The world’s powers have to be ready for anything. After all, war could break out at any moment, and they have to be ready to fight. It’s very likely that every country in the world has plans ready to invade each and every one of their neighbors, just in case. But some of those plans

Being infected by parasites sounds like something that happens to other people in faraway places. However, parasites that infect humans are far more common than you might think. A lot of them have no symptoms, either, so people can go years without knowing they are infected. Possibly up to 60 percent of the world’s population

Ghost stories are scary because they tackle the unknown. History is interesting because it recounts real events that actually happened. The fascinating medium between the two are natural events that we have yet to understand. While we are constantly learning about how our world works, we often run into naturally occurring “miracles” that escape our

It is fairly common these days to see people demanding “more democracy” or proclaiming that “this is what democracy looks like” at rallies, protests, and riots. At its base, “democracy,” which comes from demos (“people”) and kratos (“power”), simply means “rule of the people.” The Greek origins of the word highlight the fact that ancient

Torture has been part of society for centuries. People use it to punish, to extract information, and to deter others from doing certain things. Different cultures have tried and perfected the vast array of tortures known to mankind. One of those ways—perfected for excruciating pain by the Romans—is crucifixion. It’s how the Romans killed Jesus.

Adults can find it difficult to know how to make a cartoon that really appeals to kids, especially when you’re talking about international audiences. How much weirdness should be included? How much “attitude” do you put in to keep it from being too safe and sappy? How scary should the studio make their cartoon? These

Germany, land of being really quiet on Sundays, driving at 320 kilometers per hour (200 mph) on the Autobahn, and sausage. These crude stereotypes aside, we discover that there is far more interesting history in Deutschland than one might expect. Vorwarts! 10 The Psychology Of Penalties No German soccer player has ever missed in a

When most of us think of witch slayings, we conjure up images of the famous witch trials in Salem, Massachusetts, in 1692 or similar old-time panics. By our modern standards, crazy beliefs back then led to the executions of innocent people wrongly accused by delusional neighbors. Many of us think that people are too sophisticated

Many people end up as victims of crime. Those who’ve suffered more serious crimes can have their lives turned upside down by their ordeals. Ideally, such victims will ultimately be able to move on with their lives. Some criminals, however, just aren’t willing to let their victims live in peace. They blame them for their

These days, many new alleged disorders, health scares, and other psychological ailments seem to have been largely aided and abetted in their spread around the world by the Internet’s current viral culture. People will tell you that what you eat is killing you, what you breathe is killing you, and even Wi-Fi and drinking water

Drugs. You’ve probably heard that word a lot. From a very early age, we’re taught that drugs are evil and that one experience will get you addicted and ruin your life in a matter of seconds. Later, depending on what media you’re consuming, the messages become more mixed. Just as varied are the types of

If you’ve ever watched an episode of Star Trek or The Big Bang Theory, then you know that physics can be made accessible to the masses in a fun way. Our favorite sci-fi and comedy writers may not get every detail right, but they do spark our interest in the weirder aspects of scientific theories.

Whatever their secrets, whether they’re dark and deadly or merely harmless rituals and beliefs for members only, the influence that Freemasons had on the (sometimes literal) building of the United States is widespread and far-reaching. To some people, particularly those in conspiracy circles, that is not a coincidence. If you believe their version of events,

While some people find caterpillars to be cute, adorable little creatures, others are utterly terrified of them. However, few people know how truly fascinating and bizarre the world of the humble caterpillar really is. From toxic nicotine breath, to butt communication, to one of the most incredible transformation processes in the animal kingdom, there is

Our World Marcus Lowth August 29, 2017 Most of us are familiar with the Chernobyl disaster of April 1986 and the literal fallout that followed. In addition to the two people who died immediately, 29 more would die in the coming days due to exposure to lethal doses of radiation. Countless more people experienced health

Anonymous is a decentralized group of unknown international activist hackers. Members of the group are usually known to wear the Guy Fawkes mask to obscure their identity.[1] While the group has no specific goals, there is an overarching desire to combat Internet censorship, promote freedom of speech, and frustrate authoritarian governments. Anonymous has no membership

