Tolkien’s Dwarves Would Have Needed 38 Mini-Nuclear Plants to Melt All That Gold So Quickly
Unless those dwarf furnaces were burning some sort of Middle-earth super fuel, in real life Smaug probably would have just eaten the dwarves
Get Geeky About Dialects With the Dictionary of American Regional English
Did the NYTimes’ dialect quiz get you interested in regionalisms? Then check out the Dictionary of American Regional English
Christmas Is Huge in Asia
From India to Thailand to China, even non-Christians are getting into the holiday spirit
Meet the Money Behind The Climate Denial Movement
Nearly a billion dollars a year is flowing into the organized climate change counter-movement
What Does Sociology Teach Us About Gift Giving?
Not only do gifts make or break relationships, they also tell scientists about society as a whole. No pressure.
Everything’s Bigger in America, Especially Urban Sprawl
Eight other cities (total population: 100 million) fit into the footprint of Atlanta (population: 5 million)
The Best of the British Medical Journal’s Goofy Christmas Papers
This year, for example, we learned about just how much James Bond actually drank. Last year we learned just why Rudolph’s nose was red
This Sea Slug Was Just Named After a Game of Thrones Character
There’s a Stephen Colbert beetle, a Lady Gaga genus of plant, and a Beyonce bee. And now, a Game of Thrones slug
In Germany, Santa’s Sidekick Is a Cloven-Hooved, Child-Whipping Demon
The Krampus is even gaining a following on this side of the pond, with Krampus art shows, Krampus beer crawls and Krampus rock shows
The British Library Just Put More Than a Million Images in the Public Domain
From the largest library in the world, more than a million images free to download and use
StarCraft II Player Is Now Officially an Athlete, According to the U.S. Government
Kim Dong-hwan, a competitive StarCraft player, was just issued a P-1A visa—the type that’s usually given to athletes
Ikea’s Getting Into the Refugee Shelter Business
Ikea’s latest installments are popping up in Lebanon, where around one million Syrians have sought refuge from the violence plaguing their own country
Every Year, a Swedish Town Builds a Giant Straw Goat, And People Just Can’t Help Burning It Down
In the 47 years that the town has erected Gävlebocken, it’s been set on fire 26 times
This River And Medieval Bridge, Paved Over for 100 Years, Will Soon Return to the Light
Local artists were recruited to help determine the river’s ultimate design, and developers say the project could be completed by 2015
James Bond’s Martini Consumption Would Have Compromised His Physical, Mental and Sexual Abilities
The authors postulate that the spy’s preference for shaken, not stirred vodka martinis may indicate a case of shaky hands caused by alcohol-induced tremors
Playing an Instrument Won’t Make Your Kid Smarter
Music can, however, boost children’s creativity and teach them important life skills such as discipline and concentration—but so can other hobbies
Facebook’s Most Popular Check-In Spots This Year Include Places in Iceland, Argentina and Nigeria
Top world destinations for check-ins are a bit unexpected, but perhaps reflect Facebook’s popularity among varying cultures, interest groups and nations
Mindlessly Snapping Photos at Museums Keeps People From Remembering the Actual Visit
People might use cameras as a crutch for returning to and remembering things later rather than paying attention to what is transpiring in the moment
The NYC Subways Will Give You a Late Slip If Your Train Is Delayed
In New York City you can even get a late pass from the MTA to show your skeptical boss
VIDEO: The CIA Trained These Animals to Spy for Them
The government agency used birds, cats and even dolphins to help them on covert operations
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