10 Facts About Famed Paranormal Investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren

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When it comes to investigations of the paranormal kind, no two ghost hunters loom larger than Ed and Lorraine Warren. In The Demonologist: The Extraordinary Career of Ed and Lorraine Warren, Ed recalled that she was "semi-transparent, wearing what looked like some sort of shroud ... then she vanished." Like Ed, Lorraine began having unusual experiences when she was young, too—but she just assumed everyone had those same abilities. Ed and Lorraine Warren began dating as teenagers. Ed and Lorraine Warren saw their main roles as educators.

By Staff Writer

10 Types of 30-Year-Old Single Guys — Wait But Why

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But perhaps the motliest part of this crowd is the ever-growing group of 30-year-old single guys. If you want a case study in humanity, 30-year-old single guys have pretty much all the bases covered. Let’s examine some of the common types:1) The Total PackageThe Total Package is smart—he went to a top college. The Total Package has a hell of a career going, but don’t you for a second suggest that The Total Package would be a workaholic—The Total Package is a family man. Yes, the woman fit for The Total Package will be the ultimate icing on his cake of perfection.

By View All Posts Tim Urban

10 Facts About the Deadliest Mt. Everest Climb That The 2015 Movie Missed

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It was the deadliest day on Mount Everest. If you’ve seen the movie, you probably know a lot about the climb, which was led by New Zealand mountaineer Rob Hall. For example, between 1980 and 2002, over 90 people perished while attempting to climb Mount Everest. The peak of Mount Everest was first reached by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay in 1953. Rob Hall’s body isn’t the only one on EverestAs previously mentioned, Rob Hall’s body is still on Everest, and he wasn’t the first person—or the only person—to die on that dangerous mountain.

By Staff Writer

10 Ways Monsters Were Made (According to a Medieval Doctor)

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In addition to his many advances, he also had a lot of ideas about how monsters and monstrosities were created. Besides “God’s will” and “evil,” here are 10 ways Pare believed that monsters like man-goats and brain scorpions were created, from his book On Monsters and Marvels. Pare warned that women “sullied by menstrual blood will conceive monsters.” Also, if your kid is sick a lot, it’s probably because your baby touched your dirty period. Pare wrote, “women who will have conceived during her period will engender those inclined to leprosy, scurvy, gout, scrofula, and more …”2. Eating Fruit and GrassesAccording to Pare, women who didn't eat the right food could potentially give birth to monsters.

By Staff Writer

10 Types of Odd Friendships You're Probably Part Of — Wait But Why

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__________When you’re a kid, or in high school, or in college, you don’t really work too hard on your friend situation. Towards the bottom of the mountain in the orange zone, you have your Tier 3 friends—your Not Really friends. Rock friendships don’t just make us happy—they’re the thing (along with rock family and romantic relationships) that makes us happy. If you’re in your mid-20s or older, your current rocks are probably the only ones you’ll ever have. Your rock friendships don’t warrant 2x the time you give to your other friends—they warrant 5 or 10x.

By View All Posts Tim Urban

10 years of your support

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Here are just ten ways they continue to supercharge the fight against bad information and the harm it causes:10. Safeguarding future electionsIt’s never been more important that voters are protected from bad information online, but our election laws remain wide open to manipulation and abuse. Correcting the recordFact checking alone cannot tackle bad information - and the more an inaccurate claim gets shared and repeated, the more it is believed. Thank you to everyone who sent us offers of biscuits and words of support when we needed it most. Your support is needed more than ever to scrutinise and challenge public debate.

By Staff Writer

100 Blocks a Day — Wait But Why

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Let’s think about those 1,000 minutes as 100 10-minute blocks. Throughout the day, you spend 10 minutes of your life on each block, until you eventually run out of blocks and it’s time to go to sleep. It’s always good to step back and think about how we’re using those 100 blocks we get each day. Cooking dinner requires three blocks, while ordering in requires zero—is cooking dinner worth three blocks to you? ___________If you’re into Wait But Why, sign up for the Wait But Why email list and we’ll send you the new posts right when they come out.

By View All Posts Tim Urban

11 Amazing Body Hacks That Will Make Your Life Better For Good

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No matter what, we only get one body, so we have to be sure to take good care of it. Who doesn’t like a good life hack? There is such a simple hack for that, you’re going to be so surprised. Touch your toes with easeIf you’re having trouble getting in a good stretch to touch your toes, never fear. Try this simple trick next time and you won’t be waiting to exhale any longer!

By Staff Writer

11 Great Gifts for Retro Gaming Fans

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If you’re shopping for the retro gaming enthusiast in your life, check out these 11 gift suggestions that promise to level up their holiday season. Street Fighter II Home Arcade; $315ARCADE1UP/AmazonRelive the sweaty palms and raw fingertips of your youth with this Street Fighter II arcade cabinet from Arcade1Up. But this cabinet comes with a bonus: Instead of just getting Street Fighter II: Champion Edition, it also plays Street Fighter ll: The New Challengers and Street Fighter ll Turbo. Level One Donkey Kong T-Shirt; $4380sTees.comShow off your love of arcade gaming with this cool design that depicts Mario’s earliest challenge: navigating the barrel-tossing rage of a giant ape. You can show off this diorama depicting the biggest rivalry in retro gaming between Mario and Bowser.

By Staff Writer

11 Tweets That Perfectly Reveal What Being In Your 20s Feels Like

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It seems that people have an endless source of relatable things to look at, and it’s called the Internet – we all know that. In fact, we believe that the 20s are the one period in people’s lives when almost everyone did the same things. You see, the 20s are really like a second teenage period because they are all about a different kind of maturity! The caffeineOh, this one is probably relatable to 99 out of a hundred people! Most people never really know how it works until they realize that it is part of our reality.

By Staff Writer

12 Interesting Facts You Probably Didn't Know About eBay

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We recently published a couple “Fascinating Cell Phone Related Facts” lists, which you can find here and here, on eBay who is currently running a cell phone selling challenge. So if you’re looking to buy or sell a cell phone visit: eBay For The Win for details on the offer and list your phone today. 1) One of the first items sold on eBay shortly after its launch in early September of 1995 was a broken laser pointer. So why is it called eBay today? Once again, don’t forget to check out the eBay cell phone challenge.

By Daven Hiskey

13 People Talk About What Happened When The Spotlight Disappeared From Folks Whose Crimes Were Covered by Media

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What happens to the regular folks involved in the story after the media spotlight fades away? The media dropped it as quickly as they had picked it up after the two scumbags went on trial. My aunt doesn’t talk to anyone anymore and always asks for handouts on social media. A friend’s ex wife and their 10 year old daughter were viciously murdered by the ex wife then ex boyfriend. I think he lives far away in Florida now.”Have you ever known someone who was involved in a crime and it was covered by the media?

By Matt Gilligan

13 People Share Spooky Stories That Happen to Be True

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And you have to admit that TRUE spooky stories are the best kind, right? I said, “Good night”, turned off my light and tried to sleep. “My high school used to be a giant mansion before it was converted into an orphanage and then a high school. “The house I lived in from when I was about 13 til I was 24 had some darkness. This old house.

By Matt Gilligan

13 Pets That Are So Emotional, Their Human Can Read Them Like An Open Book

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The list below is dedicated to this and shows great examples of how emotional pets can be. The screamingMeet Benny, a gorgeous house cat that is really curious about everything that happens inside and outside of his home. The dietThis cat was told that it was time for a diet after eating uncontrollably for months. It appears that dogs love their friends from the second they meet them for the first time. The office catAnimals love attention but this cat is an exception.

By Staff Writer

14 of the Many, Many Times People Have Embarrassed Themselves on Social Media

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If your friend posts a picture of you—the kind you didn’t want taken—looking less than your best after a few beers at the bar, he or she is probably kind of a jerk. Rosetta Stone and the LBGTQ CommunityThe Rosetta Stone was a slab found just before the turn of the 19th century in Memphis, Egypt; in short, it was instrumental in deciphering the hieroglyphics of the ancient Egyptians. Also, in case you’re unaware, Rosetta Stone is language software that helps its users learn foreign languages. One Twitter user, offended about goodness knows what, claimed that “Rosetta Stone” didn’t give up her seat on the bus so that “gays” could be asking for rights. For example, it is more-or-less acceptable to not know who the Vice-President of the United States is, especially if you’re not an American.

By Staff Writer

14 People Admit What Terrified Them as Kids but Doesn’t at All Anymore

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I’m sure that you remember what it was like to be really scared of all kinds of things when you were a kid. But when you get a little bit older, you realize that those things that terrified you as a kid just don’t scare you at all anymore. It really scared me and I would line up my stuffed animals along my bed to protect me.”4. But there was a row of trees that looked like what I consider most would imagine “typical trees” look like. What really scared you as a kid but doesn’t anymore?

By Matt Gilligan

14 Things People Consider a Fate Worse Than Death

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Severe chronic fatigue to the point where you can’t live your life and barely recognize yourself anymore. Being alive is miserable because even trying to watch a TV show is too hard due to the severe brain fog you’re experiencing. Eventually, you’d outlive the human species. That’s it forever, your still you you can think and have senses but you cant move because your trapped as a rock. You cant die, you cant sleep, all you can really do is think.

By Trisha Leigh Zeigenhorn

15 Fascinating Cell Phone Related Facts You Probably Didn't Know

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Engel and his team were Cooper’s chief rival and had also been attempting to make the world’s first handheld mobile phone. 5) The Fear: The fear of having no cell phone signal or otherwise being unable to make or receive cell phone calls is called Nomophobia. For cell phones, the FCC requires very strict location parameters either via GPS tracking of the cell phone or by cell network location. 13) The Gap: It was a full 10 years after public demonstration of the first handheld cell phone in 1973 before the first commercial handheld cell phone, the DynaTAC 8000x (“Dynamic Adaptive Total Area Coverage”), hit the market on March 6, 1983. It took another seven years to reach one million cell phone subscribers, hitting that figure in 1990.

By Daven Hiskey

15 Hilarious Tweets That Honestly Describe What Marriage Truly Is

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Truth is, marriage does change some things but it is definitely not something hard or impossible to dive into to. Have in mind, however, that every individual case is tricky and, as the list below suggests, marriage is now a walk in the park. Nobody could tell them what to wear but when they get married, things take a sharp turn. The football gameAll men who love football would love to have a wife that is understanding and supportive of their passion. The realityThey say that people change but we believe that major events like a marriage can transform a person.

By Staff Writer

15 People Discuss the Awkward Ways Family Members Said “I Love You” Without Actually Saying It

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Because most of us have friends that we love just like we love our parents, siblings, nephews, nieces, etc. But actually saying the words “I love you” sure can be tough for some people, for one reason or another. So a lot of times people end up showing that love in totally weird and awkward ways. Mom started to cry quietly and said thank you to me – i didn’t say anything, just stared at my girlfriend, bewildered. I love my Dad.”Do you have relationships with people but you just can’t come out and say “I love you”?

By Matt Gilligan

15 Pics Of Things New Homeowners Found When They Moved In Their New Homes

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On some occasions, people find the most unusual things soon after they move in their new homes. The list below is full of images revealing the curious finds new homeowners discovered in their property. The muralNeedless to say, most of the surprising finds in old homes are discovered by accident. It is always curious to see such things and we bet the new owner thought who drew this piece of art, and when. The chainPart of the things people find in their homes is borderline creepy and this is no exception.

By Staff Writer

15 Pictures Of The Most Caring And Compassionate Pets Ever

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We know that animals are caring and compassionate when they feel their owners need some support, regardless of the reason. The images below show how close pets can be to their humans and to other animals as well. The canines probably were aware of this, and we all know that most pets are afraid of their vet. Yes, giraffes are not exactly pets but they are still animals capable of showing kindness and helping each other. The ducksFor some weird reason, dogs can be protective of entirely different animals such as birds.

By Staff Writer

16 People Muse on Fates Worse Than Death

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We’ve all obviously heard the saying that something is “a fate worse than death,” but have you ever spent any real time thinking about what that might mean for you? I mean, maybe not, because it’s not all that comforting of a thought, those things that would make dying seem appealing. These 16 people are thinking about it, though, so I guess we might as well go along for the ride. All three sons served in Vietnam – one died in combat, another took his life, and another died of cancer due to Agent Orange. So if you talk to anybody who works in critical care, they will often have many examples of things worse than death.

By Trisha Leigh Zeigenhorn

17 Costume Ideas for Your Zoom Halloween Party

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A Dunder Mifflin employeeNBCPractice your best deadpans, grab a Dundie, and set your Zoom background to the interview room from The Office. All it takes is a black suit jacket, white shirt, black tie, and a pair of Ray-Bans. MeteorologistColumbia/AmazonGrab some office attire and set your Zoom background to a five-day forecast to look like a qualified weather expert. Turn the lights way, way down and let the camera roll. Samara from The RingTo sell this costume, you'll need to set your Zoom background to the creepy well from The Ring (2000).

By Staff Writer

17 Mysteries Scientists Can NOT Explain

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Finding the answer to one question usually led to creating several other mysteries, but scientists all over the world were working hard to explain each and every one of them. Well look no further, as we have done the dirty work for you and compiled 15 mysteries from our everyday live, that no scientists on this planet can explain to this day. Not only that scientist have not proven the exact mechanism behind a cat’s purring, they actually have no idea why do cats purr at all. Cats purr not only when you pet them, they don’t even purr only when they feel comfortable. Some have tried the simplest explanation – cats pass air through their vocal chords, and the purring sound comes to live.

By Staff Writer

17 Wives And Husbands Whose Creativity Deserves An Award

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While some give up, others simply wait for someone else to come up with a solution. As the list below suggests, some wives and husbands can really think outside the box when they need to. Well, not all of them can think of this clever hack in case they don’t have ice! We think this solution is nothing but brilliant and we’ll give it a try for sure! The best $50 spentThis wife invested $50 for the new supernintendo and now her husband is stuck playing.

By Staff Writer

18 People Share the One Thing Movies Do That Drives Them Nuts

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The things that get under our skin – and often, those are also things that other people don’t even notice. Good guy jumps behind some furniture and the bad guys unloads 1000 rounds into it and none of them go through. I really don’t think it’s that easy. I don’t think so. Action movies where the good guy’s car gets rammed or gets in bad wreck and it’s still drivable and the airbag doesn’t deploy.

By Trisha Leigh Zeigenhorn

18 People Tell Their Craziest Ex Stories.. and Hold Nothing Back

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I’m going to fucking murder you“Two years after I ending things, she attempted to contact me again. After a few failed attempts, she sent another message that said, ‘You better find your God now because I’m going to fucking murder you’ Okay.”#17. Put me off dating for a few years.”#15.The Cancer Faker “My high school ‘girlfriend’ told me she had cancer after our first date. We were hooking up after I had recently broken up with my psychotic drug addicted ex girlfriend for cheating on me. This is why I make sure I’m friends with someone for a while now before I start dating them.

By Renée Blinn

18 Times When Fans Met Tom Hanks And He Behaved As Awesome As Ever

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The helperAs you can see from this tweet, Tom Hanks is not afraid to get his hands dirty, even if there is a blizzard outside. The special weddingHere is yet another proof that Tom Hanks is always there to assist just when someone needs him! This story shows that Tom Hanks is a man who knows how to honor those who have to be honored! It seems that some people are blessed to know Tom Hanks in person, or at least they have benefited from his kindness. The meetingHere is how one person had the chance to meet Tom Hanks in person, and it was quite unexpected, too.

By Staff Writer

19 People Who Tried To Live Life To The Fullest And With Zero Regrets

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This person decided to make his facial expression stand out from the rest. The missing personThis is one super fun way to say something to someone, especially to your best friend. The switcherHaving your own style is a must and this person obviously knows that. Many business love to have this kind of stats but we believe Joe was living his best life during working hours which may have caused some risky situations. This is how people who live their best life roll!

By Staff Writer

19 Times Playing Truth or Dare Went Terribly Wrong

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Hello, Officer“There was a time we were playing truth or dare in a hot tub. Scarred for Life“When I was 12 I was on the porch playing truth or dare at night. When Roommates Are Extra Close“I (24f) was playing truth or dare with my roommates. Pays to Be a Good Kid“I was playing truth or dare with some friends during lunch in high school. Unexpected Twist“Last year in the middle of class, there was a group of girls playing Truth or Dare.

By Renée Blinn

22 Inventions Solving Problems That You Never Knew Existed

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Some of them are dedicated to solving problems that should never exist in the first place. The list below is full of the ideas that the inventor Matty Benedetto came up with to solve problems you never knew existed. It is meant to catch all dripping parts of the ice cream cone and drink them from below later. The new iPhoneNow, this is one of those inventions that might just be attractive enough to have a market success. The WAP chocolate barsOf all the inventions on this list, this has got to be the best one yet!

By Staff Writer

22 People Who Created Accidental Coffee Art

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Apart from waking up in the morning with this beverage, you can also amuse yourself by admiring the accidental art coffee creates! The coffee stainNow, this is one really curious effect created merely by a coffee stain. The dinosaurNow, this is one funny and curious coffee art created by chance. The guitarHere is yet another accidental coffee stain that appears as if it was created on purpose. The unlikely combination of images here is what makes this coffee art amazing.

By Staff Writer

30 Of The Best Animal-Themed “How It Started vs How It’s Going” Challenge

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This person adopted this gorgeous dog and won a friend for a lifetime! The kittenHere is yet another story of how an adopted kitten that was very shy at first turned into a handsome cat with a great attitude. Despite its condition, the kitten grew into a gorgeous cat. The friendshipThere is no stronger bond between a dog and the person who adopted and raised the dog. In this case, one tiny kitten grew into the cat with the most enchanting eyes!

By Staff Writer

26 Fascinating Football Facts

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With the Super Bowl this weekend, we thought we’d do a “Football facts” roundup to help you impress your buddies with amazingly interesting Football knowledge. He later went on to play in Major League Baseball and after that in the American Football League. On this day, student Johnny Campbell of the University of Minnesota reportedly directed a crowd at a football game into cheering “Rah, Rah, Rah! 904) Digitally projecting yellow lines onto the fields during football game broadcasts is no simply task. 906) The tradition of having the Detroit Lions play on Thanksgiving stemmed from the even older tradition of various football programs at high schools and colleges often holding football games on Thanksgiving.

By Daven Hiskey

30 Times People Shared Interesting Pics Of ‘What Happens If…’

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In this list, people shared what would happen if you do random things, and it is super curious. The shirtThis is how one T-shirt looked like after someone cramped it in the back window for many months. The woodIt appears that what looks like a piece of art is nothing but the effect created when you run high voltage through a wooden plank. The dishHere is one curious result of an unlikely experiment. The light beamsThis is what happens when light from four separate light beams comes through a slightly opened door.

By Staff Writer

32 Times When Cats Proved Their Logic Cannot Be Reasonably Explained

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Those who have a feline friend or simply love cats are probably aware of the fact that these animals’ logic is not easily explainable. The bowlBowls are a common tool for cat owners – they used them to pour water and put food in them. It seems that some cats prefer cups more. The protected catHere is how one feline decided to show which was the comfier spot in the bedroom. The tapeHere is how one cat owner decided to have some fun with his cat.

By Staff Writer

33 Of The Best 2020 Halloween Decoration Ideas You Could Ever See

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It is full of the best Halloween ideas possible. The setupDIY goes a long way when it comes to creating a Halloween decoration. The plastic trainUsed plastic bottles can be used for recycling but you can obviously create an amazing decoration for Halloween, too. The AREA 51 setupThis is one of the best decoration ideas on the list. The yard decorationSome of the best ideas for Halloween are done in people’s yards.

By Staff Writer

37 Pics Of People Who Took Their Halloween Costumes To A Whole New Level

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The make-upMake-up artists can come up with amazing craftsmanship when it comes to creating the best Halloween costumes. This big happy family would win any Halloween costume contest they show up to. The photoNeedless to say, we are sure that this person will receive a lot of compliments on his amazing Halloween idea. The amazing detailsThere are so many details on this Halloween costume that we don’t know where to start. The other Star Wars costumesThese happy people happen to wear some of the best costumes based on Star Wars characters we have seen.

By Staff Writer

5 Instagram Stars Who Were Proven To Be Total FAKES

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Naturally, however, not all fame-seeking social media efforts are completely honest and on the up and up. If you can buy likes and comments, you too can become a social media star! Let’s be honest here: if you want to be a social media star, you should probably be under 25. Stakhiva had to make her Instagram account private after it came out she’s been lying to the world about who she is. Over the course of several weeks, she posted several pictures a day to her Instagram account, and she had tens of thousands of Instagram followers.

