Why Do We Have Leap Years? (And Why 1900 Was Not One)
A year is about 365.2422 days, not 365. How leap years fix the drift, why century years are usually skipped, and how this affects…
Read article →Category Archives: Wacky World
Fun facts, odd science and surprising history.
Why Is the Sky Blue (and Sunsets Red)? Explained in Two Minutes
Why Is the Sky Blue (and Sunsets Red)? Explained in Two Minutes
The sky is blue because air scatters short (blue) wavelengths of sunlight much more than long (red) ones — Rayleigh scattering. Why it is…
Read article →10 Tech Myths People Still Believe
10 Tech Myths People Still Believe
Incognito mode makes you anonymous, you must drain your battery, more megapixels means better photos — ten common tech myths, busted.
Read article →Why 0.1 + 0.2 Is Not Exactly 0.3 (and Why Excel Sometimes Agrees)
Why 0.1 + 0.2 Is Not Exactly 0.3 (and Why Excel Sometimes Agrees)
Computers store numbers in binary, so 0.1 cannot be stored exactly. Why that makes 0.1+0.2 ≠ 0.3, how it shows up in Excel, Python…
Read article →Why Is the “Save” Icon a Floppy Disk? A Short History
Why Is the “Save” Icon a Floppy Disk? A Short History
The floppy disk save icon outlived the floppy disk by decades. Where the 3.5-inch disk came from, why it became the save symbol, and…
Read article →The Surprising History of Undo, Cut, Copy and Paste
The Surprising History of Undo, Cut, Copy and Paste
Where Ctrl+Z, Ctrl+X, Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V came from — from Xerox PARC’s modeless editing to the Apple Lisa and Windows keyboards we use today.
Read article →Time is Greatest Gift
Time is Greatest Gift
“Time is your most precious gift because you only have a set amount of it. You can make more money, but you can't make…
Read article →Stop Crossing Oceans for People
Stop Crossing Oceans for People
There comes a time when you have to stop crossing oceans for people who wouldn't even jump puddles for you.
Read article →Phantom Vibration Syndrome
Phantom Vibration Syndrome
Phantom vibration syndrome or phantom ringing is the perception that one's mobile phone is vibrating or ringing when it is not. Other terms for…
Read article →Laughter is Panic Response to Tickling
Laughter is Panic Response to Tickling
Most of us have a ticklish spot somewhere on our bodies, and it is usually pretty easy to find. For some it's just above…
Read article →Oxytocin reason for Alcoholism and Drug
Oxytocin reason for Alcoholism and Drug
It turns out oxytocin is responsible for a lot more than just love. New science has found that this amazing molecule also influences how…
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