There are 118 chemical elements that run from gases to liquids to solids. Some of them we’ll never run across in our lives because of how rare or dangerous they are. Others are so common we barely give them a second thought. But some of the elements that make up our world have far more…
Author: Ian Fortey
Back in 1910, Eugene Burton Ely became the first pilot to successfully take off in a plane from the deck of a Navy ship. Other ships were soon adapted for launching planes, and by 1927 the US Navy had built two Lexington-class aircraft carriers which became the foundation for the future fleet. The US still…
Queen Victoria’s reign extended from 1837 all the way until 1901. It was one of the longest in British royal history, and it was characterized by a lot of change and upheaval for the country. She was so influential they named the entire time period after her and to this day the word Victorian brings…
Earthquakes, hurricanes and volcanoes are the big three natural disasters in the world that everyone wants to avoid. Unlike the first two, volcanoes are often a little easier to deal with because at least you can see where they are and plan accordingly. Sometimes, anyway. But for all we understand about them, there are a…
The land of the rising sun is fascinating to many of us in the West. The land that gave the world samurai and sushi holds a lot of mystique, but some of it is just straight up myth, even in the modern world. 10. Anime is Not The Biggest Form of Entertainment Anime is a…
The modern prison system has been criticized all around the world. There are few countries that couldn’t benefit from some kind of prison reform. That said, at the very least most modern prisons don’t hold a candle to those of the past. In a bygone era, sometimes one that was only a few years ago,…
Every year the world deals with volcanos, tsunamis, hurricanes and more. But these are the “normal” natural disasters. There are plenty of others that haven’t really happened in our lifetime, or even at all yet. And that’s the scariest part about them. They haven’t happened yet. But they could. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sga8SK5BVxA This is an encore of…
Given the size and age of the universe, it’s no wonder that mankind has only scratched the surface when it comes to understanding it. Astronomers can answer many questions about space, but there are some mysteries that we may never solve. 10. How Stars Explode When a star has essentially burned itself out, a couple…
One thing you can always count on is that the moment you deny something to people, or charge them prices they can’t afford, an entrepreneur is born. Getting people things cheaply, even when it’s not legal, happens all over the world. And during wartime, when resources become scarce, black markets can spring up to meet…
Everyone has heard of body language and most of us have at least a basic understanding of how it works. Some signals are unmistakable. A person who actively moves away from you or scowls when you speak probably is not your friend. A person who is constantly smiling and touching you very likely wants to…
In 2019, organic food sales were worth $109 billion. That’s a good sized industry. Unfortunately, it’s also one wrapped up in a lot of myth and misinformation. Not everyone is honest about how organic food works, how it’s made, and what the potential benefits are. 10. Organic Food is 100% Organic If there’s one thing…
New species are still being discovered all the time. Maybe it’s because of that so many people are, if not outright convinced, at least open-minded to unusual beasts being real. Things that you might even consider monsters. But often when we discover a monster, it is a very real life explanation that’s a bit less…
Sometimes history has a way of twisting a story to make villains into heroes or heroes into villains. Someone in the right place at the right time can be credited with an amazing invention, or maybe they just stole it and said it was theirs. In any event, there are plenty of people who have…
Every year the world deals with volcanos, tsunamis, hurricanes and more. But these are the “normal” natural disasters. There are plenty of others that haven’t really happened in our lifetime, or even at all yet. And that’s the scariest part about them. They haven’t happened yet. But they could. 10. Supervolcano Eruptions Most people know…
The black market has long been a sort of thrilling, taboo topic that everyone is at least passingly aware of, even if we don’t know where to find such a marketplace. Black market goods are typically stolen or counterfeit items and you’ll find them most often online these days. Occasionally you may find a literal…
Nature can be unpredictable sometimes. Humans routinely build settlements near major waterways, lakes and oceans because historically water has been vital for any settlement. Whether for fishing, travel, or trade, many major hubs of early civilization were ports and resorts. But that also meant they were at risk of falling prey to things like earthquakes,…
The world is full of intensity in many diverse and wonderful forms. Nature is chock full of animals that can run or fly at blazing speeds, others with jaws powerful enough to snap bones, or even the ability to withstand brutally harsh temperatures, pressures, and more. But for all the extremes in the world that…
The modern prison system has been criticized all around the world. There are few countries that couldn’t benefit from some kind of prison reform. That said, at the very least most modern prisons don’t hold a candle to those of the past. In a bygone era, sometimes one that was only a few years ago,…
There’s an old saying that goes, “If I knew then what I know now.” It basically means with age comes wisdom. Ironically, this applies to human nature but not history, as history is much more of an “if I knew now what I knew then” situation. History presents us with countless puzzles and mysteries; things…
Mankind has been fascinated by the idea of an afterlife for thousands of years. The mystery of what awaits beyond this life is one none of us can ever have a definitive answer to. But there’s lots of speculation, and even a few sightings of things that may have come from beyond. Unfortunately for those who want…
There’s a popular saying that starts, “If I knew then what I know now.” The idea is that you have grown and learned in the present, and you could have used that knowledge to do things better in the past. This works on an individual level, but also for society as a whole. In the…
In the modern age, everyone is familiar with the look of a castle and the general idea of how one worked. Unfortunately, most of this knowledge stems from pop culture. We know castles because we saw Jon Snow or Aragorn defending them. The real life castles are more foreign to us and some of their inner workings are subject to myth and misconceptions.…
The world is full of expensive things. A Koenigsegg CCXR Trevita will cost you about $5 million, for instance, if you’re into very fast cars. But a car is a big machine, and clearly a lot goes into making one. There are other things in the world that, pound for pound, will absolutely shame anything…
New species are still being discovered all the time. Maybe it’s because of that so many people are, if not outright convinced, at least open-minded to unusual beasts being real. Things that you might even consider monsters. But often when we discover a monster, it is a very real life explanation that’s a bit less…