By Staff Writer

7.3 Billion People, One Building — Wait But Why

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We’ve talked about rich humans and famous humans and baby humans and dead humans and humans from all over the world. But before we ask all 7.3 billion humans to stop what they’re doing so I can arrange and bunch them together at my whim, let’s discuss the number 7.3 billion. 7.3 billion humans in one-dimensional configurationsThe first activity today will be putting all humans in a single file line. The world’s median age is 29, and the youngest billion humans tend to be quite little. Specifically:Manhattan could fit 590 million peopleBrooklyn could fit 1.38 billion peopleQueens could fit 2.83 billion peopleThe Bronx could fit 1.09 billion peopleStaten Island could fit 1.51 billion peopleSo let’s try it.

By View All Posts Tim Urban

7 Ways to Be Insufferable on Facebook — Wait But Why

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It made me think about what makes terrible Facebook behavior terrible, and why other Facebook behavior isn’t annoying at all. It comes down to a pretty simple rule:A Facebook status is annoying if it primarily serves the author and does nothing positive for anyone reading it. To be unannoying, a Facebook status typically has to be one of two things:1) Interesting/Informative2) Funny/Amusing/EntertainingYou know why these are unannoying? Core reasons for posting: Attention CravingI refuse to believe you feel a genuine outpouring of love for your 800 Facebook friends. And if you felt suddenly emotional about your best friends and family, is a public status really the way you’d express it?

By View All Posts Tim Urban

73 Year Old Frank Sinatra Was Originally Offered The Leading Role in Die Hard

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Today I found out that Frank Sinatra was originally offered the main role in the movie that would become Die Hard. This 1940s singer might not be the man who comes to mind when you think about the action-packed Die Hard movies. It was described as “gritty” for its time, dealing with issues like homosexuality, but it was decidedly less action-packed than the Die Hard movies we know today. Because the movie was technically a sequel, they were contractually obligated to offer Frank Sinatra the leading role. The franchise of Die Hard is still going strong, though its original writer and main character have since passed away.

By Emily Upton

9 Cruise Ship Workers Dish the Dirty Details of Life at Sea

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Well, before you break that lease and hop onboard, you might want to read to the following AskReddit stories from current and former cruise ship workers. We don’t eat what you eat, there are three levels of food for workers: Crew Food – Unidentifiable for the most part. “We actually have more fun than the guests”I am a cruise ship worker. They also only get paid $200-300 a month…that doesn’t even cover their airfare to get to the cruise ship, nor does it cover their uniform costs. Be from CanadaI worked as a seasonal worker on a cruise ship, and it was super fun.

By Adan Mathews

A Crisp for All Seasons

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It's fall, and in my book, that means it's time for apple crisp. The method and amounts remain consistent, and I’ll change up the types of fruit, spices and nuts according to the season. A crisp should contain seasonal fruits at their peak in flavor, enhanced with a dusting of sugar and spice. Transfer to the oven and bake until the apples are tender and the topping is golden brown and crisp, about 50 minutes. Serve the crisp slightly warm or at room temperature with the whipped cream.

By Staff Writer

A Hat on a Pole- The Curious Case of the King Who Almost Lost His Country After His Hat Fell Off

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The answer to this comes to us in a local legend in the Mälar Valley region of Sweden – the very heartland of the old Swedish kings. He also said that he is as much a subject to the Swedish king, as the Swedish king is a subject to him. They followed King Erik to this island and attempted to catch him, but Erik noticed them just in time and managed to flee. King Erik was now surrounded by his enemies on all sides, except for the steep cliffs behind him. Naturally, now hatless, the remainder of the war did not go well for King Erik Weatherhat, who was now plain king Erik Anundsson again.

By Anton Amle

A Japanese Soldier Who Continued Fighting WWII 29 Years After the Japanese Surrendered, Because He Didn’t Know

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Today I found out about a Japanese soldier who continued fighting World War II a full 29 years after the Japanese surrendered, because he didn’t know the war was over. Shortly after the island was conquered the remaining Japanese soldiers split up into small groups of 3 or 4 and headed into the jungle. At a certain point, when most everybody they saw was dressed in civilian clothing, they began thinking that this too was a ruse from the Allied forces to lull the Japanese guerrilla soldiers into a false sense of confidence. Eventually, after about 5 years in the jungle, Akatsu decided he would surrender, but didn’t tell the other three soldiers. The Japanese had long thought he had already died, they didn’t think he could have survived so long in the jungle.

By Daven Hiskey

Add Layers to Your Fall Menu

Posted in Interesting

This hefty casserole is layered with three cheeses, a meaty tomato sauce and -- wait for it -- kale. With that preface, let me add that this recipe can easily be made vegetarian by simply omitting the meat from the tomato sauce. Add the beef (if using) and cook until lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes, stirring as needed. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes, stirring often. Place a layer of lasagna sheets over the sauce, breaking them to fit to size as necessary.

By Staff Writer

Andrews Mc Meel Almanac For October 24, 2020

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ANDREWS MCMEEL ALMANACToday is the 298th day of 2020 and the 33rd day of autumn. TODAY'S SPORTS: In 1992, the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Atlanta Braves 4-3 to win World Series Game 6, becoming the first Canadian team to win the Major League Baseball championship. 42 worn by Jackie Robinson (who died on this day in 1972) was retired by Major League Baseball in 1997; the No. 99 worn by Wayne Gretzky was retired by the National Hockey League in 2000. TODAY'S MOON: Between first quarter moon (Oct. 23) and full moon (Oct. 31).

By Staff Writer

Animal Shelters, Pet Adoptions and Post-Pandemic Care

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At the shelters near me, anyone interested in adopting must select a pet from an online picture, then make an appointment to meet the animal. Many people now shop online, and the internet is a tool shelters have effectively used to facilitate adoptions, as you describe. Many adoptable animals are currently being held in foster homes, leaving the shelters themselves mostly empty. “Washington joins six other states -- Arizona, California, Colorado, Massachusetts, New Mexico and Vermont -- that have taken a stand against cruel, unsporting and wasteful wildlife killing contests. “’Wildlife killing contests are a blood sport just like dogfighting and cockfighting, which have been outlawed nationwide,’ said Camilla Fox, founder and executive director of Project Coyote.

By Staff Writer

ANIMAL SPIRITS AND ALTERNATIVE REALITIES

Posted in Funny

This happened again in the evening, and has now happened every time I tried to sleep since then. About a week ago, while I was asleep, I felt something touch my face, and I also felt something jump on my legs. I have been documenting this phenomenon for some years now, as per my article “Animal Spirits” (posted at drfoxonehealth.com). Thanks, Michael Jawer, for a book that can inspire, help heal and increase our respect and awe for all creatures, great and small. SOME BETTER NEWS: UP TO 48 SPECIES SAVED SINCE 1993Conservation efforts have saved up to 48 bird and mammal species from extinction since 1993, when the U.N. Convention on Biological Diversity came into being.

By Staff Writer

Anne's Lesser Known, More Frank, Diary and What Happened After

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On June 12, 1942, Anne Frank received a diary for her 13th birthday. In fact, the version of Anne Frank’s diary many of you are likely familiar with, depending on the publisher, has had upwards of 30% of the original content removed. Margo and Anne Frank were among those forced to make the trip, but their mother, Edith, was left behind. She knew Anne and Margot Frank and remembers their last days. After the war ended, Otto Frank returned to Amsterdam where he ultimately learned that none of his family had been among the survivors.

By Karl Smallwood

Are the "Snozzberries" in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Referring to Male Genitalia?

Posted in Interesting

Domenic V. asks: Is it true that the snozzberries in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory were dicks? Given the dark undercurrent of Roald Dahl’s works, perhaps it wouldn’t be surprising if his famous snozzberries mentioned in the book, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (1964) made into the film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971), were, in fact, penises. Much more importantly, 31 years before My Uncle Oswald and 16 years before Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Dahl published Some Time Never: A Fable for Supermen. Thus, from the evidence at hand, it would appear Dahl’s mention of it in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is probably just an inside allusion to his made up main food source of mythical gremlins. The snozzberries taste like snozzberries!

By Staff Writer

Astro Advice Weekly For October 18, 2020

Posted in Best

Stand on guard on the 21st, 22nd and 23rd. A diversion or change on the 21st, 22nd and 23rd will make you question your position and what direction you should pursue. A creative pursuit will turn out better than anticipated on the 21st, 22nd and 23rd. Speak up, share your thoughts and feelings, and commit to achieving what you set out to do on the 21st, 22nd and 23rd. Draw on the past on the 21st, 22nd and 23rd, and you will enhance your perception regarding decisions you need to make.

By Staff Writer

Astro Graph For October 24, 2020

Posted in Strange

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) -- Let go of whatever isn't working for you and move on to new beginnings. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- You'll thrive on change. Don't let anyone stand in your way or disrupt your plans. SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) -- Don't start something you cannot finish. PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) -- Look for a unique way to let someone know how much you care.

By Staff Writer

Bailing on Gatherings During Pandemic Made Me the Bad Guy

Posted in Funny

DEAR MISS MANNERS: My partner of 25+ years has a huge local extended family. I told my partner I am not participating in any future family celebrations until a vaccine is available. Not only am I “pooping the party,” but I am also holding the family’s favorite uncle hostage. How to proceed politely to maintain family harmony, both extended and within my own household, without apologizing for upholding the law? But Miss Manners supposes that that will poop on the party, as well.

By Staff Writer

Best Colleges and Universities in the U.S.

Posted in Best

Millennials were born between 1981 and 1996, which means the pop culture they grew up with is officially retro. Dragon Ball Z Slippers; $20Hot TopicYou don’t need to change out of your pajamas to feel like a Super Saiyan. The Pokémon Cookbook; $15Hop TopicWhat do you eat after a long day of training and catching Pokémon? Chuck E. Cheese T-shirt; $36-$5880s TeesFew Millennials survived childhood without experiencing at least one birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. This retro T-shirt sports the brand’s original name: Chuck E. Cheese’s Pizza Time Theatre.

By Staff Writer

Building a model for collaborating to combat misinformation crises

Posted in Funny

Building a model for collaborating to combat misinformation crises22 September 2020 | Phoebe Arnold and Nicola AitkenThe coronavirus pandemic has prompted a slew of measures attempting to grapple with huge volumes and newly challenging kinds of misinformation—from internet companies, fact checkers, governments and public health bodies. Most internet companies improved the supply of high quality, relevant information from local official sources on their platforms, and quickly released clear guidelines on non-acceptable content about Covid-19. Governments invested in digital public information campaigns and established special units to combat disinformation. With the support of Facebook, we are creating a working group with representatives from fact checkers, internet companies, governments around the world and civil society. In the coming weeks and months, we will announce the names of those who are joining the working group and publish a number of papers on the issues that we are working through and discussing.

By Staff Writer

Can the Iron in Your Blood Be Removed By a Super Powerful Magnetic Source?

Posted in Funny

And just what are the most powerful magnets in the universe? If a strong enough magnetic field is applied, the magnetic fields of all the iron atoms in all the domains will also align. The current supplied by the battery is spiraling around the nail through the wire creates a magnetic field, because it’s undergoing a centripetal acceleration. This brings us to one of the most powerful magnets mere mortals occasionally encounter in the form of Magnetic Resonance Image (MRI’s). Unfortunately, magnets powerful enough and have a solenoid big enough to levitate a human don’t exist on Earth… yet.

By Adam Ziebelman

Can You Answer These 10 General Knowledge Questions?

Posted in Best

Millennials were born between 1981 and 1996, which means the pop culture they grew up with is officially retro. Dragon Ball Z Slippers; $20Hot TopicYou don’t need to change out of your pajamas to feel like a Super Saiyan. The Pokémon Cookbook; $15Hop TopicWhat do you eat after a long day of training and catching Pokémon? Chuck E. Cheese T-shirt; $36-$5880s TeesFew Millennials survived childhood without experiencing at least one birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. This retro T-shirt sports the brand’s original name: Chuck E. Cheese’s Pizza Time Theatre.

By Staff Writer

Can You Finish the Verses to These Popular Holiday Songs?

Posted in Best

No matter what generation you belong to, consider these gifts when shopping for the Millennials in your life this holiday season. Dragon Ball Z Slippers; $20Hot TopicYou don’t need to change out of your pajamas to feel like a Super Saiyan. The Pokémon Cookbook; $15Hop TopicWhat do you eat after a long day of training and catching Pokémon? Chuck E. Cheese T-shirt; $36-$5880s TeesFew Millennials survived childhood without experiencing at least one birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. This retro T-shirt sports the brand’s original name: Chuck E. Cheese’s Pizza Time Theatre.

By Staff Writer

Can You Guess J.K. Rowling's Fantastic Beast From Its Magical Power?

Posted in Interesting

Millennials were born between 1981 and 1996, which means the pop culture they grew up with is officially retro. Dragon Ball Z Slippers; $20Hot TopicYou don’t need to change out of your pajamas to feel like a Super Saiyan. The Pokémon Cookbook; $15Hop TopicWhat do you eat after a long day of training and catching Pokémon? Chuck E. Cheese T-shirt; $36-$5880s TeesFew Millennials survived childhood without experiencing at least one birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. This retro T-shirt sports the brand’s original name: Chuck E. Cheese’s Pizza Time Theatre.

By Staff Writer

Can You Guess the Element From the Meaning Behind Its Name?

Posted in Best

Millennials were born between 1981 and 1996, which means the pop culture they grew up with is officially retro. Dragon Ball Z Slippers; $20Hot TopicYou don’t need to change out of your pajamas to feel like a Super Saiyan. The Pokémon Cookbook; $15Hop TopicWhat do you eat after a long day of training and catching Pokémon? Chuck E. Cheese T-shirt; $36-$5880s TeesFew Millennials survived childhood without experiencing at least one birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. This retro T-shirt sports the brand’s original name: Chuck E. Cheese’s Pizza Time Theatre.

By Staff Writer

Can You Guess Whether These Animals Have Spots or Stripes?

Posted in Strange

Millennials were born between 1981 and 1996, which means the pop culture they grew up with is officially retro. Dragon Ball Z Slippers; $20Hot TopicYou don’t need to change out of your pajamas to feel like a Super Saiyan. The Pokémon Cookbook; $15Hop TopicWhat do you eat after a long day of training and catching Pokémon? Chuck E. Cheese T-shirt; $36-$5880s TeesFew Millennials survived childhood without experiencing at least one birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. This retro T-shirt sports the brand’s original name: Chuck E. Cheese’s Pizza Time Theatre.

By Staff Writer

Can You Identify Which of These Animals Are Real?

Posted in Interesting

Millennials were born between 1981 and 1996, which means the pop culture they grew up with is officially retro. Dragon Ball Z Slippers; $20Hot TopicYou don’t need to change out of your pajamas to feel like a Super Saiyan. The Pokémon Cookbook; $15Hop TopicWhat do you eat after a long day of training and catching Pokémon? Chuck E. Cheese T-shirt; $36-$5880s TeesFew Millennials survived childhood without experiencing at least one birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. This retro T-shirt sports the brand’s original name: Chuck E. Cheese’s Pizza Time Theatre.

By Staff Writer

Can You Match the Classic Book to Its Not-So-Classic Sequel?

Posted in Strange

This book features more than 35 recipes inspired by creatures from the Pokémon franchise, including Poké Ball sushi rolls and mashed Meowth potatoes. Lisa Frank Activity Book; $5Urban OutfittersMillennials will never be too old for Lisa Frank, especially when the artist’s playful designs come in a relaxing activity book. Chuck E. Cheese T-shirt; $36-$5880s TeesFew Millennials survived childhood without experiencing at least one birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. This retro T-shirt sports the brand’s original name: Chuck E. Cheese’s Pizza Time Theatre. SNES Classic; $275AmazonThe SNES Classic is much easier to find now than when it first came out, and it's still just as entertaining for retro video game fans.

By Staff Writer

Can You Match the Main TV Character to Their Sidekick?

Posted in Best

Millennials were born between 1981 and 1996, which means the pop culture they grew up with is officially retro. Dragon Ball Z Slippers; $20Hot TopicYou don’t need to change out of your pajamas to feel like a Super Saiyan. The Pokémon Cookbook; $15Hop TopicWhat do you eat after a long day of training and catching Pokémon? Chuck E. Cheese T-shirt; $36-$5880s TeesFew Millennials survived childhood without experiencing at least one birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. This retro T-shirt sports the brand’s original name: Chuck E. Cheese’s Pizza Time Theatre.

By Staff Writer

Can You Match The TV Character to Their Enemy?

Posted in Funny

Millennials were born between 1981 and 1996, which means the pop culture they grew up with is officially retro. Dragon Ball Z Slippers; $20Hot TopicYou don’t need to change out of your pajamas to feel like a Super Saiyan. The Pokémon Cookbook; $15Hop TopicWhat do you eat after a long day of training and catching Pokémon? Chuck E. Cheese T-shirt; $36-$5880s TeesFew Millennials survived childhood without experiencing at least one birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. This retro T-shirt sports the brand’s original name: Chuck E. Cheese’s Pizza Time Theatre.

By Staff Writer

Can You Pick the Halloween-Themed Word or Phrase That Matches Each Definition?

Posted in Cool

Millennials were born between 1981 and 1996, which means the pop culture they grew up with is officially retro. Dragon Ball Z Slippers; $20Hot TopicYou don’t need to change out of your pajamas to feel like a Super Saiyan. The Pokémon Cookbook; $15Hop TopicWhat do you eat after a long day of training and catching Pokémon? Chuck E. Cheese T-shirt; $36-$5880s TeesFew Millennials survived childhood without experiencing at least one birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. This retro T-shirt sports the brand’s original name: Chuck E. Cheese’s Pizza Time Theatre.

By Staff Writer

Can You Tell Whether It's a Poisonous Plant or an Indie Band?

Posted in Cool

Millennials were born between 1981 and 1996, which means the pop culture they grew up with is officially retro. Dragon Ball Z Slippers; $20Hot TopicYou don’t need to change out of your pajamas to feel like a Super Saiyan. The Pokémon Cookbook; $15Hop TopicWhat do you eat after a long day of training and catching Pokémon? Chuck E. Cheese T-shirt; $36-$5880s TeesFew Millennials survived childhood without experiencing at least one birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. This retro T-shirt sports the brand’s original name: Chuck E. Cheese’s Pizza Time Theatre.

By Staff Writer

Can You Tell Your Romance Novels from Your Nail Polish Colors?

Posted in Funny

Millennials were born between 1981 and 1996, which means the pop culture they grew up with is officially retro. Dragon Ball Z Slippers; $20Hot TopicYou don’t need to change out of your pajamas to feel like a Super Saiyan. The Pokémon Cookbook; $15Hop TopicWhat do you eat after a long day of training and catching Pokémon? Chuck E. Cheese T-shirt; $36-$5880s TeesFew Millennials survived childhood without experiencing at least one birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. This retro T-shirt sports the brand’s original name: Chuck E. Cheese’s Pizza Time Theatre.

By Staff Writer

Christ the Redeemer Trivia | 40 facts about the impressive statue

Posted in Cool

Christ the Redeemer is an Art Deco statue of Jesus Christ in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Housing prices in Rio de Janeiro have increased simply if the property has a view of Christ the Redeemer. This is how he ende up creating the statue using stone tiles. Wind and rain have worn away at the statue’s stone tiles. For years, visitors to Christ the Redeemer had to scale around 200 steps to get from the train station to the statue.

By Staff Writer

Clueyness: A Weird Kind of Sad — Wait But Why

Posted in Interesting

One weekend day, my grandfather went to the store and brought a new board game home for the family: Clue. It was the neighbor kids, who said they were on their way outside to play some outdoor game they all used to play. Without a second thought, my dad and aunt jumped up from their seats and left with their friends. The FedEx man probably forgot about what I did to him five minutes later. But knowing that it’s totally irrational doesn’t make clueyness any less excruciating—something I’m reminded of every time my night is ruined by post-Uber-ride-when-the-friendly-driver-tried-to-start-a-conversation-and-I-wasn’t-in-the-mood-so-I-gave-curt-answers-until-he-finally-got-the-hint-and-then-felt-embarrassed-and-stopped guilt.

By View All Posts Tim Urban

College Freshman Sees No Benefit in Dorm Life

Posted in Best

I just started my freshman year in college, and although I knew things were going to be different than expected, living in a dorm seems pointless. Luckily, at mine, I get to go pick it up and bring it back to my dorm. The transition from high school into college is hard enough, and virtual learning is making it more difficult. It is harder to focus, and I don’t feel like I am actually being influenced and learning the material. -- Sick of COVIDDEAR SICK OF COVID: The emotional toll that COVID-19 is taking on our world is dramatic.

