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How An Unsuccessful TV Pilot Spawned One of the Greatest Films of the 1990s

Before there was ‘Heat,’ there was ‘LA Takedown,’ a TV pilot-turned-TV movie that aired on NBC in 1989.

10 Things You Might Not Know About Ronald Reagan

President Ronald Reagan served from 1981-1989 and is remembered for his Reaganomics policies, the war on drugs, and other political endeavors. He also ate a lot of jelly beans.

Researchers Want Videos of Your Cat for Science

Playtime with your cat is adorable—and it may also be valuable to scientists at UC Davis.

There are hard-working puppeteers just out of frame.

See How ‘Sesame Street’ Puppeteers Control Their Muppets

Learn the artistry behind ‘Sesame Street’ puppeteering.

A portrait of the scientists who found and examined the Piltdown Man skull (accompanied by a picture of Charles Darwin on the wall).

10 Famous Archaeological Hoaxes

From forged artworks to fake mummies and even fraudulent orangutan bones, archaeological hoaxes fool scientists and stir the public’s imagination—until the culprits are forced to come clean.

See if you can decipher this twisted tune.

Tune Twist Quiz #4

In Tune Twist, we run the lyrics of a hit song through multiple languages, then translate them back into English. Can you figure out what the song is, or who performed it?

“God” and “Jesus” are the only Simpson characters that have five fingers.

Why Do So Many Cartoon Characters Have Four Fingers?

It‘s normal for cartoon characters to be missing a digit, but how did the style originate?

Some tables are impossible to snag without the right connections.

8 of the Hardest Restaurants to Get Into In the U.S.

Contacting the restaurant a few months (or a year) out, calling relentlessly, or stopping by in case of no-shows might do the trick.

A Brief History of Leaf-Peeping

From Henry David Thoreau's 'Autumnal Tints' to the origins of the term 'leaf-peeper.'

This lucky camper scored a permit at Yosemite National Park.

National Parks Now Let Visitors Set Alerts for Online Reservations

Want to snatch a camping spot at Yosemite before they’re gone? The new availability alert feature on Recreation.gov can help.

A tornado south of Cheyenne, Oklahoma, touched down on April 15, 2012.

10 of the Most Terrifying Tornadoes in History

Tornadoes can (and do) happen anywhere. Here are 10 of the most terrible twisters to ever take a turn on Earth.

Olive Garden‘s Never Ending Pasta Bowl Is Back at Its Pre-Inflation Price

Olive Garden's Never Ending Pasta Bowl has finally returned—for a limited time.

What It’s Like at the Real-Life ‘Gates of Hell’ in Turkmenistan

Watch an explorer share what it's like to descend into the Darvaza Gas Crater, also known as the “Gates of Hell.”

The Long, Strange History of the Word ‘Weird’

Where did this bizarre word come from, and how has it changed over the centuries?

How to Keep Your Cat Off the Counter

Letting your cat walk across the counter can be pretty gross. We had a cat expert offer some advice on how to nip that habit in the bud.

Can You Guess the Famous Author Based on Their Weird Nickname?

Even distinguished novelists have had to endure bizarre monikers.

Keep a look out for the origins of this weird phrase.

Where Does the Expression ‘Keep Your Eyes Peeled’ Come From?

Popular theories involve pirates—and police.

In Japanese, ‘ringo’ means both “apple” and “apples.”

5 Ways Nouns Change in Different Languages

Across the world’s languages, nouns are surprisingly chameleonic creatures, shape-shifting and category-hopping in ways that can make your head spin.

What‘s the Kennection? #128

All five answers to the questions below have something in common. Can you figure it out?

The show shot its cast—including Courteney Cox, Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Lisa Kudrow, Matthew Perry, and Matt LeBlanc—to mega-stardom.

40 Surprising Facts About ‘Friends’

In honor of its 30th anniversary, discover even more fun facts about NBC’s hit sitcom, ‘Friends,’ which helped turn its cast—including Jennifer Aniston, Matthew Perry, and Courteney Cox—into household names.

Here’s What the Inside of a Tornado Looks Like

Filming the inside of a tornado is tricky for obvious reasons.

A health care worker prepares to deliver an mpox vaccine during the 2022 outbreak.

8 Times the World Health Organization Declared a Public Health Emergency (Including for Mpox)

All of the WHO's declarations of emergency since 2007 have been for viral diseases, including the most recent one for mpox.

Dogs give plenty of love and deserve clean collars.

How to Wash Your Dog’s Collar

Is there a weird smell coming from your dog even after you bathed it? It might be time to wash its collar.

There's definitely some learning going on in there.

The 30 Best Community Colleges in the U.S.

This ranking of America’s best community colleges considers everything from tuition rates to postgrad salaries.

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