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LATEST LONG-FORM:

The Most Modern of Modern Sports
The secret runaway success of Kenneth Gandar-Dower’s racing cheetahs.

Written by Jennifer Noonan • 15 April 2019 • Read/Listen →
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A Pregnant Pause

In January of 1963, husband and wife George and Charlotte Blonsky submitted a patent application for a revolutionary invention. George, a mining engineer...
Written by Alan Bellows • 29 Mar 2019 • Read →
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Every Breath You Take

In June of 1965, a 27-year-old gentleman by the name of Angus Barbieri checked himself into the Maryfield Hospital in Dundee, Scotland. His complaint was...
Written by Alan Bellows • 25 Jan 2019 • Read →
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Schumann Resonances

Three times a day, every day--roughly 9am, 2pm, and 8pm Coordinated Universal Time--an extremely low frequency electromagnetic pulse races around the Ear...
Written by Matt Castle • 04 Dec 2018 • Read →
Long-Form:

A Debaculous Fiasco

The most expensive, bizarre, and obscure work ever created by Dr. Seuss.
Written by Jennifer Noonan • 06 Nov 2018 • Read/Listen →
Nugget:

The Original Ghostbuster

In the early 1980s, a certain Mr. Vic Tandy found himself working for a medical device manufacturer in Warwick, in the county of Warwickshire, England. W...
Written by Erin Anderson • 14 Aug 2018 • Read →
Long-Form:

Drawing the Shorter Straw

Visionary Argentine filmmaker Quirino Cristiani created full-length animated films between 1917 and 1931. He has since been all but forgotten.
Written by Marisa Brook • 31 Jul 2018 • Read/Listen →
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Involuntary Indefatigability

Only one fictional character has ever been honoured with a front-page obituary in the New York Times: Hercule Poirot, one of Agatha Christie's two recurr...
Written by Marisa Brook • 21 May 2018 • Read →
Long-Form:

The Curse of Konzo

In 1981, an international group of doctors identified the devastating disease behind a perplexing outbreak of paralysis in northern Mozambique.
Written by Matt Castle • 02 May 2018 • Read/Listen →
Long-Form:

A Jarring Revelation

Amanda Theodosia Jones was a 19th-century poet, entrepreneur, and inventor who found inspiration in some unlikely places.
Written by Christine Ro • 30 Mar 2018 • Read/Listen →
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Scraping Bottom

When Germany was divided in two after the Second World War, military leaders recognized the need for liaison between the Soviet-occupied East Germany and...
Written by Alan Bellows • 19 Mar 2018 • Read →
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The Colors of Numbers

Synesthesia is a neurological phenomenon in which certain sensory concepts are strongly linked to each other in seemingly random but persistent ways. Tho...
Written by Jennifer Noonan • 12 Mar 2018 • Read →
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Yankee Swap

One of the more controversial trades in baseball history was announced on 04 March 1973, just before the start of the 1973 baseball season. Mike Kekich a...
Written by Alan Bellows • 04 Mar 2018 • Read →
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The Mystery Lake of the Himalayas

Nestled in a valley high in the Himalayas in northern India is a small lake named Roopkund, known locally as Mystery Lake. The area around Roopkund Lake ...
Written by Erika Nesvold • 19 Feb 2018 • Read →
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Echoes of NASA

On 13 May 1960, a NASA Thor-Delta rocket carried the agency's new Echo 1 satellite into a 1,000 mile orbit around the Earth. It was a 156.995 pound metal...
Written by Alan Bellows • 12 Feb 2018 • Read →
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Cracking the Case

A lengthy study of 'crack babies' born to cocaine addicts in Philadelphia in the 1980s and 1990s ended in 2013 with an unexpected result. The average IQ ...
Written by Marisa Brook • 06 Feb 2018 • Read →
Nugget:

Water Proof

In 1936, Russian scientist Vladimir Lukyanov was confronted with the problem of devising a system to improve the quality of Russian concrete and the effi...
Written by Alan Bellows • 22 Jan 2018 • Read →
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The Democratic People’s Republic of Begonias

An iconic sight in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is the Kimjongilia. This hybrid begonia was bred by a Japanese botanist and presented to Sup...
Written by Christine Ro • 15 Jan 2018 • Read →
Nugget:

Strange Brew

According to a 1957 US government study entitled The Effect of Nuclear Explosions on Commercially Packaged Beverages, canned and bottled sodas and beers ...
Written by Alan Bellows • 08 Jan 2018 • Read →
Nugget:

Buzz On, Buzz Off

Meta description preview:By the 1840’s, the British Empire was at full tilt...
Written by Erin Anderson • 11 Dec 2017 • Read →
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Armed Conflict

Götz von Berlichingen (1480-1562) was a German knight and warrior for hire in the first half of the 16th century. In 1504, at age 24, he lost the lower p...
Written by Alan Bellows • 04 Dec 2017 • Read →

18 May 2019

The Fusion Reactor Next Door The Fusion Reactor Next Door
nytimes.com
Pasta strainers and pirates: how the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster was born Pasta strainers and pirates: how the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster was born
theguardian.com
'Groundbreaking' Sharp Images of Distant Planetary System Show 3 Planets Are Missing 'Groundbreaking' Sharp Images of Distant Planetary System Show 3 Planets Are Missing
sciencealert.com
On this day in 1927 a radium worker sued her employer On this day in 1927 a radium worker sued her employer
damninteresting.com
All 1,119 Pages of Leonardo Da Vinci’s “Codex Atlanticus” Now Available Online All 1,119 Pages of Leonardo Da Vinci’s “Codex Atlanticus” Now Available Online
mymodernmet.com
This Is What Fish Oil Supplements Actually Do This Is What Fish Oil Supplements Actually Do
vice.com
How a sex scandal led to the nation’s first abortion law 200 years ago How a sex scandal led to the nation’s first abortion law 200 years ago
washingtonpost.com
A Waste of 1,000 Research Papers A Waste of 1,000 Research Papers
theatlantic.com
Pangea has taken thousands to eviction court. The story of an apartment empire Pangea has taken thousands to eviction court. The story of an apartment empire
chicagoreader.com

17 May 2019

Venezuela’s Collapse Is the Worst Outside of War in Decades, Economists Say Venezuela’s Collapse Is the Worst Outside of War in Decades, Economists Say
nytimes.com
Vanilla fever Vanilla fever
1843magazine.com
Psychiatry, Racism, and the Birth of 'Sesame Street' Psychiatry, Racism, and the Birth of 'Sesame Street'
undark.org
Manipulating atoms one at a time with an electron beam Manipulating atoms one at a time with an electron beam
phys.org
Neutron star merger sprayed primeval Solar System with heavy elements Neutron star merger sprayed primeval Solar System with heavy elements
arstechnica.com
The Civilian Solution to Bank Robberies The Civilian Solution to Bank Robberies
daily.jstor.org
A ‘Century Plant’ in Chicago Is Having an Epic Growth Spurt A ‘Century Plant’ in Chicago Is Having an Epic Growth Spurt
atlasobscura.com
The volcano that built Bermuda is unlike any other on Earth The volcano that built Bermuda is unlike any other on Earth
nationalgeographic.com
A massive Gulf oil spill is finally being contained after more than 14 years A massive Gulf oil spill is finally being contained after more than 14 years
washingtonpost.com
120 years ago today Nikola Tesla arrived in Colorado Springs to conduct wireless electricity experiments 120 years ago today Nikola Tesla arrived in Colorado Springs to conduct wireless electricity experiments
damninteresting.com
This Chef Really, Really Wants You to Eat Iguanas This Chef Really, Really Wants You to Eat Iguanas
vice.com
Why is the Pentagon interested in UFOs? Why is the Pentagon interested in UFOs? • (see also)
theconversation.com
Revealed: air pollution may be damaging ‘every organ in the body’ Revealed: air pollution may be damaging ‘every organ in the body’
theguardian.com
Disneyland, dozens of cities could be flooded by dam failure from huge storm, engineers warn Disneyland, dozens of cities could be flooded by dam failure from huge storm, engineers warn
latimes.com
Firms That Promised High-Tech Ransomware Solutions Almost Always Just Pay the Hackers Firms That Promised High-Tech Ransomware Solutions Almost Always Just Pay the Hackers
features.propublica.org
The Dark Side of Ultima Thule The Dark Side of Ultima Thule
theatlantic.com
Why can't some people remember their dreams? Why can't some people remember their dreams?
bbc.com
Experience: I manage the last Blockbuster in the world Experience: I manage the last Blockbuster in the world
theguardian.com

