Early hunter-gatherer societies enjoyed more leisure time than is permitted by capitalist and agrarian societies.
A scientist had to name an octopus species. She thought it…
A scientist had to name an octopus species. She thought it was “just so cute” she considered opisthatoothus adorabilis.
There is a theme park in Lithuania that recreates life as a USSR citizen…
There is a theme park in Lithuania that recreates life as a USSR citizen. Visitors have their belongings confiscated, wear gas masks, experience interrogation, and must learn the Soviet anthem. Their reward is a shot of vodka.
People’s teeth used to randomly explode in the 1800s…
People’s teeth used to randomly explode in the 1800s due to bad fillings. Before the advent of mercury amalgam, a wide variety of metals were used to fill cavities. Using two different metals could create an electrochemical cell – effectively turning the whole mouth into a low-volt battery.
NY City used to use hollowed out trees as water…
NY City used to use hollowed out trees as water mains in the early 19th Century. A working example was still connected to the city water lines as late as 2006.
In 1898 Nikola Tesla once tricked an entire crowd…
In 1898 Nikola Tesla once tricked an entire crowd into believing they could control a toy boat by shouting commands – he had in fact invented Radio Control and was piloting the boat himself.
Architecture, painting, poetry, music, literature…
Architecture, painting, poetry, music, literature, all used to be part of the Olympic Games.
Salvador Dali would take micronaps by sitting in a chair…
Salvador Dali would take micronaps by sitting in a chair holding a metal key above a plate. When he fell asleep, he’d drop the key and wake himself up.
In 1993 Pepsi ran a contest in the Philippines…
In 1993 Pepsi ran a contest in the Philippines in which it promised 1 million pesos, roughly $40,000, to the person who found the number 349 inside his bottle cap. Pepsi went on to mistakenly print 800,000 winning caps, leading to outrage and death threats to Pepsi executives.
The Moscow Water Dog is a now-extinct breed of dog that…
The Moscow Water Dog is a now-extinct breed of dog that was developed in the Soviet Union after WWII. They were bred to be water rescue dogs, but since they preferred biting drowning people to saving them, the breed was allowed to go extinct.