The US were working on a nuclear cruise missile capable of staying multiple YEARS in the air by pushing air through an open nuclear reactor, heating said air, meanwhile spewing radioactivity everywhere, they even had a working engine, but they abandoned it, deeming it too provocative.
A Pennsylvania man survived 12 hours laying frozen…
A Pennsylvania man survived 12 hours laying frozen by the side of the road in subzero temperatures because the low temperatures preserved his brain and other organ functions.
The “bar” in Law, isn’t just the name of the exam…
The “bar” in Law, isn’t just the name of the exam. It refers to the physical gated wall in a courtroom dividing the lawyers and judges from the general viewing public. “Passing the bar” gains you admittance to work on the other side of the wall.
J. R. R. Tolkien might have gotten the idea…
J. R. R. Tolkien might have gotten the idea for a ring that makes its wearer invisible from an ancient, Greek story told by one of Plato’s students about a shepherd discovering such a ring on a cadaver in a cave, and then using it to kill his king.
The Shanghai government will lower your credit…
The Shanghai government will lower your credit score if you don’t visit your parents. Parents can also sue their kids for neglect.
In 1795, French cavalry charged across the frozen…
In 1795, French cavalry charged across the frozen bay at Den Helder to capture a trapped Dutch fleet. It is the only time in history a naval fleet has been defeated by a cavalry charge.
In 2015, Japan lifted its 67-year old ban…
In 2015, Japan lifted its 67-year old ban on dancing after midnight.
The Greek religion’s God (Zeus Pater), the Roman religion’s God…
The Greek religion’s God (Zeus Pater), the Roman religion’s God (Jupiter), and the Indian Vedic religion’s God (Dyaus Pita), have similar names because those religions – along with Norse, Persian, and Slavic mythologies – all evolved from the same original religion.
In 1770 a man invented a machine that could play a strong game…
In 1770 a man invented a machine that could play a strong game of chess against a human opponent. The “android” that played the game was nicknamed The Turk (as was the machine itself). It wasn’t until 1857 that it was revealed to be a hoax (a chess master was hiding in the machine).
The top speed at the world’s first real…
The top speed at the world’s first real automobile race in 1895 was just 15 mph.