16 May 2019

Discovering an Iconic Literary Character Was Based on Your Grandfather Discovering an Iconic Literary Character Was Based on Your Grandfather
lithub.com
The Night The Lights Went Out The Night The Lights Went Out
theconcourse.deadspin.com
Wandering Earth: rocket scientist explains how we could move our planet Wandering Earth: rocket scientist explains how we could move our planet
theconversation.com
Antibiotic treatment alleviates Alzheimer's disease symptoms in male mice, study reveals Antibiotic treatment alleviates Alzheimer's disease symptoms in male mice, study reveals
medicalxpress.com
It's Not Just Salt, Sugar, Fat: Study Finds Ultra-Processed Foods Drive Weight Gain It's Not Just Salt, Sugar, Fat: Study Finds Ultra-Processed Foods Drive Weight Gain
npr.org
Aaaaahh! Researchers probe the acoustics of screams Aaaaahh! Researchers probe the acoustics of screams • (see also)
cosmosmagazine.com
The Wrong Side of History The Wrong Side of History
harpers.org
This Town Didn't Want to Be a Radioactive Waste Dump. The Government Is Giving Them No Choice. This Town Didn't Want to Be a Radioactive Waste Dump. The Government Is Giving Them No Choice.
earther.gizmodo.com
We're Finally Learning More about MU69, the Strange, Flat Rock in the Outer Solar System We're Finally Learning More about MU69, the Strange, Flat Rock in the Outer Solar System
gizmodo.com
On this day in 1997 President Clinton officially apologized to victims of the Tuskegee syphilis study On this day in 1997 President Clinton officially apologized to victims of the Tuskegee syphilis study
damninteresting.com
The Moon Rock Hunter Is Coming for You The Moon Rock Hunter Is Coming for You
saturdayeveningpost.com
Alone, They Stink. Together They Create Dark Chocolate’s Alluring Aroma. Alone, They Stink. Together They Create Dark Chocolate’s Alluring Aroma.
nytimes.com
Could a Single Live Vaccine Protect against a Multitude of Diseases? Could a Single Live Vaccine Protect against a Multitude of Diseases?
scientificamerican.com
How Much Do Babies’ Skulls Get Squished During Birth? A Whole Lot, 3D Images Reveal How Much Do Babies’ Skulls Get Squished During Birth? A Whole Lot, 3D Images Reveal
livescience.com
The kilo is dead. Long live the kilo! The kilo is dead. Long live the kilo!
news.mit.edu
Bedbugs Menaced the Dinosaur Age Before Moving Into Our Mattresses Bedbugs Menaced the Dinosaur Age Before Moving Into Our Mattresses
nytimes.com
Medieval Sex Cult at Center of German Crossbow Murder Mystery Medieval Sex Cult at Center of German Crossbow Murder Mystery
thedailybeast.com
As Planet Discoveries Pile Up, a Gap Appears in the Pattern As Planet Discoveries Pile Up, a Gap Appears in the Pattern
quantamagazine.org


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