J.R.R. Tolkien taught himself Finnish at 18, just so he could read one book, the Kalevala–which he used as a basis for Middle Earth legendarium.
In a tragic twist of irony, Karl Marx’s grave…
In a tragic twist of irony, Karl Marx’s grave has an entry fee to view.
The United Kingdom has a “right to roam” which allows public…
The United Kingdom has a “right to roam” which allows public access for walking & leisure to mountains, moors, heaths and downs that are privately owned.
The reason buildings in Hong Kong have gaping…
The reason buildings in Hong Kong have gaping holes is to allow dragons free passage from their mountain homes to the sea.
In Tajikistan, a unibrow is viewed as an attractive…
In Tajikistan, a unibrow is viewed as an attractive quality in both men and women. For women, it is associated with virginity and purity and, in men, virility. Women not blessed with hair between their eyebrows fake them with makeup.
Tattoos among sailors became popular in order to help…
Tattoos among sailors became popular in order to help Americans prove their ID to avoid impressment into the Royal Navy. They also helped to identify bodies lost at sea.
A fictitious soft drink was created to prove the…
A fictitious soft drink was created to prove the effectiveness of advertising on buses. So many people started demanding it that the drink actually starting being made by restaurants and soft drink companies
In March 2012, scientist and blogger Jonathan…
In March 2012, scientist and blogger Jonathan Corbett demonstrated the ineffectiveness of full body scanners by publishing a viral video showing how he was able to get a metal box through backscatter x-ray and millimeter wave scanners in two US airports.
In the late 80s the Dalai Lama said people might…
in the late 80s the Dalai Lama said people might be reincarnated as AI; “I can’t totally rule out the possibility that, if all the external conditions and the karmic action were there, a stream of consciousness might actually enter into a computer.”
43% of Americans want to criminalize playing…
43% of Americans want to criminalize playing in a park alone for children 12 and younger.