WEIRD FACTS
A sample of crucible slag from an 11th century archaeological site in Iran, which was found to contain chromium. Rahil Alipour, UCL – By Michael Irving 2020 Sep 23 – Chromium is a common addition to alloys to make materials like tool steel or …
A brain-eating amoeba – By Lauren M. Johnson and Artemis Moshtaghian, CNN Updated 5:49 PM ET, Sat 2020 Sep 26 – Residents of eight cities have been alerted that a brain-eating amoeba was found in a southeast Texas water supply, leading one of …
Demonstrators outside the U.S. Capitol on Sept. 21 called on the Republican-controlled Senate not to confirm a new justice until the next president is in office. Alex Edelman/AFP via Getty Images – By David Orentlicher, Professor of Law and Co-Director, Health Law Program, …
The coronavirus forced the editors of the Oxford English Dictionary to break with tradition. Illustration by Anurag Papolu/The Conversation; dictionary photo by Spauln via Getty Images and model of COVID-19 by fpm/iStock via Getty Images , CC BY-SA – By Roger J. Kreuz, …
The U.S. Supreme Court changed size seven times in its first 80 years, from as few as five justices to as many as 10. Now, some argue it’s time to revisit the issue. The Supreme Court consisted of nine justices in 1894, but …
Dirty money pours into the world’s most powerful banks. Money from drug cartels, organized crime rings, corrupt leaders. Money that funds terror networks, bloody wars, and human trafficking. All laundered clean. The banks don’t stop the money. And the government doesn’t stop the …
Threats to global biodiversity are also threats to humans, experts warn. Smoke rises from a fire in the Amazon rainforest, south of Novo Progresso in the Para state, Brazil. (Photo by CARL DE SOUZA / AFP / Getty Images) – By Nora McGreevy, …
People who miss flying are rushing to buy tickets for flights that land in the same place they depart from. On an in-flight screen, a map of a recent flight-to-nowhere trip on Royal Brunei Airlines.Credit…Nadzri Harif – By Tariro Mzezewa 2020 Sep 19 …
Heard about the “waiting package” phishing scam? – By Ari Lazarus Consumer Education Specialist, FTC – Phishing scams can be hard to spot. For example, we’ve been hearing about one where people get a text message saying that there’s a package waiting for …
Eating lots of fruits and vegetables will boost the immune system. Stevens Fremont via Getty Images – By Grayson Jaggers, Assistant Professor, University of Southern California – Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences 2020 Sep 17 – The connection between the pandemic …
