Most people see bats as dreadful, vampire-like creatures from hell, synonymous with darkness and the bloody horror stories we’ve grown up with. This immediate association of fear and dread most probably stems from the tales of the bloodthirsty Count Dracula and even from Batman, when Bruce Wayne tells Alfred, “Bats frighten me. It’s time my
Articles
By small and simple things are great things brought to pass. Some might look at paying it forward as a trivial or insignificant act, but gestures of kindness can create changes that last a lifetime. It’s often said that a hero’s strength isn’t measured by the size of their muscles but by the size of
In case you haven’t heard, the universe is old. So old, it just kind of popped up about 13.77 billion years ago, for some reason. Throughout that lengthy period, it’s had a lot of time to stretch its feet and evolve into what we see today. Though it’s stupendous that we can even see that
The average person unknowingly breaks three federal laws every day, and one in three Americans have a police record. You’ve probably already broken the law this morning without even realizing it, and no, I’m not talking about you driving over the speed limit to make it to work, though yes, that is a crime. Without
Ah, good ol’ money. It’ll always be there, right? So long as we have enough of it, we can purchase goods, services, security…well, you get the idea. Unfortunately, too many governments treat money like coffee—assuming they can always just make more. As we’ll see, this process of chasing increasingly bad money with even worse money
What comes to mind when you first think of a cult? An image of brooding black-robed, heavy death-metal teenagers gathered around a pentagram comes to mind, but that’s occult, or the belief in the supernatural, mystical, and magical. A cult has a much more pleasant philosophy—sometimes. Merriam-Webster Dictionary officially defines the term as “a small
Accidents are nothing new, but when humanity entered the industrial age, workplace accidents became a lot more…deadly. Improvements in manufacturing, power production, transportation, mining, and every other industry out there may have brought about the modern world, but they came at a cost. Industrial accidents have been happening since the early days of the industrial
Humanity’s relationship with nature has been complicated. From the distant hunter-gatherer past right up to the present, we have relied heavily on the natural bounties reaped from the environment. While most people have shifted to office work, interacting and coexisting with nature has never been more important. With that in mind, here are ten places
There are more than 4,000 minerals that naturally occur on Earth. Many of these are almost impossible for most people to distinguish. A rock is a rock to most people. But some stones stand out. Humans love sparkly things, and luckily, some minerals and gemstones can be both pretty and rare—two things humans prize. This
Most people are familiar with claims of UFO sightings made from planes. And many of us will have heard or read about UFOs witnessed from the deck of a ship or tracked on the radar of a submarine. However, what perhaps does not come to mind quite so quickly are UFO encounters with locomotive trains,
When we think of kids, it often brings to mind images of laughter, playgrounds, and first days of school…not graphic scenes of murder. However, there are always exceptions, particularly in the realm of fiction. Whether they fight for the side of good or evil, these ten kids prove you don’t have to be an adult
Fish have been a part of the human diet for centuries. We have learned more about the risks and benefits of eating fish over time. We have also become quite fond of the taste and texture of fish. (Well…not our vegetarian and vegan friends.) Eating fish offers nutrients that aid in reducing the risk of
While trying to think of stories of ancient information leaks to add to this list, my mind wandered to the story of King Leonidas of Sparta and the story depicted in the movie 300. Despite all the outlandish claims, exaggerations, and outright lies about the battle of Thermopylae in that movie, one part of the
Of their own accord, sometimes because they have been pressured by government officials or private parties, entertainment media have banned the playing of particular pop songs. Whether at the federal, state, or local level, direct government censorship of such music occurs less often. However, due to political and other motives, government bans have taken place
Most of us have used an online dating app or know someone that has used one. It can make meeting a significant other much easier because you can set your preferences and chat online to get to know them before any in-person date. Most of us think that the worst that can happen is that
One of the best things about science fiction is how broad a genre it is. Sci-fi movies can be about the exploration of space and distant planets, aliens and monsters, time travel, advanced technology, alternate dimensions, and many more imaginative things. If you’ve seen all of the classic and most popular sci-fi movies, but you’re
Hate and fear aren’t just terrible because of the effect they have on our society—they’re easy, natural even. They’re deeply coded in every one of us, little switches saving us from coiled snakes on branches and the possible diseases brought to our camp by a foreign tribe. In this day and age, however, these once-necessary
Among other magical abilities, witches in history have long been thought to consort with the dead. Be it with a Ouija Board at the height of the spiritualism movement or via the old, alleged maleficium, it’s easy to put witches and ghosts in a similar, mystical camp. However, every now and then, supposed witches do
Today, some of the most bankable stars in Hollywood are African-American actors, such as Will Smith, Denzel Washington, or “the voice” Morgan Freeman, whose talent might have in all likelihood been denied in classic Hollywood. Hattie McDaniel was the first African-American actress to win a competitive Oscar. But sadly for her and many of her
North Korea, officially known as the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), is the most secretive and closed country in the world. Its leader, dictator Kim Jong-un, rules the country with an iron fist. The country is home to an estimated 120,000 political prisoners who live and work in harsh conditions and are subjected to