By Staff Writer

Congestive Heart Failure: What to Expect

Posted in Cool

Dear Doctors: Our grandfather was diagnosed with congestive heart failure a few years ago. What are some of the signs that his congestive heart failure is advanced? An estimated 6.2 million adults in the United States are living with congestive heart failure, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Shortness of breath, which is often present even in the early stages of congestive heart failure, becomes progressively more pronounced as congestive heart failure advances. As with many people who are feeling unwell, people living with advanced congestive heart failure often lose their appetites.

By Staff Writer

Coming to America: The Life of Frederick Trump

Posted in Best

Regardless of your politics, I think we can all agree that Donald Trump is by no means a humble man, and he’d be the first to admit that the Trump Family comprises something of a rich and powerful dynasty. This has led to a persistent idea that the Trump family’s fortune was made primarily by selling alcohol and sex to the masses. This would become one of the first of many bizarrely fortunate business decisions made by Frederick in his adult years. Despite strong objections from Fred’s mother owing to the supposed lower social standing of the Christ family, Frederick ignored his mom’s wishes and eventually proposed to Elizabeth. This, again, is why it’s not quite accurate to say the Trump family fortune was made from gambling, hair cutting, and prostitution.

By Karl Smallwood

Creating a Map for Your Investments

Posted in Best

Some tell me they only have time to quickly compare their current brokerage statement balances with earlier balances to get a sense of performance. In the financial industry, that is achieved through an investment policy statement, or IPS. To get started on your own, I recommend Morningstar’s Investment Policy Worksheet, which you can find online at tinyurl.com/y5xgkr9r. Returning to my discussions with investors, over the years, I have found that when talking about performance, risk is not mentioned. The publication, “Elements of an Investment Policy Statement for Individual Investors,” is available for free online at tinyurl.com/yxehcgwm.

By Staff Writer

Did Andy Warhol Leave a Dick Pic on the Moon?

Posted in Funny

This is the Moon Museum, the only art gallery on another world. On September 13, 1959, the Soviet Luna 2 probe impacted the lunar surface, becoming the first manmade object to reach another celestial body. An explosive charge in each sphere was designed to detonate just before impact, scattering the pennants across the lunar surface, but as Luna 2 impacted the lunar surface at 3.3km/s, it is likely that they were vaporized. But all these pieces were officially sanctioned by their respective governments; the Moon Museum was a far more…shall we say, independent project. The technician agreed to smuggle the Moon Museum onto the LM and send a telegram to Meyers confirming it was aboard.

By Gilles Messier

Did Any Medieval Knight Ever Actually Rescue a Damsel in Distress?

Posted in Interesting

But in recorded history, has there ever been a well documented case of a knight actually rescuing a damsel in distress? On that note, looking at various instances of kidnapped women, we figured surely at least one kidnapped woman of noble birth in history had some officially knighted individual dash off to save her, right? You might think her knight of a husband would come to her rescue, but unfortunately for her, and us looking for a case of a knight rescuing a damsel in distress, Sir Thomas was dead at the time, Margery just didn’t know it at first. However, sadly for our quest to find a well documented case of a knight rescuing a woman, Thomas was not a knight. From this, perhaps it’s not surprising there don’t seem to be well documented cases of knights actually rescuing women.

By Daven Hiskey

Did Cavemen Ever Really Exist?

Posted in Interesting

But did humans ever really live in caves en masse or is this just something that exists only in popular consciousness and not in reality? To begin with, when you think of cavemen, you probably picture thick browed simpletons clad in tattered furs, sitting around a fire in a cave. Both Neanderthals and modern humans built structures inside caves and at rock shelters to make the place more comfortable. They went from place to place to hunt and gather food and other supplies. So to sum up, yes, there really were so-called “cavemen”, but as we can see from the preceding examples, they did not all live in caves, or at least not all the time.

By Pierre-Louis Blanchard

Do I Really Have to Cut My Cholesterol?

Posted in Best

I was recently advised (again) to avoid foods with cholesterol because I have too much in my blood, but many of the foods I love to eat contain cholesterol. : There are many factors in the connection between dietary cholesterol and that found in a blood test. In the average individual consuming a balanced diet, the effect of dietary cholesterol on the blood level appears to be of secondary importance. And if there were absolutely no cholesterol in our diet, the body would make all it needed on its own. When we eat and live well, the importance of dietary cholesterol shrinks dramatically.

By Staff Writer

Do Expert Fighters and Military Personnel Really Have to Register Their Hands as Deadly Weapons?

Posted in Strange

As to the easiest part of this particular topic to address- are those highly trained in hand to hand combat required to register their hands as deadly weapons in the U.S.? But before we get into that, this might all have you wondering how the myth that expert fighters do have to register their hands as deadly weapons became established and so prevalent. For example, in the past, U.S. courts have found everything from knees to elbows to teeth to be deadly weapons in court cases. When Christie and his group approached and Christie yelled his question at McNeil, McNeil subsequently misinterpreted Christie and his friends with being with the other teens and punched Daniel in the face, as well as punched Daniel’s brother, Peter. You can also see from this why an expert fighter might be much more prone to getting into trouble while defending themselves.

By Daven Hiskey

Do Kids Really Learn Languages Faster Than Adults?

Posted in Interesting

But the truth is, while the notion that kids learn languages faster and more easily is an almost universally held belief, even among some linguists, it turns out adults actually learn languages faster and, in some sense, more easily than kids. So how did the idea that kids learn languages faster become so pervasive and how do we know it’s not true? When discussing whether kids learn a first language faster than adults, studies to date do strongly support this idea. Of course, when people talk about kids being able to learn languages faster than adults, nobody is discussing first languages- they are lamenting how difficult it is to learn a second language. It still takes them many years of practice to become fluent in this second language at anywhere close to an adult-like level.

By Daven Hiskey

Doing a TED Talk: The Full Story — Wait But Why

Posted in Funny

And that was all fine until August of 2015, when I was invited to do a TED Talk. And a few years later, almost everyone knew what a TED Talk was. This can be a little confusing, so here’s the deal: There’s still one annual TED conference, a week-long event in Vancouver, and it’s run by the TED staff. It turns out that even rad people are terrified to do a TED Talk. The irony of a guy rehearsing his TED Talk about how he’s a bad procrastinator, and being clearly underprepared while doing so, was not lost on anyone.

By View All Posts Tim Urban

Emilia Clarke 'Game of Thrones' Actor Facts

Posted in Funny

Emilia Clarke has had almost as fascinating a life as the character that made her famous. Emilia Clarke has wanted to be an actor since she was a toddler. Emilia Clarke was uneasy with the amount of nudity in Game of Thrones. Emilia Clarke is the second Game of Thrones actress to play Sarah Connor. Emilia Clarke worked anywhere from three to six jobs at once before being cast in Game of Thrones.

By Staff Writer

Elon Musk: The World's Raddest Man — Wait But Why

Posted in Best

Elon Musk, for those unfamiliar, is the world’s raddest man. So I’m sure this first post, whose title is “Elon Musk: The World’s Raddest Man,” will annoy him. But this was Elon Musk, and Elon Musk fixes shit for humanity. Further info came from the sources below:Documentary: Revenge of the Electric CarTED Talks: Elon Musk: The mind behind Tesla, SpaceX, SolarCityKhan Academy: Interview With Elon MuskQuora: What is it like to work with Elon Musk? SXSW: Interview with Elon MuskConsumer Reports: Tesla Model S: The Electric Car that Shatters Every MythWired: How the Tesla Model S is MadeInterview: Elon Musk says he’s a bigger fan of Edison than TeslaInterview: Elon Musk gets introspectiveBusiness Insider: Former SpaceX Exec Explains How Elon Musk Taught Himself Rocket ScienceEsquire: Elon Musk: The Triumph of His WillOxford Martin School: Elon Musk on The Future of Energy and TransportMIT Interview: Elon Musk compares AI efforts to “Summoning the Demon”Documentary: Billionaire Elon Musk : How I Became The Real ‘Iron Man’Reddit: Elon Musk AMAChris Anderson: Chris Anderson on Elon Musk, the World’s Most Remarkable EntrepreneurEngineering.com: Who’s Better?

By View All Posts Tim Urban

Emily in Paris Trivia | 40 facts about the Netflix series

Posted in Best

Emily in Paris is a popular TV series aired on Netflix, that became really popular due to its casual plot, and fashion trends featured in it. So, let’s find out more about “Emily in Paris”. Bravo’s character manages to impress Emily with his cooking early on in the series. Darren Star brought back SATC costume designer Patricia Field to work on Emily in Paris. The series was filmed entirely in Paris and all of the famous landmarks you see were shot on-site.

By Staff Writer

F.A.Q.

Posted in Funny

On your site, yes, so long as you make it very clear that it came from TodayIFoundOut.com and give link credit back to the original article and a link back to TodayIFoundOut’s homepage. In this latter case, email me here and we can work something out. For email subscriptions and comments where it requires me to leave my email address, what is your Privacy Policy? For email subscriptions, your email is just used for sending you the emails you requested to be subscribed to. Today I Found Out gets several hundred spam comments a day, so we have an automatic spam filter in place.

By Staff Writer

Everything You Should Know About Sound

Posted in Funny

When you think of sound waves, you probably think of something like this:1But that’s not how sound waves work. A sound wave is more like an earthworm situation:2Like an earthworm, sound moves by compressing and decompressing. Since the low pressure can’t go any lower, that point determines the max amplitude of a sound wave, and the loudest a sound can be, in any given place. The concept of sound is by definition a biological being’s perception of the pressure wave—and if there are no ears around to perceive the pressure wave, there’s no sound. Decibelcar.com: Decibel Equivalent TableMake it Louder: Ultimate Sound Pressure Level Decibel TableNASA: Sound Suppression Test Unleashes a FloodIdiom Zero: How Loud is the Sun?

By View All Posts Tim Urban

Fact checkers need to work together to create better models for distributing our fact checks online

Posted in Strange

Fact checkers need to work together to create better models for distributing our fact checks online5 October 2020 | Phoebe ArnoldThis post is published on the websites of the International Fact-Checking Network (in English, Portuguese and Spanish), Maldita.es (in Spanish) and Full Fact (in English). Artificial intelligence helps internet companies spot potential misinformation and connect it to fact checks, while mass distribution technology helps put fact checks in front of people who may never have heard of us before. Based on our workshop discussions at Global Fact, fact checkers would benefit from having private discussions about the design of new programmes. Fact checkers need to take time to have these conversations collectively, so that we can have better relationships with internet companies and others in the future. Fact checkers hold up standards of integrity and truth in societies, at a time when we cannot take this for granted in any country around the world.

By Staff Writer

Fighting the causes and consequences of bad information: the Full Fact Report 2020

Posted in Best

Fighting the causes and consequences of bad information: the Full Fact Report 202030 April 2020 | Full Fact TeamAs fact checkers, we want to reduce the spread of information that can disrupt democracy or put people’s lives at risk. In a new report funded by the Nuffield Foundation, we draw on our ten years of experience—covering three elections, the EU referendum and the current coronavirus pandemic—to set out why bad information starts, how it spreads and what we can do about it. Regulatory responses to tackling bad information must be proportionate to ensure free speech. Efforts to tackle bad information should not be at the expense of the other fundamentals within a democracy, including the rights to freedom of opinion and of expression. Read the report in fullThis is the first in a planned series of three annual reports, monitoring progress in the fight against bad information.

By Staff Writer

Figuratively Speaking For October 23, 2020

Posted in Best

Size of the food gifting market in the U.S., according to Packaged Facts: $21 billionPercentage of people buying food gifts for others who purchased a food gift for Halloween: 20Source: Packaged Facts. Percentage of Americans who feel positive when they think about their future, according to a survey by Champlain College: 66Percentage of American adults with children in their household who were more optimistic about their career prospects than those without children living at home (51%): 63Source: Champlain College. Percentage of Americans who believe the pandemic is the greatest threat to the U.S. economy in the next six months, according to a survey by bankrate.com: 44Percentage who are most concerned about the outcome of the election: 34Source: Bankrate.com. Idle Thought"If I have seen farther than others, it is because I have stood on the shoulders of giants." -- Isaac Newton, philosopher and mathematician(Readers can contact John MacIntyre at johnmacintyre@bwr.eastlink.ca.)

By Staff Writer

Flamenco Trivia | 40 facts about the Spanish dance

Posted in Interesting

Flamenco is a Spanish traditional dance, that over the years has gained a lot of popularity worldwide. In a wider sense, the term is used to refer to a variety of Spanish musical styles. There are many suggestions for the origin of the word flamenco as a musical term, but no solid evidence for any of them. Another theory is that the Spanish word flamenco is a derivative of the Spanish word, meaning “fire” or “flame”. The word flamenco may have been used for fiery behaviour, which could have come to be applied to the Gitano players and performers.

By Staff Writer

'Fright Night' Movie Facts

Posted in Cool

Peter Vincent made Fright Night click. Roddy McDowall as Peter Vincent in Fright Night (1985). “I couldn’t stop writing,” Holland said in 2008, during a Fright Night reunion at Fright Fest. I had a film after Psycho 2 and before Fright Night called Scream For Help, which … I thought was so badly directed that [directing Fright Night] was self-defense. Visual effects producer Richard Edlund had recently finished up work on Ghostbusters when he and his team began work on Fright Night.

By Staff Writer

Full Fact, Africa Check and Chequeado explore conspiracy theories and communicating uncertainty

Posted in Cool

Full Fact, Africa Check and Chequeado explore conspiracy theories and communicating uncertainty15 October 2020 | Full Fact TeamThe work of professional fact checkers is a constant pursuit of evidence. In two new research briefings, Africa Check, Chequeado and Full Fact have teamed together to explore two major issues for fact checkers around the world - conspiracy theories, and communicating uncertainty. Conspiracy theories: who, how, what next? Conspiracy theories can cause serious harm when beliefs turn into behaviours, such as when vaccine hesitancy results in lower immunisation rates, or false claims about the 5G network leads to arson. Download the full briefing - communicating uncertainty

By Staff Writer

Forgotten Heroes: The Hobby Scientist Who Discovered Global Warming and Its Cause

Posted in Interesting

Thus, contrary to the notion of a stable historic global climate, at some point, things must have been very different from documented history. To accomplish both of these things, Callendar was tasked with developing the trench burners, among other elements. In any event, going back to Keeling’s research, after he published his data, climate scientists and a handful of world leaders finally started paying attention. At the cost of only in the billions for such a program, this is far less than is already being spent to counter the current effects of climate change on coastal cities. And in the last decade particularly, we’ve finally started admitting en masse that we have a cheeseburger, and climate change, problem, which is always the first step to finding a solution.

By Daven Hiskey

Full Fact calls on the Prime Minister to correct the record on poverty

Posted in Interesting

Full Fact calls on the Prime Minister to correct the record on poverty30 July 2020 | Rebecca HillPoverty is an issue of fundamental importance to society, but it’s also complex to measure. We urge the Prime Minister to ensure that the parliamentary record (Hansard) is corrected. The statements in question are:“There are 400,000 fewer children in poverty than there were in 2010.” (BBC, 1 December 2019)“Absolute poverty and relative poverty have both declined under this government”. When we looked into his claims from 17 June, we found that government figures showed that relative low income was at the same level in 2018/19 as in 2009/10 and absolute low income fell by one percentage point. It was also unclear which poverty figures the Prime Minister was referring to when he said there were 400,000 fewer families living in poverty.

By Staff Writer

Full Fact launches a WhatsApp fact checking service in the UK

Posted in Interesting

Full Fact launches a WhatsApp fact checking service in the UK29 September 2020 | Full Fact teamSince the coronavirus pandemic began we’ve seen more and more harmful content coming to us via WhatsApp. It spread like wildfire across WhatsApp, but the Ambulance Trust and Public Health England later said that the information in the voice recording is not correct and urged people not to share it. That’s why we’re partnering with WhatsApp to create a Full Fact WhatsApp service. The next time you see something being shared on Whatsapp that you’re not sure of, you can forward it on directly to us, and we’ll fact check it for you. We’re testing this service as a pilot for the next 3 months, so hop onto WhatsApp and give it a try.

By Staff Writer

Full Fact raises concerns with regulator over inaccurate testing data

Posted in Funny

Full Fact raises concerns with regulator over inaccurate testing data15 July 2020 | Cassie StainesDuring a health pandemic, we all deserve information that is clear, open and transparent. This week we wrote to the UK Statistics Authority about concerns over the way in which statistics about coronavirus testing in the UK are being presented and communicated to the public. In June, the Prime Minister used some inaccurate figures during Prime Minister’s Questions when asked about how quickly Covid tests were being turned around. He said that all tests at testing centres and mobile testing units at the time were turned around within 24 hours, when data published more recently shows that the number of tests turned around in that time was much smaller. After we put the newly published data to them, they didn’t respond directly and sent us some background points.

By Staff Writer

From 1,000,000 to Graham's Number — Wait But Why

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Before we dive in, why is Graham’s number even a number people talk about? That’s why Graham’s number is a thing—it’s not just an arbitrarily huge number, it’s actually relevant in the world of math. On Level 6, aka hexation or iterated pentation, we’re dealing with a string of power tower feeding frenzies—what we’ll call a “power tower feeding frenzy psycho festival.” Here’s the basic idea:A power tower feeding frenzy happens. The final number the frenzy produces becomes the number of towers in the next feeding frenzy. Since there are four arrows, it looks like we have a power tower feeding frenzy psycho festival on our hands.

By View All Posts Tim Urban

Full Fact welcomes consultation to update our outdated election laws

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Full Fact welcomes consultation to update our outdated election laws12 August 2020 | Cassie StainesToday the government has launched a public consultation on transparency in digital campaigning. Specifically, they have put forward a proposal to require digital election material to explicitly show who is promoting it and on whose behalf - also known as a ‘digital imprint’. We said before the last election that these changes were urgent, and that is still true now. Full Fact welcomes the consultation and we will be carefully considering the government's proposals before responding in full. None of our work to tackle bad information and protect votes, including throughout the last election, would be possible without our readers and supporters.

By Staff Writer

Full Fact welcomes new report from Lords Democracy and Digital Technologies Committee

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Full Fact welcomes new report from Lords Democracy and Digital Technologies Committee29 June 2020 | Full Fact TeamEveryone deserves access to good information. Today saw the publication of a report by a committee in the House of Lords who were tasked with considering the impact of digital technologies on our democracy. Recognition of the important role that fact checkers play in combating bad information online, and the pressures that we face when expanding our work across multiple platforms. We now see people suffering from curable diseases because they have been misled by false information about vaccines. There is false information about public health issues related, for example, to the rollout of 5G mobile communications technology.

By Staff Writer

Great Gifts for Teens

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Polaroid Originals OneStep+ Bluetooth-Connected Instant Film Camera; $140Polaroid Originals/AmazonTeens can kick it back old school with this Polaroid camera that hides some surprisingly contemporary features. The Cup of Destiny; $22Shelter Harbor Press/AmazonHere’s a prediction: Your hunt for the perfect gift is almost over. Artistic-minded teens will love filling out pages that prompt them to catalog various stains or poke holes through the paper. Therapy Dough; $15Uncommon GoodsSome teens focus better and relax more easily when they have something to fidget with. If the teen in your life fits that description, this therapy dough may be the perfect gift for them.

By Staff Writer

Hidden Referral Fees Could Cost You

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Most professions restrict the payment of referral fees. The accounting and investment professions require disclosure, and most businesses in which referral fees are common do the same. In most other businesses, referral fees are in the 5% to 10% range. But the CFA found that 25% was the average for realty referral fees. “Nevertheless, it appears to exist.”Still, it’s not likely that referral fees will cost either the buyer or seller any more money.

By Staff Writer

History Vs. Bonus Episode: Theodore Roosevelt and the Round-Robin Letter Incident

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Theodore Roosevelt has been in the news lately—not the president, but the ship named for him. But the current news does give me the opportunity to discuss an interesting historical precedent for this situation—one that involved Theodore Roosevelt himself. I’m your host, Erin McCarthy, and in this bonus episode of History Vs., we’re going to look at the round-robin letter incident of the Spanish-American War. To the public, it looked as though Roosevelt’s letter and the round-robin had forced the McKinley administration to act, which wasn’t the case. If you want to find out more about this episode, and Theodore Roosevelt, visit MentalFloss.com/historyvs.

