Everybody loves a good mystery. And although we can explain what happens around us to a greater degree than ever, there are still plenty of mind-boggling mysteries left in the world. People might acquire bizarre talents through freak accidents or find completely alien artifacts buried in the ground. That is, when the aliens aren’t (possibly) …
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What do you know about foods with unexpected histories? Like popsicles or corn flakes? Potato Chips One famous story says potato chips were created in 1853 at a restaurant in Saratoga Springs, New York, after chef George Crum became annoyed by a customer repeatedly complaining that his fried potatoes were too thick. Crum sliced them …
What bizarre historical coincidences do you know about? What about the shipwreck that happened twice or the man that survived two atomic bombings? Two Presidents and Their Uncanny Pattern Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy were both assassinated while serving as U.S. president. Lincoln was elected in 1860; Kennedy in 1960. Both were succeeded by …
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What strange things named after people do you know about? What about nicotine or sandwiches? Silhouette — Étienne de Silhouette A silhouette is a dark outline of a person or object, but the word began with a French finance minister. Étienne de Silhouette served briefly under King Louis XV in 1759 and became notorious for …
Some animals are large and in charge. The defining feature of many beasts is their huge and intimidating size. It may come as a surprise then that many famously well-sized animals can come in miniature versions. We’re not talking about domestic animals bred to be tiny – some critters have shrunk up naturally. Here are …
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We’re all familiar with the major consequences of significant world events. For example, everyone knows how the American Civil War led to the abolition of slavery or how the Industrial Revolution created the modern factory-based economic models. But a big splash creates a lot of ripples. Most important events also had unexpected side effects that …
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Everyone wants to be the best at something. Luckily, there are enough bizarre competitions in the world to ensure that each of us can have our crack at winning, no matter our specific skills. Whether it’s a contest of wits, strength, endurance, or the ability to do multiple harebrained things at once, people just love …
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Mountains are big hunks of rock towering to the sky, right? Some are, sure, but there are mountains that are much more than that. Some mountains might be just big rocks, but they’re uniquely or even bizarrely shaped big rocks. And then there are those mountains that do something utterly unhinged, from hosting strange species …
Once an animal is declared extinct, there’s no coming back. Nobody comes back from the dead, after all. Or so you’d think if it wasn’t for what’s known as Lazarus species. This appropriately named group of animals has returned from beyond the grave, either with human aid or simply because they weren’t quite as extinct …
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From underwater forests to gases, do you think you know what else will be on this list of things discovered in the ocean? Or maybe you have something to add to the list? The Antikythera Shipwreck — Greece Discovered by sponge divers in 1900–1901, the wreck contained statues, coins, glassware and the famous Antikythera Mechanism. …
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