Damn Interesting

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Private Wojtek’s Right to Bear Arms
One of Poland’s most beloved and honored World War II veterans was not Polish at all: he was a 500-pound brown bear named Wojtek.

Written by Erika Nesvold • 12 December 2019 • Read/Listen →
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Permission to Grow

Beards have been banned in a number of military forces in history, from Qing Dynasty China to the modern-day Indian Army (apart from Sikhs). However cert...
Written by Alan Bellows • 22 Nov 2019 • Read →
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Sometimes a Cigar is Just a Cigar

Shortly after the abortive Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba, U.S. President John F. Kennedy summoned his press secretary Pierre Salinger to the presidential ...
Written by Alan Bellows • 26 Sep 2019 • Read →
Long-Form:

Dead Reckoning

The 18th century misadventures of HMS Wager and her reluctant crew
Written by Alan Bellows • 12 Sep 2019 • Read/Listen →
Long-Form:

The Eponymous Mr. Ponzi

The little known story of an age-old scam.
Written by Michael Durbin • 02 Sep 2019 • Read/Listen →
Long-Form:

The Most Modern of Modern Sports

The secret runaway success of Kenneth Gandar-Dower’s racing cheetahs.
Written by Jennifer Lee Noonan • 15 Apr 2019 • Read/Listen →
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A Pregnant Pause

In January of 1963, husband and wife George and Charlotte Blonsky submitted a patent application for a revolutionary invention. George, a mining engineer...
Written by Alan Bellows • 29 Mar 2019 • Read →
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Every Breath You Take

In June of 1965, a 27-year-old gentleman by the name of Angus Barbieri checked himself into the Maryfield Hospital in Dundee, Scotland. His complaint was...
Written by Alan Bellows • 25 Jan 2019 • Read →
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Schumann Resonances

Three times a day, every day--roughly 9am, 2pm, and 8pm Coordinated Universal Time--an extremely low frequency electromagnetic pulse races around the Ear...
Written by Matt Castle • 04 Dec 2018 • Read →
Long-Form:

A Debaculous Fiasco

The most expensive, bizarre, and obscure work ever created by Dr. Seuss.
Written by Jennifer Lee Noonan • 06 Nov 2018 • Read/Listen →
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The Original Ghostbuster

In the early 1980s, a certain Mr. Vic Tandy found himself working for a medical device manufacturer in Warwick, in the county of Warwickshire, England. W...
Written by Erin Anderson • 14 Aug 2018 • Read →
Long-Form:

Drawing the Shorter Straw

Visionary Argentine filmmaker Quirino Cristiani created full-length animated films between 1917 and 1931. He has since been all but forgotten.
Written by Marisa Brook • 31 Jul 2018 • Read/Listen →
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Involuntary Indefatigability

Only one fictional character has ever been honoured with a front-page obituary in the New York Times: Hercule Poirot, one of Agatha Christie's two recurr...
Written by Marisa Brook • 21 May 2018 • Read →
Long-Form:

The Curse of Konzo

In 1981, an international group of doctors identified the devastating disease behind a perplexing outbreak of paralysis in northern Mozambique.
Written by Matt Castle • 02 May 2018 • Read/Listen →
Long-Form:

A Jarring Revelation

Amanda Theodosia Jones was a 19th-century poet, entrepreneur, and inventor who found inspiration in some unlikely places.
Written by Christine Ro • 30 Mar 2018 • Read/Listen →
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Scraping Bottom

When Germany was divided in two after the Second World War, military leaders recognized the need for liaison between the Soviet-occupied East Germany and...
Written by Alan Bellows • 19 Mar 2018 • Read →
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The Colors of Numbers

Synesthesia is a neurological phenomenon in which certain sensory concepts are strongly linked to each other in seemingly random but persistent ways. Tho...
Written by Jennifer Lee Noonan • 12 Mar 2018 • Read →
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Yankee Swap

One of the more controversial trades in baseball history was announced on 04 March 1973, just before the start of the 1973 baseball season. Mike Kekich a...
Written by Alan Bellows • 04 Mar 2018 • Read →
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The Mystery Lake of the Himalayas

Nestled in a valley high in the Himalayas in northern India is a small lake named Roopkund, known locally as Mystery Lake. The area around Roopkund Lake ...
Written by Erika Nesvold • 19 Feb 2018 • Read →
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Echoes of NASA

On 13 May 1960, a NASA Thor-Delta rocket carried the agency's new Echo 1 satellite into a 1,000 mile orbit around the Earth. It was a 156.995 pound metal...
Written by Alan Bellows • 12 Feb 2018 • Read →
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Cracking the Case

A lengthy study of 'crack babies' born to cocaine addicts in Philadelphia in the 1980s and 1990s ended in 2013 with an unexpected result. The average IQ ...
Written by Marisa Brook • 06 Feb 2018 • Read →