By Staff Writer

History Vs. Podcast Bonus Episode: Theodore Roosevelt and the Perdicaris Affair

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What happens next will soon become an international incident that garners the intervention of none other than President Theodore Roosevelt. From Mental Floss and iHeartRadio, this is History Vs., a podcast about how your favorite historical figures faced off against their greatest foes. The cable was received by Assistant Secretary of State Francis B. Loomis, who informed President Roosevelt. Days after the kidnapping, Raisuli contacted Sultan Abdelaziz of Morocco with his demands to let Perdicaris and Varley free. Roosevelt agreed—despite these new findings, Roosevelt knew this was an issue of both pride and politics at this point.

By Staff Writer

History Vs. Podcast: Epilogue - The Other Roosevelts

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Mental Floss has a new podcast with iHeartRadio called History Vs., about how your favorite historical figures faced off against their greatest foes. She worked with the Roosevelt Memorial Association, penned many heartfelt poems about him, and published a memoir titled My Brother Theodore Roosevelt in 1921. (According to the Theodore Roosevelt Center, this was partly to clarify that Roosevelt wasn’t her son, as some Americans had assumed.) He survived, but a month after the battle, while still in France, Ted died of a heart attack. In 1955, at the request of the Roosevelt family, his brother Quentin’s remains were relocated to rest there, too.

By Staff Writer

History Vs. Podcast Episode: The Equestrian Statue of Theodore Roosevelt

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The memorial was designed by architect John Russell Pope and included the museum’s Central Park West entrance, its Theodore Roosevelt rotunda, and the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Hall. In 1925, the Equestrian Statue of Theodore Roosevelt was commissioned to become a part of that larger memorial. Michael Cullinane, the historian and author of Theodore Roosevelt’s Ghost who I interviewed for this podcast, wrote in a recent op-ed for The Washington Post that “Theodore Roosevelt never wanted a statue. If the Theodore Roosevelt Facebook group I’m in is any indication, opinions about the statue’s removal are heated. To learn more about this episode, and Theodore Roosevelt, check out our website atmentalfloss.com/historyvs.

By Staff Writer

History Vs. Podcast: Fact Checking Theodore Roosevelt

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It'll be like, you spent five minutes with him 10 years ago, you're suddenly writing a book, the time I spent with Theodore Roosevelt. And then the other thing that makes this harder, that we've talked about, is the changing views of Theodore Roosevelt. But the whole triptych is Taft riding an elephant, Theodore Roosevelt riding a moose, and Woodrow Wilson riding a donkey. I think that says a lot not about Theodore Roosevelt, but about how our view of Theodore Roosevelt is shaped. McCarthy: OK, so the rumor goes that Theodore Roosevelt had a tattoo on his chest of the Roosevelt Family crest.

By Staff Writer

History Vs. Podcast: The Case of the Missing Colt .38

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As Kathleen Dalton writes in Theodore Roosevelt: A Strenuous Life, “He sought to keep his inner life and less attractive traits well hidden. It'll be like, you spent five minutes with him 10 years ago, you're suddenly writing a book, the time I spent with Theodore Roosevelt. And then the other thing that makes this harder, that we've talked about, is the changing views of Theodore Roosevelt. But the whole triptych is Taft riding an elephant, Theodore Roosevelt riding a moose, and Woodrow Wilson riding a donkey. I think that says a lot not about Theodore Roosevelt, but about how our view of Theodore Roosevelt is shaped.

By Staff Writer

History Vs. Podcast: Theodore Roosevelt vs. Bigfoot

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It'll be like, you spent five minutes with him 10 years ago, you're suddenly writing a book, the time I spent with Theodore Roosevelt. And then the other thing that makes this harder, that we've talked about, is the changing views of Theodore Roosevelt. But the whole triptych is Taft riding an elephant, Theodore Roosevelt riding a moose, and Woodrow Wilson riding a donkey. I think that says a lot not about Theodore Roosevelt, but about how our view of Theodore Roosevelt is shaped. McCarthy: OK, so the rumor goes that Theodore Roosevelt had a tattoo on his chest of the Roosevelt Family crest.

By Staff Writer

History Vs. Podcast: Theodore Roosevelt Vs. Christmas Trees

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“I want you to glance into this old closet.”He presses a button and opens the closet door to reveal … a Christmas tree. Well, the Roosevelts didn’t typically have a Christmas tree, because—according to legend, anyway—Theodore Roosevelt, avid conservationist, had banned them. The same held true for the Executive Mansion: Christmas trees wouldn’t become an integral part of the holiday celebration there until the 1920s. Theodore Roosevelt’s ban on Christmas trees even made it onto an episode of Drunk History. Christmas tree farming practices are sustainable, and the trees do a lot for the environment before they’re cut down.

By Staff Writer

History Vs. Podcast: History Vs. Theodore Roosevelt

Posted in Funny

Our first season is all about President Theodore Roosevelt. This episode is History Vs. Theodore Roosevelt. Alice lives on until the 1980s but by that stage, Theodore Roosevelt had kind of become a bipartisan figure. In his view, it was destiny for the white race to take over the continent, and it wasn’t surprising that the superior white race had conquered the savage Indian race. He's got this ideological connection to Theodore Roosevelt and if Theodore Roosevelt hadn't been president, I can't imagine how FDR would have developed his own ideology.

By Staff Writer

History Vs. Podcast: Theodore Roosevelt Vs. Death

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Our first season is all about President Theodore Roosevelt. I’m your host, Erin McCarthy, and in this round, we’re pitting Theodore Roosevelt against the greatest opponent of all: Death. That’s Alyssa Parker-Geisman, lead ranger at Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site in New York City. That’s Eileen Andes, the Chief of Interpretation and Public Affairs at Theodore Roosevelt National Park in Medora, North Dakota. Still, Theodore Roosevelt was Theodore Roosevelt.

By Staff Writer

Home Businesses May Violate Zoning Rules, Local Laws

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And some folks who have lost their jobs as a result of the virus have started home-based businesses to get by. Some of the other popular home-based businesses include tutoring, personal training, catering, daycare, home repairs, bookkeeping and housecleaning. There’s good reason to regulate home-based businesses. Insurance companies differ widely in the types of business coverage they offer, so it is best to shop around. Somewhat more comprehensive, an in-home business policy covers business equipment and liability.

By Staff Writer

History Vs. Podcast: Theodore Roosevelt vs. Harry Houdini

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Spring of 1914 was an especially busy time for both TR and Houdini, though neither was ever really not busy. “Go ahead, Houdini,” Roosevelt goaded. A less committed magician might have thought that any old spirits would do, but Houdini wasn’t the best in the business for nothing. In an almost unbelievable stroke of luck, Roosevelt had written the very question Houdini had hoped for. Considering his close companionship with Houdini, TR might have attended the event.

By Staff Writer

Horizontal History — Wait But Why

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Without a foundational, tree-trunk understanding of all parts of history, we often forget the things we do learn, leaving even our favorite parts of history a bit hazy in our heads. That’s why not only can’t even the most perfect history buff fully understand history, but the key people involved at the time can’t ever know the full story. History is a giant collective tangle of thousands of interwoven stories involving millions of characters, countless chapters, and many, many narrators. So there’s some horizontal history for you. ___________If you’re into Wait But Why, sign up for the Wait But Why email list and we’ll send you the new posts right when they come out.

By View All Posts Tim Urban

How can we fight bad information about health?

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How can we fight bad information about health? As we continue to face confusing and contradictory misinformation about Covid-19, we have reviewed findings from psychology and health communication to explain how health misinformation travels, and determine what we, and you, can do to fight it. According to the World Health Organization, vaccine hesitancy is one of the world’s top 10 public health risks. In every case, fighting misinformation is a matter of truth and trustHaving the latest medical evidence is only half the fight against health misinformation. Research on everyday health behaviours finds that long-term interventions can improve health-seeking behaviours such as taking up walking, using protection, or accessing quitlines for smokers.

By Staff Writer

How (and Why) SpaceX Will Colonize Mars — Wait But Why

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___________ContentsPart 1: The Story of Humans and SpacePart 2: Musk’s MissionPart 3: How to Colonize Mars→ Phase 1: Figure out how to put things into space→ Phase 2: Revolutionize the cost of space travel→ Phase 3: Colonize MarsA SpaceX Future2365 AD, GanymedeOne more day until departure. Many more people on the moon, a permanent moon base, people on Mars, and beyond. A small percentage of other satellites are in medium Earth orbit (MEO), which is everything in between LEO and GEO. Earth space agencies track about 17,000 objects in space, only 7% of which are active satellites. That’s why each and every manned mission of the past four decades has kept within the thin blanket of space surrounding the Earth—Low Earth Orbit.

By View All Posts Tim Urban

How Did WWI Pilots Shoot Through Their Aircraft Propeller?

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To his right sat Captain Charles Chandler, a Lewis light machine gun cradled between his legs. While crude, this installation proved surprisingly effective, with Garros scoring the first aerial victory using a machine gun fired through a propeller on April 1, 1915. While he attempted to burn his aircraft before being captured, he was unsuccessful, and his deflector-equipped propeller fell intact into German hands. This was done by fitting a wooden disc to the propeller hub and firing the guns through it. The last aircraft to use synchronizers were Soviet Lavochkin La-11s and Yakovlev Yak-9s flown by North Korean pilots during the 1950-1952 Korean war.

By Gilles Messier

How Do German Schools Teach About WWII?

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This brings us to the broad strokes of how this particular conflict was and is taught in German schools. Third, the war itself: Remarkably, the details of the fields of war are often underplayed in German schools. Of course, one downside of deemphasizing this is many German students are never really made aware of many specific military events and conquests. The result is, shockingly, that many German students are actually surprised to learn things like that Germans invaded places like (modern) Ukraine, (modern) Serbia, and Greece. Such examples allow German students to find figures from the war time with whom they can identify with.

By Nasser Ayash

How Did They Get the CGI in the 1993 Jurassic Park to Look So Good?

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Mae Scott asks: How did they get the CGI in the original Jurassic Park to look so much better than even some movies today? Regardless of your feelings about the overall quality of the film itself, you have to admit that for a movie released in 1993, Jurassic Park contains some mighty fine lookin’ dinosaurs. In fact, the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park look so good that many film critics and fans contend that the film’s CGI effects still hold up today nearly three decades later, with some even going so far as to say they look better than some scenes in more recent Jurassic Park films. This helped the cuts back and forth between CGI dinosaurs and physical ones be extremely seamless, despite the limitations of the technology of the age. Yet another subtle difference often suggested making the CGI in Jurassic Park look objectively better than some CGI seen in movies today is that the movie didn’t make use of unnatural color grading.

By Karl Smallwood

How Do I Tell My Partner That I Don’t Want Have Sex Anymore?

Posted in Funny

So I don’t want to tell her that I’d rather stop having sex with her because I’m not attracted to her anymore. And I’d rather not have sex with her that I don’t feel like having, just to please her. This is why I don’t think her weight gain is the root cause of your loss of interest. I don’t think it’s helping in this case, but I strongly suspect that it’s the easiest thing to latch onto. And frankly, SHALLOW, I think you’re going to end up with both if you’re not careful.

By Staff Writer

How Do the Japanese Teach About WWII?

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As we recently covered, however, the Germans and WWII are a rather interesting exception to this rule, see our video How Do the Germans Teach About WWII? This all brings us to a top voted question from that video- How does one of Germany’s chief allies in that war, Japan, teach about WWII and their country’s part in the historic conflict? Given all of this, it may or may not surprise you to hear from people raised in Japan that they hardly learned 20th century Japanese history in class. In July 1955, two years after the end of the War of Korea, textbooks containing the atrocities of the Japanese army were condemned by the Japanese parliament. This movement escalated, causing the banning of more than a quarter of the books used in schools at that time.

By Nasser Ayash

How Earth Got Its Name

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The modern English word and name for our planet ‘Earth’, is said to go back at least 1,000 years. Bonus Facts:Translations of the Bible into English was one of the earliest recorded use of the name Earth – ” God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. The first doesn’t actually orbit the Earth, but has a synchronized orbit with our planet, that makes it look like it’s following the Earth in orbit, but it’s actually following its own, distinct path around the Sun. The first doesn’t actually orbit the Earth, but has a synchronized orbit with our planet, that makes it look like it’s following the Earth in orbit, but it’s actually following its own, distinct path around the Sun. It is believed that, in another million years time, a day on Earth will be 27 hours long.

By Staff Writer

How Far Back in Time Could a Modern English Speaker Go and Still Communicate Effectively?

Posted in Cool

There are a shocking number of dialects of English in England alone despite being a relatively small area. Along with a smattering of Latin, this mix ultimately gave us a large percentage of what is Old English. In modern English, this translates to:The island Britain is 800 miles long, and 200 miles broad. In fact, it’s estimated approximately 50% of the core of the modern English language derives from words in Old English. This, perhaps, isn’t that surprising as another accent OP is often thought to sound like is the West Country English accent, which in turn directly inspired the way Hollywood has pirates talk.

By Daven Hiskey

How is Stalin Taught in Russia?

Posted in Funny

Joseph Stalin was born in December 1878 to a Georgian family and served as the general secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union between 1922 and 1952. After the war, Russia experienced a kind of personality cult, with Stalin being heralded as father of the people. Views of his early comrades, such as that of Trotsky that promoted the idea that Stalin was a mediocrity were still being suppressed in the Soviet Union. Generally, Stalin “the Military Leader” is emphasized more than Stalin “the Communist”. In contrast, in the West, Stalin, as well as the Soviet Union in general, is not seen favourably.

By Nasser Ayash

How Much Caffeine Would It Take To Kill You?

Posted in Cool

So how much caffeine would it take to kill you? Thus, as you might expect, we couldn’t find any studies that show what amount of caffeine would definitively kill your average human. Although that might not sound like that much, in terms of raw amount of caffeine, it should be noted that that’s the amount of caffeine in about 1,200 cups of coffee! So this all might have you wondering how caffeine actually manages to kill? In toxic doses, caffeine can cause extremely low blood pressures, seizures, cardiac rhythm problems, and lactic acidosis.

By Staff Writer

How Much Would it Cost to Fill a Swimming Pool With Booze? Has Anyone Ever Actually Done This?

Posted in Funny

The same can be said concerning the headlines you may have seen about the Starkenberger beer pools. So how much would it cost to fill an actual proper sized swimming pool entirely with a genuine undiluted alcoholic beverage rather than half-assing like mere plebians? Depending on how much you like to spend on wine, the cost of filling the pool would vary dramatically. Once again plopping this into our little swimming pool equation, you’d need 1,666,666 bottles to fill the pool almost to the top, then most of another bottle to fill it to the brim. But to sum up, any stories you have heard about the uber rich having debauched parties with alcohol filled swimming pools are most assuredly myths or wild exaggerations.

By Karl Smallwood

How Playing with Construction Paper Resulted in Over a Billion Dollars for Two Dudes

Posted in Interesting

Despite the crudely animated nature of the short, Parker would later gleefully recall that it won him a Student Academy Award. This second short, also called Spirit of Christmas, was again created using the laborious construction paper cut-out method utilised for the previous short. In addition to that, Shelley Marsh on South Park is also named after Trey Parker’s older sister Shelley. The pair also scanned in hundreds of pieces of actual construction paper so that everything still looked handmade. The speed at which South Park is able to be churned out is one of the reasons the show is able to react to current events so quickly.

By Karl Smallwood

How Theodore Roosevelt Became a G.I. Joe

Posted in Cool

It'll be like, you spent five minutes with him 10 years ago, you're suddenly writing a book, the time I spent with Theodore Roosevelt. And then the other thing that makes this harder, that we've talked about, is the changing views of Theodore Roosevelt. But the whole triptych is Taft riding an elephant, Theodore Roosevelt riding a moose, and Woodrow Wilson riding a donkey. I think that says a lot not about Theodore Roosevelt, but about how our view of Theodore Roosevelt is shaped. McCarthy: OK, so the rumor goes that Theodore Roosevelt had a tattoo on his chest of the Roosevelt Family crest.

By Staff Writer

How to Pick Your Life Partner

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If you live a long life, that’s about the number of years you’re going to spend with your current or future life partner, give or take a few. For a woman who wants to have biological children with her husband, she has one very real limitation in play, which is the need to pick the right life partner by forty, give or take. Still, if it were me, I’d rather adopt children with the right life partner than have biological children with the wrong one. Fear-Driven FridaFear is one of the worst possible decision-makers when it comes to picking the right life partner. Shallow SharonShallow Sharon is more concerned with the on-paper description of her life partner than the inner personality beneath it.

By View All Posts Tim Urban

How to Pitch a Story to Mental Floss

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The Pokémon Cookbook; $15Hop TopicWhat do you eat after a long day of training and catching Pokémon? Chuck E. Cheese T-shirt; $36-$5880s TeesFew Millennials survived childhood without experiencing at least one birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. This retro T-shirt sports the brand’s original name: Chuck E. Cheese’s Pizza Time Theatre. Buy it: AmazonSign Up Today: Get exclusive deals, product news, reviews, and more with the Mental Floss Smart Shopping newsletter! Mental Floss may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.

By Staff Writer

How we’re using AI to scale up global fact checking

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In this project, we are not attempting to replace fact checkers with AI, but to empower fact checkers with the best AI driven tools. We have developed a claim-type classifier to guide fact checkers towards claims that might be worth investigating. We are already using these tools with fact checkers on a daily basis. In South Africa an Africa Check fact check identified by our AI has informed live debate around health care choices. This is important to the fact checkers already using it and also because of the scale of our ambition.

By Staff Writer

International Sloth Day Gifts

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No matter what generation you belong to, consider these gifts when shopping for the Millennials in your life this holiday season. The Pokémon Cookbook; $15Hop TopicWhat do you eat after a long day of training and catching Pokémon? The soft knit ponytail holders come in a set of five—one for each day of the school (or work) week. Chuck E. Cheese T-shirt; $36-$5880s TeesFew Millennials survived childhood without experiencing at least one birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. This retro T-shirt sports the brand’s original name: Chuck E. Cheese’s Pizza Time Theatre.

By Staff Writer

Is Light Olive Oil Less Beneficial Than Virgin?

Posted in Funny

I have heard that the extra-light type may not have the same healthful benefits that fruity extra-virgin olive oil has. How do the two types of olive oil compare as far as their beneficial properties? The remaining oil is the standard, or “pure” olive oil, which has even less olive flavor. Some companies make a “light” (or “lite”) olive oil, which has little, if any, olive flavor, but is still quite functional. Oil producers from around the Mediterranean, in addition to those in California, speak with understandable pride about the healthful attributes of their olive oil.

By Staff Writer

Is My Juice Interfering With My Vitamins?

Posted in Funny

DEAR DR. BLONZ: I enjoy fresh grapefruit juice in the morning with breakfast. Friends have told me that grapefruit juice interferes with the absorption of vitamins, pointing to its interference with prescription drugs as proof. I searched the web for info and found that grapefruit juice interferes with some prescription drugs, but found nothing about it interfering with vitamin absorption. : There is no evidence that vitamin or mineral supplements are affected by grapefruit juice in the same way it affects certain medications. The effect was discovered by accident when grapefruit juice was used to disguise the taste of treatments used in a research study.

By Staff Writer

Is It True Women Retain the DNA of Every Man They've Ever Slept With in Their Bodies?

Posted in Strange

So how do these cells get there and where did the rumor that women retain the DNA of every man they ever slept with start? The results were the first group who only had daughters had an 8% rate of male microchimerism. Because these cell lines from the fetus can survive for decades after the pregnancy, subsequent pregnancies a given woman has can then see some of these cell lines find their way into the new little. Demonstrating this cellular exchange, directly after pregnancy, approximately two thirds of women will carry fetal immune cell lines, for example. On the flipside, about 1/3 of the time the baby will have maternal immune cell lines after they are born.

By Daven Hiskey

It’s 2020 and you’re in the future

Posted in Cool

So here are some New Years 2020 time facts:When World War 2 started, the Civil War felt as far away to Americans as WW2 feels to us now. Speaking of World War 2, the world wars were pretty close together. If World War 2 were starting today, World War 1 would feel about as far back to us as 9/11. As for you, if you’re 60 or older, you were born closer to the 1800s than today. Worth mentioning that my 94-year-old grandmother was born closer to the Andrew Jackson administration than to today.

By View All Posts Tim Urban

Is Vladimir Putin the Richest Person in the World?

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But is Putin actually the richest person in the world, or are these just rumors? The question of the hour is whether he is secretly the richest person in the world with a net worth in excess of $200 billion as so many claim. Presuming that half of this wealth belongs to Putin, his net wealth would amount to $100-160 billion. Putin doesn’t see them either,” which is why he finds it unlikely that Putin will ever willingly leave office. A luxury cruise, use of a private dacha, expensive consumer goods, etc….Ivan owns a shipping company and owes his wealth to Putin, so when Putin requests a favor, Ivan— like Sergey—honors the request.”So, is Putin the richest person in the world?

