Boost Empathy With a Book! #9073
Reading literary fiction has been scientifically shown to improve a person's capacity for empathy.
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The Accidental Invasion of Switzerland
Liechtenstein's army once accidentally invaded Switzerland in 2007 after getting lost on a training march.
A Useless Fact
About 55% of all movies are rated R.
Your Brain on Wisdom
Wisdom and intelligence are different; studies show they are located in separate parts of the brain's prefrontal cortex.
A Useless Fact
A lion in the wild usually makes no more than 20 kills a year.
Why Your Brain Hates Change
The human brain actively resists change to conserve mental energy, a phenomenon known as 'homeostatic impulse'.
This Solid is Almost Entirely Air!
The clearest man-made material isn't glass; it's aerogel, a solid that is 99.8% air.
The Ripple Effect of Kindness
Witnessing an act of kindness makes you significantly more likely to help someone else, a phenomenon known as moral elevation.
A Useless Fact
Gabriel, Michael, and Lucifer are the only angels named in the Bible.
Born Without Fear?! ???? #9604
A rare genetic condition called Urbach-Wiethe disease can make a person completely unable to feel fear.
A Useless Fact
Venus and Uranus are the only planets that rotate opposite to the direction of their orbit.
The First Webcam Watched Coffee
The world's first webcam was invented to monitor the level of a coffee pot at Cambridge University.
A Useless Fact
One out of every 43 prisoners escapes from jail. 94% are recaptured.
The Dark Side of Human Nature
Due to the 'bystander effect,' you're less likely to get help in an emergency if a large crowd is present.
A Useless Fact
Dr. Seuss pronounced his name “soyce”.
Your Brain on Curiosity
Curiosity activates your brain's pleasure centers, the same ones triggered by food and money.
This Study Hack is Better than Rereading
Testing yourself on information is a more effective way to learn than simply rereading it.
Your Brain on Generosity
The act of giving triggers the brain's reward centers, producing a 'helper's high'.
The Power of Determination #1270
J.K. Rowling's 'Harry Potter' was rejected by 12 publishers before finally being accepted.
3 Years Alone at Sea!
The longest non-stop solo sailing voyage lasted 1,152 days, completed by Reid Stowe without ever touching land.
Your Brain Flips Your Vision!
Your eyes actually see the world upside down; your brain is what flips the image right-side up.
The World's Shortest Will!
The shortest will ever accepted by a court was just three words: 'Vše mé ženě' (All to wife).
Grief Can Literally Break Your Heart
The emotional pain of intense grief can trigger a real medical condition called Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, also known as 'broken heart syndrome'.
A Useless Fact
The Philippines has about 7,100 islands, of which only about 460 are more than 1 square mile in area.
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