Wisconsin uses briny water from cheese production to de-ice their roads in winter.
In the Kantemo Caves, Mexico…
In the Kantemo Caves, Mexico, snakes hang down from the cave ceiling to catch and eat bats.
In 1962, the Anti-Superstition Society…
In 1962, the Anti-Superstition Society of Chicago awarded John Glenn (occupant of the 13th capsule in space) with a gold watch with each number replaced with the number 13. There were 13 senators attending, each paid $13.13 to be there, and it was held on Friday the 13th.
Antarctica used to be covered…
Antarctica used to be covered in lush rainforests well adapted to months with no sunlight in the winter.
Notes in the margins of manuscripts…
Notes in the margins of manuscripts left by medieval monks copying them included: ‘The parchment is hairy’, ‘I am very cold’, ‘Oh, my hand’, and ‘Now I’ve written the whole thing: for Christ’s sake give me a drink’.
In the mid 19th Century…
In the mid 19th Century, the belief persisted that weather was completely unpredictable. When one MP suggested in the Commons in 1854 that recent advances in scientific theory might soon allow them to know the weather in London “twenty-four hours beforehand”, the House roared with laughter.
A pair of Miami DJ’s prank…
A pair of Miami DJ’s prank called Fidel Castro in 2003. They pretended to be Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to get Castro on the line, and had a brief chat before telling Castro he had been fooled. Castro responded with a brief verbal tirade. The radio station was later fined $4,000.
Until 1996, NYPD cars were painted blue…
Until 1996, NYPD cars were painted blue. They phased out the blue cars in favor of factory white, resulting in a $1 million savings. Light blue shirts were replaced with dark blue to “hide coffee and donut stains”.
In 2011, two men got lost…
In 2011, two men got lost at sea and were adrift of 33 days before washing up on an atoll, where they meet a descendant of a long-lost uncle. The uncle had also gone adrift 50 years earlier.
AT&T Exec Predicted the Smartphone in 1953
In an April 1953 newspaper article in the Tacoma News Tribune, Mark Sullivan made an uncannily accurate prediction about the future of the telephone. via kottke.org