28 February 2020

Video: The Pope's Telescopes [22:31] Video: The Pope's Telescopes [22:31]
youtube.com
Melting ice in Antarctica reveals new uncharted island Melting ice in Antarctica reveals new uncharted island
livescience.com
Scientists Discover Protein in a Meteorite Scientists Discover Protein in a Meteorite
futurism.com
On this day in 1943 a team of Norwegian commandos sabotaged the Nazi effort to build an atomic bomb On this day in 1943 a team of Norwegian commandos sabotaged the Nazi effort to build an atomic bomb
damninteresting.com
When up means down: why do so many video game players invert their controls? When up means down: why do so many video game players invert their controls?
theguardian.com
Fallout from coronavirus outbreak triggers 25% decrease in China's carbon emissions Fallout from coronavirus outbreak triggers 25% decrease in China's carbon emissions
cbc.ca
First Food in Space: Toothpaste Tubes of Applesauce and Beef First Food in Space: Toothpaste Tubes of Applesauce and Beef
discovermagazine.com
Could We Build a Dyson Sphere? Could We Build a Dyson Sphere?
popularmechanics.com
Freeman Dyson, Visionary Technologist, Is Dead at 96 Freeman Dyson, Visionary Technologist, Is Dead at 96 • See also • See also
damninteresting.com
If you enjoy our curated links, please consider supporting us so we can keep the links flowing If you enjoy our curated links, please consider supporting us so we can keep the links flowing
damninteresting.com
How Do We Know That Epic Poems Were Recited from Memory? How Do We Know That Epic Poems Were Recited from Memory?
daily.jstor.org
US successfully planned for the 'endless frontier' of science research in 1945 – now it’s time to plan the next 75 years US successfully planned for the 'endless frontier' of science research in 1945 – now it’s time to plan the next 75 years
theconversation.com
The Daily Race to Find Jersey Artifacts Before the Tide Comes In The Daily Race to Find Jersey Artifacts Before the Tide Comes In
atlasobscura.com
The new episode of Damn Interesting Week is out! Wasp Sauce The new episode of Damn Interesting Week is out! Wasp Sauce
damninteresting.com
The majority-black city blocked from electing black officials The majority-black city blocked from electing black officials
theguardian.com
Video: The small town of Gander, Newfoundland—an unlikely international hub [5:23] Video: The small town of Gander, Newfoundland—an unlikely international hub [5:23]
bbc.com
How North Korean Hackers Rob Banks Around the World How North Korean Hackers Rob Banks Around the World
wired.com
The co-evolution of plants and humans The co-evolution of plants and humans
cosmosmagazine.com
Gemini Telescope Images “Minimoon” Orbiting Earth Gemini Telescope Images “Minimoon” Orbiting Earth
nationalastro.org
2019 coronavirus: The Korean clusters 2019 coronavirus: The Korean clusters
graphics.reuters.com
The Gig Economy Has Never Been Tested by a Pandemic The Gig Economy Has Never Been Tested by a Pandemic
theatlantic.com
Scientific Facts Everyone Should Know About Leap Day Scientific Facts Everyone Should Know About Leap Day
forbes.com
Roman Emperor Caligula believed he was a god. He was assassinated for it Roman Emperor Caligula believed he was a god. He was assassinated for it
nationalgeographic.com
Recycled Nuclear Waste Will Power a New Reactor Recycled Nuclear Waste Will Power a New Reactor
wired.com

27 February 2020

Eruption in black hole 390m light years away punched cavity the size of 15 Milky Ways Eruption in black hole 390m light years away punched cavity the size of 15 Milky Ways
theguardian.com
Why isn't Washington, D.C. a state? It started with a drunken mob. Why isn't Washington, D.C. a state? It started with a drunken mob.
nationalgeographic.com
The man who refused to freeze to death The man who refused to freeze to death
bbc.com
How a Shipwrecked Crew Survived 10 Days Lost at Sea How a Shipwrecked Crew Survived 10 Days Lost at Sea
outsideonline.com
Why Grocery Shopping Is on Its Way Out Why Grocery Shopping Is on Its Way Out
thewalrus.ca
The Hard Drive With 68 Billion Melodies The Hard Drive With 68 Billion Melodies
theatlantic.com
Why America Is Losing The Toilet Race Why America Is Losing The Toilet Race
npr.org
New Wrinkle Added to Cosmology’s Hubble Crisis New Wrinkle Added to Cosmology’s Hubble Crisis
quantamagazine.org
Why your brain is not a computer Why your brain is not a computer
theguardian.com
On this day in 1741 Commodore Anson's secret squadron entered the Straits le Maire On this day in 1741 Commodore Anson's secret squadron entered the Straits le Maire
damninteresting.com
For the first time, two commercial satellites have successfully docked while in orbit For the first time, two commercial satellites have successfully docked while in orbit
news.northropgrumman.com
Russia Unveils Laika, Its Next-Gen Nuclear Attack Submarine Russia Unveils Laika, Its Next-Gen Nuclear Attack Submarine • (see also)
popularmechanics.com
Can a rogue star kick Earth out of the solar system? Can a rogue star kick Earth out of the solar system?
space.com
Paraguay still haunted by cataclysmic war that nearly wiped it off the map Paraguay still haunted by cataclysmic war that nearly wiped it off the map
theguardian.com

26 February 2020

Large exoplanet could have the right conditions for life Large exoplanet could have the right conditions for life
phys.org
China’s Rover Finds Layers of Surprise Under Moon’s Far Side China’s Rover Finds Layers of Surprise Under Moon’s Far Side
nytimes.com
Inside the race to build the best quantum computer on Earth Inside the race to build the best quantum computer on Earth
technologyreview.com
Red pandas are two species, not one Red pandas are two species, not one
bbc.com
Video: The science of NASA's future Dragonfly mission to Titan [2:17] Video: The science of NASA's future Dragonfly mission to Titan [2:17]
youtube.com
Life in the Last Dunes of Hawai‘i Life in the Last Dunes of Hawai‘i
hakaimagazine.com
The Problem We All Live With and the political awakening of Norman Rockwell The Problem We All Live With and the political awakening of Norman Rockwell
vox.com


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