Damn Interesting » Gerry Matlack http://www.damninteresting.com A collection of legitimately fascinating information culled from the past, present, and anticipated future. Tue, 15 May 2012 15:27:55 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 The Windscale Disaster http://www.damninteresting.com/the-windscale-disaster/ http://www.damninteresting.com/the-windscale-disaster/#comments Mon, 07 May 2007 09:09:59 +0000 Gerry Matlack http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=842 The Windscale Disaster:

In the wake of World War 2 the United States government enacted legislation which prohibited any other nations from receiving the scientific bounty derived from the Manhattan Project. This meant that despite the participation of British scientists in the project, Britain recieved none of the benefits of the research. The year after the United States’ [...]

]]> http://www.damninteresting.com/the-windscale-disaster/feed/ 61 John Frum and the Cargo Cults http://www.damninteresting.com/john-frum-and-the-cargo-cults/ http://www.damninteresting.com/john-frum-and-the-cargo-cults/#comments Mon, 19 Feb 2007 16:07:54 +0000 Gerry Matlack http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=788 John Frum and the Cargo Cults:

Every year on February 15th, natives of Tanna Island in the Republic of Vanuatu hold a grand celebration in honor of an imaginary man named John Frum. Villagers clothe themselves in homemade US Army britches, paint “USA” on their bare chests and backs, and run a replica of Old Glory up the flagpole alongside the [...]

]]> http://www.damninteresting.com/john-frum-and-the-cargo-cults/feed/ 118 An Impostor in the Family http://www.damninteresting.com/an-impostor-in-the-family/ http://www.damninteresting.com/an-impostor-in-the-family/#comments Mon, 05 Feb 2007 13:54:28 +0000 Gerry Matlack http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=793 An Impostor in the Family:

Imagine, if you will, that one by one your friends and family– the people closest to you– are being removed and replaced with exact duplicates. Although they are identical in appearance and manner, you are certain that these people are not your loved ones. They are impostors. While most people would become deeply paranoid in [...]

]]> http://www.damninteresting.com/an-impostor-in-the-family/feed/ 63 The Association of the Dead http://www.damninteresting.com/the-association-of-the-dead/ http://www.damninteresting.com/the-association-of-the-dead/#comments Tue, 23 Jan 2007 20:50:02 +0000 Gerry Matlack http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=784 The Association of the Dead:

This article was written by Gerry Matlack, one of our shiny new Damn Interesting writers. In 1976, a farmer in northern India became alarmed when he was informed of his own death. Lal Bihari was in the process of applying for a loan when the bank representative delivered the bad news, and it wasn’t just [...]

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