By Daven Hiskey

Kurt Russell Actor Facts

Posted in Interesting

On March 17, 1951, Kurt Russell was born in Springfield, Massachusetts, to parents Bing and Louise Russell, but grew up in Thousand Oaks, California. Kurt Russell passed up a chance to be in Star Wars to do a television Western. Kurt Russell was nominated for an Emmy for playing Elvis Presley. Kurt Russell was paid twice his going rate for Stargate because he was considered impossible to dislike. And they said, ‘You know the only star out there who has zero unlikeability?’ ‘Kurt Russell.’ Zero unlikeability!” Russell added that the research was done a long time ago and “that number may have changed significantly.”6.

By Staff Writer

"King Con"- The Conman Who Simply Walked Out of Prison Four Times

Posted in Interesting

Russell states of this, “When I lost my job, that really screwed with my head. He states, “I didn’t think it was possible. With such a high paying, comfortable gig, you might be wondering why Russell didn’t just go straight and simply resume a rather normal life working for NAMM. This was an amount Russell didn’t think was fair. And so it was that Russell was granted medical parole and simply walked out of the prison.

By Karl Smallwood

Last Word In Astrology For October 24, 2020

Posted in Best

Balance, integrity and creativity will encourage better relationships, positive experiences and a future built on trust, hard work and cooperation. Making adjustments to your surroundings or the way you live will turn out better than anticipated. 3 starsVIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): You'll thrive on change. Don't let anyone stand in your way or disrupt your plans. 3 starsPISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Look for a unique way to let someone know how much you care.

By Staff Writer

LEAD STORY -- Awesome!

Posted in Strange

"We discovered multiple false walls and secret compartments under the floor in our mudroom," he told Lite 98.7. "The foundation walls and floors in the mudroom are lined with intact cases of 1920s whiskey." The ready-made "Taste of Finnair" dishes include reindeer meatballs, Artic char and Japanese-style teriyaki beef and cost about $12, The Associated Press reported. Marika Nieminen, vice president of Finnair Kitchen, said the idea allows the airline to "create new work and employment for our people." Because the package did not have a required veterinary services permit, he said it would not be sent to its destination.

By Staff Writer

LEAD STORY -- Compelling Explanations

Posted in Strange

Investigators had found blood at the scene of the robbery and on hats the unidentified 45-year-old victim said had been left by the assailant. [Fox 23 News, 9/27/2020]Least Competent Criminals-- Three men are on the run in Philadelphia after a botched ATM burglary on Oct. 2, the Associated Press reported. [Fox 11, 10/7/2020]-- Hotels.com is offering one lucky customer the opportunity to "live under a rock" to escape "election stress disorder" during election week Nov. 2-7, United Press International reports. [United Press International, 10/8/2020]Wait, What? A Japanese buyer with very precise requirements has paid a record $14,000 for a 22-pound traditional Iberian ham, Oddity Central reported.

By Staff Writer

LEAD STORY -- Least Competent Criminals

Posted in Cool

just before 8:30 that evening, reported the Associated Press. The deputies "thought there were guns in the house," said Garnett, who told them, "Nope, we're just screaming for Steven Stamkos." The Associated Press reports the two met online two years ago, deputies said, and Rossmoine told them he had traveled to Florida several times since then. The teen told officers Rossmoine had been living in the bedroom since Aug. 19, and hid in the closet when the teen's parents were home. "The more they swear, the more you usually laugh, which then triggers them to swear again," explained park CEO Steve Nichols.

By Staff Writer

LEAD STORY -- The Weirdo-American Community

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The hospital contacted police, and investigators searched the property, finding suspected body parts in a deep freeze. Allen and Gates were charged with multiple felonies and misdemeanors, including conspiracy to commit unlicensed surgery and failure to bury the body parts. "We can't say it enough: Wild animals are not pets," said Frank McGee, CPW's area wildlife manager. [DW, 10/21/2020]-- On the Italian island of Sardinia, farmer Cristian Mallocci welcomed a litter of five dogs on Oct. 9, Fox News reported. The SUV had been reported stolen, and police found Crook in possession of methamphetamine along with drug paraphernalia.

By Staff Writer

Light It Up: New Designs Brighten Home Decor

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"I've always craved light -- layers of light for my own rooms and the homes I design for others," says Atlanta interior designer Beth Webb. There also are hybrids, such as some of the new table lamps that seem more like light sculptures or objects that simply light up. Stripped down Edison bulbs have been electric in lighting design. Biophilia has been a buzzword in decor, and the connection to nature is evident in lighting design, as well as the use of natural materials. Beth Webb chose rattan to create a framework around a white linen lamp, part of her new light collection for Arteriors.

By Staff Writer

Making Diamonds

Posted in Interesting

In this episode of The Brain Food Show, we are start out looking at the rather interesting way the couple hundred million dollar Hope Diamond has been transported a couple times. Next up we have a brief message from our sponsor Skillshare for 2 months for free here: http://skillshare.com/brainfoodNext up, we discuss how diamonds went from a mostly worthless item throughout the majority of human history to in very recent times the extremely expensive item we have today. We then dive into the extremely fascinating story of the guy who first managed to figure out how to make diamonds, bypassing the normal couple billion year process to have them form naturally. On another note, if you could do us a huge favor and rate and review this show in whatever podcasting platform you’re using (including hopefully giving us some feedback related to the new format), we would be extremely grateful. Don’t miss future episodes of this podcast, subscribe here: iTunes | Spotify | Google Play Music | Stitcher | RSS/XMLYou can also find more episodes by going here: The BrainFood Show

By Daven Hiskey

Marilyn Monroe was Not Even Close to a Size 12-16

Posted in Strange

Myth: Marilyn Monroe was a size 12-16. She was very big”, you’ll often hear people saying Marilyn Monroe was around the same size as the average American woman today (12-16). So what size was Marilyn Monroe actually? Hugh Hefner purchased the burial vault next to Marilyn Monroe as his future place of final rest. Marilyn Monroe started going by that name in 1946 around the same time she dyed her hair blonde and divorced her husband.

By Daven Hiskey

Market Opens Back Up for Iffy Borrowers

Posted in Strange

Non-QM lenders must do the same. But they often stretch the box -- sometimes more than a little -- based on the borrower’s credit score and loan-to-value ratio, as opposed to debt-to-income ratio. Quontic Bank is just one of many non-QM lenders. Meanwhile, the CFPB has proposed allowing non-QM loans to become qualified mortgages three years after their origination if they meet certain qualifications. The objective, the bureau says, is to “incentivize” more lenders to make non-QM loans they otherwise might not.

By Staff Writer

Medieval Times [Part 2]

Posted in Strange

In this episode of The Brain Food Show, we are start out with an appetizer looking at how soap actually works to get rid of microbes. Only $3.71/mo, plus you get an additional month FREE at https://nordvpn.com/brainfoodshow Or use coupon code: brainfoodshowNext up, we have the main course discussing whether or not Medieval Europeans actually didn’t bathe that much or not. As for the desert for today, we look at whether castles in Medieval times actually ever had things like crocodiles in them or not. On another note, if you could do us a huge favor and rate and review this show in whatever podcasting platform you’re using (including hopefully giving us some feedback related to the new format), we would be extremely grateful. Don’t miss future episodes of this podcast, subscribe here: iTunes | Spotify | Google Play Music | Stitcher | RSS/XMLYou can also find more episodes by going here: The BrainFood Show

By Daven Hiskey

Our Most Popular Posts of 2014 — Wait But Why

Posted in Cool

In the meantime, here’s our 2014 end-of-year post with the year’s most popular posts. Here are the ten most popular posts of 2014:The Fermi Paradox – Scientists estimate that there are over 100,000 intelligent alien civilizations in our galaxy—but we never see evidence of anyone. Everything You Don’t Know About Tipping – Whenever you’re not sure what to tip someone, you risk ending up in the dreaded Ambiguous Tipping Situation. Your Life in Weeks – Seeing all the weeks of your life in one chart is a weird experience. A Religion for the Nonreligious – A post that tied together a bunch of the ideas we’ve discussed on the site.

By View All Posts Wait But Why

Peanuts Holiday Specials Won’t Air on Network TV

Posted in Cool

No matter what generation you belong to, consider these gifts when shopping for the Millennials in your life this holiday season. Dragon Ball Z Slippers; $20Hot TopicYou don’t need to change out of your pajamas to feel like a Super Saiyan. The Pokémon Cookbook; $15Hop TopicWhat do you eat after a long day of training and catching Pokémon? Chuck E. Cheese T-shirt; $36-$5880s TeesFew Millennials survived childhood without experiencing at least one birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. This retro T-shirt sports the brand’s original name: Chuck E. Cheese’s Pizza Time Theatre.

By Staff Writer

People Discuss Secrets About Their Jobs That They’re Not Supposed to Know About

Posted in Best

Do you know things about your job that you’re not supposed to? Let’s check out the secrets that AskReddit users know about their jobs. “By jumping from department to department over the years, at my old job I knew a combination of things that no one person was supposed to know. So I know when they’re not going out that weekend there’ll be a workplace drug test the end of the next week.”5. What are some secrets you know about your job that you’re not supposed to?

By Matt Gilligan

People Share Secrets From Their Workplaces That They’re Not Supposed to Know

Posted in Funny

Sometimes at different jobs, there are just some things that you’re not supposed to know. Whether you work at a restaurant or in a huge corporation, secrets are everywhere. And sometimes, people find out about things that they’re really not supposed to…Let’s see what AskReddit users had to say about this. I don’t snoop intentionally, but just as a byproduct of being in the home all day and working with a family so intimately I definitely know most/all of the family secrets. What secrets do you know about where you work?

By Matt Gilligan

People Share Stories About the Worst Pain They’ve Ever Felt

Posted in Best

I think the worst pain I’ve ever felt in my life was when I broke my hand when I was 12…and I hope it stays that way…What’s the worst pain you’ve ever felt? But a kidney stone is the worst pain I’ve ever felt.”4. “Very severe ear infection. I woke up in the middle of the night drenched in my own tears and felt the most intense, stabbing pain where the anaesthetic had worn off. What’s the worst pain you’ve ever felt in your life?

By Matt Gilligan

People Who Had Very Short Marriages Share When and How They Realized They’d Made a Mistake

Posted in Strange

Let’s take a look at these stories about short marriages from folks on AskReddit. But really what I want to share is the signs were there and people should be aware of them. I thought “I’m not a wimp and it isn’t like he’s beating the sh*t out of me every day” I thought thats what domestic abuse looked like. “He casually invited his parents along on our honeymoon, and told them we’d pay for it. “Two months in he told me I was too fat and he will no longer be having s*x with me.

By Matt Gilligan

Pilaf Isn't Just for Rice

Posted in Best

Pilaf is a simple and delicious grain dish, traditionally composed of lightly toasted rice grains, which are simmered in an aromatic spice-infused stock. And while rice is frequently used in pilaf, it isn’t mandatory. Other grains, such as farro and freekah, can be used, as well as wheat ingredients, including orzo, bulgur and couscous. This recipe is for pearl couscous pilaf. Pearl couscous is also known as Israeli couscous (ptitim) and Italian couscous (fregola sarda).

By Staff Writer

Putting Time In Perspective

Posted in Interesting

Humans are good at a lot of things, but putting time in perspective is not one of them. If the Earth formed at midnight and the present moment is the next midnight, 24 hours later, modern humans have been around since 11:59:59pm—1 second. And if human history itself spans 24 hours from one midnight to the next, 14 minutes represents the time since Christ. To try to grasp some perspective, I mapped out the history of time as a series of growing timelines—each timeline contains all the previous timelines (colors will help you see which timelines are which). And two other big graphics I made that also took me 900 years:Horizontal History – This one puts human history in perspectiveThe Death Toll Comparison Chart – A lot of people die a lot

By View All Posts Tim Urban

Quiz Can You Finish These Chocolate-Themed Quotes?

Posted in Strange

Millennials were born between 1981 and 1996, which means the pop culture they grew up with is officially retro. Dragon Ball Z Slippers; $20Hot TopicYou don’t need to change out of your pajamas to feel like a Super Saiyan. The Pokémon Cookbook; $15Hop TopicWhat do you eat after a long day of training and catching Pokémon? Chuck E. Cheese T-shirt; $36-$5880s TeesFew Millennials survived childhood without experiencing at least one birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. This retro T-shirt sports the brand’s original name: Chuck E. Cheese’s Pizza Time Theatre.

By Staff Writer

Quiz Can You Match the 'Batman' Villains to Their Movies?

Posted in Interesting

Millennials were born between 1981 and 1996, which means the pop culture they grew up with is officially retro. Dragon Ball Z Slippers; $20Hot TopicYou don’t need to change out of your pajamas to feel like a Super Saiyan. The Pokémon Cookbook; $15Hop TopicWhat do you eat after a long day of training and catching Pokémon? Chuck E. Cheese T-shirt; $36-$5880s TeesFew Millennials survived childhood without experiencing at least one birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. This retro T-shirt sports the brand’s original name: Chuck E. Cheese’s Pizza Time Theatre.

By Staff Writer

Quiz How Well Do You Know Your Halloween Treats?

Posted in Cool

Millennials were born between 1981 and 1996, which means the pop culture they grew up with is officially retro. Dragon Ball Z Slippers; $20Hot TopicYou don’t need to change out of your pajamas to feel like a Super Saiyan. The Pokémon Cookbook; $15Hop TopicWhat do you eat after a long day of training and catching Pokémon? Chuck E. Cheese T-shirt; $36-$5880s TeesFew Millennials survived childhood without experiencing at least one birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. This retro T-shirt sports the brand’s original name: Chuck E. Cheese’s Pizza Time Theatre.

By Staff Writer

Sagamore Hill Facts

Posted in Strange

It'll be like, you spent five minutes with him 10 years ago, you're suddenly writing a book, the time I spent with Theodore Roosevelt. And then the other thing that makes this harder, that we've talked about, is the changing views of Theodore Roosevelt. But the whole triptych is Taft riding an elephant, Theodore Roosevelt riding a moose, and Woodrow Wilson riding a donkey. I think that says a lot not about Theodore Roosevelt, but about how our view of Theodore Roosevelt is shaped. Thompson: Yeah, most of those facts are fine until you get right to the end with the bible fact.

By Staff Writer

Salsa Trivia | 40 facts about the popular dance

Posted in Funny

Salsa is one of the most popular dance, that originates from Latin Americans. Salsa dance socials are commonly held in nightclubs, bars, ballrooms, restaurants, and outside, especially when part of an outdoor festival. The most popular Salsa dance type is the Cuban one. Salsa dance socials are commonly held in night clubs, bars, ballrooms, restaurants, and outside, especially if part of an outdoor festival. These events usually include salsa dance performers, live salsa music, workshops, open dancing, and contests.

By Staff Writer

SARS-CoV-2 in Human and Cat Feces

Posted in Cool

I based this concern on the fact that it is well known that feline coronavirus can be present in cats’ feces, but now that cats can get a different coronavirus infection from humans with COVID-19, my next concern is that such cats could also have the SARS-CoV-2 virus in their feces. He wrote, “We have performed additional cat experiments and found one of six animals shed SARS-CoV-2 in its feces. So, in our hands, SARS-CoV-2 can be present in feces, but it is not a common occurrence.”But in a larger population, this could be problematic if the amount of viral shedding is sufficient to cause infection. Read on for more about cats and SARS-CoV-2. The volume of mail received prohibits personal replies, but questions and comments of general interest will be discussed in future columns.

By Staff Writer

Religion for the Nonreligious — Wait But Why

Posted in Best

We’ve taken a big step up the consciousness staircase, very quickly—let’s call this burgeoning element of higher consciousness our Higher Being. But this is actually what’s happening:But even more actually, this is happening:We also tend to kind of think this is the situation:When really, it’s this:You might even think you’re a thing. The way Step 4 can serve humanity is by helping to crush the notion of certainty. Another Look at Religion in Light of this Framework:This discussion helps clarify my issues with traditional organized religion. ___________If you’re into Wait But Why, sign up for the Wait But Why email list and we’ll send you the new posts right when they come out.

By View All Posts Tim Urban

Small but Mighty Bulbs

Posted in Best

Most small bulbs thrive in sunny spots and well-drained soil. Go ahead and experiment with several different small bulbs to get to know them up close and see how they perform in your garden. In the garden, they're irresistible in small groups of 10 to 12 bulbs, and delightful in drifts of 100. Little bulbs truly are mighty performers in gardens of every size and style. SOURCES-- Three excellent mail-order sources for little bulbs are: Colorblends, colorblends.com; Brent and Becky's, brentandbeckysbulbs.com; and John Scheepers, johnscheepers.com.

By Staff Writer

So What Happens After You Flush?

Posted in Strange

From there, it enters ever larger pipes on its way towards a wastewater treatment plant with many connections along the way. For a reference of the scale here, the city of Boston is estimated to have just under 60,000 miles (100,000 km) of sewer pipes all feeding into their wastewater treatment plants. On that note, if you are flushing literally anything but toilet paper or your expulsions down the toilet, your wastewater treatment plant operators think you’re kind of worse than the douche you flushed. Doesn’t mean you should wipe your butt with one and flush it. So what happens is all those baby wipes, and facial wipes, and Clorox bleach wipes and whatever makeup stuff that people flush – tampons, condoms, everything – it comes to the plant.

By Daven Hiskey

So How Do Animals Swallowed Alive Actually Die and Do Any Animals Ever Get Out Alive After?

Posted in Cool

As you might expect, death for creatures swallowed whole depends on what creatures eat them. Some of the most famous animals known for swallowing prey whole—snakes—actually kill their prey before consuming it, either through venom or constriction. So, supposing an animal’s prey survives its foray in the mouth of its predator: what happens to it next? Of course, the next question that’s bound to arise when considering this morbid issue is: Outside of obvious creatures like certain parasites, can other creatures feasibly survive being swallowed alive? When it comes to the highest-evolved of animals, however, that animal’s greatest asset— personality and free thought—sometimes override this safeguard.

By Eric Flynn

Some Agents Are ‘Packing Heat’

Posted in Strange

Not filling boxes to help you move, but “packing heat” -- as in carrying a gun? Many agents are doing just that these days to protect themselves when showing houses to complete strangers, or listing houses for sellers they aren’t familiar with, according to the National Association of Realtors. Male agents were more likely than their female counterparts to carry a gun; women overwhelmingly preferred to carry pepper spray. Overall, the NAR survey found that half of all agents carry some kind of self-defense weapon. Even male agents are being attacked.

By Staff Writer

Spiritual Aspects of the Climate and Extinction Crises

Posted in Funny

The petrochemical fossil fuel industry has poisoned the planet and contributed royally to the climate and extinction crises. In addition, he had a positive “RenalTech” index, which our vet said means he has a 95% probability of developing kidney disease sometime in the next two years. Will this prevent his having kidney disease? : So many cats have kidney problems, in part due to poor oral health care and related poor diet (dry kibble). A large number of pets are fed mainly kibble (widely sold in veterinary clinics), which lies at the root of many subsequent health problems.

By Staff Writer

SpaceX's Big Fucking Rocket – The Full Story — Wait But Why

Posted in Cool

So I reached out and asked if I could learn about the big fucking rocket ahead of time and write a post about it. The Big Fucking Rocket is fucking big. Now, to be clear—what I’ve been calling the Big Fucking Rocket this whole time is actually two things: a Big Fucking Spaceship sitting on top of a Big Fucking Booster. The Big Fucking SpaceshipSo then there’s the spacecraft—which SpaceX calls the Interplanetary Spaceship, and which I’m going to keep calling the Big Fucking Spaceship because it’s more fun. The BFS is the big cool-looking thing on top of the BFB (in case you’re getting Big Fucking Confused—the Big Fucking Spaceship (BFS) on top of the Big Fucking Booster (BFB) together make what I’ve been calling the Big Fucking Rocket (BFR)).

By View All Posts Tim Urban

Stabbing Bed Bugs, Lloyd Christmas, Cliff from CliffsNotes and More in Yet Another 10 Quick Facts

Posted in Cool

1026: Bed bugs reproduce via the male bed bug literally stabbing the female in the abdomen with his hypodermic genitalia rather than using the female’s reproductive tract. 1028: Jim Carrey was initially offered $350,000 (about $600,000 today) for the role of Lloyd Christmas in Dumb and Dumber, but turned it down, asking for $400,000 (about $690,000 today). Round and round they went until a deal was struck for $7 million (about $12 million today), which comprised about 44% of the entire $16 million budget of the film. Dumb and Dumber ultimately went on to gross around $250 million (about $430 million today). 41 years later at the age of 81 and having sold a reported 50 million guides, Cliff retired from CliffsNotes, selling the company to IDG Books for $14 million (about $21 million today).

