The race to launch a commercially available flying motorcycle is heating up as two companies compete in technologies that herald a new era in transport. Pankration was a physically exhausting, often deadly ancient sport. Lost for over a millennium it has come to the fore of martial arts once more. Tracing the origin of the phrase ‘on the lam’ is tricky. But we get a sense of it’s roots via Babylon, Victorian children and Prohibition era gangsters. Pelorus Jack was a dolphin who guided ships in colonial New Zealand. The Māori believed that he was a taniwha named Tuhirangi in the guise of a dolphin. Militaries have many nicknames for their troops, but none are as pervasive as G.I. in the United States. How did US troops get their name? It would appear that ostrich knowledge is back to front. For instance, ostriches have three stomachs. However, the ostrich head in sand story is a complete myth. You’d think answering a simple question like why people yawn would be simple. However, it’s not straightforward despite extensive scientific research. Insults never die they just evolve. Medieval insults were surprisingly creative and some are still relevant to frustrations we face in modern life. The first rule about Skinwalkers in Navajo culture is don’t talk about Skinwalkers. Regardless, the story holds a fascination for many non-Native Americans. Australia is famous for its deadly animals. Its plants pack a punch too. The Gympie gympie tree needs a body swerve if you’re averse to excruciating pain. A murder of crows. The collective term is not endearing. So why? Thank medieval hunting tradition and the expansion of the English language. If visuals were the only consideration then the penis snake could win the most appropriate name ever. However, it’s not a snake, but a species of caecilian, or limbless amphibian. Hawaii is home to a population of feral Hawaii chickens crossbred from jungle fowl, domesticated chickens, and fighting cocks from Southeast Asia. The sleep paralysis demon has haunted us for millennia. More recently, science has overcome entrenched supernatural explanations for the devil of dreams. The Sea Spider absorbs oxygen in the ocean through the cuticle on its skin. With spindly legs, this eight-legged beauty breathes through its limbs. Everyone’s heard of Batman. How about a bat god? Camazotz was a Mayan deity associated with death and sacrifice whose name translates as “death bat.” Eels have confounded us for thousands of years and frustrated the finest minds. Despite the attention of Freud, Aristotle, and many others, the eel has remained an elusive specimen. Do you think of Earth as an advanced technological civilization? On the Kardashev Scale, planetary systems like Earth hardly register. Ever wondered about horsepower? It’s a game of averages. Let’s delve into the answer to how much horsepower does a horse have. The history of the condom has not always been associated with comfort. We’ve tried linen, tortoise-shell (yes really), and latex. What does the future hold? The Island of the Dead Dolls has a ghoulish history stretching back 50 years. Nowadays, tourists can visit and witness the nightmarish spectacle.
Farewell Gridlock: Flying Motorcycles are Here
Pankration: The Olympic, Ancient, and Deadly Precursor to the UFC
On the Lam: Breakout Night at the Museum
Pelorus Jack: Covert Operative or Cuddly Compass?
Don’t be Singing the GI Blues: How US Troops Got Their Name
Resolving the Ostrich Head in Sand Phenomenon
A Sleepy Guide to Why do People Yawn?
Cussing at Camelot: Medieval Insults to Use on Your Peasant Friends
Navajo Skinwalkers: The Terrifying Beast That Cannot Be Named
Gympie-Gympie: The Sting You’ll Never Forget
What do you call a group of crows?
The Penis Snake: Contender For Most Appropriately Named Creature
Why Did the Chicken Cross the Pacific?
The Worlds Oldest Demon: The Night-Mare of Sleep Paralysis
Giant Sea Spiders Breathe Through Their Legs!
Camazotz: Bat to the Bone, Arbiter of Justice or Pure Myth?
How do Eels Reproduce and Where on Earth do They Come From?
The Kardashev Scale: Sizing Up Planetary Power
How much horsepower does a horse have?
When Were Condoms Invented? A Revealing History
The Grim Tale of The Island of the Dead Dolls
The True Origins of Kikimora
In Christianity, Kikimora is undoubtedly a demon. But in pre-Christian Slavic mythology, although Kikimora is considered evil, there are exceptions.
