Warfare has been around for a very long time. As ancient mass graves have shown us, interactions between various groups of human beings haven’t always been peachy—if anything, they’ve often been nothing shy of horrific. And sometimes, horrific is actually the point of some forms of warfare, tactics intended to intimidate and scare the other

Britain has been having a bit of a rough time recently. Facing down the barrel of Brexit and the uncertainty of what comes next has left the people feeling somewhat tense. Perhaps because of this, Christmas has taken on a new meaning this year. People began putting up their decorations extra early to focus on

The Dolphin Communication Project, conducted by neuroscientist Dr. John Lilly and partly funded by NASA, was full of controversy and unusual situations. Hoping to bridge the gap in interspecies communication, Lilly wrote the book Man and Dolphin. It outlined observations that dolphins were capable of mimicking noises made by humans and the fascinating way that

Throughout the ages, humans have sought different ways to change their perceptions and alter their states of being. Many ordinary people, spiritual gurus, monks, and even priests have relied on shifting their conscious experience to achieve some sort of enlightenment or even simple joy. Euphoria, confusion, and delirium have all inspired and transformed people. Many

Most of the time, we tend to think of insects as annoying little things invading our homes—that is if we even think of them at all. And the word “worm” typically evokes thoughts of earthworms or of a particularly unsettling sea creature, depending on your interests. Although it can be frustrating to have a fly

Although forensics is a well-spread field, many have accused it of being less of a science and more of a pseudoscience, with untested claims and high error rates. As much as you’d like to believe in the various methods’ famous accuracy, the reality is that they don’t work the same way they do in famous

Just about everyone reading this has likely heard of psychological maladies like obsessive-compulsive disorder and schizophrenia. Conditions such as anxiety disorders and depression are everyday terms. However, there are some strange mental illnesses that you’ve probably never heard of. Some of these are location-specific and only affect people visiting a place. Others affect anybody but

In 1915, a German thinker named Friedrich Naumann wrote a book entitled Mitteleuropa. Naumann saw in Central Europe the chance for an economic trading zone free from the claws of imperial powers Great Britain, France, and Russia. Other German thinkers, especially Prussian militarists, conceived of Mitteleuropa as a pan-German state ruled from Berlin.[1] The Habsburg

Ancient weapons may have been forged from wood, stone, and lower-grade metal, but they were all deadly. Recent discoveries unearthed rare swords and spear points but also unusual facts. From fierce Vikings who did not use their swords to clumsy-looking paddles designed to crush skulls, unexpected uses are coming to light. Researchers also look to

Diamonds are not only a woman’s best friend. They are also a geologist’s best friend. These precious stones sometimes contain unbelievably rare or unseen elements that reveal the deepest secrets buried in our Earth. By analyzing diamond finds, scientists have been able to guess what lies underground and have even uncovered some facts about the

Imagine you’re walking through your home city or town, maybe in your own neighborhood on the way to your favorite nearby grocery market, when all of a sudden, you find yourself stopped, paralyzed with fear as you stare into the eyes of a dead person, staring your own mortality right in the face. Statistically speaking,

Some people have always been frightened of bridges. Gephyrophobia sufferers often try to avoid crossing bridges altogether, driving miles out of their way to avoid them. Of course, quite a few bridges can be rough experiences for those with acrophobia, as well. With some bridges, however, terror seems to be the only sensible response. Here,

In the animal kingdom, there is no shortage of odd bodily functions to keep you wondering what on Earth Mother Nature was thinking. What can we say about the workings of the animal kingdom? We have much in common with our animal friends, and yet we have many differences. It goes without saying that these

Throughout history, people have moved across the great expanses of the globe to establish communities. Some of them have even grown into large cities which harbor millions of individuals. However, some people have chosen to remain in smaller groups that are totally off the radar. These communities have withstood the test of time in near

To most of us, the mere mention of the word “incest” strikes us and stops us dead in our tracks. It’s immediately repulsive to most human beings the world over, and its taboo status reflects this. Incest may not be illegal in every society, but it is, at the very least, socially unacceptable virtually everywhere.[1]

