Here’s your rundown on all the mind-bogglingly cool, amazing — and strange — stuff the scientists have been up to lately. AARON THE RIPPER Jack the Ripper is one of history’s most notorious murderers, perhaps in part because his shocking crimes on the streets of London in the 1800s remained unsolved. But in March 2019, […]
It’s springtime, when there’s only one thing on everyone’s minds: allergies, and how they make you miserable with the sneezing, sore throat, and eyes glued shut. It’s all because of tiny little particles of pollen flying around the air. Here’s everything you need to know about spring’s tiniest menace. First use of the word The […]
Here is a look back through history to some past candidates for the highest office in the land who honestly had very little chance of winning. WILLIAM WIRT By the 1830s, a conspiracy theory developed that said the Freemasons, a fraternal service organization, was actually a secret society with plans for national domination. In response, […]
Around the year and throughout the world, big clothing designers unveil their latest looks through elaborate presentations. They’re not just models walking down a runway anymore. How weird are these shows? So weird that we’re writing about them here, where we rarely cover anything as fancy as fashion. WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE Jana Nedzvetskaya’s spring 2015 […]
Human are odd creatures. Here are some of history’s greatest mass hysterias. Biting nuns! According to reports in 18th century German medical texts, a nun at a convent in the area spontaneously started to chase and bite all the other nuns around her. As news of the very specific attacks spread, nuns at other German convents were observed […]
St. Patrick’s Day has evolved into a celebration of Ireland, the people of Ireland, and the influence of the Emerald Isle on world culture. To that end, here are some indelible contributions to technology and science by those of Irish descent. Chocolate milk It’s strange to think that somebody had to invent the addition of […]
We’re not sure if “weird golf” is a thing, let alone if it “rules,” but here are some strange and odd stipulations golfers must follow when they’re out there on the links. Cactus dangers The golf rule book seems to have every contingency covered, including what to do if a hit ball lands by a cactus. […]
People on opposite teams may fight, but once in a while the spirit of competition gets so intense that people on the same team come to blows. KERR VS. JORDAN Today, Steve Kerr is one of the most successful coaches in the NBA, guiding the Golden State Warriors to three league titles in the last […]
There are so many pig-and-pork based products out there, and so many of them have colorful, fun-to-say names…that aren’t the most descriptive. Here’s a little primer. PORK RINDS They’re crispy like potato chips, but contain no starch at all — they’re fried pig skin. It’s made by simmering separated pork skin in boiling water, cut […]
Dolly Parton recently signed a deal with Netflix to turn a number of her biggest hits into movies. Her songs are often stories, so it’s a natural progression. The same should have happened for these songs turned movies…which all tuned out a little odd. Monster Mash (1995) The monster-centric novelty song “Monster Mash” was a […]
GIVEAWAY CLOSE! Learn about amazing historical narratives in graphic novel format with our brand new series, Show Me History! Titles include Abraham Lincoln, Alexander Hamilton, Amelia Earhart, and Martin Luther King Jr. With contributions from renowned artists, illustrators, and authors that have worked with DC, Marvel, and the like, this new series is sure to excite! Perfect […]
Back in the 1890s or so, the Anderson Valley was an extremely remote, sparsely populated, and very isolated farming community in northern California. The largest town there: Boonville, which lends its name to Boontling, the system of slang / secret language locals developed for gossiping purposes. Today, only about 100 people still speak and understand […]
There are certain phrases and aphorisms we all use that everybody seems to know…and yet, when you think about them even a little bit, you’ll realize that they don’t make a lick of sense. Here are some of those bizarre, everyday sayings…and how they entered the lexicon. CLEAN AS A WHISTLE According to this old […]
In recognition of Black History Month, here are the stories of some notable African-American inventors who changed the world with their ingenuity and technical know-how. Lewis Lattimer Two of the most famous inventors in American history — Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell — didn’t work alone. A Massachusetts-based inventor named Lewis Lattimer worked on […]
Some months have 30 days and others have 31. And then there’s weird old February, packing a scant 28 days (or 29 in a leap year). Why are you so short, February? The Romulus calendar In the eighth century B.C., the Roman Empire operated via the Romulus Calendar, a 10-month system that started in March […]
Wild news from the wild kingdom. GORILLAS IN THE MIDST OF CHEATING The Gorilla Game Lab is a joint project of England’s University of Bristol and the Bristol Zoological Society. Both organizations aim to both develop and study the cognitive abilities of gorillas, and they do it by giving the primates puzzles to solve. One […]
Winning an Academy Award is an achievement some actors and actresses wait their whole lives and careers for. And then there are these performers who were so impressive in their first ever film roles that they took home Oscars for it. LUPITA NYONG’O Born in Mexico to a Kenyan family, Nyong’o built up an impressive […]
They’re called “landmarks” for a reason — giant buildings that define a city, dot its skyline, and become monuments to human architectural achievement. Only the biggest and best buildings get official names, but sometimes those names change…and it’s hard to get anybody to call these institutions by that new moniker. Chicago’s Sears Tower Chicago’s Sears […]
