The year was 1991, and the geopolitical climate was changing so rapidly that nearly anything seemed possible. With Communist states falling all over the world, and the formal end of the Soviet […]
The Cafeteria Named After a Notorious Cannibal
Those who gathered for the dedication of the Alferd Packer Memorial Grill in the Department of Agriculture thought they were witnessing homage to an enterprising pioneer. Little did they realize they were […]
Signals From Alien Civilizations or Signs of Starving Scientists?
When astronomers picked up the repeating signal, they scrambled into action. The signals, called perytons, started occurring on a regular basis, always around the same time of day. Could it be a […]
The Gift of Fairies That Protects a Scottish Clan
Dunvegan Castle on the Isle of Skye, Scotland, is the ancestral home of the Clan MacLeod. The castle has stood guard for 700 years, towering over its beautiful surroundings. Despite the rich […]
Easy Weight Loss By Tropical Travel
If you want to lose weight without changes in diet or increase in exercise, there is an easy way. If you like warm weather, this approach will definitely appeal to you. If […]
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 […]
The Disturbing Precursor of Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day is a holiday dedicated to love and is marked by the exchange of cards, flowers, candy, and romantic sentiment. If you go far enough back in time, you would see […]
The Odds — and Risks — of Playing the Lottery
Americans spend more than $70 billion each year on lottery tickets. That comes out to $300 per adult in the states where lotteries are legal. With Powerball or Mega Millions payouts reaching […]
A Penny Saved Is 2.06 Cents Spent
We are all taught the financial value of valuing and saving every last penny. This rule apparently does not apply to the U.S. government — at least, not to the U.S. Mint. […]
Iceland Has the Most Authors and Readers Per Capita of Any Country
For book lovers, when it is cold and snowy outside, nothing can compare to staying inside and diving into a good book. Perhaps it is because of the perpetual wintery weather that […]
The Secret to Energy Conservation at the World’s Most Secret Building
The words “efficiency” and “government” rarely belong in the same sentence. There is one government entity that is an exception to the rule, and despite being a place known for its secrecy, […]
The Day Someone Stole the Empire State Building
The city of New York is certainly not a stranger to crime. Whether it is burglary, pickpocketing, vehicle theft or other like offenses, New York City experienced 371,880 incidents of property crime […]
The 27th Letter and Why it was Removed From the Alphabet
Every schoolchild knows there are 26 letters in the English alphabet. It seems self-evident that this fact must be as old as the language itself. Surprising as it may seem, as recently […]
The Successful Career of the World’s Worst Counterfeiter
The Secret Service agent who studied the currency thought it was a joke. He was looking at a dollar bill that had been used at a cigar store, and it was clearly […]
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 […]