By Daven Hiskey

Star Trek connection, What "Trump" Means in the UK, and more in Yet Another 10 Quick Facts

Posted in Best

1007) Like many aquatic invertebrates, flatworms are hermaphrodites, which means they have both male and female reproductive organs. They felt the song didn’t really fit in the film and painfully dragged on, slowing the pace of the movie too much. The second reason I wear gold is I can afford it. 1015) In the UK “trump” has been another word for “an especially loud fart” since the early 15th century, with the first known documented instance appearing in 1425. The word “trump” appears to have previously entered the English language sometime around the 14th century in reference to blowing a horn.

By Daven Hiskey

Statins Not a License to Neglect Healthful Diet

Posted in Strange

: Medications to control an elevated blood cholesterol level should not be thought of as a license to eat and live in an unhealthful manner. It makes little sense to then dismiss the problem with thoughts that a pharmaceutically lowered cholesterol level fixes everything. DEAR DR. BLONZ: I buy raw almonds and bake them in a toaster oven at 250 degrees for about half an hour. Does roasting the almonds cause the oil in the nuts to undergo a change that turns it into saturated fat? : The roasting of nuts does not affect the minerals they contain, and it does not make their oils more saturated.

By Staff Writer

Tango Trivia | 40 facts about the popular dance

Posted in Best

In 1965 he made a proposal to the Secretary of Culture of the Municipality of the City of Buenos Aires. One of the most popular types of tango is the Argentine tango. Actually, argentine tango is the root of all types of tango. In 2014, Hawaiian dance teachers Brett and Jennifer Griswold danced the Argentine Tango for an unbelievable 38 hours, 30 minutes. Though based on Argentine Tango, Finnish Tango is a genre in its own right, with a distinctive style and traits that have earned their own heritage.

By Staff Writer

STUXNET and the Rise of the Digital Weapon

Posted in Cool

This is the story of STUXNET, one of the world’s first digital weapons. They also gave the mysterious worm a name, derived from one of its system files: STUXNET. This solution finally came in 2015 with the signing of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, better known as the Iran Nuclear Deal. Within three minutes, the code had reduced the giant machine to a smoking ruin, vividly demonstrating the potential of such a digital attack on physical infrastructure. But perhaps the oldest digital attack in history reportedly took place in 1982.

By Gilles Messier

That Time Albert Einstein Invented a New Refrigerator

Posted in Interesting

The name Albert Einstein has become a byword for genius – and rightly so. In 1926 Einstein read a newspaper article about a Berlin family who had died in their sleep when their refrigerator sprung a leak. In total Einstein and Szilard were granted 45 patents covering three different refrigerator designs. But while this is the best-known of the Einstein-Szilard refrigerators, it is the pair’s second design which most excited Einstein. Born in Budapest in 1898, Szilard spent the early part of his career in Germany, where in addition to helping Einstein design refrigerators he also independently invented and patented the linear particle accelerator, the cyclotron, and the electron microscope.

By Gilles Messier

That Time George Clooney Gave Briefcases Containing $1 Million Each to All His Closest Friends

Posted in Funny

If you’ve ever thought George Clooney comes off as a extremely likable kind of guy in many of the roles he plays in films, well, it turns out that part at least isn’t really an act. etc., it turns out the Good Guy Clooney meme is actually a thing in more day to day matters as well. No, we’re here to discuss that time he gave each of his closest friends a briefcase full of $1 Million in cash. Both simultaneously embodying the “Good Guy Clooney” and the “Prankster Clooney” this meant his roommate didn’t have to clean the litter box… for weeks. Enter George Clooney on the set of Three Kings.

By Ariana Kyl

That Time Nevada Executed a Prisoner With a Shooting Machine

Posted in Strange

That man, Andriza Mircovich, was about to become the first – and last – man in American history to be executed by shooting machine. Andriza Mircovich was a 31-year-old silver miner of Montenegrin descent who had emigrated to Nevada from the Austro-Hungarian empire in 1911. But Mircovich refused to back down, and Cowing, having run out of options, instead ordered the construction of a mechanical firing squad – or shooting machine. The shooting of Andriza Mircovich was the first and last execution by firing squad carried out in Nevada, the 1911 statute being repealed in 1921. The first person to be executed by electric chair was William Kemmler, who in 1889 was convicted of killing his wife Matilda with a hatchet.

By Gilles Messier

The 10 Horror Movies That Are Most Likely to Get Your Heart Racing

Posted in Interesting

Millennials were born between 1981 and 1996, which means the pop culture they grew up with is officially retro. Dragon Ball Z Slippers; $20Hot TopicYou don’t need to change out of your pajamas to feel like a Super Saiyan. The Pokémon Cookbook; $15Hop TopicWhat do you eat after a long day of training and catching Pokémon? Chuck E. Cheese T-shirt; $36-$5880s TeesFew Millennials survived childhood without experiencing at least one birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. This retro T-shirt sports the brand’s original name: Chuck E. Cheese’s Pizza Time Theatre.

By Staff Writer

The 50 Most Searched Halloween Costumes on Google

Posted in Interesting

Millennials were born between 1981 and 1996, which means the pop culture they grew up with is officially retro. Dragon Ball Z Slippers; $20Hot TopicYou don’t need to change out of your pajamas to feel like a Super Saiyan. The Pokémon Cookbook; $15Hop TopicWhat do you eat after a long day of training and catching Pokémon? Chuck E. Cheese T-shirt; $36-$5880s TeesFew Millennials survived childhood without experiencing at least one birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. This retro T-shirt sports the brand’s original name: Chuck E. Cheese’s Pizza Time Theatre.

By Staff Writer

The American Presidents—Johnson to McKinley — Wait But Why

Posted in Funny

The Mustache Era is an unprecedented time in American history, during which presidential mustaches were rampant. The Civil War has just ended, Lincoln has just been shot, and the country is in total mayhem…17) Andrew JohnsonPresidency: 1865 – 1869 Lived: 1808 – 1875 Ranking: 41/43Mustache? New President Johnson inherited a nation that had just come out of Civil War. Grant wouldn’t allow his kids to attend Johnson’s 60th birthday party, and Johnson refused to attend Grant’s inauguration. Next (Ulysses S. Grant) →All Pages:Andrew Johnson (and Intro)Ulysses S. GrantRutherford B. HayesJames A. GarfieldChester A. ArthurGrover ClevelandBenjamin HarrisonWilliam McKinley

By View All Posts Tim Urban

The American Brain

Posted in Funny

_________Chapter 6: The American BrainIn Chapter 5 we became acquainted with some new toys: the Idea Spectrum, the Thought Pile, and the Speech Curve. With the First Amendment barring restrictions on expression, attention seekers can take advantage of all parts of the Thought Pile. But a democracy works the opposite direction—bottom-up—as the leaders are forced to be wherever the Thought Pile wants them to be. Even though plenty of individual citizens will disagree with them, the ideas at the top of the Thought Pile are what the big communal brain “thinks” at any given point in time. Given all of the obvious benefits of free speech, when a culture or a movement or an individual citizen seems threatened by free speech, the first question you should ask is: “Why?

By View All Posts Tim Urban

The Big and the Small — Wait But Why

Posted in Strange

I haven’t told anyone this before, but I actually live in the fun room. I have visitors in the fun room from time to time, but after a few minutes, they’re usually pretty funned out and leave me to my crises. Philipp—this random man in Germany—also lives in the fun room. Whenever Philipp and I get dinner, we head straight to the fun room to talk about the universe. ___________Also: To commemorate the app launch, Kurzgesagt did their own fun room creation today—a delightful video about the sizes of stars.

By View All Posts Tim Urban

The Curious Case of Ronald Opus

Posted in Strange

Here’s a cliffnotes version of the pertinent events:A medical examiner receives the body of a man called Ronald Opus who has been killed by a shotgun blast to the head. As a result, the medical examiner ruled that Opus would have survived the fall, meaning the shooter could potentially be tried for homicide. With this new information, the examiner ruled that the son was guilty of causing Ronald Opus’ death and asked the man for his son’s name. The man responded- Ronald Opus. Thus, one Ronald Opus, through a bizarre confluence of events, ended up being responsible for his own murder.

By Karl Smallwood

The Bizarre Story of the Imitation Queen of Soul

Posted in Strange

Her spot on imitation of Franklin was witnessed by a fellow performer that night, 24 year old Lavell Hardy. An irate Jones told Hardy that she’d do no such thing… The problem was she was now stuck in Florida without money to get home. These owners were understandably unconvinced that the very young Hardy represented THE Aretha Franklin, with some going so far to laugh in his face. At the end of her performance, Jones quietly thanked the crowd and was given a standing ovation. We were thoroughly convinced that ‘Vickie’ was forced into being Aretha Franklin… I wanted to protect this girl.

By Karl Smallwood

The Artificial Intelligence Revolution: Part 1

Posted in Cool

There are three major AI caliber categories:AI Caliber 1) Artificial Narrow Intelligence (ANI): Sometimes referred to as Weak AI, Artificial Narrow Intelligence is AI that specializes in one area. AI Caliber 2) Artificial General Intelligence (AGI): Sometimes referred to as Strong AI, or Human-Level AI, Artificial General Intelligence refers to a computer that is as smart as a human across the board—a machine that can perform any intellectual task that a human being can. Unlike the human brain, computer software can receive updates and fixes and can be easily experimented on. Unlike the human brain, computer software can receive updates and fixes and can be easily experimented on. And given the advantages over us that even human intelligence-equivalent AGI would have, it’s pretty obvious that it would only hit human intelligence for a brief instant before racing onwards to the realm of superior-to-human intelligence.

By View All Posts Tim Urban

The Difference Between a Fact and a Factoid

Posted in Interesting

Today I found out the difference between a fact and a factoid. I have gotten several helpful commenters pointing out recently that perhaps I am using the word “factoid” incorrectly in my articles here, thinking that it means the same as “fact”. Due to the confusion surrounding this word, I can absolutely see where they are coming from as “Factoid” has two somewhat distinct definitions, one being more or less a subset of “Fact”, the other not meaning the same thing at all as “Fact”. “Fact” obviously means something that is unquestionably true, or as Webster more eloquently puts it, it is the “quality of being actual”. Mailer described a factoid as “facts which have no existence before appearing in a magazine or newspaper”.

By Daven Hiskey

The Hidden Meanings Behind 11 Common Tombstone Symbols

Posted in Cool

Accompanying the inscriptions of names, dates, and family crests are some common symbols that crop up repeatedly on tombstones. EyeIf you feel someone may be looking at you in the cemetery, you might be near a tombstone engraved with an eye. Clasped HandsSeeing two hands clasped together can illustrate shaking hands or holding hands, depending on the position of the thumbs. ScrollA scroll engraved on a tombstone with both ends rolled up can indicate that part of life has already unfolded while the future is hidden. An hourglass on its end may mean the deceased died suddenly, while a winged hourglass communicates how quickly time flies.

By Staff Writer

The Fermi Paradox

Posted in Funny

That would mean there were 10 quadrillion, or 10 million billion intelligent civilizations in the observable universe. Depending on where The Great Filter occurs, we’re left with three possible realities: We’re rare, we’re first, or we’re fucked. We’re Fucked (The Great Filter is Ahead of Us)If we’re neither rare nor early, Group 1 thinkers conclude that The Great Filter must be in our future. Bostrom believes that when it comes to The Fermi Paradox, “the silence of the night sky is golden.”Explanation Group 2: Type II and III intelligent civilizations are out there—and there are logical reasons why we might not have heard from them. Beyond its shocking science fiction component, The Fermi Paradox also leaves me with a deep humbling.

By View All Posts Tim Urban

The Life of the Voice of God

Posted in Strange

So how did the so-called “Voice of God” come to get the gig and, in so doing, help change the movie trailer industry forever? He claims this turned a squeaky voiced pre-pubescent into a man with a voice that would make him millions. As you might expect, being of an age when a boy’s life primarily consists of playing flappy with Mr. It was when the studios finally branched out beyond their own internal creative staffs that the modern movie trailer as we know it was born. And right or wrong, it became a sort of template for how trailers should be read.”And if you’re wondering, he stated, “The voice I use in my work isn’t my normal speaking voice.

By Karl Smallwood

The List Show: Creepy Cryptids From Around the World

Posted in Strange

Millennials were born between 1981 and 1996, which means the pop culture they grew up with is officially retro. Dragon Ball Z Slippers; $20Hot TopicYou don’t need to change out of your pajamas to feel like a Super Saiyan. The Pokémon Cookbook; $15Hop TopicWhat do you eat after a long day of training and catching Pokémon? Chuck E. Cheese T-shirt; $36-$5880s TeesFew Millennials survived childhood without experiencing at least one birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. This retro T-shirt sports the brand’s original name: Chuck E. Cheese’s Pizza Time Theatre.

By Staff Writer

The Marriage Decision: Everything Forever or Nothing Ever Again

Posted in Interesting

And if too many years go by in a relationship without The Decision being made, society decides that something must be wrong. This is a beautiful way to make The Decision when you’re in a strong, healthy relationship, and a tragedy when you’re not. If you’re typically a brain person, when it comes to The Decision, you want to try to not be you. Unable to come to a trustworthy conclusion, the brain person becomes a Paralyzed Pre-Marriage Relationship Person. And making a black-and-white binary decision about something that’s anything but black-and-white is kind of an insane thing to do.

By View All Posts Tim Urban

The Mental Floss Store Is Back!

Posted in Interesting

The Pokémon Cookbook; $15Hop TopicWhat do you eat after a long day of training and catching Pokémon? Chuck E. Cheese T-shirt; $36-$5880s TeesFew Millennials survived childhood without experiencing at least one birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. This retro T-shirt sports the brand’s original name: Chuck E. Cheese’s Pizza Time Theatre. Buy it: AmazonSign Up Today: Get exclusive deals, product news, reviews, and more with the Mental Floss Smart Shopping newsletter! Mental Floss may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.

By Staff Writer

The Mute Button

Posted in Strange

The first isn’t a new character exactly—it’s the combined workings of the Primitive Mind and Higher Mind: the Inner Self. The Inner Self is the product of the struggle between the Primitive Mind and the Higher Mind. For all these reasons, of all a dictator’s possessions, the most precious one is his mute button. By silencing certain ideas, the mute button prevents the giant from having the wrong thoughts. In the Power Games, someone is usually holding a mute button over your head, lining your discourse with electric fences.

By View All Posts Tim Urban

The Nazi Interrogator Who Killed Them With Kindness

Posted in Best

Of the millions that were killed by German hands during World War II, countless thousands were prisoners of war. Often massive numbers of prisoners were killed at a time in acts of retaliation for the killing of German soldiers. Over the decades, the image of the sadistic Nazi interrogator has become commonplace. His father, Hans Hermann Scharff, was a highly decorated soldier in the East Prussian Army who was killed during The Great War. During the remainder of the war, Scharff interrogated all manner of famous, high ranking pilots.

By Kent Cubbage

The Origin of the Word “Soccer”

Posted in Funny

Today I found out the origin of the word “soccer”. When that happened, the term “Football” gradually began dominating over “Soccer” and the then official name “Association Football”. Association Football was then much better known as “Assoccer”, which quickly just became “Soccer” and sometimes “Soccer Football”. The first name of the league was the “United States Soccer Football Association”. The last genuine leather soccer ball used in the World Cup was the Adidas Tango Espana, used in the 1982 World Cup.

By Daven Hiskey

The Richest People by Century

Posted in Best

That being said, the question was asked and we aim to please, so this is our best attempt at a “richest person” list. 14th centuryMansa Musa I – Worth approximately $400 billionThe richest person in history wasn’t Bill Gates or John D. Rockefeller, but the 14th century ruler of West Africa’s Malian Empire (covering modern-day Ghana, Timbuktu, and Mali), Mansa Musa. 18th centuryStephen Girard – Worth approximately $105 billionThis was a tough century because several moguls amassed their wealth in the 18th century, but continued to accumulate into the 19th century. 20th centuryJohn D. Rockefeller – Worth approximately $340 billionAs the 19th century turned into the 20th century, the greatest commodity in the world wasn’t land or people or harems, but oil. 21st centuryMuammar Gaddafi – Worth approximately $200 billionWe are only 14 years into the century, but the richest person of the 21st century is considered to be about the eighth richest person in all of history, give or take.

By Matt Blitz

The President Who Randomly Liked to Challenge People to Fist-Fights

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Impressed with how honorable a man Roosevelt was, one of the criminals even wrote him later from prison thanking him for being a peerless sentinel of justice. As Vice President and later President, Roosevelt continued with this practice, lining the White House’s basement with wrestling mats so he could suplex people whenever he felt like it. Rather than fret about it, Roosevelt simply joked it was a good thing it was his left eye he went blind in, as he used his right to aim when shooting. Nevertheless, the injury effectively ended Roosevelt’s pugilistic endeavours in the White House, for fear he might lose the other eye. Eventually Germany considered simply going to war with France, but were concerned that the British would ally with the French in retaliation.

By Karl Smallwood

The Roman Emperor Who Tried to Make His Horse Consul

Posted in Strange

Born Gaius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, the man better known as Caligula was the great grandson of the Caesar Augustus, son of general Germanicus Julius Caesar and the third man to assume the title of Roman Emperor. From then on he lived with his Great-Grandmother Livia, the wife of Emperor Augustus, and then his grandmother, Antonia Minor. Further, Caligula began to slander the memory of Emperor Augustus, and stated that his own mother had actually been the result of an incestuous relationship from Augustus with his daughter. He completed the temple of his great grandfather, the now deified Caesar Augustus as well as the Theater of Pompey. As for Chaerea’s specific beef with the emperor, Caligula seems to have enjoyed making powerful people kiss his ring while he extended his middle finger at them.

By Colin Parry

The Spiteful End of the Great Auk

Posted in Cool

However, perhaps no creature was wiped from the face of the planet for as silly a reason as the great auk. Once endemic to the North Atlantic, the great auk was a flightless seabird not too dissimilar in appearance from a penguin. This, in turn, caused sailors to hunt the few remaining great auks in existence with a renewed zeal. The sailors, under orders from a merchant who wanted a pair of great auk pelts for display, found the birds nesting on a rock. Then, for no particular reason other than “screw the great auk” we guess, Ketilsson then stomped the birds’ nest a few times to destroy the egg they’d been incubating.

By Karl Smallwood

The Procrastination Matrix — Wait But Why

Posted in Interesting

Note: To best understand this post, you should first read Part 1 of Wait But Why’s previous post on procrastination. Future Tim also has a discipline and balance to his lifestyle I could only ever dream of. But the most important role Future Tim plays in my life brings us back to the Eisenhower Matrix. ___________When I started writing posts for Wait But Why, I knew I wanted to write about procrastination. After assigning that daunting mission to Future Tim for a while, I finally bit the bullet and did it.

By View All Posts Tim Urban

The Second Presidential Debate — Wait But Why

Posted in Cool

In case you missed it, I took the time to transcribe the entire second presidential debate. The last presidential debate could have been rated as MA—mature audiences—per TV parental guidelines. I’m also lowering taxes on the wealthy, and by the way Hillary is raising your taxes, which is a disaster. Audience Question: I’m Kenneth Bone. ___________If you’re into Wait But Why, sign up for the Wait But Why email list and we’ll send you the new posts right when they come out.

By View All Posts Tim Urban

The Tail End — Wait But Why

Posted in Funny

But since doing the Life in Weeks post, I’ve been thinking about something else. If I’m around a third of my way through life, I’m also about a third of my way through experiencing the activity or event. We’re in the tail end. ___________If you’re into Wait But Why, sign up for the Wait But Why email list and we’ll send you the new posts right when they come out. If you’re interested in supporting Wait But Why, here’s our Patreon.

