In 1991, after surrendering to Colombian authorities, drug lord Pablo Escobar was granted permission to construct his own prison, which he named “La Catedral.” This facility was more akin to a luxurious private resort than a correctional institution, featuring amenities such as a football pitch, a giant dollhouse, a bar, a jacuzzi, and a waterfall.… Read More »
As part of its “Work Life Choice Challenge,” Microsoft Japan implemented a 4-day workweek by shutting down offices every Friday. This trial resulted in a remarkable 40% increase in productivity, as measured by sales per employee, compared to the same period the previous year. Furthermore, the shortened workweek resulted in a host of other benefits… Read More »
In 1952, a nuclear reactor in Canada was undergoing a meltdown, and Jimmy Carter was tasked with leading a team of nuclear scientists to disassemble it. To complete the dangerous task, Carter and other American military personnel had to lower themselves into the reactor and disassemble it manually. It is worth noting that Jimmy Carter… Read More »
Swanson ended up with an unexpected 260 tons of frozen turkey after Thanksgiving in 1953. This led to the creation of the iconic TV Dinner, which revolutionized mealtime for busy Americans. The original TV Dinners came in aluminum trays and were marketed as a convenient and modern way to enjoy a complete meal in front… Read More »
Shopping malls, much like casinos, are purposely designed to create a disorienting experience for visitors, leading them to lose track of time and location within the complex. This sensation is known as the Gruen Transfer, named after Victor Gruen, an Austrian architect who disapproved of such manipulative tactics. The Gruen Transfer is achieved through various… Read More »
Tom Crist, a lottery winner from Canada, made one of the most generous charitable donations by a lottery winner in history. After losing his wife to cancer, Crist won a lottery and pledged to donate all of his winnings to organizations fighting the disease. As Canada does not tax lottery winnings, Crist was able to… Read More »
North Dakota has effectively eliminated corporate chain pharmacies by implementing a law that mandates pharmacies to be owned by licensed pharmacists. This means that corporations owning pharmacies must be majority-owned by licensed pharmacists. It is worth noting that this law was enacted in 1963 as a response to concerns about the unethical practices of chain… Read More »
Roman engineers created structures that have withstood the test of time thanks to the use of lime clasts in their concrete. Unlike modern concrete, which often deteriorates within a few decades, Roman concrete exhibits remarkable durability due to its self-healing properties from lime clasts. As a result, ancient wonders like the Pantheon and aqueducts still… Read More »
In 1977, the airing of an anime based on the book Rascal in Japan led to the importation of thousands of North American raccoons as pets, which were eventually released into the wild and have since become an invasive species in the country. As a result of the raccoon population explosion in Japan, government officials… Read More »
Similar to Norse mythology, the Mississippian Native Americans held a cosmological belief system that involved a World Tree. Their World Tree was a central element of their belief system, and it was believed to be a conduit between the upper and lower worlds. The tree was considered to be the axis of the world, and… Read More »
Governments deliberately place castaway huts or depots on isolated islands to provide stranded people with essential supplies and tools. During the 19th and 20th centuries, the New Zealand government constructed the majority of these huts. Interestingly, the huts were designed to withstand harsh weather conditions, and they were built with materials that could withstand strong… Read More »