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There are literally thousands of languages spoken all over the world today—and thousands more long-dead languages that were spoken by small (or large) groups in the past and are no longer used. Communities and empires die out, languages fall out of use in favor of other more popular languages that surge ahead, and native tongues

Every so often, buildings are put up not out of need or passion but out of spite. These so-called spite houses are built or modified with the specific intent of irritating the neighbors. Although their initial purpose is to annoy, they occasionally become tourist attractions. Here are 10 of the most interesting (and sometimes strange!)

Thanks to the Home Alone franchise, millennials would know what is possible if a family with 11 children takes off for the Christmas holiday and a single child is left to fend for himself, all the while two dangerous criminals try to break in and steal everything they can get their hands on. Home Alone

As much as the world loves a good piece of art, sometimes bad ones can be just as much fun. Sold-out midnight showings of The Room and the popular podcast My Dad Wrote a Porno (in which a man reads his father’s embarrassing erotic novel out loud to friends) show that we love bad media

In October 1929, the American stock market crashed. After riding high for much of the 1920s, Wall Street took a major dip, and the economy followed. But for a little while after, Americans farmers far out west didn’t quite feel the effects of the crash. Farms had been producing profitable products for years since World

The Star Trek franchise has entered into a Golden Age in the 2020s. The science fiction juggernaut, initially launched in 1966, now has multiple series running simultaneously. There have been eight live-action and three animated TV series to bear the name Star Trek, four of which are currently on air. While Star Trek is science

This space rock punched Earth roughly 66 million years ago and caused the Cretaceous-Paleogene mass extinction—otherwise known as the K-Pg event. The latter famously killed off the non-avian dinosaurs and 75% of all other species. However, not everything perished. From your morning cup of coffee to non-avian dinosaurs that actually flourished for thousands of years,

The human brain is truly amazing, with over 100,000 neurons packed into segments the same size as a single grain of sand. While our smarts are undeniable, we’re not the only creatures with brains cleverly adapted for survival. From ultra-clever elephants to the lowly bony-eared assfish (no, really), the weird and wonderful variety of brains

When you think of the perfect location for your dream wedding ceremony, what places come to mind? A church setting centered around your faith? A white sandy beach? A garden or park surrounded by nature? While these locations are certainly some of the most common, the final decision for most couples also tends to revolve

When you think of Italy, what comes to mind? The endless canals of Venice? The stunning scenery of Lake Como? Or maybe the delicious cuisine—hello, carbonara! Well, did you know that Italy is also home to some creepy ghost stories and a few rather quirky legends? From the window that demands to be kept open

Superheroes are constantly being revamped in both comic books and on screen, but there are usually a few defining hallmarks that remain consistent. For instance, Spider-Man is usually depicted as a teenager, often called Peter Parker, who is bitten by a radioactive spider. Even when his classic red and blue costume is changed—Miles Morales gets

Sports embody the world of passion, excitement, and unpredictability. Athletes battle it out on the field, leaving no stone unturned in their pursuit of victory. But what happens when the decisions of the men and women in black and white stripes influence the outcome of a game? Referee calls have been the subject of debate,

The period from the late 17th century to the close of the Napoleonic Wars is called the Enlightenment—the Age of Reason. It was a period of scientific progress that sought to leave the supernatural behind and explain the workings of the world through natural laws. There was increasing confidence that there was nothing that couldn’t

Sometimes it’s surprising to discover that an iconic TV series like The Addams Family, which has been shown so frequently in reruns over the years, actually had a very short original run, especially if it is more entertaining than some shows that have lasted a decade or longer. In the history of episodic television, there

Triffids and Ents did not make this list, but other remarkable trees did. From a eucalyptus grove where trees have golden leaves (yes, actual gold) to a city that provided trees with their own email, here are ten mysteries, facts, and specimens that will raise your eyebrows. Related: 10 Man-Made Places Nature Decorated 10 Trees’

Grab your popcorn and prepare to be dazzled by the glitz, the glamour, and the jaw-dropping moments of award shows. From unexpected speeches to shocking upsets, award ceremonies have long been a breeding ground for the unforgettable, the absurd, and the downright surreal. In this star-studded countdown, we’re rolling out the red carpet to revisit

The Inca empire thrived across the Andean region of South America for centuries after first rising up at some point in the 13th century. Known to others in the centuries after that, and later encountered by European explorers first visiting South America and the New World, the Incas impressed all around them with their advanced

We all love a good prank. Catching someone off guard, giving them a fright, or misleading them into fear or bewilderment—it all equates to good-spirited fun and entertainment unbound by the limitations of language, culture, and location. Time itself can be bent by the very same confusing look you get from playing with another’s sensibilities.

The machines we’ve built throughout history are not just tools; they are the embodiment of human intelligence and ambition. The complexity of these creations often mirrors the complexity of the human mind itself. From probing the depths of space to unlocking the mysteries of the atom, our most intricate machines have enabled us to expand

A UFO—Unidentified Flying Object—represents flying objects that cannot be immediately identified or explained. Upon investigation, most UFOs are identified as known objects or atmospheric phenomena, while a small number remain unexplained. Since the popularity of UFOs as a phenomenon, many people have tried to ride this wave to gain popularity or make money. While some