By View All Posts Tim Urban

The Teen Years: 9 Cringe-Inducing Realizations — Wait But Why

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When I graduated high school, I decided to gather up everything I owned that had meaning to me and put it in a big cardboard box. First, it’s been fascinating—it’s amazing how many things you remember incorrectly, and I’ve been doing a lot of revising of off-base memories. Anyway the point is, when it comes to high school couples, a vast majority of them who are still together after high school ends will be finished by Thanksgiving (late November) of their freshman year of college—the high school relationship wall. 8) You’re not a Communist, you’re not a Marxist, you’re not an Anarchist, you’re not a Nihilist. Related Wait But Why Posts11 Awkward Things About Email7 Ways To Be Insufferable On FacebookAll the Weird Toys From Your Childhood

By View All Posts Tim Urban

The Thing about 'The Thing'

Posted in Cool

The thing is, it turns out The Thing was so poorly received when it debuted that it nearly ruined Carpenter’s career. Throughout the film, in traditional horror movie fashion, the eponymous Thing slowly kills off the cast while Kurt Russell, sporting the bushiest beard of his career, tries to incinerate it with a flamethrower. The endless dunking on Carpenter didn’t stop with reviews, though, and the director of the film The Thing was loosely based upon, The Thing from Another World, Christian Nyby would later release a statement saying that the film was terrible. the Extra-Terrestrial, which was released just two weeks before The Thing. and The Thing was the opposite of that… I was called ‘a pornographer of violence’… I had no idea it would be received that way… The Thing was just too strong for that time.

By Karl Smallwood

The Trials of a Shared Driveway

Posted in Funny

DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: We knew going into our new home in an older neighborhood that we shared a driveway with our next-door neighbors. They recently had their half redone in concrete, which we can’t afford to do with our half, which does need some work. Our neighbors have been cold shouldering us when we run into them getting into or out of our car. --- HALF A DRIVEWAY OWNERDEAR HALF A DRIVEWAY OWNER: Even though you were upfront with your neighbors about your inability to match their funds for an entire driveway redo, they may feel their property value is affected by the current appearance of the driveway; or they could be bothered by its aesthetics for their own sake. It’s never pleasant when there’s tension between near neighbors, and perhaps the best thing you can do is to let it go, at least for a while.

By Staff Writer

The Trump-Biden Debate — Wait But Why

Posted in Funny

I’m Chris Wallace and I welcome you to what I predict will be a very bad personal experience for me. Wallace: Stop picking on Joe, Mr. President. Dr. Fauci and all the Democrat governors said, “President Trump did a phenomenal job.” And they’re not the only ones. The gowns, the masks, the ventilators, you don’t know how to make a ventilator, the vaccine is here, any week now. Mr. President, what do you believe about the science of climate change, and what is your plan to confront it?

By View All Posts Tim Urban

The Truth About the Origin of Floating Soap

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Ivory has been producing their uniquely floating soap for the well over a century now and in that time they’ve become one of the most popular soap brands in the world. For many years, the company has maintained that the discovery of its trademark floating soap was a complete accident, but exactly how true is this? But the nail in the coffin came in 2004, when this accidental floating soap origin story was officially debunked. According to the archivist, a notebook from 1863 was found, in which a chemist working for P&G nonchalantly noted, “I made floating soap today. The first bar of Ivory floating soap sold to consumers happened in 1879, advertised from the beginning as the soap that floats.

By Karl Smallwood

Their Finest Hour

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Perhaps the most famous speech Churchill ever gave was the one he spent the longest time agonising over- This was their finest hour, where he stated in part,What General Weygand has called the Battle of France is over … the Battle of Britain is about to begin. The speech had to somehow rally the entire country during what Churchill would eventually come to call “The Darkest Hour”. This is a goal the speech is generally accepted as having accomplished and then some, with Churchill’s words deeply resonating with the British public. In particular, Churchill’s sentiments about the British Isles standing strong in the face of what appeared to be impossible odds. Of course, no matter how good something is, even in the days before internet comments there’s always someone to criticize and, despite “This was their finest hour” being considered one of the finest oratory performances ever given, Churchill’s own secretary, Sir Jock Colville, was wildly unimpressed.

By Karl Smallwood

Theodore Roosevelt: A Timeline of the 26th President's Life

Posted in Funny

You often hear Theodore Roosevelt described as “larger than life,” which I think we can all agree is pretty accurate. As Kathleen Dalton writes in Theodore Roosevelt: A Strenuous Life, “He sought to keep his inner life and less attractive traits well hidden. And then the other thing that makes this harder, that we've talked about, is the changing views of Theodore Roosevelt. I think that says a lot not about Theodore Roosevelt, but about how our view of Theodore Roosevelt is shaped. McCarthy: OK, so the rumor goes that Theodore Roosevelt had a tattoo on his chest of the Roosevelt Family crest.

By Staff Writer

Theodore Roosevelt's Pets

Posted in Interesting

Mental Floss launched a new podcast with iHeartRadio called History Vs., and our first season is all about Theodore Roosevelt. Which doesn’t mean that the Roosevelts weren’t open to keeping bears as pets; they reportedly had five. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library . Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library . Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library .

By Staff Writer

Theodore Roosevelt's "The Man in the Arena"

Posted in Cool

As Kathleen Dalton writes in Theodore Roosevelt: A Strenuous Life, “He sought to keep his inner life and less attractive traits well hidden. It'll be like, you spent five minutes with him 10 years ago, you're suddenly writing a book, the time I spent with Theodore Roosevelt. And then the other thing that makes this harder, that we've talked about, is the changing views of Theodore Roosevelt. But the whole triptych is Taft riding an elephant, Theodore Roosevelt riding a moose, and Woodrow Wilson riding a donkey. I think that says a lot not about Theodore Roosevelt, but about how our view of Theodore Roosevelt is shaped.

By Staff Writer

There’s Now a Name for the Micro Generation Born Between 1977-1983

Posted in Interesting

You have a childhood, youth and adolescence free of having to worry about social media posts and mobile phones. We hit it where we could still adopt in a selective way the new technologies.” Dan Woodman, Associate Professor, University of MelbourneIf you’re getting all nostalgic reading this, chances are that you were born between 1977 and 1983. It’s only seven years – not enough to count as a generation – but our experience is unique to us. So here it is, according to Dan Woodman, an associate professor of sociology at The University of Melbourne: Xennials. Of course, not everyone born during any generation fits into the mold – just most of us – and our experiences can vary due to gender, economics, race, culture, etc.

By Trisha Leigh Zeigenhorn

Theodore 'Teddy' Roosevelt Facts

Posted in Strange

Mental Floss just launched a new podcast with iHeartRadio called History Vs., and our first season is all about Theodore Roosevelt. While at Harvard, Roosevelt met his first wife, Alice Lee. Vice President Roosevelt became president in 1901 immediately following the assassination of sitting president William McKinley. Roosevelt’s White House was no place for anyone skittish over animals. The eldest of Roosevelt’s children—and the only one with his first wife, Alice— Alice Roosevelt was 17 when her father took office and quickly became infamous for a series of public indiscretions.

By Staff Writer

This Map Shows the Largest Employer in Every State

Posted in Strange

Take a look at this map. What’s the first thing that catches your eye? If your reaction was “Wow, Walmart controls A LOT of the country,” you’d be right. This map shows the largest private employer in every state in the U.S., and Walmart is tops in an incredible 22 states. Who’s #1 in your state?

By Matt Gilligan

Tinkle Bells, the Parasitic Poop Twig, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Marketing Stunt and more, in a Special Christmas Quick Fact List

Posted in Funny

Nothing like finding one’s true love kissing under a parasitic poop twig…1017: In the 1930s, Montgomery Ward gave away promotional coloring books each holiday season. In 1939, in order to save on the price of the books, they selected Robert L. May, who was a copywriter for Montgomery Ward in Chicago, to write them a short Christmas story. 1018: Copywriter Robert L. May initially earned nothing from writing Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer outside of his normal Montgomery Ward salary, as he wrote it as a part of his job. 1023: The song Silver Bells was originally titled Tinkle Bells, first appearing in “The Lemon Drop Kid,” a 1951 film starring Bob Hope. 1024: The 4,000 word short story, The Greatest Gift, written by Philip Van Doren Stern was inspired by a dream Stern had one night in the 1930s.

By Daven Hiskey

Top 5 First Aid Tricks Everyone Should Know, Part 4: CPR

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First Aid Trick #2: CPRComing in at #2 on our top 5 first aid tricks everyone should know list is CPR. (Note: “cardiac arrest” and “heart attack” are not the same thing, more in the Bonus Facts below.) According to the AHA, immediate CPR for someone in cardiac arrest will increase their chance of survival by 300%. In this situation, CPR is one of the only first aid tricks that will save their life. Because of this, and because it has become so easy to do, CPR makes it to #2 on our Top 5 First Aid Tricks Everyone Should Know list.

By Staff Writer

Top 5 First Aid Tricks Everyone Should Know Part 5: Defibrillation

Posted in Cool

Those minutes that it takes for emergency medical aid to arrive can make a huge difference in whether the person survives in cases of cardiac arrest. According to the American Red Cross, after a person experiences cardiac arrest, the person’s chance of surviving drops by 7%-10% per minute until treated with defibrillation. They can be bought at several national retailers, and doctors often prescribe them to patients at risk of cardiac arrest. CPR just extends the amount of time a person can be in cardiac arrest and still have this defibrillation work. Good quality CPR and rapid defibrillation together will give the person in cardiac arrest the greatest chance of survival.

By Staff Writer

TV series trivia | 100 did you know facts about famous shows (Part 8)

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TV is becoming a medium that rivals cinema. Each year we see more and more tv series and most of them are almost perfect. So let’s find out some things about TV series that left their mark. Community is an American television sitcom It was created by Dan Harmon The series ran for 110 episodes over six seasons Its first five seasons airing on NBC from September 17, 2009, to April 17, 2014 Its final season airing on Yahoo! Screen from March 17 to June 2, 2015 Set at a community college in the fictional Colorado town of Greendale The series stars an ensemble cast consisting of Joel McHale, Gillian Jacobs, Danny Pudi, Yvette Nicole Brown, Alison Brie, Donald Glover, Ken Jeong, Chevy Chase, and Jim Rash It makes heavy use of meta-humor and pop culture references, often parodying film and television clichés and tropes Harmon based the program on his own experiences attending a community college Each episode was written in accordance with Harmon’s “story circle” template, a method designed to create effective and structured storytelling Harmon served as showrunner for the show’s first three seasons but was fired prior to the fourth season He was replaced by David Guarascio and Moses Port After a lukewarm response to the fourth season from fans and critics, Harmon was re-hired for the show’s fifth season, after which the series was canceled by NBC Yahoo!

By Costas Despotakis

Twinkies Fungus

Posted in Funny

Millennials were born between 1981 and 1996, which means the pop culture they grew up with is officially retro. Dragon Ball Z Slippers; $20Hot TopicYou don’t need to change out of your pajamas to feel like a Super Saiyan. The Pokémon Cookbook; $15Hop TopicWhat do you eat after a long day of training and catching Pokémon? Chuck E. Cheese T-shirt; $36-$5880s TeesFew Millennials survived childhood without experiencing at least one birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. This retro T-shirt sports the brand’s original name: Chuck E. Cheese’s Pizza Time Theatre.

By Staff Writer

UExpress

Posted in Interesting

According to interviews with experts, and a completely unscientific survey on social media, animals rarely respond to masks with concern. Masks muffle voices, and that can be an issue when working with or training dogs, so it’s important to speak clearly. Wearing a mask with a transparent section over the mouth allows other humans -- and very likely dogs -- to read lips and better understand what’s being said. Alastor, a flat-coated retriever, first saw owner Jill Gibbs wearing a mask while they were at a Barn Hunt event. -- Offer favorite treats or toys while wearing a mask so your pet develops a pleasant association with it.

By Staff Writer

Useless Daily: Facts, Trivia, News, Oddities, Jokes and more!

Posted in Interesting

Each year we see more and more tv series and most of them are almost perfect. So let’s find out some things about TV series that left their mark. 21 on TV Guide’s 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time, and no. 24 on the Writers Guild of America’s 101 Best Written TV Series of All Time and no. 28 on TV Guide’s 60 Best TV Series of All TimeTV series trivia | 100 did you know facts about famous shows (Part 10)

By Costas Despotakis

Wa Wa Wee Wa: The Origin of Borat's Favorite Catchphrase

Posted in Best

Millennials were born between 1981 and 1996, which means the pop culture they grew up with is officially retro. Dragon Ball Z Slippers; $20Hot TopicYou don’t need to change out of your pajamas to feel like a Super Saiyan. The Pokémon Cookbook; $15Hop TopicWhat do you eat after a long day of training and catching Pokémon? Chuck E. Cheese T-shirt; $36-$5880s TeesFew Millennials survived childhood without experiencing at least one birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. This retro T-shirt sports the brand’s original name: Chuck E. Cheese’s Pizza Time Theatre.

By Staff Writer

Wait But Hi – Full Report

Posted in Best

Last weekend (August 13th and 14th) was Wait But Hi—a global hangout weekend for Wait But Why readers. (But people don’t tend to be into having a picture of them on a date posted on the internet so we’ll leave it at that.) One rule was that no one could talk or ask about anyone’s job for the first hour of the night. And there were mishaps—which people handled the best they could:But mostly, Wait But Hi was full of good things. ________There are many more pics than I had room to post here—you can see the full set of pictures here and here.

By View All Posts Tim Urban

Wait Staff Share the Saddest “I’m Waiting for Someone” Experiences They’ve Seen

Posted in Strange

And one of the saddest things that they witness while working is when people get stood up for dates. If you’ve ever been a waiter, how many times have you heard a customer say “I’m waiting for someone”…and that person never showed up. My face must’ve showed my sadness for him, so he clarified- his wife died of cancer a few month ago. The thing is, more often than not the mother either came extremely late (1 or 2 hours at least) ot didn’t came at all. Man…“Place I used to work at had a man come in every night for a week, wait for a few hours, order food and drinks, then leave with no one showing up.

By Matt Gilligan

"Weird Al" Yankovic Facts

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Here are some facts about "Weird Al" Yankovic and his songs. Al got a gig with the campus radio station playing records on Wednesdays from midnight to 3 a.m. and needed a DJ name, christening himself "Weird Al." "weird Al" Yankovic doesn't legally have to seek out permission to parody an artist's song, but he asks for it anyway. Some musicians and record labels have denied “Weird Al” Yankovic permission to parody their songs. One group's fans threw things at Weird Al and his band for 45 minutesIn 1982, Weird Al and his newly formed band played at their first major gig—and it was a profound disaster.

By Staff Writer

Were Nunchucks Ever Actually Used in Combat or are They Just Primarily a Hollywood Thing?

Posted in Best

But were nunchucks ever actually used in combat? More specifically, popular hypotheses include nunchucks beginning life as rice flails, used with horses, or even wooden clappers used to attract attention during emergencies by Japanese night watchmen in feudal times. That said, this doesn’t rule out such a different type of flail being the inspiration, as there was a type of flail used for this. So it’s possible someone might have gotten the bright idea to make both ends the same, short, length, to make for an effective weapon. This brings us to whether nunchucks were ever used during combat.

By Karl Smallwood

What Causes “Eye Floaters”

Posted in Cool

Today I found out what causes “eye floaters”. There are a few different things that can cause this, but in most cases these eye floaters are caused by pieces of the gel-like vitreous breaking off from the back portion of your eye and then floating about in your eye ball. This shadow is actually what you are seeing when you see the eye floaters. Children and teenagers almost never experience these types of eye floaters as there must first be some deterioration of the gel-like substance in their eye, creating the watery core, for these floaters to appear. Surgeries do exist for getting rid of eye floaters, if they seriously hamper your vision.

By Daven Hiskey

What Did People Use for Wiping Before Toilet Paper?

Posted in Best

JOJOs asks: I think we all want to know right now- what did people use to wipe before toilet paper? This brings us to the question of the hour- what did people use for wiping before toilet paper? For example, around 1857, Joseph Gayetty came up with the first commercially available toilet paper in the United States. They did a lot better than Gayetty, presumably because their original toilet paper wasn’t coated with aloe and moistened, thus was much cheaper. Of note here on this, in 1935, Northern Tissue boasted a “splinter free” toilet tissue in an advertisement, which would seem to imply that it was still somewhat common for toilet tissue to have the occasional splinter before that.)

By Daven Hiskey

What are the Best Ways to Lower Blood Pressure Naturally?

Posted in Interesting

Mark asks: What are some good ways to lower my blood pressure without drugs? “High blood pressure” is defined as any systolic pressure (the top number) above 140 or diastolic (the bottom number) higher than 90. So let’s look at what we are trying to control and the best natural ways to lower blood pressure. However, it’s the environmental factors we can control which give us the opportunity to naturally control high blood pressure. When it comes to high blood pressure, a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine in 2002 showed that exercise alone can not only reduce blood pressure in people with high blood pressure, but will also help in people with normal blood pressures.

By Staff Writer

What Happens to the Bodies if a Cryogenic Company Goes Bankrupt?

Posted in Funny

Joseph Bennett asks What happens to the bodies if a Cryogenic company goes bankrupt? So what happens to the approximately 350 people (and rising fast) stored this way when a cryonic company goes the way of their customers? His still frozen body was transferred to his son when the company storing him went under. His son then dutifully took steps to keep Bedford frozen for many years before handing the body over to Alcor, a more modern cryonics company. This all brings us to the likelihood of reanimation given modern methods.

By Daven Hiskey

What Makes You You? — Wait But Why

Posted in Best

The Body Theory says that that’s what makes you you. The Brain Theory says that wherever the brain goes, you go—even if it goes into someone else’s skull. Body Theory says “Of course you woke up in your own body—your body is what makes you you. Likewise, you’re not a set of brain data, you’re a particular database whose contents are constantly changing, growing, and being updated. ___________If you’re into Wait But Why, sign up for the Wait But Why email list and we’ll send you the new posts right when they come out.

By View All Posts Tim Urban

What was It Actually Like to Be a Knight in Medieval Times?

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Anakin_bagel asks: What was the daily life of a medieval knight like? There are a variety of myths about what it was like to be a knight during medieval times, not just spread by Hollywood, but even by the contemporary legends during medieval times themselves- in both featuring widespread depictions of the chivalric knight rushing to the aid of damsels in distress and generally spending their time being bastions of all that is good and the very definition of “noble”. But what was it actually like to be a knight in medieval times, and what did they actually get up to in their day to day lives? As alluded to, knights in Medieval Times were rather well known for their penchant to cause a bit of anarchy wherever they went. In any event, to sum up, the life of a given Medieval Knight could vary considerably based on era and wealth of the knight in question.

By Daven Hiskey

What Would You Still Refuse to Buy if You Were Rich? Here’s What People Said.

Posted in Cool

I just don’t think it’s something I could ever get into…but that’s just me. What would you still refuse to buy if you were rich? I would just let other rich people buy theirs new and drive it for a year before they get bored of it and buy a new one. I wanna be rich but you don’t think I’m rich. If you were flush with cash, what would you STILL refuse to buy?

By Matt Gilligan

When Theodore Roosevelt's Antique Gun Was Stolen From Sagamore Hill

Posted in Strange

Roosevelt's Colt revolver on display at Sagamore Hill. Courtesy of Sagamore Hill National Historic SiteRoosevelt later took it into battle, using it to shoot at enemy forces. Following Roosevelt’s death in 1919, the Sagamore Hill estate in Oyster Bay, New York, was home to his wife, Edith, until her death in 1948. The property was later donated to the National Park Service in 1963 and became Sagamore Hill National Historic Site. Courtesy of Sagamore Hill National Historic SiteAfter Anderson contacted Sagamore Hill, FBI agents were dispatched from the Daytona Beach office to DeLand to question Anderson.

By Staff Writer

When Theodore Roosevelt Refused Geronimo's Plea

Posted in Strange

It'll be like, you spent five minutes with him 10 years ago, you're suddenly writing a book, the time I spent with Theodore Roosevelt. And then the other thing that makes this harder, that we've talked about, is the changing views of Theodore Roosevelt. But the whole triptych is Taft riding an elephant, Theodore Roosevelt riding a moose, and Woodrow Wilson riding a donkey. I think that says a lot not about Theodore Roosevelt, but about how our view of Theodore Roosevelt is shaped. McCarthy: OK, so the rumor goes that Theodore Roosevelt had a tattoo on his chest of the Roosevelt Family crest.

By Staff Writer

Who Actually Owns Banksy Art After It's Been Created?

Posted in Interesting

This is just one of a series of strange cases surrounding the world of street art. As it turns out, the question of who actually owns street art is still highly debated in both the United States and the United Kingdom where Banksy art has been at the center of disputes before. Enter Peter N. Saleeb, author of “Law Of Banksy: Who Owns Street Art.” The paper makes the argument that street art is affected by law of accretion which has to do with the legality of Yugioh Fusion cards. In order to claim his half of the value of his artwork, Banksy would have to come forward and confess his crimes in an open court. If you’re wondering why the government doesn’t arrest Banksy, you’re not alone.

By Zach Stewart

Where Did the F-Word Come From?

