The Day a Cheese Cannonball Was Fired in War (Yes, Really)
Yes, a cheese cannonball was really fired in war. Discover this bizarre moment and other strange facts from the devastating Paraguayan War.
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The Last Words of John Sedgwick — The Elephants Were Safe, But the General Should Have Ducked
Read more: The Last Words of John Sedgwick — The Elephants Were Safe, But the General Should Have DuckedGeneral John Sedgwick (1813-1864) saw his final combat at the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House on May 9, 1864. Confederate sharpshooters were about 1,000 yards (900 m) away, and their shots caused members of his staff and artillerymen to duck for cover. Sedgwick urged his men not to be afraid and said, “What? Men dodging this…
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Jeremy Bentham: The Philosopher Who Taught Everyone How to Face Death By Having Everyone Look at His Dead Face
Read more: Jeremy Bentham: The Philosopher Who Taught Everyone How to Face Death By Having Everyone Look at His Dead FaceJeremy Bentham: Finding Happiness in Life and Death English philosopher Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832) was the founder of utilitarianism. The philosophy espouses the idea that each one should do the things that will result in the most total happiness. Considering that was his belief, one has to question his insistence about how this would play out…
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Lope de Vega’s Startling Deathbed Confession
Read more: Lope de Vega’s Startling Deathbed ConfessionWhat were Lope de Vega’s last words and astonishing confession?
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Meet the Creator of Spam Email
Read more: Meet the Creator of Spam EmailEver wonder who is responsible for all the junk in your email inbox? Meet Gary Thuerk, the creator of spam email.
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Oscar Wilde’s Final Battle With Wallpaper
Read more: Oscar Wilde’s Final Battle With WallpaperOscar Wilde (1854-1900) was famous for his humorous, ironic observations. This quality stayed with him right up to the end. The final words attributed to the Irishman, as he lay on his deathbed, were, “This wallpaper and I are fighting a duel to the death. Either it goes or I do.” It should be noted that there…
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No Bones About It: The Origin of the Chainsaw
Read more: No Bones About It: The Origin of the ChainsawThe chainsaw is an essential tool for those who work with wood, but it is for the roughest of cuts. You would never want to use a chainsaw for anything that requires surgical precision. Ironically, surgery is precisely the reason it was originally invented.
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The 500-Year Experiment
Read more: The 500-Year ExperimentIf you search through the inventory at the University of Edinburgh, you will come across a wooden box with 500 glass vials. Each of the vials is hermetically sealed. Half are shielded with lead. This curious collection is at the heart of an intriguing experiment. If you want to see how the experiment turns out,…
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Can a Dinosaur Outrun a Human? Government Waste in Tax Funded Studies
Read more: Can a Dinosaur Outrun a Human? Government Waste in Tax Funded StudiesExplore the government waste and the surprising government-funded studies on dinosaur speed, fish treadmills, and more! Fun insights into your tax dollars at work.
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Tulip Mania and the First Financial Market Bubble — Fact or Fiction?
Read more: Tulip Mania and the First Financial Market Bubble — Fact or Fiction?We have all heard about Tulip Mania — the crazy financial market bubble that gripped Holland in the 17th century. But how much of the story is true? Find out the fascinating history.
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Trapped Underwater for 16 Days: The Tragic End for Three Sailors at Pearl Harbor
Read more: Trapped Underwater for 16 Days: The Tragic End for Three Sailors at Pearl HarborOver 2,000 Americans were killed as a result of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941. For three sailors, their deaths would come after 16 horrifying days of being trapped underwater.
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The Standard Model: The Mathematical Formula for Life, the Universe, and (Almost) Everything
Read more: The Standard Model: The Mathematical Formula for Life, the Universe, and (Almost) EverythingWant a mathematical formula that explains everything in the universe? Welcome to the Standard Model.
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Justice Scalia’s Judgment on How to Have a Successful Marriage
Read more: Justice Scalia’s Judgment on How to Have a Successful MarriageUS Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia (1936-2016), was married for 56 years at the time of his death. He and his wife had nine children and 33 grandchildren. When asked what was the primary factor in making his marriage endure, he said, “Maureen made it very clear to me early on that if we were…
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Warm Words About Man’s Best Friend
Read more: Warm Words About Man’s Best FriendOf all the animals on earth, none has made the impact on the human heart quite as much as the dog. The following observations demonstrate why the dog has justifiably earned the title “man’s best friend.”
