During WWII, the British launched nearly 100,000 weather balloons trailing long metal wires toward occupied Europe, causing power outages when they shorted out power lines and causing at least one German power station to burn down. The US military “rediscovered” this during training operations in the San Diego area a few decades ago when metallic radar cloaking chaff accidentally drifted into a substation causing a widespread power outage. This led to development of ordnance that released carbon fibers for the same effect. It was used during the Iraq war.
An increasing number of schools…
An increasing number of schools and companies in Japan encourage their students and employees to cry as a way of relieving stress and improving mental health. There are also people who are called “namida sensei” meaning “tears teacher”.
A man in Vermont, upset…
A man in Vermont, upset with local officials for denying a building permit for his proposed business, paid $4,000 to build a giant illuminated middle finger statue on his property. “If you don’t want to look at the building, look at this.” He said to the Development Review Board.
Removing lead from gasoline…
Removing lead from gasoline is thought to be one of the big factors that lead to the drop in the violent crime rate in America in the 1990s.
Your nose is always visible…
Your nose is always visible to you. Your mind ignores it through a process called Unconscious Selective Attention.
In 2014, a three-year-old girl…
In 2014, a three-year-old girl, Karina Chikitova, survived 11 days in the Siberian wilderness with only her dog for company. She ate wild berries and drank from a river, curling up next to her dog for warmth. She was saved when her dog went back to her village and guided rescuers to her.
Sausage of the North
When British sausage-maker Heck announced that it was going to construct a gigantic sausage statue as tall as Big Ben alongside the A1(M) motorway in England, most people assumed they were joking. Especially since they made the announcement on the day before April Fool’s Day. But it turns out, they weren’t joking and appear to be proceeding with plans to build the “Sausage of the North.”
According to a 2018 study…
According to a 2018 study, the Washington DC area has a higher proportion of psychopaths than any other state in the USA.
From the 1960s to the 1970s…
From the 1960s to the 1970s, Russian cosmonauts were issued alcohol rations to drink in space. While it is still officially banned, it is widely believed that cosmonauts still smuggle some into space.
In 1966, during his second…
In 1966, during his second stint in jail, Charles Manson refused release and requested to stay in prison. He’d spent half of his 32 years behind bars, and saw it as his home. Authorities refused and released him. He quickly formed the family.