On Jan 6, 1995, McArthur Wheeler boldly robbed two banks in broad daylight with no disguise. According to an article in a local newspaper, “At 5 feet 6 inches and about 270 pounds, bank robbery suspect McArthur Wheeler isn’t the type of person who fades into the woodwork.” He … [Read more...]
Imagine crossing thousands of miles of wild seas without a single map or compass, destined for a tiny island you’ve never been to before. Courageous people called Wayfinders navigated the seas in their canoes, using little more than the stars and songs shared by elders. … [Read more...]
In heavy boots and a big winter coat, 56-year-old factory worker James Robertson doesn’t look like much of an athlete. But looks can be deceiving. This Detroit factory worker walks more than 20 miles a day to and from work, a round trip that takes him 8 hours or more. He then has … [Read more...]
When we think of the animal kingdom, some of us imagine ferocious beasts hunting their prey. Wild animals constantly at odds with each other in a survival of the fittest may be the norm, but it’s not always a dog eat dog world. Sometimes unlikely friendships form between … [Read more...]
The English expression ‘to fall in love’ suggests that love is something that you can’t control. Love consumes us, overcomes us, and renders us powerless. Like gravity, we can’t resist it. And sometimes, we even ‘fall head over heels in love’ when we meet that special … [Read more...]
If you ever thought that you were too old to learn a language or some other skill, you probably never heard the remarkable story of Kimani Maruge. Some people say you can't teach an old dog new tricks, but Kimani first entered elementary school when he was 84-years-old. In … [Read more...]
The very mention of the gang’s name, The Forty Elephants, sent shivers down the spines of shop owners all over London. A mere glimpse of a member sent chaos exploding through a store as cashiers and shoppers ran. But this fearsome gang wasn’t your run-of-the-mill pack of … [Read more...]
Birds aren’t usually the first animal that people think about when they think about smart animals. In English, calling someone birdbrained means that they are stupid. And saying something is ‘for the birds’ means that it’s trivial or worthless. However, these expressions … [Read more...]
Sleep is not optional. After a long enough period of being awake, our brain starts to produce signals that we are tired. As these signals increase in strength, our brain becomes impaired. We all know what it’s like to feel tired to the point of exhaustion. We are less aware, … [Read more...]
What if a hidden tribe in Mexico holds the secret to health, happiness, and long-distance running? A tribe of super-athletes lives hidden in caves along the cliffs of northern Mexico. Men, women, and even young children often run the cliff ledges for sport. Sometimes they run … [Read more...]
Have you ever heard of a tongue twister? Tongue twisters are English sentences that are designed to be hard to say. Try saying this five times fast: She sells seashells on the seashore. Any native English speaker will have learned this tongue twister as a child, but what … [Read more...]
‘Love at first sight’ is an English expression that means to fall in love with someone instantly after just looking at him or her for the first time. Whether you believe this is real love or just shallow desire, it’s a familiar scene in today’s books, movies, and television … [Read more...]
How well do you remember yesterday? Do you remember what you wore, what you ate, or what you watched on television? If you’re like most people, you do. But you probably don't remember what you wore, ate or watched on TV on the third Wednesday of January, six years ago. One woman … [Read more...]
Maybe death is just another disease that doctors will one day cure. That was the dream of Professor Robert Ettinger, who is the godfather of cryonics. First dreamed up by Ettinger in the 1960s, cryonics is the freezing of bodies in the hopes of one day being able to bring them … [Read more...]
When Oscar the cat visits with a patient, everyone knows that death is just around the corner. Oscar was adopted as a kitten by the Steere House Nursing Center in Providence, Rhode Island. He has the mysterious ability to predict death among the patients. According to Dr. … [Read more...]
What separates humans from animals? The more we research animal intelligence and behavior, the more we see that we are not so different. At one time, communication was thought to be the main differentiator, but research into chimpanzees, dolphins, and even prairie dogs has … [Read more...]
In some cultures, such as in the US, having a front yard of green grass is not only considered beautiful, it’s also a status symbol. In fact, it’s so important that some towns actually make it illegal not to grow grass. But what if we were to use this land for something more … [Read more...]
Fighting over household chores and responsibilities is one of the most common arguments in any marriage or relationship. One couple has a unique way to settle those arguments - cold hard cash. Daniel Reeves and Bethany Soule are a happily married couple with two children. They … [Read more...]
Meet Michael. Michael is an addict. He is hopeless against his addiction and will do absolutely anything to get a fix. You might not even be able to tell that someone like Michael has a problem just by looking at him. He doesn’t look homeless or like he hasn’t bathed in days as … [Read more...]
Do you periodically wake up on the wrong side of the bed, dreading the inevitable reality of having to go to work? If your company were to offer you a lot of money to quit your job, would you do it? Every year, workers at Amazon each receive a memo with the headline “Please … [Read more...]