Music Mark Oliver August 28, 2017 Groupies usually don’t show up as much more than a footnote in music. They’re the girls who hang out backstage with the band, usually troubled girls from unhappy homes, struggling to find an escape by diving into the sex and drugs that go with rock ‘n’ roll. They’re treated

Space Cameron Glenn August 28, 2017 Every day, NASA scans the galaxy in search of new planets, stars, and systems dispersed throughout the cosmos. We have sent many probes into space, from Voyager 1 to Juno, all with the task of first exploring our solar system and later investigating beyond it. The Kepler spacecraft has

History Radu Alexander August 27, 2017 Sometimes, it can be very difficult to distinguish historical fact from historical fiction. In some cases, the lack of solid evidence makes a definitive conclusion impossible, while in others, new findings keep changing the official story. Academic biases can also muddy the waters at times. Many things in history

Facts Oliver Taylor August 27, 2017 Look in your cupboard. What do see? What about that sharply dressed man you passed in the street? Your answers to the previous questions probably weren’t, “An armory,” and, “A heavily armed maniac.” Warfare and the quest to protect ourselves from criminal elements has seen us manipulate normal things

Health Kayla Tomlinson August 26, 2017 We live in a wonderful time of mass media. The news is at our fingertips, and entertainment is ever present. Unfortunately, advertisers slip in suggestions for us and we usually follow along without even a second thought. For some of us, our parents taught us certain things because they

Travel Ben Gazur August 26, 2017 Everyone loves a trip to the beach. The warmth of the Sun on your skin, the fresh air blowing off the sea, the soft sand between your toes, the glowing waves, the chunks of ice, and the hot springs are what make a holiday special. You probably weren’t expecting

Animals Mark Oliver August 25, 2017 Nature, brimming with life in all of its vibrancy and wonders, can be pretty gross. It’s a fact that usually doesn’t make it into all those nature documentaries, but animals are alive—and being alive is pretty disgusting. Animals have all the filthy habits we humans enjoy, but they work

Religion David F. Ellrod August 25, 2017 The Roman Catholic Church keeps records of thousands of deceased persons it has recognized as saints—people whose presence in Heaven it considers verified. Given these saints’ lofty stature, their help (or intercession) is often invoked by Catholics on Earth to petition God for help with particular issues. The

Crime Joe Duncan August 24, 2017 Serial killers have long shaken our society to the very core. With their bizarre behavior and ruthless killings, we know they operate differently than the rest of us. The idea that there are serial killers out there right now, lurking in the shadows, passing you on the street, killing

Weird Stuff Adam R. Ramos August 24, 2017 Body piercing has been practiced throughout the world since ancient times for religious, aesthetic, and sexual purposes. While many people choose to display their piercings proudly, in Victorian times, piercings were secretly hidden beneath a prim exterior. Others on this list were forcibly pierced against their will.

Mysteries Samantha Spencer August 23, 2017 Sadly, many people go missing. Some of these people become very well-known in the aftermath of their disappearances. But we’re always left to wonder if the efforts to find them might have been more thorough—and possibly more successful—if they had been rich, powerful, or famous. As you’ll see, even

Pop Culture Tiffany Stronghart August 23, 2017 It’s no secret that advertisers sell their products by offering a solution to a consumer’s problem—and in some cases, a problem they didn’t even know they had. For example, people didn’t worry about bad breath until Listerine created mouthwash. Yet, the Listerine-induced halitosis scare resulted in one of

Misconceptions Radu Alexander August 22, 2017 To the victor go the spoils . . . and the privilege of writing their own history, most frequently in glowing terms. But, alas, this has all too often resulted in misconceptions, myths, and outright lies being taught and believed by future generations. History seldom lets truth get in

Facts Tom Lohr August 22, 2017 While the navy’s aircraft carriers get most of the media’s attention, they make up a small portion of America’s surface combatants. Destroyers, the fast, mobile, weapons-packed greyhounds of the fleet are the actual backbone of the nation’s maritime presence, constituting a large percentage of the navy’s warships. Weighing in