Author: Justin Crockett

It’s cold. And there’s a lot of ice there, much of it melting, we’re told by scientists. That’s pretty much what the average person knows about the vast, frigid continent of Antarctica. Oh, and Metallica once played a concert there.  That’s a very vague perspective on a place that is simply fascinating. Antarctica may well…

The chain of production that brings food to our tables involves so many moving parts that it’s practically magic. From growing out of the ground to being processed and packaged, there are so many steps, and therefore so many things that can go wrong. That kind of willful ignorance means that so many items can…

You already know Mother Nature is trying to kill you. Look around at the changing weather, country-wide wildfires, and slew of animals that are adept at making you into human pie. We are brittle little creatures on this blue marble, and nature is aware of that, treating us much like the parasite we suppose we…

TV game shows are the one place left in the world where you think everything would be on the up-and-up. Regular, hard-working folks earn the chance to win huge amounts of money and prizes in front of an audience and millions of viewers at home. It’s everyone’s dream, right? Well, believe it or not, there’s quite a sinister underbelly…

The chain of production that brings food to our tables involves so many moving parts that it’s practically magic. From growing out of the ground to being processed and packaged, there are so many steps, and therefore so many things that can go wrong.  That kind of willful ignorance means that so many items can…

It’s more than a little dumb to try to break the law in any way. Most of you know that, and are ok with that social construct. There’s a reason our civilization has these rules, and that’s so things don’t devolve into absolute anarchy.  But there is a certain subsection of criminal that is wildy,…

TV game shows are the one place left in the world where you think everything would be on the up-and-up. Regular, hard-working folks earn the chance to win huge amounts of money and prizes in front of an audience and millions of viewers at home. It’s everyone’s dream, right? Well, believe it or not, there’s…

Let’s be honest: we’re not holding up Hollywood stars and famous icons as shining beacons of common sense. They simply don’t live in the same world as most normal folks do, so it’s almost impossible for them to relate. Something seems to happen when money and fame come their way that separates them and rewires…

You already know Mother Nature is trying to kill you. Look around at the changing weather, country-wide wildfires, and slew of animals that are adept at making you into human pie. We are brittle little creatures on this blue marble, and nature is aware of that, treating us much like the parasite we suppose we…

For being one of the closest objects to us celestially, we still know about as much about the planet Mars as we do the depths of the ocean. Which is to say, not a lot. The things we’ve seen in pop culture about Mars makes us conjure a red, dusty planet where Matt Damon grows…

The last couple of decades of the tech age has introduced some of the most incredible advances we’ve ever witnessed in human history. Consider the fact that you have most of our knowledge as a civilization available in your pocket at any given time. That’s bananas.  Of course, some of the things that were touted…

Cockroaches don’t really fall into that argument of “love ‘em or hate ‘em” with people. Most folks would love to watch every single roach on the planet be burned in a giant pit. The only people that even have a shred of affection for these creepy pests are those weird “I feed them to my…

We place our lives in others’ hands every time we see a doctor or have medicine prescribed for us. It’s an unspoken agreement we’ve entered into, and we’re okay with it. After all, most of us don’t know how to do medicine, unless you’re some kind of village shaman.  We’re also seemingly okay with all…

For being one of the closest objects to us celestially, we still know about as much about the planet Mars as we do the depths of the ocean. Which is to say, not a lot. The things we’ve seen in pop culture about Mars makes us conjure a red, dusty planet where Matt Damon grows…

War is hell. That’s an unavoidable part of the deal any time multiple parties enter into an agreement to fight each other to the death. Some conflicts have seen more carnage than others, and the length of them can vary greatly, but one potential outcome of war is a hefty body count. And boy, there…

We are fortunate to live in an incredibly advanced age, where we can buy things on Amazon and have them at our doorstep within a day or two, instantly communicate with anyone around the globe, and have access to precisely all of the “crying Michael Jordan” memes ever created.  But with that massive power at…

There are numerous examples of breakthroughs that humans have used or discovered in their existence that have catapulted us to the top of the food chain. The wheel, the steam engine, the printing press, etc. These advances are known to most people, and we realize that without those things existing, we’re still in the dark…

It seems that government distrust is at an all-time high, with roughly 17% of the population believing that our leaders have our best interests in mind. After Vietnam, Watergate, the War on Terror, and other mishaps involving those at the top, faith in those we elect has plummeted since the 1960s.  But there are other,…

The science community has granted us a wealth of knowledge that can never be overstated. Things that used to mystify our ancestors can now be understood and more appreciated. It’s shaped our view of the world, the universe, the animal kingdom, human psychology — literally everything you know has been helped along by science and…

We humans absolutely ruin every chance to be great that we have, don’t we? We build great nations capable of remarkable advances, and then completely blow it all on bribery and corruption. The temptation must be brutal. How can you continue to monitor the health of your society when there’s a little devil tapping on…

The human desire to stir things up and uncover secrets is so innate and part of our DNA that of course mankind decided to create entire organizations with that single purpose. Truth be told, it’s a good thing they exist; these agencies have derailed countless plots to do their home countries harm. But we’re also…