When musician Clive Wearing was struck down by a brain infection in 1985, it stole his memories. It also prevented him from making new ones. Fresh events and experiences are lost in the blink of an eye. Herpes encephalitis had infected his brain and destroyed his memory. He … [Read more...]
Timothy Treadwell spent 13 summers living with grizzly bears in remote Alaska. He loved them and gave them cute pet names like Mr. Chocolate. These wild animals were anything but cute. Weighing up to 1,700 pounds and standing up to 7 feet tall, these animals were dangerous. … [Read more...]
When Mitsutaka Uchikoshi got lost on a Japanese mountain, his chances of survival were slim. He had no food, water, or protection against the environment. Mitsutaka became separated from his climbing party on Mount Rokko. The last thing he remembers is lying down in a grassy … [Read more...]
Shakespeare died over 400 years ago, but his words live on in everyday English conversations. Even native English speakers who don’t know his plays, use idioms the famous playwright coined over 400 years ago. Shakespeare had a unique insight into what makes us tick. We often … [Read more...]
This past New Year’s Eve, a 64-year-old Michigan man took a fall that almost cost him his life. At 10:30 pm, Bob took a break from watching football on TV and stepped outside. He was going to get wood for the fire when he slipped on some icy steps. As he lay in the snow, without … [Read more...]
Mold is all around us. In the air and on our food, it can make us sick and gross us out , but not all molds are bad. Some can make delicious food, and others can save lives. One famous mold, discovered by accident by a sloppy scientist, became the first antibiotic medicine: … [Read more...]
The Olympics are a chance to honor the strongest and fastest athletes in the world, but we rarely hear about the weakest or the slowest. Shizo Kanakuri is the exception. He holds the world record for the slowest time in the Olympic marathon. He finished the race after 54 years, … [Read more...]
Does your spine look like a C, an S, or a J? Millions of people around the world suffer pain from too much sitting. Some have even switched to using standing desks but are still in agony. Esther Gokhale, an acupuncturist and a posture guru, says she has the answer. She … [Read more...]
Detecting sickness by the way you smell is on the cutting edge of medical technology. We all have a unique smell called an odorprint. And it depends on our age, sex, health, and the food we eat. Mats Olsson is an experimental psychologist who studies smell. In one study, he … [Read more...]
In 2003, Lisa fell in love with a man named Mark Stone. They seemed perfect for each other. Lisa was an environmental activist, and so was Mark. She thought she had found her soul mate. For six years, Lisa and Mark shared a life together. They traveled together and went … [Read more...]
‘Kick the bucket’ is a very old English expression which means to die. A ‘bucket list’ is a list of things that you want to do before you die. It’s now a common English expression, but it’s very new. In 2007, the movie Bucket List, starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman, … [Read more...]
No one could spend money like Michael Jackson. His mansion in California had a personal zoo and amusement park that cost him $5 million a year just for maintenance and staff. Over the course of his life, he made 1.1 billion dollars, but he spent it all and then some. He died … [Read more...]
“All human life, all life, depends on plants,” says Jonathan Drori in his TED talk about the Millennium Seed Bank. This project involves collecting seeds in an underground storage facility strong enough to withstand a nuclear attack. It holds over 2 billion seeds, which represent … [Read more...]
Lawrence Ripple entered the bank and gave the teller a note that said, “I have a gun, give me money.” Ripple didn’t have a gun, and strangely, he didn’t actually want the money. After the teller handed over $3,000 in cash, Ripple sat down in the lobby and waited for the cops to … [Read more...]
According to the United Nations, there are 19.5 million refugees around the world. Most of them are poor and in need of support. What most people don’t hear about are the ultra-rich, who can easily buy their way into a new life abroad. In the US, for example, foreigners who … [Read more...]
Joanne Barnaby was deep in the Canadian wilderness hunting wild mushrooms when she heard the growl of a wolf. She turned to see her dog facing off with a big black wolf. The wolf looked skinny and hungry but was still twice the size of her dog. Joanne had made the near fatal … [Read more...]
Depending on whom you ask, Felix von Luckner was a noble, a gentleman, a pirate, and a hero. Born into a German military family, he dreamed of becoming a naval officer since he was a child, even though his father pushed him to follow in his footsteps and become a cavalry … [Read more...]
Elderly people trying to make a break for freedom are common at nursing homes. Confused patients at the Ben Rath nursing home in Germany would often slip out the door and get lost. Some would be found wandering in stores or even in the forest. Others would jump on buses in search … [Read more...]
A mother and her six children were accused of killing a five-year-old boy in Savigny, France in 1457. The mother and children were brought before a court to answer for their crimes. The mother was found guilty and sentenced to death by hanging, but her children were freed. … [Read more...]
Einstein once said, “Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.” Philosophers and scientists from Aristotle to Einstein have known throughout history that walking in nature can boost creativity. When we walk, our heart rate increases, pumping blood … [Read more...]
