Why is cotton in everything? | Michael R. Stiff

In February of 1942, Mexican farmer Dionisio Pulido thought he heard thunder coming from his cornfield. However, the sound wasn't coming from the sky. The source was a large, smoking crack emitting ga...

13 Juli 20205min

On January 17, 1920, less than one hour after spirits had become illegal throughout the United States, armed men robbed a Chicago freight train and made off with thousands of dollars worth of whiskey....

9 Juli 20204min

In a small town, a proud mother showed off her newborn son. Upon noticing his lucky birthmark, townsfolk predicted he would marry a princess. But soon, these rumors reached the wicked king. Enraged, t...

7 Juli 20205min

When Nicolas Bourbaki applied to the American Mathematical Society in the 1950s, he was already one of the most influential mathematicians of his time. He'd published articles in international journal...

6 Juli 20204min

You're cruising down the highway when all of a sudden endless rows of brake lights appear ahead. There's no accident, no stoplight, no change in speed limit, or narrowing of the road. So why is there ...

28 Maj 20204min

A mountain separating two lakes. A room papered floor to ceiling with bridal satins. The lid of an immense snuffbox. These seemingly unrelated images take us on a tour of a sperm whale's head in Herma...

26 Maj 20205min

In the 16th century, physician Andreas Vesalius described how a suffocating animal could be kept alive by inserting a tube into its trachea and blowing air to inflate its lungs. Today, Vesalius's trea...

21 Maj 20205min

The evil wizard MoldeVort has been trying to kill you for years, and today it looks like he's going to succeed. But your friends are on their way, and if you can survive until they arrive, they should...

19 Maj 20204min