Posted in Strange

BaKlol asks: Where did the word fuck come from? In its various incarnations, the F-word can be a noun, verb, adjective, and even an infix. Moving on from there, the first documented instance of some version of the F-word appears in a name- that of John le Fucker in 1278. Notably here the author is Latinizing the then English word “fucc”, which was common at the time when the person didn’t know the Latin equivalent of the English word, or if one didn’t seem to exist. This line of words, in turn, is speculated to come from the Proto-Indo-European *pewg meaning “to strike/hit”.

By Daven Hiskey

Who Said It: Teddy Roosevelt or Game of Thrones Character?

Posted in Strange

Dragon Ball Z Slippers; $20Hot TopicYou don’t need to change out of your pajamas to feel like a Super Saiyan. The Pokémon Cookbook; $15Hop TopicWhat do you eat after a long day of training and catching Pokémon? Chuck E. Cheese T-shirt; $36-$5880s TeesFew Millennials survived childhood without experiencing at least one birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. This retro T-shirt sports the brand’s original name: Chuck E. Cheese’s Pizza Time Theatre. SNES Classic; $275AmazonThe SNES Classic is much easier to find now than when it first came out, and it's still just as entertaining for retro video game fans.

By Staff Writer

Who Invented the Emoticon and Emoji? (And How They're Forever Changing Written Language)

Posted in Strange

Historically, written language has always been rather limited in its ability to adequately represent the nuance of in-person communication, which comes with a whole slew of gesticulations, facial expressions, subtle shifts in tone and the like. As alluded to, throughout this progression of written language, even through modern times, many of even the most distinguished writers have lamented that the basic written language tools available are insufficient to make the meaning of certain statements and words in the context of a written work inherently clear. One reason for this was a lack of perceived need by the masses, as humans historically used writing very different than conversational speech. So we naturally tend to think, because we see language written so often, that that’s what language is, but actually what language is, is speech. Take that person from 1993…and they read a very typical text written by a 20-year-old today.

By Daven Hiskey

Why Are You Not Supposed to Use Twice Boiled Water for Tea?

Posted in Best

Jeremy W. asks: Is it true that drinking tea made from twice boiled water is bad for you? Twice boiled water is definitely bad for you… Except, this water is actually still not bad for you, unless it was already bad for you to begin with (i.e. In the end, there’s a reason not a single public health agency in the world advises against drinking twice boiled water. Another factor in twice boiled water that may affect the flavour is higher concentration of impurities, which, as we already discussed, in realistic tea making scenarios isn’t actually going to be much different than once boiled water. Twice boiled water simply isn’t bad for you at all unless your particular water source was already bad for you at the once boiled level.

By Karl Smallwood

Why Do Steroids Make Balls Smaller and Does the Same Thing Happen to Women's Ovaries?

Posted in Interesting

And does the same thing happen to women’s ovaries? And then – drumroll please – there are the male and female sex steroids. Primary function of the sex steroids or sex hormones is the development of sexual characteristics – they basically decide your sex in your mother’s womb and then hit again quite hard during puberty. Also, if you thought that sex hormones are only produced in your sex organs – wrong again. As to why, when the sex hormones hit a certain level it also signals the body that it is time to stop growing.

By Dr. Katharina Krautgasser

Why can We Make Vaccines for Some Viruses and Not Others and Why Do Most Experts Think One Will be Successful for Covid-19 Very Soon?

Posted in Funny

Because of this, different types of vaccines are needed for different types of viruses. There are 4 main types of vaccines- live-attenuated, inactivated, toxoid, and finally SRPC, which stands for subunit, recombinant, polysaccharide, and conjugate. Traditionally to create a Flu vaccine, scientists take samples of the most common types of Flu virus being circulated during the previous year- usually 3-4 types (quadrivalent and trivalent flu vaccines). The H protein in Flu virus (the H part of H1N1) contains a head and a stem. Seasonal Flu vaccine will target the head of H which can mutate readily- again why new vaccines need created regularly.

By Staff Writer

Why Don't You Just Keep Growing Taller?

Posted in Funny

As long as GH is being produced, the growth plates will continue to produce new bone and the person will grow taller. When the growth plates are fused, which can be seen plainly on an X-ray, it’s game over for growing taller. In these cases, the bone must be set with extra care to avoid problems with future bone growth. Simply stated, if one or both of your parents are taller than most, all else being approximately equal, you’re likely to be taller than most. Our only physical guarantee as adults is growing outward if we don’t control our habits, rather than any guarantee of growing upward.

By Kent Cubbage

Why Generation Y Yuppies Are Unhappy — Wait But Why

Posted in Strange

Lucy is part of Generation Y, the generation born between the late 1970s and the mid 1990s. She’s also part of a yuppie culture that makes up a large portion of Gen Y.I have a term for yuppies in the Gen Y age group—I call them Gen Y Protagonists & Special Yuppies, or GYPSYs. To provide some context, let’s start by bringing Lucy’s parents into the discussion:Lucy’s parents were born in the 50s—they’re Baby Boomers. Generation, or “the Greatest Generation,” who grew up during the Great Depression and fought in World War II, and were most definitely not GYPSYs. With a smoother, more positive life experience than that of their own parents, Lucy’s parents raised Lucy with a sense of optimism and unbounded possibility.

By View All Posts Tim Urban

Why I'm Always Late — Wait But Why

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I’m late because I’m insane. This is when the late person being late does not negatively impact anyone else—like being late to a group hangout or a party. This is when the late person being late does negatively impact others—like being late to a two-person dinner or meeting or anything else that simply can’t start until the late party arrives. But that’s misunderstanding the entire second group, who, despite being consistently late, usually detest the concept of making other people wait. Finally, I’m late because I’m mad at myself.

By View All Posts Tim Urban

Why is Superman Described as Leaping Tall Buildings with a Single Bound When He Can Fly?

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Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound!”Well, of course Superman could hurdle skyscrapers. But by the time that the one true Superman finally hit newsstands in Action Comics #1, all the essential elements of his powerset were in place. First was Fleischer Studios – famous for fellow strongman and Superman influence Popeye – in the inaugural of their animated shorts, titled Superman (a.k.a. It wouldn’t be until 1943 that he was depicted unequivocally flying on the comics page.” The 1943 dating is in reference to Action Comics #65. Up in the sky!”Still, for the majority of his eighty plus years as a strange visitor on our planet, Superman has been able to fly.

By Matthew Theriault

Why Procrastinators Procrastinate — Wait But Why

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To understand why procrastinators procrastinate so much, let’s start by understanding a non-procrastinator’s brain:Pretty normal, right? It seems the Rational Decision-Maker in the procrastinator’s brain is coexisting with a pet—the Instant Gratification Monkey. He doesn’t understand the Rational Decision-Maker any better than the Rational Decision-Maker understands him—why would we continue doing this jog, he thinks, when we could stop, which would feel better. The Instant Gratification Monkey, normally unshakable, is terrified of the Panic Monster. Why else would an extraordinarily lazy person begin a rigorous workout routine other than a Panic Monster freakout about becoming less attractive?

By View All Posts Tim Urban

Why It Sucks to Be Rich

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And this can cause major issues when you’re wealthy, particularly if wealthy in a high profile way. Now, from all of this, you might have gathered that one way around such problems is to simply keep the fact that you’re rich a secret. In the end, rich or poor, having a purpose or something to work towards, for whatever reason, seems to be yet another fundamental need. Of course, if you’re super rich and aren’t giving to various causes, many will hate you for that too. But, it turns out, rich or poor, human nature is human nature.

By Karl Smallwood

Wildest Horror Movie Plot Twists

Posted in Funny

Broadly speaking, you know what you’re getting at the end of a horror movie. Below, bask in some of the wildest horror movie twists—the kind that will make you yearn for the most mediocre reality. But the boundary-averse Hong Kong horror movie Dumplings delivers this century's most ingeniously monstrous take on the timeless setup. Martyrs (2008)Spoiler (not of the plot kind): Do not watch this brutal “New French Extremity” movie unless you’re ready to be intensely disturbed. Mulholland Drive (2001)Some people would argue that David Lynch’s surrealist masterpiece is a mystery rather than a horror movie, but the viewers who peed their pants watching it for the first time would argue differently.

By Staff Writer

Why You Should Stop Caring What Other People Think (Taming the Mammoth)

Posted in Cool

It looks something like this:Your Great2,000 Grandfather’s Social Survival Mammoth was central to his ability to endure and thrive. We’re all here in 2014, accompanied by a large, hungry, and easily freaked-out woolly mammoth who still thinks it’s 50,000BC. In contrast to the black-and-white simplicity of the Social Survival Mammoth, your Authentic Voice is complex, sometimes hazy, constantly evolving, and unafraid. Part 2: Taming the MammothSome people are born with a reasonably tame mammoth or raised with parenting that helps keep the mammoth in check. Here’s how the mammoth thinks things are:Here’s how things actually are:No one really cares that much about what you’re doing.

By View All Posts Tim Urban

World Trivia | 40 facts about the Galapagos Islands

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The Galapagos Islands is a famous place in the world for the wildlife, and this is why these Islands are considered as a naturalist’s heaven on planet Earth. In the following article we are about to learn more about the Galapagos Islands, their natural life, their history and so much more…The Galápagos Islands are part of the Republic of Ecuador. The Galápagos Islands and their surrounding waters form the Galápagos Province of Ecuador, the Galápagos National Park, and the Galápagos Marine Reserve. The Galapagos National Park charges an entrance fee from all visitors to the islands (currently USD 100). The Galapagos Islands are comprised of a total of 19 islands and dozens of islets.

By Staff Writer

World Trivia | 50 facts about Christmas Island

Posted in Funny

So, we are about to learn more about this festive island: the Christmas Island. The Territory of Christmas Island is an Australian external territory comprising the island of the same name. The majority (63%) of the island is included in the Christmas Island National Park. From the outbreak of the South-East Asian theatre of World War II in December 1941, Christmas Island was a target for Japanese occupation. In early 1986, the Christmas Island Assembly held a design competition for an island flag.

By Staff Writer

Yoga trivia | 50 facts about the popular mind and body practice

Posted in Cool

About the word “yoga” it’s a Sanskrit noun yoga is derived from the sanskrit root yuj (युज्) “to attach, join, harness, yoke”. In the context of yoga sutras, the word Yoga means Union. The term kriyāyoga has a technical meaning in the Yoga Sutras (2.1), designating the “practical” aspects of the philosophy, i.e. Even though yoga is an ancient Indian practice, the Americans practicing yoga has grown by over 50% since 2015. In the classical Astanga yoga system, the ultimate goal of yoga practice is to achieve the state of Samadhi and abide in that state as pure awareness.

By Staff Writer

You Won't Believe My Morning — Wait But Why

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You won’t believe my morning. Normally, I spend the time diddling around my phone, but I forgot to bring my phone this morning, so I just looked around. We’d say 180 micrometers tall, but I know in your world, micrometers don’t mean very much.”I stared at her. The little virus was sitting neatly on her palm. Where are they all anyway?”“The thing is, they don’t like our world, and they really don’t like your world.

By View All Posts Tim Urban

You Should Know About Jury Nullification

Posted in Strange

an impartial jury.” The states are equally obliged to provide a jury trial in criminal cases according to the Due Process Clause of Amendment XIV. Likewise, and more pertinent to nullification, if a jury acquits a criminal defendant, she cannot be tried again in that jurisdiction for that crime. In the US, jury nullification appeared well before the founding of the country. Nonetheless, American jury nullification remains alive and well. Of course, thanks to jury nullification, the jury could have let her off for the second instance if they wanted.

By Staff Writer

Your Birthday For October 24, 2020

Posted in Funny

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) -- You'll want to be at the center of the action today, so you must prepare for any and all eventualities. CANCER (June 21-July 22) -- You've come to the critical point in your preparation for a certain endeavor that more preparation will do you no more good. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- You've been building up your confidence now for quite some time, and today is the day to put into motion a new, possibly dangerous plan. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) -- Any hesitation today is likely to set you back much further than expected. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) -- You get a glimpse of the way things could be today as you work hard simply to make them better.

By Staff Writer

Your Stars This Week For October 18, 2020

Posted in Strange

(July 8-July 22) -- You're going to have to make mistakes this week in order to learn how to do certain things better. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 7) -- You may have to share the power this week with someone whose skills complement your own. (Sept. 8-Sept. 22) -- You're not going to want to correct yourself -- or anyone else -- as you go this week. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 7) -- Shock value has a place, but this week you'll want to approach major issues in quite the opposite way. (Feb. 4-Feb. 18) -- That which you are most trying to avoid is likely to be ever-present this week, so why not try, instead of running away, turning and facing this challenge head-on?

By Staff Writer

When Salsa Is the Party

Posted in Interesting

A whole bunch of fresh ingredients are added to the mix, including chile peppers, tomato and corn, which add substance and round out the flavors with juicy sweetness and heat. Simply add the shrimp to boiling water and then immediately remove the pan from the heat. Serve the salsa with tortilla chips for scooping, or simply spoon it over garden greens and call it a salad. You can also wrap the salsa in lettuce leaves for fun finger food (just pass the napkins). Cover and refrigerate the salsa for at least 2 hours or up to 6 hours, stirring occasionally.

By Staff Writer

WhatsApp messages about a video called “India is doing it” are a hoax

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WhatsApp messages about a video called “India is doing it” are a hoax19 October 2020What was claimed A video circulating on WhatsApp called “India is doing it” can hack your phone in ten seconds if opened or seen. It is about a supposed video called “India is doing it” and readers wanted to know whether claims it can hack your phone are real. The full text of the message states:“They are going to start circulating a video on WhatsApp that shows how the Covid19 curve is flattening in India. The file is called "India is doing it", do not open it or see it, it hacks your phone in 10 seconds and it cannot be stopped in any way. These messages about India and Argentina are very similar to other viral messages we debunked earlier this year.

By Staff Writer

A Sick Giant — Wait But Why

Posted in Interesting

Primitive Mind land—where exposure to all the low-rung-ness jolts your Primitive Mind awake, dragging your psyche downward. In that instant, my Primitive Mind deflated like a balloon and my Higher Mind burst out of the closet, suddenly fully empowered. In the months leading up to the election, the nation’s air becomes more and more saturated with toxic, contagious Primitive Mind smoke. The country’s giant collective Primitive Mind gets stronger and louder, pulling the national tug-of-war downward a bit on the mountain. On its face, the downward trend I’m referring to looks like an increase in political polarization, both among voters and among politicians.

By View All Posts Tim Urban

How Tesla Will Change The World — Wait But Why

Posted in Strange

Here’s the combined world energy flow in 2007:The unit, PJ, is in petajoules. Ford and his new company charged ahead making gas-powered cars, but at the time, gas cars were hardly the norm. Suddenly, a lot of the things that sucked about gas cars didn’t suck anymore—and they had become much cheaper than electric cars. The cost of driving a gas car is harder, because gas prices and car fuel efficiency widely vary. The best case scenario for a gas car is unusually cheap gas (let’s say $1.40/gallon) coupled with unusually high fuel efficiency (let’s say it’s a rare gas car that gets 35 mpg).

By View All Posts Tim Urban

How to Pick a Career (That Actually Fits You) — Wait But Why

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Career-path-carving is definitely one of those really really deeply important things. It’s really really deeply important, putting it squarely in “Definitely absolutely make sure to be a chef about it” territory. The overlapping area contains your optimal career path choices—the set of arrows you should consider drawing on your Career Map. He really really really wants to be in the in-group and he really really really doesn’t want to be in the outgroup. Today’s careers—especially the less traditional ones—are really really not like tunnels.

By View All Posts Tim Urban

Idea Labs and Echo Chambers — Wait But Why

Posted in Funny

In an Idea Lab, conviction is used sparingly and with caution—because conviction levels in an Idea Lab are used as “degree of certainty” stamps. When you float upwards on the Knowledge-Conviction graph, Idea Lab culture pulls you back down to the tightrope.3Or, depicted far more hilariously: People in an Idea Lab are like this squirrel trying to get to a bird feeder, and Idea lab culture “greases the arrogance pole.”All of these forces combine together to make an Idea Lab a big magnet on top of our ladder. One of the coolest properties of an Idea Lab is its ability to play nicely with other Idea Labs and seamlessly meld together with them into larger Idea Labs. How Echo Chambers affect individualsTo understand how Echo Chambers work, just think about how Idea Labs work and then imagine the opposite. As we discussed earlier, Idea Labs merge seamlessly together with other Idea Labs, because while micro-divided in their viewpoints, they’re macro-united by common values like civility and truth.

By View All Posts Tim Urban

Neuralink and the Brain's Magical Future — Wait But Why

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When I wrote about Tesla and SpaceX, I learned that you can only fully wrap your head around certain companies by zooming both way, way in and way, way out. (For the non-squeamish, here’s a video of a professor peeling the pia off of a human brain.) Even though they can’t do that, the motor cortex still fires normally, as if they can. And the beginning of this video shows the physical struggles of a man with a perfectly functional motor cortex but impaired proprioception. Nicolelis created an experiment where the motor cortex of one rat in Brazil was wired, via the internet, to the motor cortex of another rat in the US.

By View All Posts Tim Urban

Political Disney World — Wait But Why

Posted in Strange

At least one of the parties involved in a nightmarish Thanksgiving political conversation is from the low-rung political world. Political Disney World turns confirmation bias into its own team effort—it does confirmation bias on a systematic, industrial scale. In Political Disney World, the beliefs and viewpoints of people in different tribes are premised on entirely different conceptions of reality. It seems like a ridiculous tactic—until you remember that Political Disney World is a ridiculous place. Political Disney World is a land of sprawling baileys, dotted with motte hills.

By View All Posts Tim Urban

The Artificial Intelligence Revolution: Part 2

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And in the scheme of the intelligence range we’re talking about today, or even the much smaller range among biological creatures, the chimp-to-human quality intelligence gap is tiny. Now imagine that you made a spider much, much smarter—so much so that it far surpassed human intelligence? In this way, AI boosts the case for what I called, in my Fermi Paradox post, Camp 1. ASI Turry knew humans better than humans know themselves, so outsmarting them was a breeze for her. Vincent C. Müller and Nick Bostrom – Future Progress in Artificial Intelligence: A Survey of Expert OpinionMoshe Y. Vardi – Artificial Intelligence: Past and FutureRuss Roberts, EconTalk – Bostrom Interview and Bostrom Follow-UpStuart Armstrong and Kaj Sotala, MIRI – How We’re Predicting AI—or Failing ToSusan Schneider – Alien MindsStuart Russell and Peter Norvig – Artificial Intelligence: A Modern ApproachTheodore Modis – The Singularity MythGary Marcus – Hyping Artificial Intelligence, Yet AgainSteven Pinker – Could a Computer Ever Be Conscious?

By View All Posts Tim Urban

The Cook and the Chef: Musk's Secret Sauce — Wait But Why

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Hardware and SoftwareThe first clue to the way Musk thinks is in the super odd way that he talks. But when you don’t know how to reason, you don’t know how to evolve or adapt. We don’t think of brains as computers, so we don’t think about the distinction between hardware and software at all. That’s why it’s so important that we begin with “I don’t know shit.” That’s when we know we’re in the lab. But this epiphany—that the collective “other people” and their conventional wisdom don’t know shit—is a much larger challenge.

By View All Posts Tim Urban

The Thinking Ladder

Posted in Interesting

The addition of the Psych Spectrum turns our thinking spectrum into a thinking square—and now our discussion can get interesting. The basic process we’re examining is belief formation, which we can notate like this:In our thinking square, a person’s x-axis position shows us where they landed at Point B—the output of their thinking process. The Thinking Ladder is my favorite lens to use to think about thinking. Rung 1: Thinking Like a ScientistMeet the Scientist:This is who you are in moments when your Higher Mind is in charge of your thinking. It only took you along this path:But the crazy thing about humans is, when you’re thinking like an Attorney, you still believe you’re thinking like a Scientist.

By View All Posts Tim Urban

Why Cryonics Makes Sense — Wait But Why

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Here are the steps:Step 1) Pick a companyThere are four major companies that provide cryonics services—Alcor in Arizona, Cryonics Institute (CI) in Michigan, American Cryonics Society (ACS) in California, and KrioRus in Russia. Step 6) Cool off ASAP and get transferred to the cryonics facilityAfter you’re declared legally dead, the cryonics team will, ideally, immediately get going. The concept of info death makes sense when we compare the brain to a computer’s hard drive. In the ideal situation, your heart stops and before any changes happen in your brain, you’re stabilized and put on ice. The theory is that with enough future technology, you’ll one day be revivable.

By View All Posts Tim Urban