The entire span of human history has been an arms race of survival adaptations against diseases which seem to be out to completely destroy us, both as individual organisms and as a collective species. Every time we come up with a new technique to combat various communicable diseases, the pathogens responsible change and mutate, becoming

Our home galaxy is the first frontier into space. It may appear to be a cliche with all those stars and planets, but the more scientists uncover, the more fantastic the galactic system becomes. There are dark matter storms, strange signals, and other first-time events. While great new finds are fodder for solving old questions,

The Ptolemaic Kingdom is an interesting part of history. Its rise and fall were bookended by the deaths of two of the most famous figures of ancient history: Alexander the Great and Cleopatra. The Ptolemies were very protective of their lineage. They were Greek rulers in Egypt. They often married siblings to maintain the bloodline.

What are the causes of violence? Why does it exist in the world? Even today, many people believe that some individuals are just violent and there is no sense in trying to understand it or do anything about it. Others have sought deeper explanations to understand the underpinnings of violence. Enlightenment liberalism has taught us

Some of the fruits, nuts, and vegetables we eat today are man-made hybrids. They were created through selective breeding, a process whereby only plants with favorable traits are replanted. In rare instances, insects were responsible for creating the hybrid plants through cross-pollination. However, the insects would not have been able to cross-pollinate the plants if

Art is the expression and interpretation of the human imagination in an intelligible way—a way that causes a meaningful conscious experience. Some might argue that without art, life would be meaningless, but without meaning, there would be no art, and meaning requires a conscious subject to give it such. In a very real way, we

Most people do not like to think too much about cemeteries. We tend to visit them only as often as we need to and then leave as quickly as is decently possible. This is a shame, because there are some cemeteries that are well worth closer inspection. Though in modern times, we tend to be

Even before the humble beginnings of philosophy in ancient Greece, humans have been obsessed with the idea of substances, where one material ends and another begins, and the general building blocks of life. But over the thousands of years that we’ve studied various materials, we’ve developed a good idea of what’s what. With the science

This list aims to counter the doom and gloom which is too prevalent in the media. We take a look at 10 stories meant to lift your spirits and inspire. Of course, if you prefer peculiar to positive, check out the offbeat list here. This week, teddy bears get tossed, money gets returned, and mothers

Most of us think of human corpses as disgusting, creepy things that we would do everything in our power to keep away from. They remind us of our own inevitable mortality as they stare back at us with blank, gazing eyes. But under certain circumstances, people have shown an incredible ability to overcome this fear.

One might be forgiven for thinking that color just sits there. However, shades and hues have a mysterious world of their own. They show up in unbreakable math problems and inexplicably strange animals. The most fascinating facts and mysteries involve the way that humans and colors interact. From those who can hear colors to seeing

The first gentlemen’s clubs were formed in London in the 17th century for the benefit of the English aristocracy. Opulent surroundings and strict rules of confidentiality about the affairs of the club allowed gentlemen to relax in convivial company—at least according to their public image. The St. James’s area of London soon became known as

Skyscrapers are icons of architectural engineering. Also known as “supertall buildings” or “vertical cities,”[1] skyscrapers represent a great example of human audacity by challenging the limits of nature. As the world population grows, humans have developed the need to start living among the clouds. And with this idea, there are great problems to be solved

Witch hunts and the ensuing witch trials, be they for political or religious reasons, have always been truly dark and nightmarish things. Throughout the history of the world, innocent people, overwhelmingly women, have been interrogated, punished, tortured, raped, and even murdered, all under the presumption that they practiced some sort of occult sorcery, or witchcraft.

Just about everyone reading this has probably heard of alleged UFO crashes like the Roswell incident. Or maybe you’ve even heard of the one at Kecksburg in Pennsylvania, or perhaps the alleged crash in the Black Forest in Germany in 1936. However, there is an absolute plethora of other claims, with numerous witnesses to boot,