discover more
Air Force One broadcasts use encrypted satellite feeds
The President cannot simply hook up a standard dish to watch cable news. To prevent hostile nations from pinpointing the plane's exact location by tracing the…
Discover more
Contemporary dance actively incorporates intentional falling
Dropping awkwardly to the floor is usually a massive mistake in classical art, but an entirely valid mood in the modern era. Contemporary choreographers…
Discover more
Mozart's musical roast of bad musicians
Known as A Musical Joke, Mozart wrote a piece filled with clumsy phrasing, wrong notes, and painfully unresolved chords. It was a beautifully orchestrated,…
Discover more
The secret behind movie kissing sounds
The passionate, heavy embraces shared by lovers on screen rarely produce clear audio during filming. To make the romance sound sufficiently intense, a Foley…
Discover more
GoldenEye began as a James Bond cartoon idea
Long before Pierce Brosnan was reloading a virtual PP7 in the greatest Nintendo 64 game ever made, this plot was meant for TV. The storyline was originally…
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.
Tool hid the Fibonacci sequence in Lateralus
Progressive metal bands are notorious for overthinking, but Tool turned a math lesson into a masterpiece. The vocal syllables in their track 'Lateralus'…
Discover more
Ukuleles primarily utilize synthetic nylon strings
If you string a ukulele with harsh steel guitar strings, you'll likely rip the tiny bridge right off the wood. Because of their delicate construction, these…
Discover more
Shakespeare's cheapest seats were ankle-deep in filth
Shakespearean plays are viewed as the pinnacle of refined civilization, but the original viewing experience was horrifyingly unhygienic. The cheapest tickets…
Discover more
Algorithmic feeds organize posts based on user engagement
Chronological time is completely irrelevant to the machines. Your social feeds rearrange reality, ensuring you see a post from three days ago at the top just…
Discover more
Intergalactic space travel mimics standard public transit
Blasting through the cosmos at the speed of light is surprisingly casual. Passengers on massive starships simply hold onto overhead straps and mildly sway…
Discover more
How tap dance blended African and Scottish rhythms
A completely beautiful historical collision of completely different global rhythms. Tap dancing naturally evolved entirely from the heavy mixing of African…
Discover more
Twister was once called Pretzel
Because absolutely nothing sounds more appealing than comparing human beings to twisted baked goods. The classic party game was initially pitched and sold…
Discover more
Why talk radio prefers angry callers
If you call a talk show with a calm, nuanced opinion, the screener will immediately hang up on you. Stations specifically select callers who are deeply…
Discover more
Why museum benches face the artwork just so
Those awkwardly placed, backless wooden benches are not there for your tired legs. They are mathematically bolted to the floor at the exact optimal viewing…
Discover moreRingo Starr wasn't allowed to play on The Beatles' first single
Imagine joining the biggest band in history, only to be immediately told you aren't good enough to play on the first single. The producer for the Beatles did…
Discover more
Why TV courtroom shows aren't real courts
You are watching a binding arbitration agreement dressed up in a wooden robe. These shows are not actual courts of law; they are glorified private mediation…
Discover more
Why escape rooms cover things with warning stickers
A glaring red sticker screaming 'Do Not Touch' feels like a massive clue, but it is actually just a desperate plea from the janitor. Game runners furiously…
Discover more
The claps that keep flamenco moving
If you cannot clap properly, you absolutely cannot participate in this art form. Traditional Flamenco relies heavily on 'palmas', an incredibly complex system…
Discover more
Harps feature colored strings to map out distinct octaves
When you have 47 identical-looking strings staring back at you, a color-coding system is the only thing standing between you and auditory chaos. All C strings…
Discover more
Country music drastically accelerated its tempo over time
If you analyze billboard country hits of the fifties compared to today, the beats per minute have skyrocketed. The genre slowly abandoned its lethargic…
Discover more
Why Peppa Pig's house sits on a steep hill
Physics is completely ignored to save time. The family house is always drawn atop an absurdly steep, perfectly rounded hill because it prevents the artists…
Discover more
Why CNN Airport couldn't show plane crashes
For decades, sitting at a gate meant watching a highly sterilized news feed. CNN Airport was a specialized network legally forbidden from showing plane…
Discover more
Guinness World Records is heavily stolen
In a deliciously ironic twist of fate, the book dedicated to tracking absurd global achievements holds a deeply embarrassing achievement of its own. It is…
Discover more