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10 Language Mistakes Kids Make That Are Actually Pretty Smart

Little kids make such cute mistakes when they talk. We know they're still learning the language, so we tolerate their errors and chuckle at how funny they sound. Behind that chuckle is the assumption that the kids are getting it wrong because they just don't know the rules yet. In fact, kids' mistakes show they know a lot more about the rules than we think. The mistakes are evidence of very smart hypotheses the kids are forming from the limited data they've been given so far. Here are 10 really smart... READ ON

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Why Does Skin Get Pruney in the Tub?

For a long time, scientists thought that pruning of the skin after spending time in the water was simply a matter of fingers being a little spongey. The outermost layer (the stratum corneum) of the outermost layer (the epidermis) of our skin is mostly made up of cells called corneocytes. These cells are filled with keratin, a protein that helps keep the skin hydrated by absorbing water and preventing its evaporation. When you hang out in the pool or the bathtub for a while, the keratin absorbs a lot of... READ ON

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10 Things You Might Not Know About Atari

Wikimedia Commons Forty years ago, on November 29, 1972, a startup called Atari announced the release of Pong, a coin operated “video game.” The company’s name was taken from the ancient Japanese board game Go, and vaguely translates as “to hit the mark.” In celebration, here are ten things you might not know about Atari. 1. In today’s dollars, you could found Atari for the price of a MacBook Pro. Nolan Bushnell founded Atari in 1972 with a princely investment of $250. (His co-founder,... READ ON

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How Do Computers Understand Speech?

More and more, we can get computers to do things for us by talking to them. A computer can call your mother when you tell it to, find you a pizza place when you ask for one, or write out an email that you dictate. Sometimes the computer gets it wrong, but a lot of the time it gets it right, which is amazing when you think about what a computer has to do to turn human speech into written words: turn tiny changes in air pressure into language. Computer speech recognition is very complicated and has a long... READ ON

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9 More Gorgeous European Libraries

We’ve seen great libraries from all over the world, including a second look at amazing American libraries. Now it’s time for more beautiful libraries in Europe! 1. The Royal Library,... READ ON

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6 Pieces of Folksy Wisdom That Are Actually True

The holidays are here again. That means family, and family means listening to insane, ill-informed debates over every subject imaginable. But just because your relatives are old and probably a little crazy doesn’t mean everything they say is nonsense. When it comes to some of that old down-home folksy wisdom, for example, they’re actually right. 1. You Can Predict the Weather From Joint... READ ON

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5 Moments in Sauce History That Changed The Way We Eat

Whether it’s the classic brunch staple Hollandaise or Guy Fieri’s Donkey Sauce, human beings have always seemed to have a love affair with condiments. From the murky history behind Worcestershire sauce to the great French culinary tradition of the five Mother Sauces, here are five key moments in sauce history that have changed the way we look at everyday food. 1. The Mother... READ ON

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13 Patents Designed to Build a Better Mustache

You may have some buddies participating in Movember, an annual event that raises awareness of (and money for) men's health issues. Let's take a look at a few weird 'stache-themed patents. 1. Patent US435748, "Mustache... READ ON

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Forget Wayne's World 3: 8 Movie Sequels Actually on Track for 2015-16

This week reports surfaced online that we'd be getting another installment of Wayne's World. Sadly, it was just a rumor. But it got us thinking of other sequels that are definitely coming down the line. 1. Kung Fu Panda 3... READ ON