We’re all family here
Tracing your family tree far into the past presents a conundrum: You'll eventually have more distinct ancestors than people who have ever existed on Earth. Key Facts: If you traced...
All Stories
What dinosaurs really sounded like
Who could forget the terrifying, eardrum-bursting roar of the Tyrannosaurus rex in "Jurassic Park"? Though memorable, this movie representation is far from accurate. Key Facts: "Jurassic Park" creators combined the...
The sought-after feeling of flow
The concept of flow was popularized by positive psychologist Mihály Csíkszentmihályi, who researched this type of enjoyable immersion by speaking to artists, athletes and other people who often "lose themselves"...
Welcome to Liberland
A new tiny country popped up onto the world map in April of 2015. Key Facts Liberland is a taxless, unregulated micronation founded in April of 2015. The current permanent...
What are the Marfa lights?
On the side of a desolate road in Texas sits a sign that reads "SEE MYSTERIOUS LIGHTS." What does it mean? Key Facts The Marfa lights are a strange phenomenon...
Who was the first person to take acid?
Dr. Hofmann, often called the father of LSD, was the first person to experience the drug's psychedelic effects. Key Facts On April 19, 1943, Albert Hofmann ingested 250 micrograms of...
The forgotten pastime of pro-walking
For a brief period of time in America, competitive walking was the hottest spectator sport. Key Facts The sport was known as pedestrianism. From the 1870s through the 1890s, people...
This is what happens at a magician’s funeral
The International Brotherhood of Magicians is the world's largest organization for the magical arts. Key Facts: When a member of this organization dies, a very special and intimate ritual is...
Thank these underwater cables for your Internet connection
In total, the network of cables that spans the ocean floor between continents is hundreds of thousands of miles long. Key Facts The thickest of the submarine communication cables are...
Is bottled air really necessary?
The city of Beijing faces very serious issues in terms of air pollution. Key Facts The notoriously smog-filled city in China raised its smog alert from orange to red in...