When you contemplate all the skills involved in sending someone into space, you think about math, physics, rocketry, and orbital dynamics. Odds are that you didn’t spend a lot of time thinking […]
NASA Knows it Needs an Official Nose
The Colorful Connection Between Television and Black and White Dreams
Think of the most vivid dream you can remember. Was it in color? If so, there’s a good chance you did not spend much of your childhood sitting in front of a […]
The Armless Wonder Who Rose Above Her Circumstances
By just about every standard of society, no one should have heard about Kathryn M.R. Smith (1882-1967). Horribly disfigured at the hands of an abusive alcoholic father, the girl who went by […]
Rabies — 100% Fatal and 100% Preventable
When it comes to killer diseases, you will be hard-pressed to find anything more lethal than rabies. Tens of thousands of people contract the disease each year. Once the symptoms begin to […]
The Crazy Story of the Finnish Soldier Who O.D.’d on Speed, Stepped On a Mine, Skied 250 Miles, and Outmaneuvered the Soviet Army
Aimo Koivunen needed some help. As a soldier and proud citizen of Finland, he was committed to serving his homeland, but when faced with the overwhelming might of the Soviet enemy, there […]
Combining Childbirth With Amusement Park Technology
We are led to understand that the process of delivering a baby can be somewhat difficult. Fortunately, for expectant mothers everywhere, inventors George and Charlotte Blonsky have come to the rescue with […]
The Mysterious Illness That Killed 80% of a Nation
At a time when much of the world’s attention is on the COVID-19 coronavirus global pandemic, it is appropriate to remember an epidemic that history has largely overlooked, despite the fact that […]
The Six Million Dollar Mummy
The cast and crew of the television show The Six Million Dollar Man were used to seeing unusual props. Any program that involves a man whose bionic legs, arm, and eye give […]
Copycat Children Get Sick After Watching Disney Film
The Disney film The Princess and the Frog was released on December 11, 2009. Within a month of its release, over fifty children in the United States were hospitalized for salmonella poisoning. In the […]
If You Like Strong Coffee, You Might Be a Psychopath
If the findings of a recent study are accurate, the next time you order strong coffee, you might be asked if you want cream, sugar, or anti-psychotic medications to go with it. […]
Practicing Pandiculation
How often do you pandiculate? You may not be familiar with the word, but you almost certainly do it on a regular basis. Pandiculation is the act of stretching and yawning at […]
How Long is the Perfect “Power Nap”?
There is no denying the mental health aspect of a good nap. On those days when the mind is sluggish and the body can’t seem to shift out of first gear, a […]
Nutmeg: the Deadly Drug Hidden in Your Spice Cabinet
It just wouldn’t be Christmas without nutmeg. The tasty spice found in virtually every kitchen adds just the right zing to pumpkin pie, eggnog, mulled cider, wassail, and countless other holiday dishes. […]
Meet the Bone That’s Making a Comeback
One thing we all learn in school is that the human body has 206 bones. This is true — except when it isn’t. Many people have a 207th bone. What is more […]
Bad Handwriting Responsible for Up to 61% of Prescription Errors
It is a standing joke that physicians have horrible handwriting. It turns out this may not be such a laughing matter. A number of studies have found that sloppy handwriting is just […]
