The things people obsess over are usually predictable. Sex, drugs, and alcohol are usual suspects. People may obsess about their weight or about much money they are making and how to make more of it. In country after country, these are common fixations. However, some countries break the mold and establish new categories for obsession.

Are you sick of struggling to find anything decent to watch out of Hollywood these days? Me too! Long a bastion of great movie making, Hollywood has recently abdicated the bulk of its role as an entertainment creator in order to enter the rather tiresome world of politics and social engineering. Gone are the regular

Businesses make their money when you buy goods or services from them. So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that they put a lot of effort and thought into making sure that you actually buy whatever it is that they are selling, and many companies have quite a few tricks up their sleeves to accomplish

Numbers have intriguing qualities and mysteries. Nobody knows why prime numbers appear randomly or why they behave like crystals. There is no denying that the field is ripe with weirdness. Quantum mechanics has produced unhackable numbers, vast numbers could create black holes in the brain, and half the US population wants to ban numbers. That

Like any other craft or art form, designing fashion items requires inspiration. Fashion designers have been inspired by their roots, by popular music, and by nature. But some fashion designers have been influenced by more unlikely sources. In fact, certain fashion trends throughout history—including the present day—have sprung from the strangest birthplace of all—disease. Here

Animal parks and zoos are supposed to be a source of happiness and entertainment. Ideally, they’re places for people to be educated and enriched, witnessing animal species they normally would not encounter. It doesn’t always work out that way, however. Lack of funding, opposition by activists, and severity of elements are all reasons that animal

First developed by Gordon Gould during the 1950s, lasers are one of the most popular and widely used devices in modern society. The optical beams can be found in everything from weapons guidance systems to hair removal surgery. However, that was not always the case. Originally, Gould and his peers struggled to find practical applications

If the happenings of the past week have got you down, perhaps this list can cheer you up a bit. Here, we only talk about stories that are positive, amusing, or inspirational. Meanwhile, you can also check the offbeat list for a look at some of the most bizarre news items that made the headlines.

Ancient Greece is often seen as the birthplace of Western civilization. It’s also credited with founding some of the earliest institutions devoted to acquiring knowledge, and if that wasn’t enough, Athens is commonly regarded as the birthplace of democracy. But the length of time between this era and the modern world means that not everything