What Were We Thinking? The Top 10 Most Dangerous Ads

image credit

Vintage advertising campaigns often steered consumers into dangerous territory, espousing misleading half-truths to convince people that toxic products were actually good for them. We may feel we're far beyond the bad old days of deceptive advertising, but our current obesity epidemic suggests exactly the opposite.

Here's a look back at 10 colossally painful advertisements, which make you wonder: What modern 'health' products might look a little more evil in the future?

(thanks Hunter)

Read More »

The 10 Stupidest Criminals

image credit

Every once in awhile, we find proof that there's not much to understand of the criminal mindset. Here are the stories of the 10 Stupidest Criminals and their stupid crimes that are just too bizarre not to be true.

(thanks Casey)

Read More »

10 Most Impressive Polyglots In World History

Polyglotism is the ability to speak several languages with a high degree of proficiency. There is no consensus on exactly how many languages a person has to speak to be a polyglot. One could say 'four or more,' since speakers of two or three languages are commonly called bilingual and trilingual, respectively.

Throughout history, a few intrepid language enthusiasts have taken on the challenge of learning not one or two but dozens of languages. A few have even purportedly mastered as many as 100 distinct languages and dialects. Learn more about a few of these astonishing language learners, who just might inspire you to step up your own language learning game.

Read More »

Bacon Is Done

Stick a fork in bacon, Internet. Bacon's done.



YouTube link

(thanks Cora)

Read More »

What Happens While You Sleep And How It Affects Your Every Waking Moment

The Ancient Greeks believed that one fell asleep when the brain filled with blood and awakened once it drained back out. Nineteenth-century philosophers contended that sleep happened when the brain was emptied of ambitions and stimulating thoughts. Even today, sleep remains one of the most poorly understood human biological functions.

In Dreamland: Adventures in the Strange Science of Sleep, journalist David K. Randall explores 'the largest overlooked part of your life and how it affects you even if you don't have a sleep problem.' From gender differences to how come some people snore and others don't to why we dream, he dives deep into this mysterious third of human existence to illuminate what happens when night falls and how it impacts every aspect of our days.

Read More »

Google Maps Travels North To Canada's Arctic

image credit

Google has embarked on a trip to build the most comprehensive map of Canada's Arctic region to date. It is the furthest north that the Google Maps Street View team has traveled in Canada, and marks the first time that it has set foot in the Canadian territory of Nunavut.

Residents of Cambridge Bay (picture above), a small northern hamlet, used Google Map Maker to add roads, rivers, lakes and other points of interest to the area's map. The tool, which allows locals to add their knowledge directly to Google Maps, supports Inuktitut, one of Nunavut's official languages.

Read More »

Joe Rinaudo On The American Photoplayer

Joe Rinaudo performs 'Ghost Parade' on the American Photoplayer, a type of player piano specifically developed to provide music and sound effects for silent movies.



YouTube link

(thanks Cora)

Read More »