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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Have you ever heard of these toys with odd origins? Do you know the history of Barbie or teddy bears? Slinky The Slinky began as a naval engineering accident. In 1943, engineer Richard James was working on springs designed to stabilize sensitive equipment aboard ships. One spring fell from a shelf and appeared to “walk” …
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You have a horrendous itch in a spot you just can’t reach. It can get so bad that you’d be ready to pay someone to scratch it. That’s what this Chinese health business operator is banking on. Zhang Xiaoqiao is a Chinese serial entrepreneur who’s always on the lookout for new ideas. Now, however, he …
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 …
Did you read 25 Things With Weird Origins: Part One? Because this is part two. Champagne Sabering Opening champagne with a sword may sound like an ancient military tradition, but it became associated with celebrations among French cavalry officers during the Napoleonic era. The bottle’s glass lip can be broken away along the seam. The …
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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What things do you think you’ll see on this list of 25 things with weird origins? Do you know the story of silly putty or ketchup? Bubble Wrap Bubble Wrap wasn’t originally invented as packaging. In 1957, engineers Alfred Fielding and Marc Chavannes were trying to create a futuristic textured wallpaper by sealing two shower …
It’s so easy to generate an image of virtually anything you can think of with current AI platforms. You can put almost anyone in any situation, real or imaginary. But if you do make some AI-processed photos, be careful about sharing them. Somebody might think they’re real and it could land you in hot water …
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