The Spanish flu often gets overshadowed by its more popular counterparts like Ebola and the Black Plague. In many ways, though, it was far deadlier than anything we’ve seen before or since. An estimated one third of the entire world’s population contracted it, and it killed at least 50 million people. The doctors of 1918

If the week has got you down, this list might help lift your spirits. We looked at all the positive, inspiring, and amusing stories that made the headlines over the last few days and put them all into one list. It goes well with a side of offbeat quirkiness. This week, we look at regular

In our modern age of satellite imagery and aircraft, it is incredibly easy to explore and map out new locations. In the past, though, the job fell to small expeditions of well-equipped people. Relying on nothing but their log, some rations, and a handful of mapping tools, these groups would often spend months, if not

Think libraries are boring? Well, think again. Today’s libraries are a delightful combination of old school and high tech. Of course, libraries will always have great books waiting to be plucked from the shelves, but at many locations, you can also find free Internet, downloadable media, 3-D printing, and more. Unfortunately, there are some parts

Hacking is a misfortune we’ve had to deal with since even before computers and the Internet came along. We often think of e-mail accounts, websites, and cloud servers when we think of hacking. This is even though hackers can strike plenty of other things, including live television broadcasts. Hackers have been hacking television stations for

Monsters have always been with us. The oldest stories hint at tales stretching back before the invention of writing. One myth common across Indo-European cultures features a monstrous dragon—and its slaying by a brave hero. More modern monsters often do not offer us the comfort of showing us how to defeat them. They can also

Prisons are somewhere few want to be, so it’s surprising to learn that people have actually asked judges, police officers, and probation officers to send them to prison. In some cases, these people committed offenses that warranted jail time anyway and just asked the judge to send them to prison or add a few years

Most of us just want to pee and flee the bathroom. Urine does have its fans, though. Scientists are coddling the warm liquid to grow vegetables on Mars and generate electricity from pee-powered batteries. The fluid is also central to several weird moments and studies. From walls that nobody wants to urinate against to advertisements

The right item at auction can bring instant wealth. Where there is a chance to make quick money, things often turn controversial, strange, or utterly dark. Renowned auctioneers are accused of peddling stolen artifacts, artists destroy their work after a sale, and scientists lose valuable fossils to private collectors. Auctions also prove that whale hunting,

“Food fight!” is a call which has echoed through many school playgrounds and dining halls throughout history. However, this seemingly childish waste of food is not restricted to juveniles. In many cultures around the world, a food fight has been part of end-of-harvest traditions and a fun way to dispose of inedible food. Other events

Everything you come in contact with has its own story. Familiarity has drained some items of any interest. However, when looking at even the most mundane things, there is almost always something surreal. Just because that item is banal doesn’t mean that its history is. The people behind even the most mundane things lived lives