While cute garden gnomes are common in modern gardens, in the grand estate gardens of 18th-century England, one might have met their melancholy ancestor: the ornamental hermit, an actual human being hired to live a life of seclusion and contemplation, for the sake of being a picturesque addition to the landscape of the wealthy.

Pelorus Jack was an extraordinary Risso’s dolphin renowned for guiding colonial ships through treacherous waters in New Zealand. Revered by the Māori people, they held a firm belief that he was in fact Tuhirangi, a mythical taniwha or protective spirit, who had chosen to take the form of a dolphin to safeguard seafarers on their voyages.

The canine nose is hundreds of thousands of times more sensitive and far more adept at tracking targets than even the keenest hunter.

Kopi luwak, otherwise known as “cat poop coffee,” is the world’s most expensive coffee. But there’s a dark side to the industry, which has been criticized in recent years.

Is vegan leather ethical? It depends, but a new generation of vegan leather products are trying to usurp real leather as a sustainable replacement.

In 1883, the Krakatoa volcano in Indonesia erupted with unparalleled ferocity, splitting the island in half. This colossal event, heard thousands of miles away, birthed the deafening record: the loudest sound in documented history.

In 1985, a black bear was found dead in northern Georgia. What made this discovery unusual was the cause of death—the bear had consumed a lethal amount of cocaine. The story of how it got its paws on the drugs is even more outlandish.

A religious organization founded in 1992, the Church of Euthanasia was known for its radical acts to save the planet by reducing the number of humans in it.

Legend has it that this mannequin in a bridal shop in Chihuahua, Mexico, is the shop owner’s daughter, who died on her wedding day.

Nestled in Tibet’s mountainous Nyingchi region, Black Diamond apples mesmerize with their profound purple hue, so intense that they border on ebony, captivating both the eye and the palate.

A collaborative mapping project created by Montreal-based Lucas LaRochelle, Queering the Map started as a class project, which has since grown to a shared community space for all.

Meet Wally: the Unconventional Healer. This registered, five-foot-long emotional support alligator stands by Joie Henney, battling depression in York County, Pennsylvania. In the embrace of his scaly friend, a unique bond blooms, defying conventions and bringing solace.

Dwarfing the ghost pepper’s heat, the Dragon’s Breath chili holds fatal potency. Its extreme spice demands containment in a sealed enclosure, ensuring safety from its potential lethality. It’s not merely a pepper; it’s a culinary daredevil.

Byron Preiss’s novel, “The Secret,” ignited a three-decade-long quest for 12 elusive treasures across Canada and the U.S., yet only three have surfaced, leaving a tantalizing mystery that continues to bewitch treasure hunters.

Antilia, the world’s largest residential skyscraper in Mumbai, stands as a $2 billion emblem of wealth amid stark poverty, with 62% of the city’s inhabitants living in slums. Its grandeur incites global debate over the ethics of extreme wealth.

On August 8, 1991, the Warsaw Radio Mast—then the world’s tallest man-made structure at over 2,120 feet—suddenly collapsed. An event seemingly forgotten by history, it held the record for height until the Burj Khalifa’s completion in 2009.

Come on, everyone does it don’t they? But is it different when a politician allegedly lies on their CV? Italian Prime Minister elect, Giuseppe Conte, faces accusations of embellishment and generally bullshitting loads on his CV.

A local doctor, Dr. Issa Fathima Jasmine, supported by her community is spearheading the fight against hunger with the Chennai community fridge.