The Remarkable Journey of a Slave Who Mailed Himself to Freedom

Resurrection of Henry Box Brown

In 1848, Henry Brown was a slave in his 30s who had spent almost 20 years working on a Virginia plantation. There, he met his wife and had three children with her. Tragically, the plantation owner sold Brown’s wife and children to another slave owner, leaving Brown powerless to intervene. By...

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Jerry Springer: A Tribute to the Television Icon with 5 Fascinating Facts from His Life

Jerry Springer

Today, we mourn the passing of Jerry Springer, a legendary television personality who made a significant impact on pop culture. To honor his memory, we’ve compiled a list of five intriguing facts about his life. Born in a WWII bomb shelter: Jerry Springer entered the world in extraordinary circumstances, as his...

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Ekiben: Savoring Japan’s Train-Travel Delicacies

A typical $10 (1000 Yen) Bento, bought from a bento store in Tokyo Terminal.
A typical $10 (1000 Yen) Bento, bought from a bento store in Tokyo Terminal.

Ekiben, the quintessential Japanese train travel companion, are specially crafted bento box meals that showcase the unique flavors of each region. As passengers journey through Japan, they can indulge in these locally inspired delicacies that differ from station to station. In the 1980s, the popularity of ekiben soared, with an...

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Stevie Wonder: From Frustration to Masterpiece

In 1975, the legendary artist Stevie Wonder found himself growing increasingly frustrated with the state of the U.S. government. At one point, he seriously considered leaving his music career behind and relocating to Ghana. Ultimately, however, he chose to channel his emotions into his work, which led to the creation...

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Video Calling Reduces Loneliness in Pet Parrots: A Study

A recent study has shown that pet parrots, when taught to use video calls to communicate with one another, experience reduced loneliness. By providing the birds with a tablet for making video calls, researchers observed an increase in social behaviors such as preening, singing, and play. The parrots were allowed...

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Apollo 11’s Unspoken Plan: Preparing for Moon Mission Failure

The Nixon White House prepared this letter in the event that American  astronauts did not survive the Apollo 11 mission.
The Nixon White House prepared this letter in the event that American astronauts did not survive the Apollo 11 mission.

Despite careful planning, things can still go awry, emphasizing the importance of preparing for the worst. In 1969, as Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin made their groundbreaking lunar landing, NASA’s main worry was whether the lunar lander could effectively leave the moon’s surface and reunite with Michael Collins aboard the lunar...

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Pandemics Shape Human Immunity: Black Death’s Legacy

The Black Death’s 14th-century survivors had genetic traits now linked to autoimmune diseases like Crohn’s. This demonstrates how past pandemics influenced the evolution of human immunity genes, highlighting the complex interplay between pathogens and human genetic adaptation.