In the 2011 novel The Martian and its 2015 film adaptation, orbital dynamics expert Rich Purnell devises a maneuver to get NASA’s Hermes spacecraft back to Mars and rescue marooned astronaut Mark Watney. Upon carrying out the maneuver, the crew of the Hermes sends a signal back to Mission Control, stating: “Houston, be advised: Rich… Read More »
The Egyptian pyramids at Giza are among the most famous and storied monuments in the world. The oldest of the seven wonders of the ancient world – and the only ones still standing – they have awed and inspired travellers, scholars, poets, and artists for thousand of years. Yet despite this timeless fascination, relatively little… Read More »
Whales are among the largest animals to have ever lived, with the Blue Whale, at a whopping 173 metric tons, holding the absolute record. Thus, the rare occasions when a dead whale washes ashore tend to cause massive headaches for the local population and authorities, not only due to the massive bulk and nauseating smell,… Read More »
In February of 1930, Dr. W.H. Miles, Health Officer for Oklahoma City, began hearing of an alarming number of patients presenting to hospitals with unusual symptoms. The muscles in their lower legs had become paralyzed, making them unable to straighten their feet and causing them to walk with a bizarre slapping gait. At first doctors… Read More »
In the vast annals of history it can’t surprise anyone that the occasional great man gets lost as records of them are sparse, or were all burned by some rival empire. It is surprising, though, when there are men of whom there is possibly TOO much evidence who still disappear from most historical records. One… Read More »
One day in October 1982, 604 tons of scrap metal arrived at the Hsin Jong Iron and Steel Company in Taiyuan, Taiwan. It was soon melted down and used to produce over 20,000 tons of rebar, which between 1982 and 1983 was used in the construction of more than 200 buildings throughout Taiwan, including 30… Read More »
Ever wonder what happens if you actually found a buried treasure or some sort of National Treasure-esk haul of ancient loot? Well, wonder no more. To begin with, as ever in just about everything, the answer to that is complicated. The bottom line is that most countries have laws that regulate what has to be… Read More »
The history of aviation is filled with truly terrible aircraft. For every Sopwith Camel there was the SPAD S.A, which placed the gunner precariously in front of the propeller to clear his field of fire. For every Spitfire there was the Boulton-Paul Defiant, a WWII turret fighter based on outdated WWI tactics. For every Boeing… Read More »
France detonated its first atomic bomb, codenamed Blue Jerboa, on February 13, 1960, becoming the fourth nation to do so after the United States, the Soviet Union, and Great Britain. At first the French tested their nuclear weapons in their then-colony of Algeria, but after the country gained its independence in 1962 testing moved to… Read More »
Anyone who has seen Mad Men knows that the 1960s in America were a time of unmitigated consumerism. Advertising was largely unregulated—a fact that continues to influence certain industries. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the cereal aisle. Several mainstays of the canonically fuzzy cereal multiverse have their origins in the Wild West period… Read More »
Born September 9, 1890 in Henryville, Indiana, Harland Sanders’ wasn’t exactly born with a silver spoon. His father passed away when he was six and his mother had to work several jobs to make ends meet. Because of this, he was tasked with looking after his two younger siblings and taking care of the home,… Read More »